《Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°Sebastian ising back?¡± The eight-months pregnant Sasha was folding the newly bought onesies in the nursery when she heard the housemaids¡¯ conversation. He¡¯sing back? Is it because my due date is approaching? Her heart was bursting with joy until her hands trembled. Although Sebastian was the baby¡¯s father, she had only met him once on their wedding night. He never showed up after that. With watery eyes, she caressed her pregnant belly. ¡°Oh, my baby, I know your daddy doesn¡¯t like me, but it¡¯s okay. I will be happy as long as he¡¯s here to witness your birth.¡± A smile of joy and satisfaction lit up her face. Two dayster, Sebastian was finally back after disappearing for ten months. When Sasha heard the news, she held her baby bump while carefully trotting out of her bedroom to meet him. As she looked down from the top of the stairs, her face turned ashen. Apart from the man whom she missed a lot, she saw a woman standing next to him in the living room. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Sebastian, I asked you toe back to take care of Sasha. Why did you bring this woman back?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know why? I told you I have nothing to do with this marriage. The woman I want to marry is Xandra, and she¡¯s standing next to me right now.¡± In his ck coat, Sebastian¡¯s chiseled face held a frosty expression. The man exuded a cold aura while he levelled his father¡¯s stare. Frederick was left fuming at his son¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t you know Sasha¡¯s due date is near? She¡¯s pregnant with your baby! How dare you say something like that!¡± ¡°Huh,¡± he snorted, ¡°The baby? She wouldn¡¯t be pregnant if you hadn¡¯t spiked my drink on my wedding night. You know what, the baby doesn¡¯t deserve toe to this world!¡± The living room fell into a dead silence. Standing by the staircase, Sasha felt a dull pain from within her chest; his words pierced through her heart, tearing it to smithereens. At that instant, she experienced a temporary ckout of vision while the surrounding noises faded away. How could he say something like that! My baby¡­ My baby is unweed¡­ Soon she felt dizzy and lightheaded. ¡°Oh, no! Madam! Madam, you¡¯re bleeding!¡± ¡°What?¡± At that instant, the housemaid¡¯s shouts rang out in the Hayes Residence. Both father and son, who were at a standoff, instantly looked up to see the pregnant Sasha standing by the staircase. Blood was trickling down her legs from beneath her skirt to the stairs. Sebastian¡¯s expression changed at the horrific sight. Fixing her eyes at the man, Sasha uttered, ¡°That¡¯s some kind of great love you have, Sebastian Hayes! Building your happiness on your baby¡¯s suffering and death. I wonder if you¡¯ll ever be at peace with yourself for the rest of your life?¡± In his daze, Sebastian realized this was the first time she was speaking to him since the wedding night. Before he could even say anything, Sasha had copsed onto the ground. Blood was gushing out from beneath her skirt, spreading across the floor. One housemaid called out, ¡°Quick! Send her to the hospital!¡± Within minutes, Sasha, who was unconsciousness, was rushed to the hospital. In the silent living room, Xandra tried tofort Sebastian, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. It has nothing to do with you. The whole arranged marriage is a mistake from the beginning, and they drugged you to get her pregnant. That woman even dared to curse you! Sebastian¡­¡± Before she could even finish her words, the man who had never gotten angry with her suddenly shot her a murderous re. He bellowed, ¡°Shut up! It is not your ce to meddle or even talk about the Hayes¡¯ family affairs.¡± Xandra shuddered. In the face of his anger, she dared not to utter a single word. Sasha Wand, you b*tch! I hope you and your baby die! Don¡¯t evere back again! Meanwhile, in the hospital. An hour had passed. The gynecologist finally came out of the operating theatre with a baby in her arms. With a heavy heart, she told Frederick, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Hayes. She suffered a massive loss of blood, and we failed to save her. We only managed to save one of the triplets.¡± Sasha, died? My poor granddaughter-inw and the triplets¡­ Now there¡¯s only one of them left? It was an earth-shattering blow to Frederick. As a result, he fainted while clenching his chest. ¡°Oh, no! Mr. Hayes!¡± In the meantime, Sebastian had left the Hayes Residence with Xandra. They were heading to his apartment in the city. The moment he received the news, he couldn¡¯t help grasping the steering wheel. ¡°She¡¯s dead?¡± Luke Scott, his assistant, answered, ¡°Yes. I heard she has always been in a poor condition. She died from a massive blood loss, but the doctor managed to save one of the triplets. It¡¯s a boy, and Mr. Hayes Sr. has brought him back home.¡± To prove his words, Luke even sent Sebastian a picture of Sasha and the two babies¡¯ bodies covered under a white sheet. Thetter¡¯s pupils constricted at the sight of the picture. Screech! He stomped on the brakes, bringing the car to an abrupt halt in the middle of the road. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Five yearster, in a renowned hospital in Moranta. Sasha was presenting a patient¡¯s case study in fluent French to the other medical experts in the meeting room. The short hair suited her delicate skin and features, entuating her bright eyes like a pair of dazzling gems. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dr. Nancy, but do you mean to say this patient doesn¡¯t need an operation? You¡¯re suggesting that we should use acupuncture?¡± Sasha flipped through the medical report and shed a confident smile at the medical experts. ¡°If you trust my opinion, then yes.¡± She was now Dr. Nancy Wand, an alias she assumed five years ago. Back then, the gynecologist had announced her demise to the Hayes after saving her from the jaws of death. Sasha would rather die than return to the Hayes Residence; that ce was a nightmare for her. Later, she came to Moranta and settled down in this country. Within five years, she made a name for herself as a doctor who also specialized in Traditional Chinese Medicine using the skills she had inherited from the Wand family. The medical experts¡¯ thoughts wavered upon hearing her confident reply. Yet Sasha had no time to wait for their answer. She took a nce at her watch and soon left the meeting room. ¡°Dr. Nancy, you¡¯re picking up your kids again?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± While hurrying down the stairs, she came across some colleagues and returned their greetings with a bright smile. She was eager to fetch her kids. Ten minutester, at the preschool. The entrance of the preschool was deserted by when Sasha arrived. Just then, a little girl with a pigtail cheerfully trotted in her direction. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re finally here! I¡¯ve waited for you for so long!¡± She immediately got out of the car. ¡°I¡¯mte today. I¡¯m sorry, Vivi. I won¡¯t bete next time. Can you forgive me?¡± Vivian would never me her mommy for beingte. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Matt is here with me, and he brought me a lot of yummy snacks! Look, I¡¯m stuffed!¡± the little girl said as she rubbed her tummy. Her words warmed Sasha¡¯s heart. Matt, Vivian¡¯s twin, was indeed a very thoughtful little boy. He would always take good care of his younger sister. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go and find Matt now?¡± ¡°Alright, Mommy!¡± A few minutester, Sasha found her son in the teachers¡¯ room. She was concerned to see him being the center of attention once again, surrounded by the teachers. ¡°Oh, my god! Look! The transfer student who is joining us really looks identical to our dear Matteo!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! Check this out!¡± One of the teachers brought a photo next to Matteo¡¯s face. Matteo took a nce at the photo. ¡°How do we look alike? Is his face chubby like mine?¡± ¡°Well¡­ No.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Does he look as adorable as me when he smiles?¡± Matteo leaned forward, cupping his cute little face. The teachers burst intoughter. Yet, they found the two didn¡¯t really look that alike after a closer look. The five-year-old boy in the photo was pulling a straight face; his gloomy expression made him look like a little adult. To them, Matteo was definitely cuter. ¡°Matt, what are you doing?¡± Sasha asked when she saw the interaction between them. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re here! Well, I did nothing.¡± Upon hearing his mom¡¯s voice, he reacted swiftly by hopping off the table, beaming. Matteo had always been a cheerful boy. Even though his facial features resembled that man, he didn¡¯t inherit thetter¡¯s cold and ruthless personality. Rather, Matteo was a kid with a warm personality and a bright smile that never left his face. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¡°Is it? Don¡¯t lie to me. Do you remember thest time when you tricked the teacher into ruining the computer so that the students could take a day off? Did you really do nothing bad this time?¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± These teachers are pestering me! Ugh! How could Mommy think badly of me? Am I really a troublemaker in her eyes? ¡°Last time, I only taught them to y a little game on theputer.¡± Then, he changed the topic. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m hungry. Can we go home now?¡± In the end, Sasha had no choice but to let him off. She bade the teachers goodbye and brought the little ones home. After they arrived home, Sasha busied herself in the kitchen to prepare dinner. However, before she was done, the hospital called. ¡°Dr. Nancy, themittee has agreed to let you take over the patient. Is it convenient for you toe back now?¡± ¡°Now?¡± The nurse replied helplessly over the phone, ¡°Yes. The patient¡¯s family member is here as well. She wishes to speak to you after she learned of themittee¡¯s decision.¡± This type of patient and their family members were a headache. Perhaps it was amon trait of the rich to boss around as though they owned the world. In the end, Sasha agreed to head back to the hospital. ¡°Matt, I need to go to the hospital now. Can you stay at home with Vivi and have dinner with her?¡± ¡°Of course. Mommy, don¡¯t worry. I will take good care of Vivian.¡± Matteo behaved like a mature young man as he waved at his mom, reassuring her about them. Sasha left the house, knowing that she could leave Vivian in his hands. Unbeknownst to her, the two little ones sneaked into her study as soon as she left. ¡°Matt, what are you doing? Mommy asked us to have our dinner!¡± ¡°Shush! Today, the principal showed me a photo of a boy who is transferring to our preschool. You know what, the boy and I look alike. I want to find out about him!¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Matteo climbed behind his mom¡¯sputer desk. Within minutes, he managed to hack into the principal¡¯sputer and retrieved the new student¡¯s information. ¡°Wow! Matt, is that you?¡± Vivian gasped in shock the moment she saw the photo and information on theirputer screen. Feeling confused, Matteo furrowed his brows while pointing at the screen. ¡°No. See, his name is Ian Hayes.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes grew wider. ¡°Ian Hayes? It¡¯s not you! But why does he look like you? Did Mommy give birth to him too?¡± Matteo suddenly recalled that there were times when their mother would take an unworn onesie out of a small wooden chest, crying when she thought no one was around. At that instant, Matteo decided to check to check Ian out himself. He jotted down the address for Hilton Hotel from the address column of Ian¡¯s information. Half an hourter, at Clear Hospital. ¡°Dr. Nancy, you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the patient¡¯s family?¡± Sasha asked. The nurse kindly gave her a reminder. ¡°She¡¯s at Mr. Jackson¡¯s office. Dr. Nancy, you need to be careful. It seems like she¡¯s a bad-tempered person.¡± Sasha returned her a grateful smile. Then, she changed into her white coat and put a mask on before heading to the director¡¯s office. ¡°Mr. Jackson, I¡¯m Nancy.¡± ¡°Come on in! Nancy, meet the patient¡¯s family member.¡± Henry Jackson, the elderly director, was trying hard tomunicate with the patient¡¯s family member, who was sitting opposite him. Beads of sweat were seen covering his forehead. Unfortunately, the patient¡¯s family member was a tough nut to crack. Upon hearing her voice, Henry immediately opened the door for Sasha and invited her into the office as if she was his lifeline. Sasha was slightly bewildered to see the director opening the door for her personally. Soon, she took notice of the person sitting on the sofa. Her eyes widened in disbelief upon seeing that woman who was sitting on a sofa. ¡°Mr. Jackson, is she the ones you¡¯ve been telling me about¡ªthe best doctor in your hospital? Are you serious?¡± the woman asked. She was a tall woman with brown wavy hair and exquisite make-up. The high-end branded dress she was wearing further entuated her air of haughtiness. That woman was none other than Xandra Green! Sasha never thought Xandra would be the first amongst her old acquaintances whom she got to meet after five years. So, she¡¯s my patient? Her eyes, being the only semnce of emotion that could be seen on her face, grew icy in an instant upon the realization. Five years ago, she entered into an arranged marriage with Sebastian. Since both the Wands and the Hayes had always been on friendly terms, the two families decided to arrange an engagement for the five-year-old Sebastian with her, the newborn baby girl of the Wand family. Even though she had liked Sebastian since she was young, she never really took the arrangement seriously, thinking it was just a joke. It was only until the overnight destruction of the Wand family when Frederick brought up about the arranged engagement, asking her to marry into the Hayes family. Instead of scorning Sasha, he gave her a stable life by epting her into the family. That was when she decided to fulfill the arranged marriage. Eventually, she married Sebastian to seek the family love that she lost, like a moth to the me. She never expected their marriage would end up being a tragedy. ¡°Mr. Jackson, I was wrong.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t cure her illness. You should find another doctor to help her,¡± Sasha said coldly. With that, she turned and left the office. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Henry was at a loss for words. As for Xandra, she was infuriated to hear Sasha¡¯s words. ¡°What did you say? I dare you to repeat yourself!¡± There was a threatening undertone in her piercing voice. Yet Sasha didn¡¯t bother to spare a nce at her. In fact, she left the office without batting an eyelid. Xandra was a b*tch who didn¡¯t deserve to talk to her. ¡°What¡¯s with that attitude? Is she out of her mind? Is she quitting her job?¡± ¡°Oh, Mrs. Hayes, please don¡¯t take it to heart. I believe there has been a misunderstanding. I¡¯ll exin to Dr. Nancy immediately and make sure she treats Mr. Hayes tomorrow. Do not worry about that.¡± In an agitated state, Henry exined to Xandra to defuse her anger before he went after Sasha. This woman is Mrs. Hayes now? So Mr. Hayes is my patient, huh? How dare they ask me to treat that man! Five years have passed, yet these two scumbags are still alive and kicking. Both of them should go to hell. Why should I even treat him? Upon hearing snippets of their conversation, Sasha quickened her pace to leave the ce. Little did she know her entire body was quivering in anger and she was clenching her fists so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. She ran all the way to her car and mmed the door shut, buried her head in the steering wheel as she closed her reddened eyes. She thought she had already forgotten about the past, but Xandra¡¯s appearance made her realize that the wound in her heart hadn¡¯t healed. Hatred was still boiling in her and she wanted to stab that woman to death on the spot. Sebastian Hayes, you have no right to ask me to save you. I¡¯d rather save a dog than the man who sacrificed his children¡¯s lives for his so-called love. After a long while, she finally recollected herself and headed back home. Her children were already sound asleep when she arrived home. Sasha knew she could always count on Matteo. Not only had he had dinner with Vivian, he also gave her a bath. The two were now huddling together in bed. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re back?¡± he mumbled in his sleep. Sasha pecked him on the forehead. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m back. Goodnight, sweetie.¡± Matteo rolled over and continued sleeping. Sasha couldn¡¯t help but curl her lips into a heartfelt smile as she tucked the nket around them. For a moment, she looked at them lovingly before leaving their bedroom for her study. ¡°Willow, have you gone to bed?¡± ¡°Not yet. Why?¡± ¡°Can you do me a favor? Go to the hospital tomorrow morning and¡­¡± Sasha spoke to Willow Fischer, her best friend, through the phone while she booked three flights to Jetroina on the Inte. ¡­ In the penthouse suite of Hilton hotel located at the city center. With a gloomy expression, Sebastian stared at the woman, who was sobbing ever since she returned. He was sitting on the couch with his legs crossed. In his white shirt coupled with a ck tie, the man had a distinguished air about him. He became even more charming although five years had passed. ¡°Ms. Green, you mean Clear Hospital didn¡¯t arrange a doctor for us? The rumors were wrong? It is not a renowned hospital?¡± Luke Scott, the president¡¯s assistant, asked after seeing Xandra crying. If one had been paying attention, one would have noticed that he had addressed Xandra as Ms. Green, not Mrs. Hayes. ¡°That¡¯s right! Their attitudes were atrocious. The petty doctor started scolding me after I raised several queries. She said she never intended to treat Sebastian!¡± Xandra recounted what happened earlier in the hospital in an exaggerating manner. Hearing that, Sebastian¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°Nancy! I heard Mr. Jackson calling her Nancy. He said she is the one and only doctor in the hospital who knows Traditional Chinese Medicine,¡± Xandra answered eagerly. The hostility in her eyes was barely veiled. She hoped they could immediately bring Sasha to Sebastian so that thetter could make her pay the price for her rudeness. Nancy, huh? Sebastian¡¯s face was clouded over. He had suffered from chronic insomnia for years and could only fall asleep with the help of medication. However, everyone knew it would be detrimental if one was to take such medication on a long-term basis. It would bring about significant side effects such as an alteration of mood and acute headache, which could be so unbearable that the sufferer would end up having an outburst of anger. That was why Sebastian resorted to seeking help at Clear Hospital. His eyes gleamed with murderous intent when he heard a petty doctor was refusing to treat him. ¡°Luke, look into this person called Nancy. I want to know who she is.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Yes, Mr. Hayes.¡± ¡°And also, ask Henry toe and see me.¡± Sebastian was referring to the director of Clear Hospital. Luke immediatelyplied. As for Xandra, a wicked smile crept onto her face the moment Sebastian gave his orders. Nancy, you¡¯re just a petty doctor. I will make you pay for going against me! ¡­ On the other hand, Sasha¡¯s her sleep was disrupted by thoughts of her encounter with Xandra earlier that day. Even so, she failed to notice that the screen of her phone, which was in silent mode, lit up several times throughout the night. The next morning, when she was awakened by the rm, only did she find out there were eight missed calls. She was instantly wide awake. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Those were calls from the hospital. She was not on call, nor was she a doctor from the Emergency Room. No one would call her in the middle of the night. Then why did the hospital call me so many times? Could it be¡­ At that instant, a horrible thought hit her, and she immediately hopped out of bed. ¡°Matteo, Vivi, it¡¯s time to wake up now! We¡¯re going on a vacation today! Hurry, or we¡¯re going to bete.¡± She rushed to the nursery to wake her children up. Vivian grumbled, ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Feeling groggy, she was reluctant to open her eyes. In contrast, Matteo was wide awake at the mention of ¡°vacation¡±. ¡°Vacation? Mommy, where are we going? Don¡¯t you need to work?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m taking a few days off to bring you guys to Jetroina. I¡¯ve already booked the flights to give you a surprise. Wake up now!¡± Sasha carried Vivian, who was still sleeping, out of bed while answering Matteo¡¯s questions. Seeing that, the boy quickly climbed out of bed. Twenty minutester, the three of them were ready to go. Buzz¡­ Buzz¡­ Just then, Sasha¡¯s phone vibrated. It was a call from Willow. ¡°Hello?¡± Willow gabbled over the phone, ¡°Oh, Nancy! What¡¯s happening? Your consultation room is packed with people ransacking the ce. I think they are looking for you. You took a leave suddenly, and now, the hospital is in chaos. What¡¯s going on? Did you offend these people?¡± Sasha¡¯s face turned pale at her words. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. They wanted me to treat a patient, but I refused to. They are just looking for the patient¡¯s notes in my consultation room. Don¡¯t worry, everything is fine. Since they already looked for the report by themselves, you should go.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Willow asked dubiously. Without bothering to answer her, Sasha hung up the call. She was running out of time, and there was no need or any use exining to her friend. She got her children in the car and then headed toward the airport. She was determined not to expose her identity. Not only was she reluctant to meet that man again, she would not let him know about the children¡¯s existence because he would definitely snatch them away from her. She knew well that she stood no chance at all against a man who owned one of thergest business empires in the world. This was the very reason she booked the flights and asked Willow to help her hide her documents and those medical reports in her consultation room as soon as she got home after meeting that b*tch at the hospital. Unfortunately, it was toote. She never expected Sebastian to act this swiftly in the middle of the night. Doesn¡¯t he sleep at all? Is there a need to make a scene in the hospital just because I refused to treat him? The car whizzed along the highway. Eventually, she managed to reach the airport within thirty minutes. ¡°Matteo, stay here and look after Vivi. I need to get our boarding passes.¡± The boy sensed his mother¡¯s rush, so he repliedpliantly, ¡°Alright, Mommy.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Sasha grabbed their passports and made her way to the self-service check-in kiosk. She was exasperated when the machine couldn¡¯t identify their flight tickets and passport numbers. What¡¯s wrong with the machine? She was in a hurry, but now it turned out that the machine was not functioning. It felt like everything was not going her way. Having no choice, she could only head to the counter to retrieve the boarding passes from the staff. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m here to retrieve the boarding passes for XXX flight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Wand, but I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re barred from leaving the country,¡± the staff informed her after checking her passport and flight ticket. Barred from leaving the country? Why? What have I done? She was utterly shocked. ¡°Excuse me, can I ask why I am banned from leaving the country?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have no idea. We received the notice to stop Dr. Nancy Wand, a doctor from Clear Hospital, from leaving the country. If you have any doubts, do call the airline or the authority for rification.¡± For a few seconds, Sasha stood rooted to her spot. She couldn¡¯t help but curse internally upon hearing the staff¡¯s words. Damn it! It doesn¡¯t take a genius to know that they are targeting me. I¡¯m stuck in the airport because of that b*stard! Does he have the authority to instruct the airline in Moranta to stop me from leaving the country? He even found out that we are flying to Jetroina! Sasha was so angry that her entire body was shaking with anger. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Matteo, who was guarding their suitcases, noticed her abnormality. He grabbed Vivi¡¯s wrist as the two rushed up to her. ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± ¡°W-What?¡± Sasha was boiling with rage when suddenly her child¡¯s voice crept into her ears. She lowered her head to look at them standing beside her. Oh no, how could I have forgotten about Matt and Vivi! It doesn¡¯t matter if that b*stard catches me, but I can¡¯t let him find out about them. Or I will lose my most precious babies. Finally, she came back to her senses. Kneeling in front of Matteo, she grabbed his arms and exined, ¡°Matt, listen to me now. I can¡¯t bring you guys to Jetroina because there¡¯s an emergency that I need to attend to. I¡¯ll call Ms. Fischer toe over and bring you back. Is it okay?¡± Matteo fell silent for a while. Although he was surprised by his mom¡¯s sudden change of decision, he nodded his agreement upon seeing the panic and the tinge of guilt in her eyes. ¡°Alright, Mommy. Don¡¯t worry. I will take good care of Vivi and go home with Ms. Fischer.¡± ¡°Matt, you¡¯re such a good boy. I¡¯ll leave everything to you then. Now I¡¯ll bring you guys to the caf¨¦ over there where you wait for Ms. Fischer.¡± Sasha looked at her thoughtful son lovingly. With a heavy heart, she pulled him into her arms. Standing beside them, Vivian wanted a hug too. ¡°Mommy, why do you only hug Matt? I want a hug too!¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve missed out on our little Vivi. Come, let me hug you!¡± Sasha let out a chuckle as she embraced her daughter, who had a plushie in her arms. Soon after that, she led them to the nearby caf¨¦. Ten minutester, she received a call from the hospital. ¡°Dr. Nancy, are you at work? Mr. Jackson is waiting for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my way,¡± she replied impassively while walking out of the airport. Then she got into her car and drove off. Actually, she was not afraid of confronting Sebastian since she didn¡¯t owe that man anything; she did nothing wrong. Nevertheless, she avoided him because she was reluctant to meet him. Besides, she was worried that she might lose Matt and Vivi if he found out about them. She had traveled all the way across the globe to settle down in Moranta. It was beyond her expectation that he would show up after five years. Since the matter had alreadye to a head, she might as well meet him and deal with him once and for all. On her way to the hospital, she regained her usualposure. There was not a trace of emotion on her face. In the meantime, Sebastian was toying with a doctor¡¯s ID card as he waited in Henry¡¯s office. Nancy, huh? This name indeed sounds better than Sasha. Besides bing gutsier, that woman who dared fake her death under his eyes had also acquired a better taste over the past five years. He stared intently at the photo attached to the ID card with his bloodshot eyes. Henry asked in a quivering voice, ¡°M-Mr. Scott, i-is Mr. Hayes alright? D-Dr. Nancy is on¡­ on her way here.¡± The grim expression on Sebastian¡¯s face daunted him. Sitting near that man, the director couldn¡¯t help feeling suffocated by his intimidating aura. Luke didn¡¯t know how to respond since he had no idea if Sebastian was alright. All he knew was that after thetter heard about that woman and the babies¡¯ death, he personally chose three burial plots of the best location in the cemetery and buried them in his capacity as a husband and father. Not only that, Sebastian never once mentioned marrying Xandra after that. Luke was equally unsure whether Sasha would be alright. Perhaps Mr. Hayes will really kill Madam¡­ He shuddered at the thought. All of them waited tensely in the office for about forty minutes. Finally, they heard the sound of clicking heels approaching them. ¡°Mr. Jackson, it¡¯s me, Nancy.¡± In an instant, her voice brought the men back to reality. Henry had never been so agile when he rushed to open the door. The elderly director¡¯s swiftness rendered Luke speechless. Sitting in the ck rocking chair, Sebastian¡¯s pupils constricted the moment he heard her voice. He was clenching on the ID card so tightly that it broke into two. Sasha Wand! You¡¯re finally here! Standing before the opened door, Sasha cast her eyes over the office and immediately saw the man sitting in the middle of the room. He looked the same as five years ago, with his chiseled features and thick eyebrows, a distinct feature of a mature man. His dark eyes were reddened, yet the arrogance in them was evident. The man was still full of charm, though five years had passed. It was a pity that she was now immune to his charm. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¡°Mr. Jackson, I heard you were looking for me?¡± Sasha¡¯s tone was icy cold. Her calm, indifferent gaze swept over the man in front of her as if she had never seen him before. Sebastian narrowed his eyes. His murderous impulses only grew stronger when the doctor, dressed in a white coat and wearing a mask, entered his field of vision. ¡°Ah! Nancy, Mr. Hayes is the patient who came to look for youst night. Now that you¡¯re here, can you take a look and diagnose him?¡± ¡°Mr. Jackson, I told you it was my mistake for epting him as a patient yesterday. I do not have the means or medical knowledge to help him. Please ask another doctor to look at him. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave now.¡± Sasha turned around and made to leave. The medical director and Luke were both rendered speechless. Just as they were still looking for words to diffuse the situation, a shadow slipped out from behind them. Before they realized what was happening, Sebastian had pounced onto Sasha and pinned her against the door. What the hell? Tears blurred her vision as pain from the impact shot up her back. Henry and Luke¡¯s jaws dropped. ¡°Sasha Wand! Do you think this is a game? Fine! I¡¯ll y along with you!¡± Sebastian¡¯s face contorted in rage. He red at her with his bloodshot eyes, like a feral predator hunting down its prey. Within seconds, he had torn Sasha¡¯s face mask away and wrapped hisrge hand around her neck, lifting her off the ground. Her face was no longer the one he knew from five years ago. Back then, she was still innocent and adorable. Although her physical features hadn¡¯t changed much, he couldn¡¯t find a single trace of those qualities in her face anymore. Even now, as Sebastian was choking her, he couldn¡¯t see any fear or panic in her watery eyes. All he saw was disdain and apathy. ¡°Go on¡­ I dare you to¡­ choke me to death¡­ I¡¯ve already died once anyway, I¡¯m not afraid of dying a second time¡­ I¡¯m telling you now, Sebastian¡­ Either you kill me again today¡­ Or one day, I¡¯ll¡­ kill you myself!¡± He saw red. The veins on Sebastian¡¯s arm bulged as he tightened his grip on her. ¡°Mr. Hayes, what are you doing? She¡¯s your wife! Let go of her!¡± Fortunately, Luke had regained hisposure in time and rushed forward to pull at his boss¡¯ arm, forcefully removing Sasha from Sebastian¡¯s clutches. Thump! She crumpled onto the floor, gasping for air like a fish onnd. He¡¯s a monster. It took a few minutes for everyone to calm down. Surprisingly, the atmosphere in the office became less frigid than it was before, possibly due to the sudden frightful incident that had taken ce. ¡°Sasha, I¡¯m giving you a chance to tell me honestly: what happened five years ago? Why are you still alive? What happened to the two kids? Where did you bring them? Are they living with you now? You¡¯re not leaving until you answer every single one of my questions!¡± The mood in the office was calmer, but the murderous aura was still emanating off of Sebastian. As he towered over Sasha, his mind was filled with shbacks of the incident from all those years ago, and how he had med and hated himself for what had happened. He remembered how he vowed to do everything he could to make sure the sole surviving child would live a healthy life, and he would never have a rtionship with another woman ever again. Sebastian Hayes had never felt so humiliated before; he absolutely wanted to kill Sasha right there and then. Yet the only reaction she gave him was a dryugh. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why am I alive? Are you upset that I didn¡¯t die? I¡¯m really sorry about that, but it¡¯s not like I owe you anything. If it isn¡¯t your fault that I got married to you and gave birth to three of your children, then it certainly couldn¡¯t have been mine. ¡°After all, it was just an arranged marriage; you kept emphasizing that you had the right to the freedom to love. Now what? I went through hell to give you a child, and now I¡¯ve even lost the right to continue living?¡± Her cruel words rendered Sebastian, who had been so worked up, speechless. Sasha continued sarcastically, ¡°Besides, weren¡¯t you granted your wish of a perfect love story because I faked my death? You said you loved Xandra and wanted to marry her. I made you a widower so you could do as you please. It all worked out perfectly, no?¡± Sebastian silently stared at her for a while, suddenly wondering if he was talking to a stranger. Since when did she be so cynical? Every sentence that came out of her mouth dripped with venom. This was not the happy-go-lucky Sasha he once knew. If he remembered correctly, she didn¡¯t even dare to raise her chin and look him in the eye when they first met. Sebastian¡¯s expression turned stony. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡°You still think you can talk your way out of this? Fine! Take her away!¡± Sebastian suddenly roared. A group of his henchmen dressed in all-ck appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Sasha¡¯s arms. Stunned, she shot back at him. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re taking me? I¡¯m warning you, I¡¯m now a legal citizen of Moranta! Taking me anywhere against my will is kidnapping; it is illegal!¡± ¡°Illegal?¡± He scoffed. ¡°I am thew here!¡± ¡°Where are you taking me? Are you crazy? You desperately wanted me out of your life, but why are you dragging me back now? Are you trying to wash the blood off your hands? Or are you trying to show off what a liberal lover you are by being a polygamist? You¡¯re insane! Let go of me right now!¡± Her yells could still be heard from the third-floor office, even as she was dragged to the first floor. Luke noticed a vein had popped in the corner of his boss¡¯ forehead. I wish I was anywhere but here. The farther, the better. This is terrifying. This ex-wife of Sebastian¡¯s was quite a force to be reckoned with. If she dared say anything simr to any of the Larsons, she would have been skinned alive by now. Nevertheless, Sasha was still taken against her will. The chaotic hospital finally resumed its peace with her departure. At a high-end apartment in town. Willow had just picked up Matteo and his sister. As per Sasha¡¯s instructions, she brought them back to her own apartment instead of sending them home. ¡°Matteo, Vivian, I¡¯m going to leave for a minute to open shop, okay? You can watch TV while you wait for me. I¡¯ll buy something yummy for you both to eat when I return.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Fischer.¡± Vivian, being the ever-hungry child that she was, instantly agreed. Matteo nodded as well, but deliberately waited until Willow had left before making a beeline for the house phone. Vivian tottered after her brother while hugging a plushie. ¡°Matt, what are you doing?¡± Picking up the phone, he nced at her. ¡°I¡¯m calling Mommy to see if she¡¯s at the hospital.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Why would Mommy not be at the hospital? Didn¡¯t she say she went back to work? The young girl watched Matteo. After a while, she grew bored and walked away to watch cartoons. After what felt like a million rings, someone from the hospital finally answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hello. I¡¯d like to ask if Dr. Nancy is in today?¡± ¡°Dr. Nancy¡­ I¡¯m sorry, she isn¡¯t here today. If you¡¯re one of her patients, you may reschedule your appointment with her,¡± the nurse said kindly, confirming his suspicions. How is that possible? If Mommy didn¡¯t go to the hospital, where else could she be? Matteo didn¡¯t believe what the nurse said, but he knew it was useless to continue asking her. So he hung up the call and climbed down from the stool he¡¯d used to reach the phone, hiding away in Willow¡¯s study. In a few minutes, aputer screen in the study lit up with various angles of live security camera footages from Clear Hospital. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He scanned through the footage and very quickly found his mother. She had walked through the main halls, used the elevators, and then stood in the doorway to the director¡¯s office. But why was Mommy being dragged by some men in ck when she exited Mr. Jackson¡¯s office? The young boy furrowed his eyebrows. Meanwhile, at Hilton Hotel, Sasha hadn¡¯t stopped struggling for a single moment since she left the hospital. However, no matter how she struggled, she was no match for the burly men in ck. In the end, they still brought her to the penthouse suite and shoved inside. ¡°Give it up! I¡¯m never going to diagnose you!¡± That was the first thing that came out of her mouth when she was finally set free. Instead of admiring the luxurious interior of the suite, she rubbed her wrists sullenly. Sebastian said nothing to her. From the opposite side of the ridiculouslyrge living room, a small figure walked out. ¡°You¡¯re home? They canceled my orientation at the preschool today because you were thirty-eight minuteste!¡± It was a child who looked eerily simr to Sebastian. With a stoic expression on his adolescent face, his chilly aura was a carbon copy of thetter¡¯s. The strangest part was that even the way he talked sounded exactly like the a*shole who had just kidnapped her. It robbed Sasha of her ability to think. Sebastian ignored her and patiently told his son, ¡°I was a little busy this morning, so there was a slight dy. I will make it up to you next time, okay?¡± Ian gave him a deadpan look. ¡°Do you always vite the terms when you sign contracts at work too?¡± As both adults were rendered speechless, one out of anger and the other out of pure shock, Ian¡¯s gaze landed on Sasha. ¡°Who is she?¡± Suddenly, her heart jumped into her throat. All she could hear was the blood rushing in her ears as her entire body trembled. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 My son! That¡¯s my other son! Sasha was nearly in hysterics as she jumped at the chance to tell the boy the truth. But at that moment, the piece of scum kneeling in front of Ian cut in, saying, ¡°She¡¯s no one. If you don¡¯t want to go to preschool today, Luke can bring you downstairs to y and get a snack.¡± Ian immediately nodded at the mention of food. Sasha could only watch helplessly as Luke brought the child away. ¡°Why did you tell him I¡¯m no one? He¡¯s my son!¡± ¡°Oh, really? As far as I¡¯m concerned, his mommy is dead. She has her own gravestone at the cemetery and everything.¡± Sebastian walked over to the wine cooler to pour a ss of red wine for himself, elegantly drinking from it as he sat on a sofa in the living room and ignored Sasha¡¯s presence. Although infuriated, she knew deep in her heart that what he said made sense. He¡¯s right. From this son¡¯s point of view, I¡¯m dead. How am I going to exin things to him if I ask him to call me ¡°Mommy¡±? Am I going to tell him I was actually alive after abandoning him all those years ago? All the blood drained from Sasha¡¯s face as she chewed on her bottom lip. Sebastian noticed this and sneered at her, ¡°Now do you get it? Do you still want me to tell him that you¡¯re his mommy?¡± She clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. ¡°Then what is it that you want? If you don¡¯t want our son to know I¡¯m his mother, why did you bring me here? Do you still want me to diagnose you? I¡¯ve told you before, I wouldn¡¯t check to see what was wrong with you, even if you were on your deathbed!¡± she growled through gritted teeth. Sebastian shrugged, unperturbed. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too deeply into it. You may be a jack of all trades, but you¡¯re a master of none. I¡¯m not so dumb as to put my life in your hands.¡± Sasha had grown so furious that she quieted down. ¡°Then why did you bring me here?¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯t figured it out? Sasha, do you know the suffering you caused when you ¡°died¡±? Do you know the pain that everyone who cared for you had to go through?¡± By the end of his tirade, Sebastian¡¯s tone had grown fiercer than she¡¯d ever heard it. He stared at her through narrowed eyes, resisting the urge to rip her up into pieces even as he watched her stumble backwards. How could I ever forget Frederick and Aunt Sharon? Frederick Hayes had been endlessly kind to her all those years ago, even when his own son didn¡¯t like her and refused to acknowledge their marriage. But besides that, he never really talked with her. Then, there was Aunt Sharon and her family. When the Wands had be bankrupt and Sasha¡¯s mother passed away from the shock of her father being in jail, her aunt had taken up the responsibility of looking after what remained of the Wand family. Aunt Sharon had truly cared and worried for her. Yet Sasha repaid her by faking her death. Her eyes squeezed shut to block Sebastian¡¯s words out. ¡°That was all because of you!¡± ¡°Because of me? Hah, way to push the me onto others! Things have ended the way they did because you agreed to the marriage! Having to sleep with you was bearable if I used drugs, but no one forced you to marry me!¡± This man is the devil! She¡¯d thought that after having grieved over her death for five years, he would at least show some mercy, but all he did was rip her old wounds apart and causing more pain with his mockery. The gut-wrenching agony wed at her from the inside,pletely consuming her. ¡°You¡¯re right! No one forced me! I was an idiot for marrying you! Are you satisfied now? I gave up my whole life for nothing and deteriorated into the mess that I am now because of me! Is that enough for you? Just go away¡­¡± Losing all sense of rationality, she grabbed anything within her reach and chucked it at Sebastian. Her bloodshot eyes filled with tears. For a second, her reaction shocked him. He probably never expected Sasha to lose control like this. Is she mad? She can curse at me, but I¡¯m not allowed to retaliate? Content ? N?velDrama.Org. He quickly ducked the object that came flying his way. ¡°Are you out of your mind? I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t go all psycho here! Even if you actually lose your mind, I¡¯m still going to drag you home and let everyone take a good look at your face!¡± Red in the face with fury, Sebastian spat out the ultimatum and left the room. Seeing this, Sasha instantly made a break for the door. She barely took five steps from where she¡¯d been standing when the men in ck reappeared out of nowhere and silently pulled out a handgun, aiming it at her head. ¡°Sebastian, you scumbag; you demon; you a*shole! Come back! Let me out¡­¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 An hourter, Matteo arrived at the Hilton hotel. Even though he was smart for his age, he was still a kid, so it took some time for him to arrive at his destination. Thankfully, he quickly spotted a car in the hotel parking lot that was the same one the men in ck had driven when they took his mother away from the hospital. His heart skipping a beat in excitement, he made his way to the hotel lobby. ¡°Hi, prettydy! I¡¯d like to ask who that car outside belongs to?¡± The receptionist, a young woman, lowered her head to see an adorable five-year-old boy standing on his tiptoes and peeking over the counter. With a fluffy head of dark hair andrge, curious eyes, he looked like a handsome young protagonist from a Disney animation. Isn¡¯t¡­ Isn¡¯t this Ian, the young boy who lives in our hotel¡¯s penthouse suite? She stammered, ¡°Mr. I-Ian? Why are¡­ you here? Weren¡¯t you just at the restaurant?¡± Huh? Mr. Ian? Matteo quickly picked up that something was off. So, he pulled a tall stool over and climbed onto it, resting his elbows on the reception counter as he smiled brightly at the young woman whose cheeks went red. ¡°That¡¯s right! I just came out for a minute. Oh, do you know who the car outside belongs to, miss?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it belong to your family? Your father¡¯s staff was driving it when he came home just now,¡± she replied, confused. Matteo beamed; his chubby cheeks bing round. ¡°Okay! Thank you, prettydy. I¡¯ll be going now!¡± ¡°Where are you going? It¡¯s too dangerous for you to be alone. Let me walk you back to the restaurant, or your father is going to panic if he can¡¯t find you.¡± The receptionist scrambled out of her seat, worried that the boy might get lost if he left the hotel premises. But Matteo wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. She had recognized him as ¡°Mr. Ian¡±, and he wanted to see for himself what the real Mr. Ian looked like. During ss yesterday, his teacher had shown them a photo of a kid who was transferring to their preschool. The kid in the photo looked like Matteo, but his name was ¡°Ian.¡± When he got home and hacked into the preschool principal¡¯sputer to search for more information about Ian, the registered address was the penthouse suite of the very Hilton hotel that Matteo was currently at. He sprinted faster than a spooked bunny and left the receptionist in the dust, making his way to the hotel¡¯s restaurant on the fourth floor. Ian was sitting like the perfect gentleman in the middle of the fancy restaurant, dressed in a small, tailored suit and a napkin tucked into his cor. He ignored the food in front of him; his expression one of impatience as he asked his father¡¯s assistant, ¡°Mr. Scott, when can we go home?¡± Ian and Matteo werepletely different children. Even though their physical features looked alike, their temperaments, personalities, and even their speech patterns were opposites. If Matteo was a refreshing ball of sunshine, then Ian was a mini Arctic Ocean just like his father, or maybe worse. Ian was not talkative, and he didn¡¯t like being around other people because of his antisocial personality. He had been raised by Sebastian to act prim and proper at all times. There wasn¡¯t a single trace of naivety or immaturity that should be found in a normal five-year-old. ¡°Tsk, so that¡¯s Mr. Ian? I really do look like him. But is he always as uptight like an old man?¡± Matteo mumbled to himself, feeling sorry for the other boy. ¡°We can¡¯t go home yet, Ian. We came here to look for a cure for your father¡¯s illness. Don¡¯t you want your father to be cured?¡± Luke told Ian. The young boy was silent for a few moments. It was obvious that he still cared for his father greatly. ¡°Then the woman whom he brought along today is supposed to cure him?¡± ¡°Sort of?¡± Lukeughed awkwardly, trying to give him the vaguest answer possible. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Ian knitted his eyebrows together and finally picked up his fork and knife, digging into his food. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then tell him not to be so mean to her!¡± Luke nearly choked on his food. A few feet away, Matteo stiffened up in shock. What? Who dares to be mean to Mommy? Unforgivable! Whipping around, Matteo marched all the way to the penthouse suite, tiny fists clenched by his sides. A few minutester, the guards standing outside of the suite saw a tiny figure walked out of the elevator and was heading towards them with a stern look on his face. For a moment, they broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°Wee back, Mr. Ian.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Matteo was not an acting prodigy, but he did his best to mimic Ian¡¯s uptight attitude. ¡°Where¡¯s Daddy?¡± ¡°Mr. Hayes just left. But he said to tell you that if you came back early, you should go inside and rest, and that he¡¯d return very soon.¡± The guards didn¡¯t harbor a single ounce of suspicion towards Matteo as they hurriedly told him where his mother¡¯s bully had gone before opening the door for the boy to enter the suite. Matteo stepped inside the penthouse suite, taking in his unfamiliar surroundings. The living room was nearly asrge as a town square, decorated with expensive-looking furniture fit for royalty. Where¡¯s Mommy? Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Matteo gave the guards an annoyed look. ¡°I got it. You can leave now.¡± ¡°Huh? Leave? But¡­¡± ¡°Do you want me to call Daddy?¡± Matteo asked haughtily. The guards immediately shut up and exchanged panicked looks before. To Matteo¡¯s surprise, they actually left the room. This stuck-up Ian guy is awesome! He¡¯s so powerful! Matteo smugly walked around the suite. He was oblivious to the fact that the guards had only followed his orders because they knew they have to deal with Sebastian as well as Frederick if they annoyed Ian. This isn¡¯t a joke! Our jobs are on the line here! The kid has not one, but two secret weapons at his disposal! Running away is the only option we have! Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Matteo quickly lost interest in the fancy penthouse suite. He ran around in search of his mother. ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Fortunately for him, he heard his mother¡¯s voice as soon as he called out to her. ted, he ran as fast as his short legs could take him towards the source. ¡°Mommy? What happened?¡± ¡°Ah! Matt, why are you here? How did you find this ce? Did anyone else see you? You must leave right now, it¡¯s too dangerous for you here!¡± Sasha, who had been hiding behind a sofa, instantly jumped up at the sound of her son¡¯s voice, hastily wiping away her teary eyes. Matteo¡¯s small face darkened as soon as he realized she had been crying. ¡°Mommy, who bullied you? Is it that big meanie?¡± She shook her head, drying her wet cheeks before taking his hand in hers. ¡°No, Matt. I¡¯m fine. How did you get here? Did youe here to save me? Then let¡¯s leave quickly.¡± But Matteo was already angered. That meanie dared to bully Mommy? He was never going to forgive him. When Matteo set his mind to protecting someone he loved, he would let nothing get in his way. The furious five-year-old scanned his environment, then walked over to the coffee table and picked up a pen and paper. ¡°Matt, what are you doing?¡± Sasha asked, concerned. ¡°Nothing. Just leaving a message for the meanie.¡± His tiny hand gripped the pen and swiftly wrote a simple message in French: You¡¯re dead! ¡°Matt!¡± gasped Sasha. ¡­ Sebastian was with another doctor. He had been losing sleep for a week now. His insomnia worsenedst night when he found out that Sasha was alive. He couldn¡¯t go on like this. However, this doctor couldn¡¯t figure out what was wrong with him either. ¡°Mr. Hayes, I apologize for being blunt, but something psychological might cause your illness. Now that your condition has worsened, prescribing Diazepam would be pointless effective. Why don¡¯t you see a psychologist?¡± ¡°A psychologist?¡± Sebastian¡¯s bloodshot, tired eyes narrowed as he knit his eyebrows together, clearly against the idea. The doctor could only sigh and keep silent. No one handled the diagnosis of mental illness well because no one wanted to admit that there was something psychologically wrong with themselves, especially if it was affecting them physically too. In the end, the doctor could only prescribe a heavier dose of Diazepam. Sebastian collected his medicine and was about to leave when he received a call from the hotel. ¡°Mr. Hayes! Your ex¡­ The woman has escaped!¡± ¡°What? Escaped?¡± ¡°Yes, and we found a note inside.¡± On the other end of the call, Luke took a picture of the note with shaking hands and sent it to his boss. A vein in the corner of Sebastian¡¯s forehead popped as soon as he read the note. ¡°That b*tch has a death wish! Did you find out who did this? What are you still standing around for? Are you waiting for me toe back and give you a participation award?¡± ¡°N-No, sir¡­ We¡¯ve checked, but someone wiped the security camera footage from the suite. When we asked the guards, they said no one except Ian went in!¡± ¡°F*ck!¡± Sebastian heard a strange ringing in his ears as he grew dizzy, the world swaying under his feet. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t all the bad news Luke had for him. ¡°Mr. Hayes, someone has also dug up the security camera footage from this morning when we went to Mr. Jackson¡¯s office and kidnapped your ex¡­ I mean, that woman, and posted it on the inte. It went viral. Now everyone is trying to find out who you are. They want the authorities to take action.¡± ¡°Trying to find out¡± was an understatement. It was a witch hunt. People from all over the world were trying to destroy one of the world¡¯s few overlords of business. There was a sudden sh of pain in his head, quickly followed by another. The phone slipped out of his hands as he copsed face-first onto the floor. ¡°Mr. Hayes? Mr. Hayes!¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Sasha did not know the havoc her son had wreaked on the inte. All she could think about was escaping with her children to safety. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. I¡¯m not going back to him. I feel guilty, but I¡¯m never going back to him. Sebastian, including his father Frederick, would never allow descendants of the Hayes family to live their lives. They would rob Matteo and Vivian of their rightful childhood and take them away from her. These two kids were Sasha¡¯s entire life. She swiftly packed up their belongings and heaved the luggage into her car before calling her children over. ¡°Vivi, what are you doing? Where¡¯s Matt?¡± ¡°Matt¡¯s in the study. Are we going on vacation again, Mommy? Where are we going this time?¡± Vivi, blissfully unaware of their situation. She saw her mother pull out their luggage and immediately stopped ying with her plushie, crawling down from the sofa. Sasha hastily nodded, telling her, ¡°That¡¯s right. Go call Matt over, we¡¯re leaving right this instant.¡± ¡°Yay! Okay, Mommy!¡± ted, Vivian skipped her way to the study. Matteo was staring at theputer screen, closely monitoring the online activity to check if anyone had found out who the meanie was yet. As he expected, someone really discovered the identity of the man who had choked his mother at the hospital. The man was Sebastian Hayes, the president of an international business corporation. Sebastian Hayes? Matteo clicked on the picture that the inte user had posted. ¡°Wow! Matt, why does that man look like you? Did Mommy give birth to him too?¡± Vivian happened to enter the room at that exact moment. Upon seeing the picture of the man who looked simr to her older brother, she let out a gasp and covered her mouth with her hands. Matteo was stunned, too. But how could Mommy have given birth to him? He¡¯s not a kid. He looks older than Mommy. So who is this guy? And that Ian looks like me, too. If this meanie is Ian¡¯s dad, then what is my rtion to them? A seed of doubt nted itself in Matteo¡¯s mind. ¡°Matt, Vivi, are you two done yet? We¡¯re leaving!¡± Sasha called out from the living room, growing antsy when her children hadn¡¯te out after a while. Matteo quickly turned off theputer and brought his sister out of the study. ¡°Where are we going, Mommy?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Why don¡¯t we stay at Aunt Karina¡¯s for a few days? She just called me to say that the grapes in her farm are already ripe and that we can go over to pick them,¡± she suggested, trying her best to hide her anxiety. Vivi was easy enough to fool, but Matteo, the bright and mischievous boy that he was, was unconvinced. He chose not to expose his mother¡¯s lie as he retrieved his tablet obediently before they left. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy. I¡¯m sure the next few days are going to be fun.¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± Sasha started up the car engine and finally allowed herself to let out a sigh of relief. Flooring the gas pedal, the car instantly took off, heading for the countryside. What she didn¡¯t know was that in the car seat behind her, Matteo had deftly activated an application on his iPad that hid every signal being emitted from the devices in their car from the outside world. Good job, me! When Sebastian had woken up and returned to the hotel, the online issue had generally been resolved. Nevertheless, there were still no leads on the person who had left the note and helped Sasha escape. They¡¯d scoured through the entire hotel and even checked the hacked security cameras, but nothing turned up. Sebastian was bing so enraged that he felt like his head was splitting again. ¡°Absolutely useless! What do I pay you all for?¡± ¡°Yes, sir. It¡¯s all my fault for not watching her properly. Please, calm down. I¡¯ll tell the men to go out and look one more time. I will find them even if I have tob through the entire city,¡± Luke said in a cating tone. He was worried that his boss might faint again and thus, he took all the cursing in stride. There was no point in getting worked up over it anyway. If the person was so arrogant as toe straight to Sebastian¡¯s ce of residence to save Sasha and even leave behind a threatening message, then the person must have taken precautions. Pinching the center of his furrowed eyebrows, the migraine that had briefly gone away suddenly struck him even more intensely. ¡°Where¡¯s Ian?¡± ¡°He¡¯s resting in his room right now. Speaking of which, Ian helped greatly with the online incident. He hacked into thework and crashed several inte providers, buying ourpany some time to handle the news reports and videos.¡± Sebastian fumed silently once more. I hired a bunch of f*cking idiots! Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Sebastian rubbed the center of his brows for a long time. Finally, he looked at the piece of note on the coffee table with bloodshot eyes. It was a simple note that seemed to be a piece of tissue drawn out of a tissue box. Despite that, the handwriting on it was childish, with a streak of boldness to it. ¡°What kind of handwriting is this?¡± ¡°A man¡¯s?¡± Luke blurted out. There was a terrifying look in Sebastian¡¯s reddened eyes as though he could barely hold himself back from murder. ¡°A man? Her adulterer?¡± How could one say that the man was an adulterer? Sasha and Sebastian were no longer rted to each other in any way. Furthermore, the man should bebeled as the boyfriend or lover, definitely not an adulterer. Luke continued bluntly, ¡°You must be joking, Mr. Hayes. That man can¡¯t be the adulterer. I believe he¡¯s more like a boyfriend, or maybe the husband¡­¡± p! Before he could finish speaking, he was being hit across the face by an object. ¡°Husband, you say? Find this person by today, or else you will be punished!¡± He flew into a rage and red at his assistant. In his anger, he was as terrifying as the Devil. ¡°Huh?¡± Luke stood with shaky legs as realization slowly dawned upon him. ¡°No, Mr. Hayes. I was wrong. That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± In the end, Luke descended from the top floor of the hotel and went in search of that person. As soon as he left, a woman in a short skirt with exquisite makeup appeared at the back of the hotel. She watched him leave the hotel; resentment and hatred filled her eyes. You¡¯re not dead, Sasha? It¡¯s been five years, and I have not been able to step foot into the Hayes family since your death. As for that man, he has not mentioned that incident ever again. I thought it would be better to wait a few years, and that time heals everything. But now, you¡¯ve actually appeared out of nowhere, alive? The woman¡¯s face distorted in anger as she gritted her teeth. It was as though she couldn¡¯t wait to rip Sasha into pieces. I¡¯ll make you pay for this, Sasha Wand! The journey went well. By evening, Sasha and the two children arrived at Aunt Karina¡¯s house in the countryside. Aunt Karina was in fact a patient Sasha had treated at Clear Hospital after she came to Moranta. Karina had been suffering from a mysterious ailment. When western medication and treatments failed to improve her condition, she was referred to Sasha, who cured her using Chinese medicine and acupuncture. After her recovery, Karina would often bring fresh fruits and vegetables whenever she paid a visit to Sasha and her two children since she owned a farm in the countryside. Over time, she became one of the few close friends with them in this foreignnd. ¡°Nancy, that¡¯s great! You really brought the kids here.¡± As soon as they arrived at the farm, Aunt Karina, who had received Sasha¡¯s call earlier, came running out and weed them happily. ¡°Aunt, Vivi is here too. Pick me up, please.¡± Vivian loved this ce the most. When she saw Karinaing towards her, she immediately jumped out of the car and stretched out her chubby arms for a hug. Karina¡¯s heart melted upon that sight. She picked up the little girl at once and held her in her arms. The family of three stayed at the farm, where Sasha thought they could lie low for the time being. Two dayster, a phone call. ¡°Nancy, there¡¯s a call from Ms. Fischer. She said she¡¯s looking for you.¡± Ms. Fischer? Willow Fischer? Without much thought, Sasha got up and went into the house to take the call. ¡°Hello? Willow?¡± ¡°Sasha, I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to betray you. But they said¡­ they said they¡¯ll feed me to the sharks. Sasha, I¡­ I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡± No one would have thought that Willow would make the call and wail into the phone, begging for her life. Sasha¡¯s expression turned ghastly. Who is feeding her to the sharks? Sebastian? That scumbag went to her? She was so angry that she couldn¡¯t almost drop the receiver. Her face turned livid with rage. ¡°Where are you now?¡± Willow uttered, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Tell her, she only has thirty minutes. If she doesn¡¯t show up by then, I¡¯ll throw you to the sharks!¡± Before Willow could utter another word, there was a sinister voice on the other end of the phone. Even though he was speaking from afar, Sasha could sense his murderous intent. It¡¯s that scumbag, indeed. What should I do now? I can¡¯t leave Willow behind. She has nothing to do with this! Sasha was shaking in anger. Finally, she hung up by mming the phone down. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Sebastian, you scumbag! Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¡°Is something wrong, Mommy? What happened?¡± Seeing that his mother had been away for a little too long, Matteo went into the house to check on her. When he saw how angry she was, his brow furrowed with concern. Is that bad guy bullying Mommy again? He¡¯s making her so mad. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Matt. Erm¡­ I want to discuss something with you¡­ Do you and your sister want to go back to great-aunt¡¯s ce?¡± Sasha knelt in front of her son and kept a tight lid on her emotions as she discussed the matter carefully with him. There was no point for her to hide now. Her next move was to rescue Willow from the scum¡¯s hands. It was definitely impossible for her to bring the children along, and she couldn¡¯t leave them here alone, either. It would be too dangerous. She couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility of both children being discovered by the scum. Therefore, the only way was to send them back to their homnd so he wouldn¡¯t find them. Matteo looked at his mother and asked, ¡°Go back to great-aunt¡¯s ce? Do you mean back to our homnd? Is Mommying with us too?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. But a littleter than you. I will arrange for someone to send you and your sister back first, okay?¡± ¡°Okay. Mommy, you muste soon.¡± Matteo soft-pedaled his mother¡¯s decision in sending him and his sister back. Sasha immediately booked the flights for her two children and contacted another trustworthy friend to take them in. Half an hourter, at a local pier. Sasha huffed and puffed as she sped all the way. Finally, she caught sight of Willow being tied up and dangled on the outer deck. Her friend was crying in fear as she struggled to free herself from the ropes. That monster! Sasha was absolutely livid. She got out of the car, dashed onto the deck, and stopped in front of the ship. ¡°Sebastian! You b*stard! Let go of her now. Why did you tie her up? I¡¯m the one you¡¯re looking for. Let go of her immediately!¡± Sasha was seething, and she would have stabbed the monster if she had a knife in her hand. The scum finally appeared from the ship after hearing her shouts. It was a chilly day, and the bitterly cold winds cut like a knife. The piteous cries of a woman bounded by ropes filled the air. But the crazy man stood nonchntly with a ss of red wine in his hand. He was wearing a dark suit, and his white shirt was neatly pressed. His outfit made him seemed even more dashing and domineering. After stepping onto the deck, he satzily on a chair that was set out by his men as he turned his gaze on her. ¡°You¡¯ve finally showed up?¡± Sasha took a deep breath and suppressed the anger deep within her. ¡°Let her go. You want me to go back with you? Fine, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it? I¡¯m not finished ying with you yet.¡± Sasha shut her eyes tightly. With her fists clenched, she told herself not to argue with a lunatic like him. A few minutester, Willow was finally released, and Sasha boarded the ship. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nancy¡­¡± Still in shock and her wrists rubbed raw from the tight ropes, Willow sobbed guiltily in front of her. Sasha quickly hugged the woman and patted her on the back. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t have to apologize. I should be the one apologizing.¡± Willow was speechless. After a while, the trembling woman nced at the figure who was standing behind Sasha and whispered hoarsely, ¡°Who are these people? What have you gotten yourself into, Nancy? Where are they taking you?¡± Willow was worried. After all, they had been good friends for many years. But how could Sasha tell her the truth? Her biggest hope right now was to stop Sebastian from implicating her other friends. After Willow was taken away, Sasha stood on the deck and stared coldly at him. She appeared peaceful as she had calmed down a while ago. But her eyes were cold, without a hint of warmth in them. Sebastian even saw her disdain. She hates me that much? He held the ss of red wine and narrowed his bloodshot eyes at her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stare at me like that. I¡¯ve said it before. As your penance, I¡¯m going to bring you back with me. Be it dead or alive.¡± ¡°Penance? Sometimes I find it strange. Why are you trying so hard to get me back there? Are you not afraid that I will ruin your love life again? Don¡¯t forget, you were with her after a rough history together.¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Sasha snorted at him. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Back then, he had brought Xandra back home and dered his love for her in front of Frederick. And now, he was dragging her back there. Was he not afraid that Sasha would mess up his rtionship with that woman again? As soon as her voice died away, the scum got up from the chair. ¡°How dare you? Don¡¯t think too highly of yourself, Sasha. It makes no difference to me whether you are dead or alive. Even if you did not show up today, I would have taken your dead body back with me.¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. There was a gleam of hostility in his bloodshot eyes as he spoke his mind. Sasha clenched her fists tightly until her knuckles turned white. She squeezed her eyes shut and remained silent. What is there to look forward to after five years? Do I expect him to say something nice to me? Very quickly, Sasha was taken to a cabin on the lower deck of the ship. Not long afterward, the ship left the pier and set sail. It turned out that this boat was the means of transportation for them. She did not dwell on the matter since she knew there was no point for her to struggle anymore. After they locked her up in the cabin, Sashay on the small bed and fell asleep. ¡°Ian, you shouldn¡¯t. It¡¯s dangerous¡­¡± ¡°Quiet! Get out of my way!¡± She woke up to the sound of her stomach growling and the argument outside the cabin. Vaguely, she also heard a child¡¯s voice. A child¡¯s voice? Is it Ian? Sasha¡¯s eyes flew open immediately, and within that second, she was awake like never before. After all, Sebastian was on this ship, and they were setting off to where they came from. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise that Ian would also be on the ship. Her heart leaped with ecstasy at the thought of that. She hopped out of bed and dashed to the window. She looked through the window, and sure enough, she saw two figures standing outside her cabin. One was a burly figure in a ck suit who appeared to be a bodyguard. The other figure standing next to him was short and cute. He was wearing a khaki blue coat with a ck woolen hat on his head. It was none other than Ian. Tears welled up in Sasha¡¯s eyes as she looked at the boy. ¡°Little Ian? Little Ian?¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Ian, who was concentrating on controlling the drone by the ship rail, turned his head when he heard someone calling his name. A look of annoyance came across his face for being interrupted. Sasha waved wildly at him from the small cabin. ¡°Here, Little Ian. Mom¡­ It¡¯s me, Ms. Nancy. Look here.¡± She almost let it slip that she was his mother. Ian caught sight of her, but he did not look as surprised as she hoped he would be. On the contrary, he was expressionless. There was a sh of impatience in his beautiful eyes, just like his father¡¯s. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Erm¡­ Mr. Ian, it¡¯s time, we should get back. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be punished by Mr. Hayes.¡± In that instant, the bodyguard stepped in front of the child. Sasha became anxious at once and said, ¡°Little Ian, it¡¯s me. We¡¯ve met before at the hotel. Do you remember me?¡± She gestured to the child at the window, hoping that he would remember her. Fortunately, the child remembered after being prodded with the memory. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± ¡°Yes. Little Ian, can youe over here so that I can have a look at you? I just want to see you.¡± Sasha was ecstatic. ¡°Mr. Ian, we should get going.¡± ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Ian nced at the bodyguard and strode toward the cabin. Sasha was overjoyed. Finally, she had the opportunity to be up close and personal with this child. She did not have the chance to speak to him when theyst met at the hotel. ¡°Little Ian¡­¡± ¡°Why are you locked in here? Are you not here to treat Daddy?¡± Ian remained expressionless as he came over. He looked exactly like Matteo, but there wasn¡¯t the slightest smile on his face as he looked at Sasha with indifference. She felt a sharp pain in her heart. She med herself for how he turned out. If she had not left him with Sebastian, he would not end up being like this. He would be a cheerful boy, just like his younger brother. Sasha stretched out her trembling hand from the window, wanting to touch him. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m here to treat your daddy.¡± ¡°Then why are you locked up? Is he going to do something to you?¡± This child was just like Matteo, both were not easily fooled. When he saw the lock on the door, he knew things were not as what Sasha had told him. Her nose tingled, and she felt a lump in her throat. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Little Ian. Don¡¯t worry about Mom¡­ me. Your daddy won¡¯t do anything to me. It¡¯ste and the wind is strong. It¡¯s dangerous for you to be out here. You should go back in.¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Sasha wasn¡¯t too keen to tell her son about that, so she changed the topic in order for him to go back immediately. He was ying with his drone in the windy weather. Even though it wasn¡¯t dangerous, she was worried he might catch a cold. However, Ian refused to listen to her. After seeing that Sasha wasn¡¯t answering his question, he turned around and walked away. ¡°None of your business! You, go and grab some more batteries for me.¡± ¡°Ian¡­¡± The bodyguard was perplexed for a moment. Sasha became anxious. Just when she was about to advise him again, a figure appeared at the deck and stormed over to the boy. ¡°Ian, you¡¯ve been ying for a very long time. You should go back inside. Otherwise, your dad is going to scold you!¡± Sasha nced over immediately and saw a beautiful young woman in an expensive dress. Xandra? So she¡¯s on this boat too? Sasha was stunned for a moment, but she quickly regained her senses upon thinking about the woman¡¯s rtionship with that scum. Xandra walked over when she saw Ian still ying with his toy. Her hands started patting all over his body impatiently. ¡°Ian, look at you. Your clothes are all wet and your hands are freezing. Didn¡¯t I tell you earlier not toe out and y? What if you get sick again? Don¡¯t you know how weak your body is? Quick, pack up your things and go in!¡± Even so, her words fell on deaf ears. Ian ignored her and continued to y with his drone instead. ¡°Ian! Why are you so disobedient? Do you want to be hit again? Put it down right now!¡± No one saw iting. When her scolding fell on deaf ears, Xandra pinched hard on the boy¡¯s arm and snatched the controller from his hands. Sasha¡¯s eyes were filled with raging blood! Ian was a very stubborn child. Unlike Matteo, he was physically weak from birth. Theck of motherly love resulted in his antisocial and obstinate personality. Most of the time, talking and weighing the consequences with him would work better than to force him against his will. Sasha stood at the window and watched as Xandra snatched the controller from Ian. Paled-face from the cold, he held on his toy with dear life. Right at that moment, Xandra simply twisted his little hands and Sasha saw, from a distance, that her son¡¯s fingers were all bruised by the impact! What a worthless b*tch! Sasha yelled in anger, ¡°Xandra, what are you doing? You nasty woman, get your hands off him immediately! Stay away from him!¡± Xandra, who was still wrestling with the child, suddenly turned pale. D*mn it! She was overly eager to teach the child a lesson, and she had forgotten that Sasha was watching them from the cabin. What should I do? Since thetter saw everything, what would happen if she went and told Sebastian? Ian meant the world to him. If he was adamant that it was her fault, Sebastian would not let go of things easily. Xandra loosened her grip instantly. A panic-stricken expression shed across her face like never before. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°This is how you¡¯ve been treating Ian for the past five years? Why are you so heartless, Xandra? Even if he¡¯s not your own child, he¡¯s still Sebastian¡¯s son. Since you¡¯re married to him, can¡¯t you treat him better? He is only five years old!¡± ¡°Ms. Wand, what are you talking about? Did I do something wrong? I just came over here to tell him to hurry back because I¡¯m worried he might catch a cold.¡± Unexpectedly, that conniving woman became calm and collected in just a few seconds while she stared at Sasha without a flinch. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m blind? I saw everything clearly just now. Not only did you pry his fingers, you pinched him too. That bodyguard witnessed what you did, too. Are you still trying to weasel your way out?¡± What horrified her was Xandra approached the bodyguard with a provocative smile after she heard Sasha¡¯s words. ¡°Did you see anything?¡± Beads of cold sweat covered the bodyguard¡¯s forehead; his face filled with a great deal of tension and fear. ¡°No¡­ No, I saw nothing,¡± he stammered ¡°Ah, you heard that, too. He said no. Ms. Wand, you are using me of something I haven¡¯t done. Perhaps, you¡¯re trying to reim your position as thedy of the Hayes¡¯ by ndering me? You can stop dreaming because I¡¯m Sebastian¡¯s woman now!¡± Sasha wished she could break the door down and p the woman until her face was unrecognizable. Not only was Xandra distorting the truth, she also had the Hayes¡¯ subordinates under her control. Even if Sasha testified against her, no one would believe her words. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Sasha ignored Xandra and shifted her gaze to her son. ¡°Little Ian,e to me. Quickly, let me look at your hands.¡± ¡°Ah, are you still trying to find evidence from the child? Let me tell you, this kid is usually very naughty. It¡¯s normal for him to bump and knock into things. If you¡¯re thinking of using that to use me, you¡¯re wasting your time,¡± Xandra said sarcastically. Sasha shouted angrily, ¡°Shut up, Xandra! You know very well what you did. I will never let you hurt him again now that I¡¯m back. So it¡¯s best that you take my words seriously!¡± There was something utterly terrifying and murderous in her eyes that made Xandra shudder in fear. Feeling intimidated and furious, thetter ordered the bodyguards, ¡°Seal the cabin and the window; don¡¯t leave a single crack. Keep her in there! If she goes missing, there¡¯ll be hell to pay when Mr. Hayes finds out!¡± Regardless of themotion, Sasha tried to reach for her son. ¡°Ian, quicklye over and let me have a look. Little Ian¡­¡± He remained on the spot. At that moment, Ian was a quite baffled and wasn¡¯t sure why Sasha was so agitated. Did Ms. Xandra do something wrong? She has always been like that. So what is the problem? This boy who often isted himself in the house because he didn¡¯t like to talk or socialize with others. He actually thought Xandra¡¯s behavior was normal. ¡°Little Ian, pleasee. Let me have a look¡­¡± Sasha was on her knees, begging in tears. She desperately pushed away the bodyguards who were blocking her view at the window, hoping to see how her son was doing. She had carried him in her belly for ten months after all. He never knew a mother¡¯s love because she had abandoned him at birth. How could she still leave him to be abused by such a vicious woman? While bawling her eyes out, Sasha uttered hoarsely, ¡°Little Ian,e over¡­ I¡­ I am begging you. Come quickly and let me look at your hand.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what was going on. Ian, who was only five years old, really wanted to walk over to the window when he saw Sasha sobbing uncontrobly. The intensity of her care and love was something he had never felt before. He finally lifted his foot. Right at that very moment, Xandra was on the move. She bent down and swept him off the ground. ¡°Seal up the cabin tightly. If I see her again, don¡¯t even think about staying working for the Hayes anymore!¡± shemanded fiercely before turning around and left with Ian in her arms. Sasha almost passed out from rage in the cabin. Sebastian, how could you be so blind to marry such a vicious woman? Is it possible that your son doesn¡¯t matter much to you anymore? He is you! This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Right after the window waspletely sealed, Sasha fell to the ground, still sobbing. By the time Sebastian received the news, she had not eaten or drunk anything for the entire day. Furthermore, she was demanding to see him. ¡°See me? Why? Is it because of that incident this afternoon where she thought Xandra had abused Ian?¡± he asked nonchntly. Finally able to regain some energy, that man sat on the sofa with his legs crossed. Luke was dumbfounded. While carrying Ian along with her, Xandra had indeed taken the initiative toe and talk to Sebastian about it. She also admitted to being a little rough when she was asking Ian to stop ying on the deck. Luke decided to let the matter rest. However, to their surprise, someone else came in and reported to them two hourster, ¡°Something bad happened, Mr. Hayes. That woman¡­ She slit her wrist in the cabin.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± The expressionless man who was sitting in front of hisputer with his head buried in work finally got distracted. Slit her wrist? How crazy of her to do such a thing!. What was she thinking? Sebastian stomped out furiously. A few minutester, when he finally arrived at the locked cabin, he thought another massive warring argument would take ce again. However, after he opened the door and saw the woman¡¯s lifeless body lying in the wreckage, he was shocked beyond words. ¡°Sasha, why are you acting crazy again?¡± Sebastian muttered to himself. The moment he nced at the pile of blood next to her hand, he rushed over to her side and knelt down while applying pressure to her wrist. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 ¡°What are the bunch of you doing? Bring me the first aid box. Now!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Hayes.¡± ¡°Sebastian, you¡¯re¡­ finally here. Should¡­ I be t-thankful that you¡­ you still have a shred of humanity i- in you? Hearing¡­ that I¡¯m dying, you¡­ came?¡± After having to suffer for almost ten grueling hours, Sasha turned her head slowly towards the man and nced at him with her puffy eyes. She had cried so much that there were no tears left. Sebastian was infuriated. ¡°Are you crazy? Just because I told my dad you¡¯re alive doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m afraid of you dying!¡± ¡°Really?¡± She gave him a miserable smile. That sounded right. How could a person like him care whether she lived or died? He even said it himself that it wouldn¡¯t make any difference to him if she was dead. Sasha closed her eyes slowly and replied, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, can you give me back my son?¡± ¡°What did you say? Give him back to you?¡± ¡°Yes, Sebastian. You¡­ can hate me¡­ despise me, or even¡­ wish death upon me right now, but can¡¯t you give Little Ian a chance to live seeing that he is your own flesh and blood? He¡¯s innocent. Are you really that heartless?¡± She opened her bloodshot eyes and red at him, like a trapped beast that had been driven mad. Sebastian¡¯s brows furrowed even more. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean by giving him a chance to live? He¡¯s my son, haven¡¯t I been doing that?¡± ¡°Then why did you let that b*tch care for him? Do you know what she did? She twisted Ian¡¯s fingers even though he¡¯s still so young, and she even pinched him. He is only five years old, Sebastian. I gave birth to him; he is very much valuable to me. If you really don¡¯t want him anymore, I beg you to return him to me. I will raise him well out of your family¡¯s sight. Is that alright? Sebastian!¡± Sasha¡¯s entire body trembled. Despite being utterly exhausted, she peeled herself off the ground and exined the situation to him while gasping for breath. However, instead of believing her words, Sebastian pushed her away as his chiseled face filled with disgust and hatred. ¡°Sasha, what do you want? Do you think can return to the Hayes if you chased Xandra away? Is your goal to be Mrs. Hayes again? Let me tell you, you can stop dreaming about it!¡± ¡°Chase Xandra away?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth? You¡¯re deliberately using her of abusing Ian, and now you want me to return him to you by slitting your own wrist. Sasha, it¡¯s a good trick up your sleeves. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t buy it.¡± That man stared at her as if he couldn¡¯t stand another sight of her. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, Sasha realized Xandra yed an extremely important role in his world. On the other hand, Sasha¡¯s existence meant nothing to him! He sees my suicide as a trick! Sasha leaped up from the ground instantaneously. Before Sebastian could react, she held an object and stabbed towards her own body! Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Sebastian was utterly stunned. ¡°Suicide trick¡­ Right? Alright then, I¡¯ll entertain¡­ you today then. Sebastian, I¡¯ll exchange my life¡­ with my son. Is that a deal? If I die, don¡¯t you ever¡­ let that b*tch touch my son again!¡± She managed to utter the words strenuously with blood seeping out of her mouth. Her eyes were zing with anger. Sebastian clenched his fist tightly as his heart throbbed from an inexplicable ache. That was the first time he was afraid to look into her eyes. She has really gone mad! Is she aware of what she¡¯s doing? He rushed over and grabbed the object from her hand, only to discover that it was a piece of broken ss from the window she had smashed earlier. ¡°Sasha, have you gone mad?¡± His head was about to explode. Immediately, he threw away the shard of ss and shouted at the bodyguards. Fortunately, they arrived at the scene in no time with a first aid box. Sebastian felt like he was going mad himself; he had never dealt with such a crazy woman like her before. When they were married, she was submissive and calm. He had truly never seen this side of her where she would sacrifice her life solely based on something he had said. Suddenly, a realization hit him. Xandra had indeed made some calcted moves that day to avoid getting into more trouble. She figured that by shutting Sasha up right after the incident, there wouldn¡¯t be any witnesses to Ian¡¯s abuse. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Hence, upon her return, she took the boy with her and admitted her fault to Sebastian immediately. As expected, Sebastian did not me her. The moment he heard she had identally injured Ian, he excused her after just taking a nce at the quiet child¡¯s hand. She had yed the role of a virtuous wife and mother for five years now, and she was pretty good at it. Therefore, instead of being worried and fearful, she had a very pleasant afternoon. After finding out that the b*tch who was locked up in the cabin didn¡¯t have a chance to meet Sebastian despite her hunger strike, Xandra was even more delighted. Sasha, do you seriously think you canpete with me? It wasn¡¯t until evening that she received the news of Sasha¡¯s suicidal attempt. Her face darkened upon hearing that. Suicide? Why would she do that? Was it an attempt to lure Sebastian to see her? That b*tch is malicious indeed! She was rather quick-witted as she felt a strong sense of uneasiness taking over her. Immediately, she rushed out of the cabin to find out what was going on. However, it was a tad toote. Just when she was stepping out, she saw two bodyguards standing at the entrance. ¡°Ms. Green, Mr. Hayes wants to see you.¡± Her limbs went numb, and she almost lost her bnce while standing at the cabin¡¯s entrance. Her worst nightmare was finally turning into reality. Xandra was escorted downstairs. She had been living the luxurious life as thedy of the Hayes family for five years. That was her first time being summoned by Sebastian in such an undignified manner. Waves of cold wind blew along the surface of the ocean. The harshness from the chilly wind felt like tiny des, apanied by hints of saltiness from the seawater. With the wind scraping along the cabin windows, screeching sounds sent shivers down to one¡¯s spine. Upon arriving at the main cabin, Xandra caught a glimpse of the man who was sitting at the edge of the bed. At the same time, he was carefully observing the tiny hands of the child, who was fast asleep under the covers. The fingers seemed so tiny, even his fingernails were not fully developed yet. ¡°Se¡­ Sebastian¡­¡± Xandra uttered after seeing him. Chills ran through her body as she was panicking. She wasn¡¯t able to move closer because she had lost sensation in her legs. Sebastian ignored her. After examining his son¡¯s tiny hands, he covered him with the nket and tucked him nicely underneath to keep him warm and cozy. Xandra stammered, ¡°Sebastian, I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll only ask you once. Did you hit him?¡± With his head lowered down, Sebastian finally uttered. Anyone could sense a murderous aura just by looking at his side profile. It was exactly the same as the tumbling storm that was happening on the outside! Xandra couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. Her legs wobbled, then she dropped to her knees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sebastian, I¡­ I can be too hasty sometimes. I¡¯m really¡­ I really didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± ¡°So, are you admitting it was your fault? Xandra, who gave you permission? Even I can¡¯t imagineying a finger on my son. Who are you to mistreat him? Where did you find such courage?¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 He red deep into her eyes as he asked the question. His eyes were zing with anger that she feared for her life. Xandra threw herself on the ground instantly. ¡°Sebastian¡­ It¡¯s my fault. I know I¡¯m wrong. I¡­ I never had a child before. I can be¡­ impulsive when disciplining Ian. I¡­ I really didn¡¯t mean it.¡± Even until now, she was trying to weasel her way out of responsibility and justify her own actions. Sebastian squinted and frowned heavily. The bloody scene from a while ago suddenly flooded into his mind. Both women reacted differently with the same child. One would stab herself for him while the other tried to shift her responsibility and deny her actions in every possible way. His eyes were filled with even more rage at the thought of that. While staring at the woman who had been with him for five whole years, an enormous wave of disappointment and rage took over his entire being. He picked up a cup that was in front of him and smashed it at her. ¡°So you¡¯re allowed to abuse him just because you haven¡¯t had a child before? Get the hell out of my sight! From now on, don¡¯t let me see you appear in front of my child ever again. I forbid you toe anywhere near Frontier Bay!¡± Frontier Bay was the vi that they were living in. Xandra¡¯s world crumbled in front of her own eyes. He was cutting all ties with her and getting rid of herpletely. Ignoring the shards of the shattered cup on the floor, she crawled through the entrance like a mad person. ¡°No.. No! Sebastian, don¡¯t do that! You can¡¯t kick me out like this. I love you, Sebastian. Have you forgotten what you said to me when you first brought me back here?¡± Xandra¡¯s agonizing screams and sorrowful cries filled the entire boat. Sasha had been asleep for the entire night as she was burnt out from all themotion and the injuries she had sustained. It wasn¡¯t until the next morning where the first rays of sunlight rose from the sea and shone gently through the windows of her cabin. Upon being caressed by the warm golden rays, she slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Are you awake?¡± She was stunned to find out someone next to her. Sasha struggled while turning her head towards the voice. ¡°Mr. Scott?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. It¡¯s been quite some time since west met. I¡¯m grateful that you still remember me.¡± Luke Scott was a bespectacled young gentleman. He was wearing a id shirt and a pair of ck- framed sses. Sasha smiled. How could she not remember him? That year when she had just married Sebastian. Her husband left the country the very next day and never came back. Luke, his assistant, had to manage thepany and Hayes Residence in his stead. She clearly remembered that every time he came over to the house, she would wait anxiously for him to bring her news regarding Sebastian. The corners of Sasha¡¯s lips curled as she sat up. ¡°You¡¯re being too kind. I¡¯ve been deeply grateful for your help in the past. By the way, why are you here?¡± ¡°You were injuredst night. Since I was doing nothing, I stopped by here to check on your drip. Are you feeling any better?¡± Being thoughtful, Luke poured a ss of warm water and handed it to her. She grabbed it and uttered embarrassingly, ¡°I see. Sorry for the trouble. I¡¯m feeling better now. How is Ian? Is he alright? Did Mr. Hayes question that womanst night? He¡­¡± Suddenly, she recalled what had happened. Luke reassured her instantly. ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry. Ian is with Mr. Hayes now. As for Ms. Green¡­ she¡¯ll never be in contact with Ian anymore, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± He told her everything that had happened while she was asleep. It was as if he knew she would ask him about it. Upon hearing that, Sasha heaved a sigh of relief. She had made the right move, even though it was risky. At least that cheating man wasn¡¯t hopeless. He knew it was necessary to find out the truth from that conniving woman. There was no need for Sasha to continue worrying any further. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and check on Little Ian. Where is he?¡± Luke was stunned and a little perplexed. ¡°Ah? You want to see Ian? Uh¡­ You¡¯re still recovering from your injuries, it¡¯s better for you to healpletely first.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury,¡± Sasha countered. It was indeed not a deep wound, but no one knew she was putting on an actst night when she slit her wrist. As a doctor, she knew exactly what to do. However, Luke wasn¡¯t budging as he continued to stop her from getting out of the bed. ¡°Madam, I¡¯m really sorry. Mr. Hayes said you¡¯re not allowed to meet Ian. Furthermore, he even said that Ian¡¯s mommy had passed away five years ago. He couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t let his son get hurt again!¡± Sasha, who was in a hurry to see her child, stopped dead in her tracks. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Her face turned pale. Seeing that she had stabbed herself with the knife without any hesitation to save the child, Sebastian¡¯s words weren¡¯t as hurtful aspared to what he would say in the past. He was right; she didn¡¯t have the right to see Ian because she had abandoned him once. If she were to meet him as his mother and tell him the truth, wouldn¡¯t that be doing him more harm? ¡°Madam, it¡¯s not true when you stated that Mr. Hayes did not want this child. All these years, he has been treating Ian very well and is very involved in his life. Do you know why he always apanies Ian for treatments? It¡¯s because Ian¡¯s physically weak and has a rare blood type. Mr. Hayes worries that if he is gone for too long, something bad might happen to Ian. That¡¯s why he¡¯s always by his side.¡± It took quite a while before Sasha lifted her head and asked, ¡°Rare¡­ blood type?¡± Luke nodded. ¡°Yes. Same as you, his blood type is RH negative. That year, after his premature birth, Mr. Hayes flew him to Dartford Hospital that very night to save him. Madam, there¡¯s really no need for you to doubt if his capability as a father.¡± Luke told her everything earnestly. After hearing that, Sasha was speechless. Her expression darkened suddenly. She felt as if Luke¡¯s words had shaken her to the core. ¡°I understand. You can go now. Thank you forst night. And, you should¡­ stop calling me ¡°Madam¡± from now on. That¡¯s not my position anymore, lest your president bes upset if he hears it.¡± Luke seemed as if he had something else to say, but he let out a sigh, turned around, and left the room. Sasha did not go to Ian again. She remained in her cabin to focus on her recovery. After witnessing her honesty, Sebastian had also stopped locking her up and gave her the freedom to roam around. One day, out of the blue, despite Sebastian and Sasha¡¯s agreement for not letting Ian meet her, the boy suddenly appeared at her cabin just when the boat was about to arrive at their destination. ¡°Why are you still cooped up?¡± That day, Ian was ying with his drone around the fenced area, so he wasn¡¯t exactly looking for her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. However, the moment Sasha saw him, she couldn¡¯t hold herself back that instance. ¡°Little Ian, what¡­ what brought you here? Did you run out on your own? Isn¡¯t your daddy watching over you?¡± ¡°Why would he watch over me?¡± He turned around impatiently and walked away with his drone controller in his hands. Ian¡¯s personality greatly differed from Matteo¡¯s. Whenever thetter spoke to Sasha, he was always cheerful and polite. As for Ian, there was a cold and dark aura hanging over him. He was exactly like his father, even though he was only five years old. Sasha¡¯s heart ached at the thought. Immediately, she followed him from behind and stood next to him while uttering cautiously, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Little Ian. It was a misunderstanding. Woah! You¡¯re very good at flying the drone; it¡¯s so high up in the sky.¡± She was trying to create a conversation with him. After Luke spoke to her that night, she couldn¡¯t muster the courage to face the boy anymore. She was either afraid of saying the wrong things or feeling utterly guilty whenever she was with him. She didn¡¯t even dare to look straight into his eyes. As a matter of fact, the childpletely ignored her words. He walked towards the fenced area and started flying his drone with the controller while he pretended Sasha wasn¡¯t there. Her heart shrank once more as she looked at the drone. ¡°By the way, Little Ian, I¡¯ve forgotten to tell you that if you add a little tinfoil on the tail of the drone, it can fly even higher and you¡¯ll be able to control its direction better.¡± Finally, after hearing that, the aloof child looked in her direction. Sasha was thrilled. ¡°It¡¯s true. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can show you.¡± She immediately set out to look for tinfoil. She had learned that method from Matteo. Even though the two brothers had never met, their hobbies were shockingly identical. Ian liked to y with drones, while her family bought a few simr ones for Matteo as well. Based on her asional observations when Matteo flew his drones in the past, he would use the same method, too. In a short while, Sasha retrieved a few empty cigarette boxes on the boat and ran back to the little boy. ¡°Little Ian, look! Give me a minute while I removed the foil.¡± Panting and squatting in front of the child, she ripped it open and removed the wrapper that was inside the cigarette box. After that, she was ready to peel the foil. Initially, Ian didn¡¯t take her words seriously. However, as a child, his curiosity spiked after seeing Sasha peeled off an entire sheet of tinfoil in front of him. ¡°Little Ian, have you tried using tinfoil like this before?¡± No one answered. Even though Ian was standing next to her, he wasn¡¯t willing to speak to her because of his entric temper. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Sasha stopped forcing the little boy. Instead, she started unwrapping the box of cigarettes and crouched in front of the little boy to peel the tinfoil out of the box. ¡°Ian, look!¡± Although Ian went dead silent at that score, she could see a glistering pair of eyes on his dead-panned face. His eyes gleamed! Does that mean he¡¯s attracted by what I¡¯m doing? Sasha felt a sense of relief and rode the wave of sess, handing over a box to her son. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe over and help me? I think we¡¯re going to need a lot of these! It¡¯s going to be so much more efficient if you can help me! What do you think?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Ian nodded and took over the empty box from Sasha, crouching by her side while removing the tinfoil from the box. This is amazing! Sasha was on cloud nine. She secretly peeked at her son while he was focusing on removing the tinfoil from the empty boxes. From her point of view, Ian was a delicate Russian doll because of his chiseled features, including thick, feather-like eyshes. To a certain extent, he resembled Matteo. She noticed he was no longer the wrathful little boy after he started focusing on getting the job done. Ian, don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll definitely atone for my sins and get you to forgive me! Ten minutester, the mother and son duo finally finished patching the drone with the tinfoil patches they had removed from the cigarette boxes. ¡°Ian! It¡¯s done! Why don¡¯t you give it a try and see if it¡¯s able to travel beyond its height limit?¡± ¡°O-Okay,¡± he replied with a different word. Secondster, he started maneuvering the drone around again. To his surprise, the moment he started flying the drone, it leaped into the air, at least a dozen feet away from sea level. ¡°See! I¡¯m not lying, right? Patching tinfoil patches allow the drone to travel beyond its initial limit!¡± The excited Sasha wouldn¡¯t stop apuding by her son¡¯s side. Meanwhile, a barely noticeable smile could be seen on Ian¡¯s face. He was equally satisfied, yet he wouldn¡¯t express his emotions verbally. By the time Sebastian noticed his son was missing and reached the duo, he was taken aback by the scene in front of him. Standing right by the damned woman¡¯s side, his aloof son had a faint smile. While they were right next to the fence, Sasha wouldn¡¯t stop pping her hands in exhration. It seemed as though she was immersing herself while having fun with Ian! Sasha! Rage was written all over Sebastian¡¯s handsome face. ¡°What the heck are you guys doing here? Sasha, who the hell gave you the permission to meet him? How dare you lie to me? Have you been deceiving me all this while?¡± Those harsh words seemed to have morphed out of his wrath, enabling him to express his frustration verbally. Sasha¡¯s face turned pale as her heart sank. She had the best time with her beloved son, yet the Sebastian¡¯s presence ruined her wonderful day. ¡°I-I¡­ N-No¡­¡± ¡°Will someone bring Ian back in at once! Also, I want her to be imprisoned again! No one is allowed to set her free without my consent!¡± The man, who had a pair of bloodshot eyes, wouldn¡¯t allow her to exin herself. He had no intention to listen to her. Immediately after he delivered his instructions, a few men showed up and took the little boy away with them. Two of Sebastian¡¯s bodyguards pinned Sasha to the ground, rendering her incapable of movement. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She knew she couldn¡¯t me him because she had promised to stay away from Ian after the man said he would never allow others to hurt his son. Moreover, Sebastian was a possessive man. Since he had brought Ian up single-handedly, he would never allow others to assert dominance over his son. They dragged Sasha back to the cabin. Her mind was all over the ce because of the drastic turn of events. ¡°No! Listen to me, Sebastian! I have been thinking about ittely, and I think I can atone for my sins! I will never allow others to hurt him! Please have faith in me!¡± Sasha tried to talk some senses into Sebastian to salvage her rtionship with the little boy. Judging by the fact they had been spending some quality time together, she was confident he would forgive her if she could prove herself. However, Sebastian started sneering and directed a rhetorical question at her. ¡°How are you going to atone for your sins, Sasha? You¡¯re willing to y pretend as though you¡¯re deceased because you value nothing above your precious freedom! Do you really think you deserve another chance?¡± He paused for a few seconds before going on with his orated speech. ¡°I¡¯m warning you for thest time! If you want your family members in Avenport to be safe and sound, you better behave yourself! Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for what¡¯s in store for them!¡± Prior to his departure, he left those brutal warnings and remarks to Sasha without showing her any mercy. Upon hearing the warning, no matter how she felt deep down, Sasha had no choice but to keep her emotions to herself. The family he was referring to was her aunt in Avenport. She gritted her teeth in anger because she had sent her two precious babies there. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Sasha was imprisoned again, but the session merelysted for a few hours because she was set free the moment the yacht nosed up to the bay. ¡°Ms. Wand, we have arrived at our destination. However, we¡¯ll send you to another amodation instead of having you stay at Hayes Residence.¡± Luke delivered the news as he brought her out of the cabin. Great! Visiting the Hayes is thest thing on my to-do list! If they really send me there, I have no idea how Mr. Hayes Sr. will react when he sees me! Back in the day, Frederick yed the role of a doting father-inw and treated Sasha like his own. He might pass out from the shock of seeing her alive after all these years. Luke¡¯s words caused Sasha to heave a huge breath of relief. ¡°Great! Let¡¯s get going then!¡± She couldn¡¯t wait to see Matteo and Vivian. She wondered how they were doing over the past few days. Luke nodded and led the way. She was bemused to be given the opportunity to return after being away for five whole years. At a nce, nothing much had changed in Avenport. It was still the city she used to know, full of skyscrapers, and yet it felt so foreign to her. ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long? Get into the car already!¡± The bodyguard by her side urged impatiently. Sasha snapped out of the nostalgic moment and marched towards the car that was parked nearby. ¡°Where¡¯s Ian? Has he disembarked yet?¡± The bodyguard replied petntly, ¡°Seriously? Do you have a death wish or something? How dare you poke your nose into his business?¡± Sasha decided to keep her mouth shut and look out the window instead. She put everything aside, including why she wasn¡¯t brought to the Hayes or the whereabouts of that hateful man. Since she wouldn¡¯t be joining the rest at Hayes Residence, she thought she might get to sneak out and see her beloved children. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. To her surprise, she was brought to an apartment in an unknown location that had three bedrooms, a dining hall, and a living room. It also had a state-of-the-art security system that prevented her from escaping. He¡¯s such a scum! The bodyguard was about to leave when an anxious Sasha ran up to him. ¡°Hey! Where¡¯s my phone? Give it back!¡± ¡°Who exactly are you trying to reach? Do you want them toe to your rescue? Ms. Wand, you should forget about it since this apartment has countless surveince cameras everywhere. If anyone shows up here, they¡¯re going to end up with a miserable death.¡± That shut her up immediately. Sebastian, you¡¯re aplete douchebag! Imprisoned against her will, Sasha tried to sneak by climbing down the window, but the moment she craned over and noticed she was on the thirtieth floor, she gulped and changed her mind. The only option left was to pick the lock. Over the past five years, she had gone through all sorts of situations because she had to survive with her children without strong backings or connections. Picking the lock became an essential skill that ensured they had a roof over their heads during those trying times. However, when she found the tools she needed and was going to pick the lock, she heard a click from the other side. A few secondster, someone made his way into the apartment. Sasha was speechless when she saw the miniature figure in front of her. ¡°Mommy, what are you doing? Are you going to pick the lock? Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but have some criminals imprisoned you again? Who have you offended this time?¡± She never thought her savior would be a child. When the little boy caught a glimpse of Sasha crouching on the ground holding the different tools for picking a lock, his chubby face puckered as his expression darkened. He clenched his fists in anger. On the other hand, she thought she was hallucinating his presence. What is Matteo doing here? Wait! How did he locate me in the first ce? I just arrived thirty minutes ago! Seconds after she saw her son, Sasha lost herself in a train of thoughts. ¡°M-Matt, what are you doing here? How did you find me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a silly mom! By using a tracking device, of course! How was I supposed to do it otherwise? Wat you have been up to for the past few days? Why did you show up on the high seas? Have you been abducted by the meanie again?¡± Matteo was enraged. After he marched into the apartment, he stretched his arm and retrieved the tracking device he had secretly nted on his mother¡¯s clothes. I¡¯m his mom for heaven¡¯s sake! Why is he always treating me like a baby? ¡°I guess the meanie has yet to learn his lesson, huh? Why don¡¯t I teach him a lesson?¡± Matteo couldn¡¯t suppress his wrath anymore. He started leaving notes behind like he did thest time. Sasha finally returned to her usual self and stop her son when she figured out the things he was up to. ¡°No, Matteo! You have misunderstood my response! He didn¡¯t abduct or bully me. Actually, he¡¯s a patient of mine. His condition requires me to keep an eye on him. That¡¯s why I have been spending the past few days on the yacht with him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course! You have to believe me! He can¡¯t make his take the ne. Therefore, we have to go by sea. I can¡¯t contact you because there¡¯s no signal. I¡¯m so sorry, Matt. It¡¯s my fault for not informing you beforehand.¡± In order to persuade her son, Sasha tried her best to make up a convincing excuse to ease his wrath. If he continues wreaking havoc, Sebastian will figure out about him! Matt is a smart boy who has been doing all sorts of things behind my back, including nting the tracking device without my knowledge. It goes without saying if he continues getting to the bottom of the entire trip, he will eventually know the scum¡¯s identity. Sasha smiled anxiously at her son. Although Matteo was a smart boy, he was, at the end of the day, an innocent little boy. Since the things his mother said made perfect sense, he decided to stay put for the time being. ¡°Why has he imprisoned you when he needs you to keep an eye on his condition?¡± ¡°N-No¡­ I-I¡¯m not being imprisoned¡­ He has brought me here and prepared this apartment as my temporary amodation. I-I was just trying to enhance the structure of the lock because I think it¡¯s not secured enough!¡± Matteo saw right through her lies immediately. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t link the missing pieces together or figure out why she was lying. I guess I need to run a background check on the meanie! Sebastian, the President of Hayes Corporation, huh? I¡¯ll keep that in mind and pay you a visit soon! Chapter 24 Chapter 24 In the afternoon, Luke received news of Sasha¡¯s escape while he was in the hospital. She has fled! Again His heart skipped a beat, but soon, the distressed man received a call from an anonymous number. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hey, Mr. Scott. It¡¯s me, Sasha. I¡¯m so sorry, but I snuck out to see my aunt. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make my way back to the apartment once I¡¯m done visiting them!¡± Sasha, the source of his distress, gave him a call and exined the reasons behind her sudden departure. Luke was uncertain if he should be d. After he peeked at Sebastian who was still unconscious in the ward. ¡°Alright. But can you please hurry before Mr. Hayes is aware of your disappearance?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll definitely keep that in mind and return once I¡¯m done!¡± Sasha felt as though a boulder had been lifted off her shoulders since Luke wasn¡¯t particrly against the idea. She hung up after assuring him. Luke could feel his head throbbing. He should be d Sasha could remember his contact number after five years. He doubted she even knew Sebastian¡¯s number. Due to her escape, he knew he would have to deal with all sorts of issues soon. When Luke was about to enter the ward, the doctor approached him, ¡°Mr. Luke, Mr. Hayes¡¯s CT scan shows no sign of brain hemorrhaging. However, we can¡¯t ignore the symptoms. To be frank, hemorrhage is unavoidable because of his current condition.¡± ¡°What should we do, doctor?¡± Luke was anxious. The doctor shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure after visiting countless doctors domestically, you would know his condition better than me, right?¡± The doctor continued, ¡°I know you went abroad to seek another doctor¡¯s opinion in Clear Hospital. Why have you returned so soon? Speaking of which, why was he unconscious and rushed to the hospital the moment you returned? Can¡¯t that doctor do anything about it?¡± Luke heaved a long sigh at that. Who would¡¯ve known that famous doctor from Clear Hospital was Sebastian¡¯s ¡°dead¡± wife from five years ago? ¡°As Mr. Hayes¡¯ specialist, are you overestimating the effects of TCM?¡± ¡°No. I believe you should do some research into TCM. It is a skill that originated in our country thousands of years ago. Take acupuncture, for example. It controls a patient¡¯s condition by administering the needles to the pressure points. This can be more beneficial to the patientpared to surgery that is usually a rmendation for Western medicine.¡± There was conviction, even a hint of admiration in the specialist¡¯s voice as he exined the benefits of TCM, especially acupuncture, to Luke. When the assistant nced at the unconscious Sebastian and fell into a deep thought. There¡¯s no harm in asking Madam to take a look at Mr. Hayes, right? In the afternoon, Sasha returned to her aunt¡¯s home with her son. As expected, Jackson ckwood started scolding her the moment she stepped into the house. Although he was an ill-tempered man, Sasha could barely defend herself because everything her uncle had said was right. She might have told them about her ¡°death¡± five years ago, but she left the country with her two children without their knowledge and she hadn¡¯t sent word of how she was doing over the years. ¡°Sasha Wand! What brings you her today? Aren¡¯t you going to stay away from us for the rest of your life since you don¡¯t need us anymore?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°N-No, Uncle¡­ T-This will always be my home¡­ H-How could I possibly stay away from my loved ones forever?¡± ¡°Ha! What a joke! A Wand is not one of us! You don¡¯t belong here!¡± Meanwhile, Vivian, who was upstairs, heard themotion and rushed out of the room. She held on to her brother and asked, ¡°Why is Uncle Jackson scolding Mommy? Does he hate her?¡± Matteo noticed his sister had pouted her lips and was about to cry. He patted her back and assured her, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Vivian. he¡¯s scolding Mommy because she has been naughtytely. It¡¯s just like how she would scold us when we¡¯re being naughty.¡± The little boy understood his frustration. Vivian fought back the urge to cry after the exnation. Finally, Sasha¡¯s aunt Sharon couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. She rushed out of the room and said, ¡°I believe that¡¯s enough. Can Sasha undo history with all your scolding? Why don¡¯t you cut the conversation short and stop wasting our time?¡± Jackson stopped immediately. Sasha¡¯s eyes were brimming with tears of guilt from Sharon¡¯s words. ¡°A-Aunt Sharon¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin yourself, but I want you to tell me what¡¯s your next best course of action? Are you going to meet that old fe?¡± Her aunt was rtively calm aspared to her frustrated uncle. Nheless, her callous tone wasn¡¯t a good sign. Literally, she dead-panned her question as though she couldn¡¯t be bothered by her niece¡¯s decision. Sasha avoided her aunt¡¯s gaze. ¡°I have no intention of seeing them. If the Hayes knows I¡¯m still alive, they¡¯ll force me to return to the family.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re not a fool, huh? However, if he insists on having you back, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything you can do about it.¡± ¡°Aunt, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m still thinking of a way to deal with that. Speaking of which, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t allow Matteo and Vivian to stay with you anymore. If they drop by and the children are here, I¡­¡± ¡°Feel free to do as you desire!¡± Chapter 25 Chapter 25 To Sasha¡¯s surprise, Sharon shrugged her off nonchntly. The words formed a lump in the former¡¯s throat as she stood rooted on the spot. Truth be told, Sasha had held her aunt in awe since she was young. Coming from different backgrounds meant they had little inmon. After Sasha turned into an adult, the Wand family had brought upon their misfortune on Sharon. Out of a guilty conscience, she never dared to look her aunt in the eyes. In the end, Sasha took her children and left for their rental apartment. While they were alone in the courtyard, Jackson asked, ¡°Sharon, are you still ming Sasha for what happened in the past? She was just an innocent girl back then.¡± ¡°Xenia will be back soon. Do you think we¡¯ll get to spend our days peacefully if Sasha¡¯s children stay with us?¡± Sharon asked callously and left her wheelchair-bound husband behind. Xenia was Sasha¡¯s younger cousin. She used to hold a grudge against thetter. Shortly after their departure, Sasha brought her children to the apartment she had leased beforehand. It was situated in Old Town, but there was a preschool that was nearby. ¡°Vivi, Matt, I have enrolled both of you in a nearby preschool. I¡¯ll bring you there tomorrow, okay?¡± Sasha announced the n she had for her children. ¡°Mommy, are we going to attend preschool in this city? Does that mean we¡¯re not going back anymore?¡± Vivian stared at her mother, open-mouthed, and expressed her disbelief. The little girl got sentimental all of a sudden; she started recalling the times she spent with her friends in her previous preschool. She would miss her friends and her teachers a lot. Sasha caressed the little girl¡¯s chubby cheek. ¡°We¡¯ll only stay here for a short period of time because I have to look after a patient of mine. Once I¡¯m done, we¡¯ll move back, okay? Can you please deal with it for the time being?¡± The little girl finally returned to her usual sprightly self when she heard her mother¡¯s assurance. ¡°Alright, Mommy! If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll prepare myself for school tomorrow!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Matteo was upied with the background check on Sebastian, the man behind Hayes Corporation. He decided to pay the meanie a visit in person. Matteo wanted to determine if Sebastian was worthy of his mother¡¯s time since he had always bullied Sasha. Shortly after the little boy essed the domestic website and got his hands on Sebastian¡¯s photo, his jaw dropped. What the hell is going on? Who the heck is this scum that resembles me? Literally, he looks like an adult version of me! Is he my biological father? A wild idea shed across Matteo¡¯s mind. He stared at Sebastian¡¯s photo,pletely baffled. ¡°Matt, what are you doing? Can youe over and do me a favor? I can need an extra pair of hands now!¡± Sasha was in the middle of unpacking the stuff she had brought along with them. She had to repeat herself a few times before her son finally responded to her and switched off his tablet. Matteo walked towards Sasha in a daze. ¡°Mommy, is Daddy dead?¡± ¡°Yes. Why?¡± Sasha waspletely drenched in sweat after spending her time unpacking their stuff. Therefore, she blurted out the things in mind when she heard her son¡¯s question. That was the version of the white lies she had told her children. As she spent the past five years abroad, others would asionally ask her the whereabouts of her children¡¯s father since was a single parent. Now that the children were older, they were naturally curious about their father. In order to save herself the agony, she told everyone her husband was dead. That scum is as good as dead, isn¡¯t he? She thought Matteo would forget about it as usual, but he continued to probe after a prolonged silence. ¡°How did he die?¡± Sasha was taken aback by the question. She stuttered in return, ¡°H-Huh? H-He died in¡­ a-a car ident.¡± Matteo waspletely speechless by his mother¡¯s uncertainty. Mommy, you¡¯re obviously lying to us! Is that meanie our father? Unable to suppress his frustration any longer, Matteo decided to pay Sebastian a visit to get to the bottom of their rtionship and why he wouldn¡¯t stop picking on his mother. Most importantly, he wanted to know if Sebastian had abandoned him and his sister. Sasha was oblivious of her son¡¯s ns as she rushed to finish cleaning the ce so she could return to the damned confinement space. Suddenly, her brand new phone, that was on the coffee table, rang. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Madam? It¡¯s me, Luke.¡± Seriously? Oh, God! Speak of the devil! Herees the assistant of the scum! Sasha started exining herself after she heard the man on the other end of the call. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Luke! It has been a long time since Ist met my uncle and aunt! They insist on having me for dinner! I¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine! I¡¯m not calling to rush you. I have something else to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Huh? What is it?¡± Ever since that scum got his hands on me, he has always forced me into submission. What could he want to discuss with me? Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Luke cut straight to the point. ¡°Are you willing to grab the opportunity that may earn you the right to see Ian every day?¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Sasha couldn¡¯t believe her ears. However, Luke was all business from the other end. ¡°As long as you¡¯re able to treat Mr. Hayes¡¯ condition, I can ensure you that you will get to see Ian every day.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Sebastian?¡± Luke told Sasha the truth. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to stop keeping you in the dark. He didn¡¯t bring you back to Hayes Residence because his blood pressure skyrocketed and he passed out after that fight on the yacht. If you can cure his sleep disorder, I believe he would also agree to my suggestion. I think he¡¯ll offer to let you see Ian unconditionally. What do you think, Madam?¡± In order to get Sasha to give her consent, Luke told her everything that happened after the fight. He¡¯s currently in the hospital? No wonder I didn¡¯t see Ian when we disembarked from the yacht. Sasha couldn¡¯t help but gloat over Sebastian¡¯s misfortune. ¡°Actually, I do possess the capability to save him. To be honest, he should be d to be alive.¡± Luke replied with an awkwardugh after a few seconds of dead silence. ¡°Now you see why I came to you? Don¡¯t worry. We can work on the details once he¡¯s fully recovered. Although Mr. Hayes refused to let you anywhere near Ian, you¡¯re his biological mother. As long as you drop by his ce, you¡¯ll get to see Ian. Once you develop a close rtionship with him, I don¡¯t think Mr. Hayes can stop you from seeing him.¡± It was a sweet deal. All she needed was an opportunity to spend time with Ian to atone for her sins. If she couldn¡¯t get anywhere near her son, she wouldn¡¯t be able to execute the n to beg for his forgiveness. After much considerations, Sasha gave her consent and named her conditions. ¡°Deal! However, I don¡¯t want anyone to restrict my freedom, and I want to stay with my aunt! Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll storm to Hayes Residence and make a scene.¡± ¡°Certainly. As long as you can get Mr. Hayes to fall asleep, we won¡¯t restrict your freedom. You get to arrange your own schedule on one condition¡ªwe need to ensure you¡¯re capable of treating Mr. Hayes¡¯ insomnia.¡± ¡°That¡¯s but a piece of cake for me!¡± Sasha replied confidently. As long as she could n her schedule, she could take good care of her children without disrupting their daily routine. She would drop them off at the preschool in the morning and pick them up in the evening. She had confidence in her capability. Luke said he would drop by and pick her up at the apartment in the evening for onest trial. If she could prove her words, their agreement would officially begin after the trial. Huh? Is heing to pick me up soon? If that¡¯s the case, I need to hurry and make my way back to the apartment! Immediately after Sasha hung up the call with Luke, she told her children, ¡°Matt, Vivi, I need to head out to tend to an emergency. I¡¯ll get Mrs. Grint to drop by and take care of both of you, okay?¡± Lucy Grint used to be a maid of the Wand family, but after they filed for bankruptcy, she went to work for Sharon. Throughout the years, she had never turned down a single request from Sasha. Vivian, who was rtively simple-minded, wasn¡¯t particrly against the idea. On the other hand, when Matteo heard it, he stopped looking at his tablet and looked in Sasha¡¯s direction. ¡°Mommy, where are you going? Are youing back tonight?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll be away for about two hours! Don¡¯t worry about me, okay?¡± Lucy agreed to Sasha¡¯s request without hesitation. When she found out the children had yet to have their meal, she said she would buy some ingredients and make them something to eat. After Sasha had everything sorted out, she left and made her way back to the apartment. Meanwhile, Vivian looked at Matteo and asked, ¡°Matt, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you staring at Mommy?¡± The little girl went after her brother right after he sprinted over to the balcony. Out of curiosity, Vivian crouched by Matteo¡¯s side, looking in the direction of her brother¡¯s gaze. ¡°I think our foolish mother is on her way to the meanie¡¯s ce again!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°W-Who¡¯s the meanie you¡¯re talking about? Is Mommy is in danger? Should we rush over to rescue her?¡± Vivian was horrified by his brother¡¯s words. She almost burst into tears. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary for the time being. I¡¯ll pay him a visit tomorrow.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you going after the meanie on your own? No! I¡¯ll tag along with you! I will never allow others to bully Mommy!¡± ¡°I want you to stay put and cover for me in the preschool. Once I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll tell you what to do next!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The siblings arrived at an agreement after a simple discussion. Shortly after Sasha returned to the apartment, Luke showed up in a car told her to meet him downstairs. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. After she got into the car with her medical kit, she asked, ¡°Are we heading to the hospital?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯ll be going to Frontier Bay because Mr. Hayes has been discharged.¡± The news took Sasha by surprise; she wasn¡¯t ready for what wasing. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Sasha¡¯s heart was pounding. The first time she saw Sebastian was five years ago, on their wedding day. The next day, he left her. She never saw him again, much less set foot in his house at Frontier Bay. Sasha could vividly recall her times at Hayes Residence. She knew Sebastian had other properties, but she was afraid of poking her nose into his business. She never tried to inquire about him or mention his name for fear that he knew she had feigned her own death. The trip down memory made her realize her life back then was a disgrace. She found it ironic to set foot into Frontier Bay of all ces five yearster. On their way there, Sasha admired thete-Autumn view in the city. She caught a glimpse of passersby wandering on the street. The faint illumination from themp posts made the bustling city seemed so lonely. ¡°Madam, Mr. Hayes has just been discharged from the hospital. When you see him, can you please be merciful and tolerate his irrational behavior if he isn¡¯t being his best self? I¡¯m afraid if he gets worked up again, he¡¯ll¡­¡± Sasha looked at Luke through the rearview mirror and stated nonchntly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. As a doctor, I¡¯m aware of the do¡¯s and don¡¯ts better than you. No matter what, I¡¯ll turn a blind eye.¡± Luke heaved a long sigh of relief. Actually, he couldn¡¯t wait to figure out how she became a renowned doctor after five years. However, he kept his queries to himself when they drove into the garden of the majestic vi. He elerated the car and reached Royal Court One, which was situated in Frontier Bay, ten minutes later. Sasha thought they had pulled by in front of a pce. The breathtaking rows of sculptures lined up at the entrance of the vi as though soldiers had gathered around and to guard the garden. Along the hallway were marble stone archways with drooping gold roses. Sasha was impressed by those remarkable pieces and couldn¡¯t help but imagine the scene of exotic flowers and nts in the garden. Her jaw dropped open as she gaped at the ostentatious decorations. Has he been living in such a great environment all this while? Am I supposed to consider myself lucky to be given the chance to visit this majestic vi while I¡¯m still alive? While she feasted her eyes, Luke took his leave. ¡°Madam, Royal Court One belongs to Mr. Hayes. You just have to walk down these archways, and you¡¯ll reach the entrance at the end.¡± Am I supposed to go in myself? Doesn¡¯t he need to announce my arrival or something? Sasha snapped out of her confusion and turned to Luke. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going in with me? I have never been here before! And you haven¡¯t announced my arrival. I don¡¯t think I should make my way in unannounced¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Madam. I have informed Mr. Hayes of your arrival. Please feel free to make your way in.¡± Luke, who was in the car, assured her with a bright grin. Little did she know, he had his feet on the elerator and would depart the moment she walked into Sebastian¡¯s vi. Oblivious to Luke¡¯s ploy, Sasha strode into the vi boldly with her medical kit. To be honest, I¡¯d be lying if I¡¯m not afraid at all. I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m here anymore! A few minutester, she finally arrived at the gate of Royal Court One. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She felt a sense of relief and thought Luke had told him the truth. It wasn¡¯t as intimidating as she expected. Initially, she thought the ce would be heavily guarded, but nobody stopped her as she strode down the magnificent archways. She glimpsed a beam of sh and hurried her way to the source of light while clutching her kit. Where¡¯s the rest of the family? Sasha was slightly taken aback by the dested surroundings. She noticed she was the only person in the spacious and elegant courtyard. Are they upstairs? As she stepped into the foyer to go up the stairs, she saw a pair of pink indoor sandals that belonged to a woman on the shoe rack. The delicate-looking pair of sandals with daisies was amongst the countless pairs of men¡¯s leather shoes. The ones that caught her eye the most were the miniature shoes belonging to a child. Judging by the shoes that were avable, it seemed to belong to a family of three. Sasha couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away from it. She had an awful sensation deep down, as though an important part of her was shredded into pieces. This pair of shoes belong to the woman, huh? How ironic! I didn¡¯t even get to visit this vi back when we were engaged! Now, she has be a member of the household and an important character amongst the family of three! Does that mean she¡¯s Ian¡¯s stepmother? Sasha stood right at the entrance with colors drained from her face. Whenever she recalled her pathetic life five years ago, hatred and grudges would engulf her. She could barely pull herself together. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 ¡°Who gave you the permission to barge in here?¡± While Sasha was overwhelmed by the tidal waves of emotions, she heard another woman¡¯s voice reprimanding her from behind. Sasha finally returned to her senses. ¡°I-I¡¯m here to check on Mr. Hayes¡¯ condition. May I know if he¡¯s around?¡± She pulled herself together immediately and greeted the woman who had shown up out of nowhere. Thetter was a housemaid in her mid-forties. She confronted Sasha, thinking she was an intruder. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re here to check on Mr. Hayes¡¯ condition? Why wasn¡¯t I informed of you arrival?¡± ¡°Are you sure? Mr. Hayes¡¯ assistant, Luke, brought me here. Can you please verify this with Mr. Hayes? I think he knows I¡¯ming.¡± However, the housemaid behaved as though she was clueless about the things. Minutester, a man heard themotion and came out of his room. ¡°Sasha? Who the hell brought you over?¡± Sebastian stood right at the top of the stairs. His hair was wet, and he was wearing a grey open-cored cashmere shirt with a pair of white track pants. He seemed different from his usual aloof and intimidating self. Nheless, the casualness didn¡¯t seem to affect the air of natural-born nobility around him. Sasha was baffled by Sebastian¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Scott! He¡¯s the one who insists on having me here to check on your condition!¡± ¡°Are you talking about Luke? Sasha, can you please carry out your due diligence before lying next time? Do you really think I¡¯ll ask him to bring you here?¡± To Sasha¡¯s surprise, Sebastian denied her of her words and deemed her to be lying again. His initially pale face turned gloomy with frustration. His response bemused her because Luke even went the extra mile to bring her over. However, it urred to Sasha that the assistant had insisted she made her way into the vi herself! Sasha¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she linked the missing pieces of puzzles together. She finally figured out she had been deceived again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? The cat caught your tongue? Did I hit the bullseye again?¡± Sebastian eyed her contemptuously when he noticed her furrowed brows. Secondster, he marched down the stairs. Sasha panicked and retreated subconsciously. ¡°W-Wait! Please calm down and listen to me! It¡¯s Luke! He said you were rushed to the hospital after passing out on the yacht! Therefore, he brought me over to check on you! Since I¡¯m here, why don¡¯t you let me run a simple diagnosis and see if everything¡¯s fine?¡± She resisted the urge to run away and brought up the offer to check on his condition, as per her agreement with Luke. Since things had gotten to the point of no return, she pushed her luck to try to secure the chance to see Ian every day. Luke was right¡ªas long as she could prove herself worthy, Sebastian might give in to her request. Seconds after she brought up the suggestion, the scumbag broke into aughter. ¡°Are you serious? I¡¯m not a fool with a death wish, Sasha. I¡¯m telling you for onest time! I¡¯m aware of your malicious scheme, and I will never let you take Ian away from me! You want to kill me as soon as possible to exercise your right as his legal guardian, don¡¯t you? Ha! In your dream!¡± What the heck is he talking about? It sounds like a great idea, but I would never resort to such a petty trick! Sasha chuckled out of extreme frustration. She decided to y along with him. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Sebastian! Why would I want to take him away when I can leverage his identity as your sessor as soon as you¡¯re dead? Instead of taking him from you, I¡¯ll have him inherit the Hayes¡¯ empire and enjoy a carefree life once you¡¯re dead! I will never bring him away unless I have lost my mind like you!¡± ¡°Sasha! I dare you to repeat what you just said!¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She managed to stir the ho¡¯s nest with her sarcastic remark. A murderous and gloomy expression loomed over Sebastian¡¯s handsome face, as though he was ready to devour her if she didn¡¯t choose her next words carefully. As intimidated as she was, Sasha refused to back off just yet. ¡°Have I said anything wrong? I offered to check on your condition, yet you¡¯re saying I¡¯m trying to kill you! What¡¯s wrong with ying along with you? I¡¯m telling you this for onest time as well! If you¡¯re not the father of my son, I won¡¯t even waste my time on you because you¡¯re not worth it! Since you¡¯re Ian¡¯s father, I can¡¯t let him be an orphan at such a young age!¡± The living room went dead silent, like the calm before a storm. A chill ran down the housemaid¡¯s spine, and she wished she were anywhere else but here. Oh, God! Who the hell is this woman? How dare she pick on Mr. Hayes in the middle of the night? What makes her think she has the right to yell at him? Ms. Green would never confront Mr. Hayes like this! She¡¯s the exact opposite of this woman! Just as she was looking for an excuse to leave the conflicting duo behind, a boy walked down the stairs and diffused the dreadful standoff. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Ian had shown up in the nick of time! No one expected the boy to show up right before the fight morphed into a full-blown brawl. Sasha¡¯s rage dissipated as soon as she saw her beloved son. ¡°Ian? What are you doing here? Did we disturb your sleep?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Ian responded impatiently with a rhetorical question. He couldn¡¯t stand others interrupting his sleep. Sasha was no longer in the mood to fight. She sprinted over to her son¡¯s side and coaxed, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for interrupting you in the middle of the night, Ian. I promise you I won¡¯t fight with your father anymore, okay? Why didn¡¯t you put on an extra jacket? You should return to your room because it¡¯s gettingte. Hurry up and get going already! Otherwise, you¡¯re going to catch a cold soon!¡± She nagged like a doting mother, yet Ian had no intention to engage in a conversation with her. He stood right where he was and cast a stern gaze at his father. ¡°Daddy, you always tell me to see a doctor when I¡¯m sick. Why are you behaving the other way round when a doctor is here? What¡¯s holding you back?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Ian¡¯s words took Sebastian by surprise. His son was siding with Sasha and forcing him into submission. ¡°If you don¡¯t live up to your word, you have no right to scold me if I refuse to visit the doctor in the future!¡± The little boy rolled his eyes at his father and left without another word. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Sasha stared at her son with her mouth agape. All it took from him was a short sentence to shut his father up. Sebastian was livid. Even the board of directors of Hayes Corporation had to think twice about challenging his authority, but his son did it repeatedly as though it wasn¡¯t a big deal. He clenched his fists, cracking his fingers so loudly that others could hear it. Sebastian red at Sasha, implying his will to get his revenge from the embarrassment. ¡°Since you won¡¯t let me check on your condition, I¡¯ll leave, okay? I¡¯ll leave at once!¡± She had no intention to pick another fight with him so she turned around and left with her medical kit. Right before she could step out of the entrance, Sebastian said, ¡°Sasha, I¡¯m doing this because of my son! If you try anything silly, I¡¯ll get your uncle and his family member topensate for my loss with their lives!¡± Is something wrong with his mind? Why does he make it sound as though I have no choice but to check on him? Is it really necessary to threaten me with my loved ones all the time? Sasha brought herself to an abrupt halt and replied nonchntly, ¡°Sure! If I can cure your sleeping disorder, can you please be so kind as to stop threatening me whenever you feel like it? I don¡¯t want my son to get caught up with some nasty karma because of you!¡± For once, Sebastian was at a loss for better words to defend himself. Truth be told, he didn¡¯t expect the cowardly woman who had married him back then to have the gift of the gab! They came to an agreement to cease fire. Sebastian got anxious when Sasha instructed him to lie on the couch. She was amused at hisplete change in attitude as he did as told. Is he afraid of my needles? Sasha got herself a chair and sat behind him. She started teasing the man. ¡°Mr. Hayes, you don¡¯t have to worry. It¡¯s merely a needle that¡¯s tinier than a bee¡¯s sting. I can¡¯t even crack your head with it.¡± Sebastian red at Sasha onest time before closing his eyes and calming himself for the acupuncture session. She took out a few needles and administered them with skilled precision on his head to stimte the acupoints. When she came across his medical records in Clear Hospital, she already found a way to deal with his sleeping disorder. In Western medicine, a doctor would diagnose him with insomnia and prescribe him with Diazepam and a few sessions of therapy. A patient would have a harder time falling asleep because of the over-reliance on the medication from daily consumption, which was a typical side effect. After Sasha had a brief understanding of his symptoms, she thought of applying pressure to stop stimting the acupoints that would get him overly excited. Using the TCM approachbined with doses of herbal medicine, Sebastian wouldn¡¯t have to suffer from any adverse side effects. With this treatment n, she could deal with the problem at its core and nurture his constitution back to his prime. ¡°Mm¡ª¡± Sasha heard the man¡¯s muffled grunt the moment she started stimting the first acupoint. She looked at him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you experience a tingling sensation in your ears and blurred vision?¡± Sebastian¡¯s hands, which were supposed to be at ease, balled into fists out of the blue. Since he refused to reply, Sasha continued to administer the second needle. ¡°Rx, okay? It¡¯s completely fine for you to feel ufortable. Once I apply the second needle, you¡¯re going to feel better.¡± Putting the grudge they held against one another aside, Sasha was, undeniably, a professional and qualified doctor. Sebastian merely felt a tingling sensation when the second needle pricked into his skin. Seconds after that, it alleviated the migraine that had been bothering him. He felt as though a heavy boulder had been lifted off his shoulders. The fatigue he had been suppressing took him by surprise, and he dozed off. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 She actually knows what she¡¯s doing! He had this particr thought in his mind seconds before falling into a deep slumber. It had been ages since hest slept so soundly. ¡°He¡¯s finally asleep.¡± Sasha let out a sigh of relief. For a second, she thought it wouldn¡¯t work because his symptoms were so severe that she doubted if she could administer the second needle to its precise acupoint. Thankfully, everything went ording to her n. She wanted to take a break, but the moment she pulled the needles away, Sebastian¡¯s head tilted and hung down limply. Seeing that the man was finally deep asleep, she instinctively reached out to cut his head to prevent him from hurting himself. Thankfully, she managed to stop him in time, but she could feel his cheek on her palm. However, the moment his cheeknded on her palm, Sasha felt a numbing yet warming sensation. Horrified, she jolted her hand away as though his head a hot potato. She couldn¡¯t help but find it hrious because she had warned herself to consider him a stranger in her life. Nevertheless, her reaction to such an unintentional act was beyond herprehension. Gone was the arrogant and egoistic man. In his deep slumber, Sasha noticed he seemed rxed. The frown had vanished. He looked like the perfect gentle with wless skin, ethereal features and a pair of deep-set eyes with thick eyshes. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t peel her eyes away. She was reminded of that young man sleeping under the magnolia tree a long time ago. ¡°Has he fallen asleep?¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Huh?¡± Sasha had the shock of her life when she heard the voice of the little boy behind her. Ian walked over nonchntly and had his eyes glued to his father on the couch. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s asleep, Ian. Why are you here again? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be sleeping?¡± Sasha pulled herself together and kept her medical kit. The little boy paid no heed to her and made his way to his father¡¯s side. Actually, Ian was concerned about his father¡¯s wellbeing, but he had always been a boy of few words because of the limited social interaction. Apart from his father, he had no one else to talk to. ¡°Ian, you don¡¯t have to worry about him. Since I¡¯m here, he¡¯ll recover in no time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course! Don¡¯t you know, I¡¯m a renowned doctor? I have cured every single patient who has visited me! A mere sleeping disorder isn¡¯t much of an issue at all!¡± In order to get the little boy to open up to her, Sasha shared the experiences she had gone through as a doctor at Clear Hospital. After she shared her tales of wonders with Ian, the little boy stopped frowning and felt at ease. ¡°Okay,¡± Ian replied with a poker face. He was about to return to his room upstairs again. The confused Sasha asked, ¡°Ian, are you going upstairs again?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. It¡¯s time to sleep.¡± To Sasha¡¯s surprise, she received a reply when she thought her son would pay no heed to her query again. Perhaps he was grateful she treated his father¡¯s sleeping disorder that had been bothering him. His positive response motivated her. Immediately, she went after her son and asked, ¡°Can I walk back to your room? I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to walk up the stairs on your own, do you?¡± ¡°Thanks, but no thanks!¡± She regretted getting her hopes high a few seconds ago. Nevertheless, she wasn¡¯t about to give up just yet. It was such a rare opportunity for her to meet her son in person. She was determined to make the most out of their session. ¡°Oh! I have brought along a few snacks for you! Are you hungry? I¡¯ll go get it for you immediately!¡± She took out the brownies with waiting for him to reply. She had personally baked the brownies when she was at her aunt¡¯s ce in the afternoon. Initially, she had prepared it for Matteo and Vivian because they loved desserts. Never would she expect she would have the chance to meet her eldest son in the evening, but when she received the unexpected call from Luke, she brought thest box of brownies with her. After she retrieved the box of brownies, she handed it over to Ian. However, before he could respond, the housemaid, who had been around since Sasha¡¯s arrival, got ahead of Ian and said, ¡°What is this? How can you hand over such filthy food to Ian?¡± ¡°I made these myself! Don¡¯t worry! Nothing can go wrong with these brownies!¡± Sasha started exining when she heard the housemaid¡¯s doubts. The housemaid had no intention of listening to Sasha¡¯s exnation at all. ¡°So what if you made them yourself? Do you know who Ian is? Do you really think he¡¯s allowed to consume food from a suspicious woman like you? Ian, let¡¯s ignore her and return to your bedroom!¡± ¡°Y-You¡­¡± Sasha was utterly frustrated by the insult. As the mother of the child, she wasn¡¯t even allowed to hand over the food she had prepared for her son to him. Staring at the little boy¡¯s departing figure, Sasha¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears. All of a sudden, she felt suffocated, overwhelmed by tidal waves of emotions. Eventually, she started weeping right by the staircase. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 The housemaid brought Ian away with her. He couldn¡¯t be sure of the reason behind the odd feelings deep down, but he could feel an intimate gaze right behind him. Out of the blue, the familiar sensation he felt reminded him of their time on the yacht. Previously, when she was imprisoned in the cabin, she had begged him simrly to get him to go to her so she could look at his fingers. Suddenly, Ian turned around and looked at the weeping woman. ¡°Bring it over to me!¡± Sasha returned to her sprightly self and rushed over with the box of brownies in her hand. ¡°Ian¡­ I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re going to like it, but I assure you I made the brownies in a hygienic environment! I hope you¡¯ll like it!¡± She crouched in front of her son. Despite her teary eyes, she couldn¡¯t suppress her joy. Ian responded with a nod and headed upstairs with the box of brownies. Truth be told, he had never had a brownie in his life because he was a member of the Hayes. Everything he had was of top-notch and premium qualities. He took a peek at the pile of gooey-looking food and was surprised to smell a hint of honey. After she handed it over to her son, Sasha departed with a bright grin of satisfaction. The housemaid, who had gotten in her way and stopped her by all means, returned to her bedroom and called someone. ¡°Ms. Green, the woman you told me about had dropped by in the evening!¡± ¡°Are you serious? Why was she there?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. The housemaid nodded and repeated the things that had urred. ¡°She had dropped by with the excuse of checking on Mr. Hayes. Indeed, he fell asleep after the acupuncture session. She even handed Ian a box of homemade brownies. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes, but Ian actually it! Ms. Green, who on earth is this woman? Why didn¡¯t Mr. Hayes and Ian chase her away?¡± The woman on the other end went dead silent. The housemaid could feel the wrath of Xandra through the phone because there was nothing apart from the heavy panting. Sasha, I guess I have underestimated you. I can¡¯t believe you possess the capability to make your way back and get your ex-spouse and child to open up to you! What exactly are you up to? Do you want to be Mrs. Hayes again? I will never allow that to happen! In the pitch-ck room on the other end of the phone, Xandra¡¯s eyes looked murderous. ¡°Ms. Green?¡± ¡°Oh! It¡¯s nothing! She¡¯s a doctor Mr. Hayes has invited from abroad. Berta, you don¡¯t have to be worried. Just take good care of Mr. Hayes and Ian.¡± Xandra assured Berta that everything would be fine, winning the housemaid¡¯s loyalty with her sincerity. ¡°I don¡¯t get it! I wonder what¡¯s wrong with Mr. Hayes? Ms. Green, you¡¯re such a great woman! Why doesn¡¯t he allow you to drop by Frontier Bay anymore? While you were here, you did a great job managing the entire vi, making sure there¡¯s food whenever Ian is back. Life is perfect with you around! No man in his right mind would chase you away!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore, Berta. It was my fault anyway. Let¡¯s stop ming him.¡± ¡°What do you mean, it¡¯s your fault? Ian is the naughty one! It¡¯s not wrong to teach him a lesson when misbehaves! Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Green! Once the opportunity arises, I¡¯ll definitely try to persuade Mr. Hayes and get him to bring you back!¡± At the end of the conversation, Berta assured Xandra she would try her best to persuade Sebastian. After they hung up the call, a vicious and chilling smile appeared on Xandra¡¯s face in the pitch-ck room. ¡­ After Sasha returned to the rental apartment, Lucy had left. There was a serving of dinner on the table for her. The children had long tucked themselves into bed. Sweeties, I¡¯m so sorry for everything. Sasha felt a sense of guilt as she changed into a pair of indoor sandals and crept into her children¡¯s room. ¡°Sweeties, are you guys asleep yet?¡± She opened the door and whispered. ¡°Mommy? What time is it? What took you so long?¡± Matteo was still awake. Sasha cradled her son in her arms. ¡°Matt, I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s my fault for not being here for you. I promise I¡¯ll bring you and Vivi back to Moranta once I¡¯m done dealing with the things on my te, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, Mommy! You don¡¯t have to worry about us! I¡¯ll take good care of her!¡± Sasha felt even more awful because of her son¡¯s matured demeanor. She held him firmly in her arms and repeated her promise, warning herself to stop neglecting them. After Sasha tucked her son in, she walked out of their room. The moment she closed the door, the little boy in the room jolted up from the bed with his eyes gleaming in the dark. ¡°I¡¯m sure the meanie has bullied Mommy again! Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t get so sentimental for no reason! Meanie, if you¡¯re really my daddy, you shouldn¡¯t pick on her like this!¡± Matteo clenched his fist in the dark. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Sasha got up early in the morning to make her children their favorite breakfast before they head to the new preschool. ¡°Vivi, it¡¯s time to get up. It¡¯s your first day at the new preschool.¡± ¡°Mm¡­ N-No¡­ I-I haven¡¯t had enough sleep¡­¡± Girls had always enjoyed sleeping in. The little girl burrowed deeper into her nket, refusing to get out of bed. She coiled her body like a baby sloth that spent most of its day sleeping on the tree. Sasha found her daughter hrious, but she didn¡¯t remove the nket against her daughter¡¯s will. Instead, she ran her fingers across the little girl¡¯s neck, tickling her to get her out of bed. Seconds after she started tickling Vivian, the little girl¡¯s giggling sound could be heard from beneath the nket. Matteo, on the other hand, was wide awake. He retrieved his set of clothes and started changing. Half an hourter, the trio got everything they needed and left. ¡°Mommy, when are you going to pick us up? Please be on time, okay?¡± Matteo finished his sentence with an aggrieved look. He felt indignant that his mother couldn¡¯t wait to drop him and his sister off at the preschool. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely pick both of you up from the preschool on time! It¡¯s a promise.¡± After the cunning little boy heard his mother¡¯s reply, he exchanged nces with his sister and smiled. They would have enough time to execute their n since Sasha would only pick them up after school. Matteo, who was seated at the back of the car, decided to drop by Sebastian¡¯s office for a visit. ¡­ Sasha had something to tend to on her schedule¡ªshe would soon figure out the oue of her agreement with Luke. If Sebastian woke up feeling great, she would get to drop by the vi and continue with the treatment n she had for his sleeping disorder. She needed to reach Frontier Bay as soon as possible after she dropped her children off at the preschool. However, she would have to first make a detour to a traditional drugstore. While she was there, she received a text from Luke. Madam, Mr. Hayes has woken up! Please hurry over at once! After the shop attendant packed the herbs Sasha needed, she rushed out of the store with all her might. On the other hand, Sebastian, who was at Frontier Bay, had a splendid night¡¯s sleep after so many years. He couldn¡¯t recall thest time he had slept like a log. It put him in an exceptionally good mood. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I want you to get everyone ready within half an hour! Make sure they show up in the conference room in time for the meeting!¡± Standing upright in the room, he held his chest high while staring at himself in the mirror. He noticed it had been a long while since he looked so afresh in the morning. The navy blue shirt that was neatly ironed and the ck suit pants he had put on perfectlyplimented his slender figure, enhancing the majestic presence he had been blessed with. ¡°Yes, Mr. Hayes!¡± Luke unlocked his phone and delivered the message via WhatsApp. A few minutester, after Sebastian put on his watch, he was ready to leave. ¡°M-Mr. Hayes¡­ M-Ms. Wand is currently on her way here. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better for you to wait for her to check on you?¡± ¡°Luke, it seems like you¡¯re pretty freetely, huh?¡± Sebastian, who was marching down the stairs, cast a stern gaze at his assistant. The rhetorical question caused Luke to shudder. He decided to stop poking his nose into Sebastian¡¯s business for his own sake. He had done everything he could. The rest was up to Sasha. She would have to grab the opportunity should she wish to patch things up with Ian. Luke was trailing behind Sebastian as they walked out of the vi. Just then, a slim figure catapulted in their direction and whizzed her way through the spacious garden. She almost bumped into Sebastian because her mind was elsewhere. Luke¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, and he knew he had to leave the duo alone before he got himself involved in another full-blown fight. He fled, leaving Sasha and Sebastian behind. Meanwhile, Sasha, who almost bumped into Sebastian, retreated in shock as she greeted, ¡°G-Good morning, Mr. Hayes! A-Are you heading to work?¡± While raising her hand to greet the indifferent man in a courteous manner, she had an odd grin on her face. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Sebastian¡¯s face glowered as he drilled his icy re through Sasha. ¡°You again? You¡¯ve got some guts, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Come on, Mr. Hayes. I¡¯m just doing my job. You had a good night¡¯s sleep yesterday because I gave you an injection. But just a few jabs aren¡¯t enough to solve your problem. I even got you some medicine,¡± Sasha replied, jiggling a packet of medicine in her hands in front of the angry man. Sebastian¡¯s expression turned grimmer looking at all the medicinal herbs and his frown intensified. ¡°I don¡¯t need any of those.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? I¡¯m the doctor and you¡¯re the patient, so you¡¯ll have to listen to me.¡± Sasha wasn¡¯t letting him off the hook. Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed his hand and took his pulse before he could even object. Sebastian almost pushed her away instinctively. The veins on his forehead bulged in agitation. However, when his piercing gaze fell on her face, he finally relented. Hering almond eyes were darting around attentively under a curly fringe ofshes as she held on to his wrist. He knew she was trying her best as a doctor to give her patient an urate diagnosis. Before long, Sasha nodded lightly and let go of his hand. ¡°As expected, your condition is still quite bad. But don¡¯t worry, you just need to take your medicine as instructed for the next week. You¡¯ll see tremendous improvement after that.¡± Sebastian retracted his hand as his gaze swept across the bag of medication. ¡°Give them to the housemaid,¡± he said curtly. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure if the maid knows how to handle them. These are medicinal herbs that helps with your sleep, and you need to boil them,¡± Sasha told him reluctantly. ¡°Sasha Wand, do you actually think I¡¯m stupid? I know the n you¡¯re concocting in that brain of yours. Also, the housemaid has been with the family for over ten years. She knows what she¡¯s doing.¡± Now that Sebastian called her out so unreservedly, Sasha¡¯s face turned pale, and she was at a loss for words. She knew she could not hide anything from him. It did not matter what method she used¡ªhe was just too smart for all her tricks. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m doing this so I can see Ian. What¡¯s wrong with wanting to see my own son? I¡¯m his mother! It¡¯s not against thew. Even if a couple divorces, each parent still has the right to visit the child. Besides, I¡¯m really tending you as my patient. Why can¡¯t you just let me see him?¡± Bitter tears burned in Sasha¡¯s bright eyes and blurred her vision as she took a step closer to Sebastian in frustration. She had dejection written all over her delicate face. For a slight moment, he lost himself in herpelling gaze. Snippets of how she hurt herself to get him to save Ian shed before his mind. Despite everything that she had done, Sebastian could not deny the fact that she loved Ian dearly. He evaded her sharp re and stood still for a while before leaving without a word. Standing not far away, secluded from their view, Luke held up his approving thumb. Well done, madam! When Sasha finally came around after Sebastian¡¯s abrupt departure, she darted towards the kitchen and boiled the medicine before rushing upstairs. ¡°Little Ian!¡± she cried out as she dashed to his room. ¡°Shush! Ian is still sleeping! Didn¡¯t Mr. Hayes asks you to decoct the herbal medicine? Just do what you¡¯re told and don¡¯t disturb Ian!¡± Before Sasha could go any further, Berta reprimanded her crudely when she heard her shouting. Regardless, Sasha ignored her and went ahead into the room. With Sebastian giving her the green light to see Ian, she had nothing to fear¡ªwhat more a nobody like a housemaid? When Sasha saw Ian was still asleep, she tiptoed out of the room and went back down to prepare breakfast. Not long after, she went upstairs again and knocked on the bedroom door. ¡°Little Ian, are you up already? Ms. Nancy¡¯s here. Do you want some breakfast? I made pancakes. There is toast and jam too if you like.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She pressed her ear against the door to listen, but there wasplete silence. Sasha knocked a few more times and called his name softly. To her disappointment, there was no reply. She could not hear a single thinging from Ian¡¯s room. Is he still asleep? Just as she was opening the door to go in, a small figure appeared beside her on the right and a brittle voice rang down the corridor. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Why are you here?¡± Sasha jumped and quickly turned around. It turned out that Ian was already awake and was not in his room anymore. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Sasha¡¯s hand froze on the door handle as she saw the boy. ¡°Little Ian! You¡¯re up! Why didn¡¯t you go downstairs for breakfast? You¡¯re not hungry? Why aren¡¯t you wearing your jacket?¡± Ian looked at her speechlessly and turned to leave. Sasha was taken aback. She hastened her steps behind the boy, wondering what he was up to early in the morning. She followed behind him closely as he went towards a hanging garden. Wow! I can¡¯t believe he has the entire yground in the garden to himself. I guess this is how rich people live. Sasha brought breakfast over to the garden and put it on the marble garden table as she watched Ian y on his own. ¡°Little Ian, why don¡¯t we have breakfast first? You can continue ying after you have eaten.¡± ¡°No!¡± Ian shouted. Gosh, this boy is really giving me a hard time. It¡¯s either he doesn¡¯t talk, or he¡¯s defiant when he does. I hope he¡¯s like his younger brother. Matteo is way more obedient. He takes his meal like a good boy at least. Sasha went over and squatted down beside Ian, thinking how she should get him to eat. ¡°Little Ian, I¡¯m sure you want to meet Daddy after breakfast? I promise I¡¯ll bring you to him after you eat.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± The boy turned his head immediately and asked. A smile broke on her face when she finally elicited a response from him. I knew it. Autistic kids might be cold and umunicative, but they are usually extremely attached to one person. From his reaction, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s very fond of Sebastion. I bet he can¡¯t even live without his dad. Sasha pouted her lips in jealousy as she thought of Sebastian. Hmph, just you wait, Sebastian Hayes, I will rece you in Ian¡¯s heart one day! As expected, Ian went over to the garden table and finished the food Sasha made. When Berta came over to clean up, she was surprised to see all the empty tes. ¡°Ian, did you really finish everything?¡± she asked, looking around at the ground. ¡°Yeah, he ate everything. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Sasha answered on Ian¡¯s behalf as she looked at the maid, confused. Did I make too much food? That¡¯s just a normal portion for kids. Or is Ian a small eater? Indeed, Ian had a small appetite. He would not eat a lot unless Sebastian cooked. After clearing the table and washing the dishes in the kitchen, Berta pulled out her phone and called Xandra. ¡°Ms. Green, you have no idea what I just saw. That woman got Ian to finish all the food she made!¡± ¡°Really?¡± A high-pitched voice rang from the other side of the phone. Snip! A stalk of flowers fell to the ground as Xandra clenched the scissors in her hand in full force when she heard the news from Berta. ¡°I swear I saw it with my own eyes. I lied to Mr. Hayes saying there¡¯s still some food left on the table from yesterday so he could go to work without having to worry about Ian. After he went out, I cooked something simple for Ian. As expected, he refused to eat it. I was thinking it would be a good chance to ask you toe over and make some food for him, but the woman came again and spoiled my n.¡± From Berta¡¯s tone, it was obvious that she hated Sasha to the bone and could not wait to get her out of the house. On the other end, Xandra continued cutting the flowers quietly as she thought about what she should do. She maneuvered the whetted scissors in her hands agilely, snipping off one flower after another mercilessly until the whole nt was bare. ¡°Ms. Green?¡± Berta called out after a prolonged silence. ¡°I got it. Don¡¯t mind that woman. I¡¯m fine as long as Ian is eating,¡± Xandra said, putting down her scissors before she softened her tone and asked how about the maid¡¯s well-being. ¡°Ms. Green, it¡¯s very kind of you to care so much for Ian. If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t be so nice to her. But it¡¯s okay, we still have a lot of chances. I¡¯m sure things will turn out well.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll see you around.¡± Xandra hung up and threw her phone aside. What¡¯s her name again? Nancy? Whoever you are, I will make sure you are out of this game as soon as possible. After Ian finished his breakfast, Sasha did as she promised and brought him to Sebastian. After all, she needed to bring the herbal decoction over too. But she totally did not expect her younger son to go over to thepany that day. ¡°Be careful if you bump into the meanie again, Matt. Remember to teach him a lesson on my behalf. I don¡¯t want him to keep bullying Mommy,¡± Vivian whispered in Matteo¡¯s ears when he was leaving the preschool. Matteo patted his chest confidently and assured his sister before getting in the car. After twenty minutes, the car drove into the city center and pulled up by thepany. A boy in a blue sweatshirt and a grey vest got out of the car and went towards the underground car park before taking the elevator. Matteo was smart to avoid the front door so he would not attract any attention. He had done his research and knew exactly which floor he should go to. Unfortunately, he was faced with a huge transparent ss door right after he got out of the elevator. What¡­ This should be the President¡¯s office. Why is there a ss door? This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Matteo checked out the surroundings but found no other way to get in, so he decided to try other floors instead. Just as he was turning towards the elevator, a robotic voice sounded from behind, ¡°Face recognition completed. Wee, Ian.¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Ian? That little bore Matteo¡¯s eyes widened as the door sprung open after the face recognition machine blinked a green light. If I remember correctly, he¡¯s that meanie¡¯s son. Why do we have the same face? Does this mean that meanie is my dad too? Matteo¡¯s blood boiled in anger as he walked past the door. It did not take him long before he realized this was not the ce he was looking for. Judging from the decor, it was a tastefully furnished resting lounge. Hm¡­ A TV, a couch, a bed¡­ Wait¡­ Is this a house? This is probably a resting area. Else there won¡¯t be a ss door outside. Once he confirmed this was not the President¡¯s office, Matteo headed back to the door and continued his search. ¡°Face recognitionpleted. Wee, Sebastian.¡± Just as he was heading out, the machine rang again. Sh*t, he¡¯s here! What do I do now? Matteo ran back in and quickly scanned the spacious lounge for a ce to hide. He spotted a huge wardrobe and hid in there. It was true that he came looking for Sebastian, but all he wanted was to spy on that meanie and get more information about him in case he bullied Mommy again. Getting caught red-handed was thest thing the boy wanted. Matteo closed the wardrobe door and tried hard to pace his rapid breathing so Sebastian would not hear him. What he least expected was that after that meanie got into the room, he came straight to the wardrobe. ¡°Seriously, I can¡¯t believe the medicine tastes this bitter!¡± Sebastian had beenining ever since he was forced to drink the whole bottle of medicinal drink when he was at his office. He slid the door opened, and to his bewilderment, a small figure stood like a statue before his array of clothes. The man and the boy stared at each other in nk astonishment the moment Sebastian opened the door. Dang it! Matteo¡¯s face turned as pale as a ghost as he looked at Sebastian in the eyes. But instead of being angry with the child, Sebastian looked like he was thrownpletely off the bnce. ¡°Ian, what are you doing here? I thought you were at the office?¡± Ian again? Is he here too? Matteo soon realized what was happening and went along with the flow. He shot Sebastian a sweet smile. ¡°I just got here, Daddy.¡± The man was utterly shocked. What¡¯s wrong with him? Is he really smiling at me right now? Am I seeing things? How did he even get over here so quickly? I swear I didn¡¯t see him earlier. Or did he get here when I was on the phone just now? Sebastian squinted his eyes and looked hard at the kid. Before he could do anything, his phone rang and a message notification showed on his screen. ¡°Since you¡¯re here already, you might as well just rest at the lounge. The woman, I mean, the doctor has already left, so Daddy will bring you home when I¡¯m done with work.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Matteo rolled his eyes around trying to make sense of what he just heard. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The doctor? Is he referring to Mommy? Why did Mommye? And why did she bring that little bore here? The boy had many questions on his mind, but since Sebastian asked him to just stay at the lounge, he did as he was told. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stay here. You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Matteo said with a warm smile. Although this was already the second time his son smiled at him, it still caught Sebastian off guard. Ian is behaving abnormally. I¡¯m sure the woman must have cast a spell on him or something. I¡¯d better make sure Ian stays away from her. A gloom settled over Sebastian¡¯s face as he walked out of the lounge. Seeing him left, Matteo sneaked out of the ce. Since Ian was also here, he figured it would be best if he got out as soon as possible. It would be disastrous if people realized there were two kids who looked the same. He took the elevator all the way to the ground floor, ready to head back to the preschool. When he got out of the building, he saw a cab by the entrance. Beside the car was a middle-ageddy in her forties or fifties, and she was holding a little girl on her right, and a boy of his own age on her left. Vivi? Mrs. Grint? What on earth are they doing here? Who is that boy beside them? That little bore? Matteo felt like he was going crazy. He dashed towards the two dimwits, wanting to tell them that the boy was actually a fake. But before he could do that, a voice called for him from behind. ¡°Ian! What are you doing here? Didn¡¯t Mr. Hayes asks you to stay in the lounge? Why did youe down alone? It¡¯s dangerous! Come, I¡¯ll bring you back up.¡± Luke beckoned him. It so happened that Sebastian¡¯s assistant was there, and he came over to drag Matteo back in. Matteo had no other choice but to look at the clueless nanny shoving Ian into the car after his sister got in. As for himself, he was pulled right back into the building against his will. Gosh, you¡¯ve gotta be kidding me! Chapter 36 Chapter 36 ¡°Ian, why didn¡¯t you answer my question? Why did youe down when I clearly told you to stay upstairs? You¡¯ve been getting more disobedienttely!¡± When Sebastian found out Matteo had sneaked out of the lounge, he cut his meeting short and came right over to give his son a good scolding. Mateo felt wronged in all ways, but he could not say anything. He desperately wanted to say he was not the son Sebastian was looking for. However, there was nothing he could do. He totally did not expect Ian to go down. He sat on the couch and rested his face on his palms, exasperated. ¡°Could you please give me some peace, Daddy? I¡¯m so frustrated right now. I just want to have some freedom! I¡¯m already five. You can¡¯t keep me indoors my whole life!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Sebastian sat up straight when he heard what Matteo said. To him, Ian was a quiet kid. He was never a child that talked much, neither would he tell others about his feelings. Ian had always been a withdrawn child. Even when he was angry, he would just lock himself in his room. Sebastian was befuddled when he heard Ian said he was frustrated from theck of freedom, and that he wanted to go out and y? A frown carved between the man¡¯s brows as he got off the chair and walked over. He knew something was wrong. ¡°Look at me, Ian. Did the doctor say anything to you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Matteo looked up at him and blinked his eyes innocently at his father. Sebastian¡¯s frown intensified. ¡°I mean the doctor who came in the morning. Did she say anything to you? Why did you suddenly follow her to thepany? What happened?¡± If Matteo had not known Sebastian was talking about his mother, he would well have thought the man was referring to an evil woman from his interrogative tone. There was enmity and hatred written all over his face as if the woman meant harm to his child. So, this is how you bully Mommy all the time? So much for being a man. You deserted a woman and two children, and now you¡¯re talking about her as if she¡¯s the bad person here. Matteo¡¯s heartbeat quickened as he leaped off from the couch. He stood right up in front of Sebastian and red at him. ¡°What do you mean, Daddy? What did she do? She took care of you and brought me here. Did she do anything wrong? Who are you to question her like this?¡± Completely dumbfounded, Sebastian never his son could argue! He would always wallow in his own corner when he was angry, and he would not speak to anyone. Since when did he learn to talk back to his father? ¡°I¡¯m not questioning her behavior. I¡¯m simply reminding you to not be over-trusting of other people!¡± ¡°Other people? You sound like she¡¯s an outsider, but she¡¯s actually the person who treats me the nicest!¡± Matteo shouted at the top of his voice. He was fuming with anger right now. He went past Sebastian and shot towards the door. What a meanie! I don¡¯t need a Daddy like him! How dare he speak badly of Mommy in front of me? She¡¯s the best person on earth. I¡¯d rather not have this Daddy if it meant I¡¯d lose Mommy! Matteo ran towards the door with incipient tears welling up in his eyes. Sebastian was frantic with worry. He was about to run after Matteo when he saw the boy bumped right into Luke, who happened toe in. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Hayes? Why did you make Ian cry?¡± Luke quickly shut the door behind him, preventing Matteo from running out of the room. Sebastian got on his feet and went to Matteo before squatting down in front of him, holding his shoulders awkwardly. ¡°Ian, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t badmouth her like that. Will you forgive Daddy?¡± Matteo was definitely not expecting an apology. As he came to think of it, Sebastian was not entirely mean. After all, he had his own ways of bringing up his child. He was incredibly objective when it came to matters concerning what was right and wrong. The man would apologize if he was at fault, even if he was the father. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Sebastian knew he should not be biased towards Sasha. Although that woman had her faults, she was still a responsible doctor. She cared for him, and she genuinely loved the child. He should not have doubted her. Sebastian picked up the crying child and went back to the couch. Over on the other side, Ian was equally shocked to find himself in a bizarre situation. He was forced into a cab and brought to a preschool. Everything was so unexpected that he did not even know how to react. ¡°We¡¯re lucky we got back just in time, Matt. It¡¯s almost time for Mommy to pick us up.¡± Vivian held Ian¡¯s hand as she talked about how she got her brother back from Hayes Corporation to their preschool with Mrs. Grint¡¯s help. She was feeling so proud of herself she did not even notice the expression on Ian¡¯s face. He was someone who valued his personal space highly. He did not like people invading his space, neither did he like people touching him. But ever since he got on the cab, the little girl kept touching him with her chubby hands, and she even clung to him and talked to him in his ears. At first, he was petrified, but after some time, he grew numb to all her advances. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 ¡°Why is Mommying?¡± Ian probed. ¡°Cause it¡¯s a holiday, Matt! Have you forgotten? It¡¯s Wednesday and the preschool is only open for half a day. Our teacher said they need to sanitize the ce, so we must go home. That¡¯s why I called Mrs. Grint and asked her to get you before time,¡± Vivian replied happily, still feeling proud of herself for saving her brother in time. Matteo had given her Mrs. Grint¡¯s phone number beforehand, so Vivian called the nanny and asked for her help to go look for Matteo. She held Ian¡¯s hand and skipped lightly into their ssroom with him. Their teacher spotted them and waved at them. ¡°Hey, Vivian, I see you¡¯ve got your brother. Come on, you two, get your bags and be ready to go home. Your mom¡¯s almost here. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Vivian¡¯s crispy voice rang loud and clear beside Ian¡¯s ears. He rolled his eyes as the girl went ahead and grabbed her bag. Despite being exasperated, Ian found his surroundings intriguing. He had never been to a preschool, and all this was totally new to him. Actually, it was not like he did not attend preschool at all. He attended the best preschool in Avenport. The environment there was impable; the facilities were top-notch, and the children came from affluent families. His teachers were never down to earth and the kids there were never friendly. To be precise, it was almost impossible to make any friends. Ian let Vivian had her way with him as she put Matteo¡¯s bag on his back and they followed their teacher out to the entrance. ¡°Mommy¡¯s here!¡± Seeing Sasha from afar, Vivian squealed at the top of her voice as she ran towards her mother. Once again, Ian went speechless. His gaze trailed her steps, and he suddenly stopped at the door. Huh? Isn¡¯t this the doctor who came to the house in the morning? I just parted ways with her in front of Daddy¡¯spany. What¡¯s she doing here? She¡¯s their mother? Ian was confounded as he looked at the two of them hugging each other. ¡°Matt, what are you waiting for? Come to me! We¡¯re going home,¡± Sasha cried out to him and waved enthusiastically when she realized Ian was standing still. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. What¡¯s wrong with Matt today. Why isn¡¯t he smiling? Is he angry? Was Ite? Sasha let go of Vivian and came over to check if Matteo was okay. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Matt? Are you angry with me? Is it because I¡¯mte? I¡¯m so sorry Matt. I didn¡¯t know y¡¯all are ending early today. I got here right after I got the call. Please don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± Sasha held out her hand and reached for his head, wanting to pat his head. But Ian shied away instinctively, avoiding her touch. Her hand froze in the air. For a moment, she thought the boy standing in front of her was not Matteo, but the boy she saw in the morning. ¡°Matt?¡± ¡°I can walk over on my own,¡± Ian told her coldly. He did not take another look at her but walked past her towards Vivian, leaving Sasha behind as she turned around stiffly. ¡°Matt, are you really angry? But I have already apologized. What about I make it up to you? I¡¯ll get you ice cream. It¡¯s your favorite.¡± Beside Ian, Vivian pped and jumped about in joy while he looked at her apathetically from the corner of his eyes. ¡°Yay! Mommy, I want a strawberry vor ice-cream. Oh! Can we also have a hotdog? I miss it so much!¡± After getting groceries, Sasha brought the two kids back to their rental apartment. By the time they reached home, Vivian and Ian had already finished their ice-cream and hotdogs. They even had a freshly baked egg tart. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that a good treat, Matt?¡± Vivian looked at her brother with a pleasant smile on her face. Looking at how the girl was caressing her belly and licking her lips, Ian could tell she was aplete foodie. He wondered if this was what the two siblings did every day. Ian looked at the remaining egg tart in his hand, not knowing if he should eat it. He looked at the tasty snack and could not resist it anymore. He opened his mouth wide and munched away, savoring the delicacy with a satisfied nod. He had never tried anything that delicious in his life. His father did not allow him to have any of these because he said they were unhealthy. That was why all Ian had ever tasted was home-cooked food. He had eaten none of the food sold outside. Sasha looked at the two happy children and decided to let them have some fun on their own while she went into the kitchen to cook. The telephone rang in the living area when she was busy preparing food. ¡°Matt, can you help me pick up the phone? See who¡¯s on the call. I¡¯m cooking!¡± she shouted from the kitchen. Ian looked at the telephone on the TV shelf and went over reluctantly. ¡°Hello?¡± he said as he picked up the receiver. ¡°Ian?¡± the voice from the other end called out. Ian was startled that the person had called him by his name. ¡°Who are you?¡± he whispered cautiously. ¡°I¡¯m Matt! You¡¯re at my house now, right? Mommy and Vivian are calling you ¡®Matt¡¯, aren¡¯t they?¡± Ian could not help but notice the voice from the receiver sounded like his. It was yful and light, just like how those little foxes in the cartoons sounded like. Matt? So, this is the Matt they have been mistaking me for? Ian finally understood everything, and gloom set on his face. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why am I here? And where are you right now?¡± Ian questioned impatiently. ¡°I¡¯m at your house, Ian. We look exactly the same, that¡¯s why everyone blundered! If I¡¯m correct, I think we¡¯re twins,¡± Matteo said solemnly. ¡°Twins?¡± Ian repeated after him. His two hands gripped the receiver as he tried to make sense of what he just heard. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re twins. I went to your dad¡¯s office today to look for him because he bullied Mommy. But after I got there, everyone started calling me ¡®Ian¡¯. Even your dad got it wrong. That¡¯s why I think we¡¯re twins.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ian asked again. ¡°Yeah! Of course! Think about it. I¡¯m sure Mommy and Vivi thought you were Matteo too, right? That means we really look the same! And only twins look the same, isn¡¯t it?¡± Matteo insisted. Ian fell into silence. What he said is right. But Ian still had his doubts. He craned his neck and looked at Sasha cooking in the kitchen, and recalled having a st with Vivian, eating all the food he had never tried before. His face turned sour before he finally spoke again. ¡°If we¡¯re really twins, why did she abandon me? Daddy even said she died.¡± ¡°What?¡± Matteo blurted out in surprise. What is he talking about? Is he talking about Mommy? Is he ming Mommy right now? And he even said Mommy¡¯s dead! ¡°Hey! Daddy is a liar! Mommy¡¯s not dead! Mommy also told us Daddy¡¯s dead. But is he?¡± Once again, Ian was rendered speechless. He puffed his cheeks and sulked as he thought about those two annoying adults who had lied. Meanwhile, Matteo cleared his throat, getting ready to brief Ian about their n of action. ¡°Things areplicated between the adults, so we should take whatever they say with a pinch of salt. What we need to do right now is find out why they went their ways. We also have to find out why both of us ended up separated.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a clever idea, but how are we gonna do it?¡± Ian asked. ¡°Hm¡­ Lemme think¡­ What about we meet up first? I think it¡¯s just a matter of time before Daddy and Mommy realize something¡¯s off. We need to go back to our respective homes before they find out.¡± Ian contemted his suggestion in silence before giving him an answer. Mommy already knew about my existence, but I doubt Daddy knows about Matteo and Vivian, else he would have demanded that she let him meet them. Matteo¡¯s right. We need to keep things the way they are and make sure none of them finds out. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s meet,¡± Ian finally agreed. ¡°Matt, Vivi! Time to eat! I made pork ribs and fried chicken. They are your favorite!¡± Sasha¡¯s called out for the children when she was done cooking. Matteo heard her from the phone and a blissful smile curved on his bright little eyes. ¡°Alright, off you go, Ian. I think Mommy¡¯s calling you. You¡¯ve never really spent time with her, so enjoy your time at home. She¡¯s the best person in the entire world. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like her!¡± Ian smacked his lips and red at the receiver before mming it back on the switch hook. ¡°Who called, Matt?¡± Sasha was putting the tes on the table when she realized Ian looked upset. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just some random stranger,¡± he answered gloomily. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Sasha was busy setting up the table and decided to just drop the topic. ¡°Come over, Matt. Have some spaghetti. And here are your favorite pork ribs.¡± Beside her, Vivian clung to Sasha¡¯s leg and looked at her with watery eyes. ¡°What about me, Mommy? I want my favorite fried chicken too!¡± ¡°Of course, sweetie! Come, get a seat. Let¡¯s you a big piece of fried chicken.¡± It was such a heartwarming scene¡ªthe mother and two children gathered around the table for a meal. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The apartment was in and was not the very least luxurious. It did not have the opulence of Royal Court One at Frontier Bay, but it had the warmth of a family. It was just another usual day where the family got around for a simple meal¡ªyet they found joy in the simple pleasures of life. This was not something Ian had ever experienced in the cold and empty house back at Frontier Bay. Ian lowered his head and looked at the mountain of food on his te and dug in¡ªhis heart was full. Meanwhile, Matteo was also having lunch with his family today. Sebastian cooked, and the two sat quietly at the table as they ate. Halfway through the meal, Berta came over and announced the arrival of a guest. ¡°Mr. Hayes, Ms. Green¡¯s here. She brought some honey lemonade for Ian.¡± Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Ms. Green? Who is that? She made honey lemonade for that little bore? Matteo tilted his head curiously and looked at Berta, and then at his father, who seemed displeased about the unweed guest. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask her toe. Send her back,¡± Sebastian rejected coldly. ¡°But she made the honey lemonade herself, and she brought it all the way here, Mr. Hayes. You know how bad Ian¡¯s cough gets in the winter. Only honey lemonade works for him, so why not just let Ms. Green in?¡± Berta was trying all she could to persuade Sebastian. The hard look on thetter¡¯s face softened a little after hearing what she said. It was true that he had a short temper, but in matters rted to Ian¡¯s health, he would always be extra careful. He knew his son¡¯s seasonal cough had long been a bugging problem, so he finally caved and allowed Berta to let Xandra in. ¡°Hi, Sebastian. Hi, Ian. Y¡¯all having lunch?¡± Xandra greeted them on her way in. She was wearing an off-white sweater on top of a beige id winter skirt. Without any heavy makeup on her face, she looked a little pale and tired. ¡°Are you okay, Ms. Green? You don¡¯t look well!¡± Berta quickly came over and took the bag of honey lemonade from her hands. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Berta. I was down with a little cold two days ago,¡± Xandra assured her, shaking her head as her gaze wandered towards Sebastian. She was hoping he could look at her, but Sebastian remained unmoved and continued eating. He saw Matteo looking at Xandra and knocked his knuckles against the table. ¡°Eat, Ian.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Matteo picked up his spoon and resumed his meal. Who is this woman? She doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s poor though. But why is she dressed like this? It¡¯s so cold in the winter! I bet she¡¯s putting up a front to gain Daddy¡¯s sympathy. She¡¯s so dramatic! A subtle smile broke across his lips as Matteo continued eating. Xandra stood on one side with her face downcast when Sebastian ignored her. She drew closer to the dining table and pulled out a pair of wool gloves from her handbag. ¡°Remember to take the honey lemonade, Ian? I also made you a pair of gloves for the winter. You wanted me to make you a pair, didn¡¯t you? Try it on.¡± It was a big deal for someone of Xandra¡¯s standing to make a pair of wool gloves for someone else. Berta came over and checked out the gloves. ¡°These are exquisite, Ms. Green! I can¡¯t believe you made them yourselves! This is much better than the ones sold in the stores. Check this out, Mr. Hayes, the handiwork is splendid!¡± The housemaid fondled the gloves and went towards Sebastian, who cocked his head aside and took a cursory nce at the gloves. It went without a doubt that they were beautifully made. From the design and the details, Sebastian could tell that Xandra spent a lot of time making them. It looked fluffy andfortable, and the size was just nice. His tense brows rxed as he retracted his gaze and continued eating. Xandra came over and picked the gloves up before turning towards Matteo. ¡°Ian, why don¡¯t I put them on for you?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Matteo said with a wide smile as he reached out his hands towards Xandra. These are not mine anyway. I¡¯ll just ept them on Ian¡¯s behalf. But just when Xandra was done putting on the gloves for Matteo, a cry came from outside. Someone had barged in unannounced. ¡°Sebastian Hayes! I heard Little Ian¡¯s back? Is he okay?¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Mommy? Matteo swiftly withdrew his hands when he heard Sasha¡¯s voice, while Sebastian and Xandra were caught by surprise. Sebastian rolled his eyes when he realized it was Sasha. As for Xandra, her face contorted in hatred at the sound of that woman. Sasha Wand! Why must youe now? When Sasha found out from Luke that he almost lost Ian in the morning, she freaked out and hurried over to see if everything was okay. But she went berserk when she saw Xandra in the house. ¡°Why are you here? Sebastian Hayes! Did you let her in?¡± Sasha¡¯s gleaming re pierced through Xandra the moment she saw that evil woman. She could not believe that after all she had done to make Sebastian promise to keep that woman away from Ian, Xandra was still given permission toe near her son. What on earth is going on? Why is she here? Sasha eyed the pair of pink indoor slippers under Xandra¡¯s feet, and her frown deepened. Is she having lunch with them right now? What¡¯s that on Ian¡¯s hands? Gloves? She¡¯s even allowed to touch my son? The scene put a stake through her heart and Sasha felt like her heart was going to explode with anger. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 ¡°Sasha Wand, are you mad? Who asked you toe again? This is not your house! How can youe and go as you like?¡± Clenching his teeth, Sebastian finally unleashed his wrath upon Sasha while ring at her with burning rage in his eyes. It was as if he had a strong urge to rip her apart. Daddy is scolding Mommy again! Matteo was displeased at the sight of Sasha being chided by Sebastian, and he was about toe to her rescue by voicing up for her. Out of everyone¡¯s expectation, Xandra said abruptly, ¡°Sebastian, cool down. Ms. Wand is your doctor now. There must be a reason for her to be here. Don¡¯t treat her this way.¡± The next moment, she walked toward Sasha with a cheerful smile on her face. ¡°Ms. Wand, is there something I can help you with? Why don¡¯t you join us for lunch? You haven¡¯t taken your meal, right? I¡¯ll get the housemaid to bring you a te and a set of cutlery. We can continue to chat while eating.¡± She stood in front of Sasha, giving off the vibe of a dignified and gracefuldy from a prestigious family. From the way she instructed the housemaid, it was as if she was the mistress of the vi. Sasha clenched her fist as her expression darkened. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ve taken my meal. I¡¯m here because I heard from Luke that Little Ian almost got lost when I brought him to the Hayes today. That¡¯s why I wanted toe and check if he¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Ah! So you¡¯re here because of that. Don¡¯t worry, Ian¡¯s fine. He just doesn¡¯t like tomunicate with people and prefers to keep everything to himself. I guess he must have been looking for his daddy at that time but identally walked in the wrong direction. Everything is alright now, Ms. Wand,¡± Xandra comforted Sasha gently. Upon hearing this, Sasha could not hold back her rage any longer. Her dainty face turned pale in an instant. She could conceal her feelings toward that scum perfectly well in front of Xandra, yet she could not remain indifferent when the cunning woman sounded as if she genuinely cared about her son. No way, Ian is my son! He is my flesh and blood! If anyone were to snatch her role as her son¡¯s mother, she would surely go mad! ¡°Alright. Since he¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll make a move first,¡± Sasha replied coldly, then turned and prepared to leave at once. ¡°Ms. Wand, you don¡¯t have to be shy. Since you¡¯re already here, just take a seat and join us. It doesn¡¯t matter that you¡¯ve taken your meal. You can still eat some sd since it¡¯s not that filling. Don¡¯t be intimidated by Sebastian¡¯s hot temper.¡± Sasha did not expect that Xandra would insist that she stayed for lunch. However, before she could respond, Xandra grabbed hold of her hand and led her to the dining table. Sasha was rendered speechless. What is this b*tch trying to do? Once seated, she tried her best to suppress the growing difort and uneasiness within her. Keeping her head lowered, she tried to avoid having any eye contact with the man seated opposite her. She was worried that a single nce at the scum would trigger her anger, causing her to smash the te and storm out of the vi in front of her son. She really did not wish for things to end up like that. ¡°Ms. Nancy, are you here to visit me?¡± ¡°Ah? Y-Yeah!¡± Sasha stammered. She was stunned, looking at the little boy who suddenly appeared beside her. Mommy¡¯s really dumb! That woman is bullying her, yet she still doesn¡¯t know how to retaliate. Matteo sat down next to his mommy and waved at the housemaid opposite him. ¡°I want to sit here. Bring me my te.¡± ¡°Huh? You want to sit there?¡± Everyone was dumbfounded upon hearing his words, including Sebastian who had a puzzled expression on his face. ¡°Why are you sitting there? Go back to your seat at once!¡± The surprise in Sebastian became rage almost immediately as he yelled at Matteo. However, Matteo was unwilling to move back to his original seat. This is my mommy. If I don¡¯t protect her when she¡¯s being ganged up on, who else would? Mimicking Ian¡¯s facial expression, Matteo nced at the man seated opposite him with indifference and said resolutely, ¡°I¡¯m not going back there. Since Ms. Nancy is here to visit me today, I want to sit next to her.¡± Next, he turned to look at his mommy and asked politely, ¡°Ms. Nancy, I want to eat that. Can you get some for me?¡± ¡°Sure, I will take some for you now!¡± Exhrated, Sasha¡¯s eyes started to well up. She immediately took a huge portion of the dish as requested by him and put it on his te. ¡°Ms. Nancy, thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. Dig in!¡± Instantaneously, pin-drop silence ensued in the dining room. Everyone at the table became motionless like statues! All the housemaids were dumbfounded. They had never seen Ian talking coquettishly to anyone before or request anyone to serve him food. After all, he was a clean freak, just like his daddy! He would never want anything that had been touched by someone else. This is absurd! I can¡¯t believe it! Things were bing more unbearable for Xandra. Her fingernails were digging into the flesh of her palms, and there was immense hatred in her eyes as she stared at both Sasha and her son. The cheerful smile had totally vanished from her face, reced by a scowl. On the other hand, Sebastian was also burning with rage. D*mn! She managed to influence Ian in just one day! What is she really up to? Is she nning to snatch my son away from me? Well, she can dream on!Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 ¡°Ms. Nancy, what do you think of my gloves? Do they look nice?¡± ¡°Yes, they are lovely!¡± Sasha was carefully peeling off prawn shells with her head lowered. When her son asked for her opinion, she instinctively nced at his little hands. However, all it took was one glimpse to make her heart wrench in pain as she recalled the scene when she first stepped into the vi. ¡°This pair of gloves is from Ms. Xandra. She told me that she knitted it herself.¡± Upon hearing his mommy¡¯spliment, Matteo let her have a closer look at his gloves. Sasha was at a loss for words. She knitted the gloves by herself? This pair of gloves doesn¡¯t look hand-knitted at all. It is impossible for the stitches of hand-knitted gloves to be so perfect without any variances. Besides, instead of having the colorful crystals added to the gloves with separate stitches, a person who knows how to knit will use the same wool tobine all the crystals so that the stitches will appear nicer and more natural. How can this pair of gloves be hand-knitted? Sasha was pretty sure that Xandra did not knit the gloves herself, so she sneered, ¡°Obviously, these gloves are not hand-knitted. The knot of hand-knitted gloves should not look like this.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The little boy raised his voice in confusion. The dining room was nketed with total silence almost instantly. In a blink of an eye, Xandra¡¯s expression changed. ¡°What do you mean? How can you say that the gloves are not hand-knitted? Sasha Wand, do you know how to knit?¡± Sebastian raised the question at once. For some unknown reason, he did not wish to see Sasha¡¯s words turn into reality. Nheless, Sasha nced at him with disdain and jeered, ¡°Of course I do! I knit for¡­ myself all the time. See? I knitted this top myself!¡± Sasha purposely tugged at her knitted top in front of everyone. Immediately, the dining room became silent again. Is the show finally about to start? As Sasha slowly sat down again, she caught a glimpse of everyone in the dining room. The changes in their facial expressions were just like the four seasons. Seeing Xandra¡¯s pale face, Sasha finally cheered up a little. She suddenly had the appetite to enjoy the food on the dining table. ¡°I don¡¯t want this pair of gloves anymore. Daddy, Ms. Xandra did not knit the gloves by herself. Take them back, you liar!¡± Matteo also yed his part well. Upon hearing his mommy¡¯s words, he immediately removed the gloves from his little hands and tossed them at the woman seated opposite them. Xandra¡¯s face had turned as pale as a sheet by then. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Sebastian. L-Let me exin, these gloves¡­ I personally bought the wool and the colorful crystals, then asked someone to knit the gloves. I j-just didn¡¯t know how to knit, but the materials were all chosen by me!¡± ¡°Yet, you had the audacity to tell me that you knitted it yourself. You¡¯re a liar! I won¡¯t trust you anymore!¡± Matteo yelled again. This time, he seemed even more infuriated. He flung the cutlery in his hands to the ground and was about to jump down from the chair. Sasha stopped him at once and tried to pacify him, ¡°Little Ian, don¡¯t be angry. Since she doesn¡¯t know how to knit, how about I do it instead? Just tell me what you like. I will knit for you, alright?¡± ¡°Really?¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Matteo lifted his head and looked at his mommy with teary eyes. He was obviously really upset and disappointed. At the sight of his son¡¯s pitiful expression, Sasha¡¯s heart ached. She hugged her son tightly and murmured into his ear, ¡°I promise to knit for you. Trust me. I will get it done for you within two days.¡± Sebastian was speechless as his anger rose to a higher level. He was about tosh out at Sasha again when Xandra lunged toward him abruptly. Thump! She knelt on the floor, wrapping her arms around his legs. ¡°Sebastian, please listen to me. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I really intended to knit the gloves myself in the beginning, but I¡¯ve never learned this before. I tried doing it for a long time but to no avail. Look at my hands¡­ All these tiny holes were poked by the needle! I love you so much, and Ian is your son¡­ Why would I ever lie to you? Sebastian, I had no choice¡­¡± She then showed the man her hands that were full of tiny holes as her eyes welled up with tears, arousing sympathy with her piteous look. Sasha started to feel uneasy, as if she had a premonition that something bad was going to happen. This woman was obviously good at ying mind games. She had probablye up with this backup n earlier on and was prepared to use this tactic once her secret was exposed. To Sasha¡¯s despair, the usually shrewd man did not realize that Xandra was putting up a show. As he stared intently at Xandra¡¯s pair of hands, the burning rage in his eyes vanished almost immediately. ¡°Why did you have to do this to yourself?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I admit that I was asking for trouble, but I really felt like doing it. Ian is your son, so I¡¯m trying my best to treat him like my flesh and blood too. Since Ms. Wand knows how to knit, can I learn from her? I promise that I¡¯ll put a lot of effort into this. When I know how to knitter on, I will knit for Ian every day. No matter what he likes, I can knit it for him.¡± She was imitating how Sasha talked to Little Ian just now. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 ¡°Impossible! I won¡¯t teach you! I can knit Little Ian¡¯s clothes myself. So why would I teach you?¡± Xandra¡¯s words agitated Sasha in an instant, and her mind was overpowered by the rising exasperation in her heart. Unable to hold herself back any longer, Sasha rejected impulsively, blurting out harsh words. Usually, she was not an impetuous person. Yet, she tended to lose control easily when it came to her children. Upon hearing her words, everyone¡¯s face turned grim, especially Sebastian whose face fell. ¡°You¡¯re really rude. How could you outrightly reject Ms. Green when she is sincerely asking you to teach her knitting? Who¡¯re you to knit clothes for Ian? You sure are clueless about where you stand.¡± Berta broke the silence by criticizing Sasha disdainfully. Every single word from her was of great sarcasm like a sharp knife piercing into Sasha¡¯s heart. Still holding her son, Sasha clenched her fists at Berta¡¯s words. ¡°Berta, how can you be so disrespectful to Ms. Wand when she is willing to knit for Ian out of sincerity? Who are you to criticize her? You¡¯re really acting out of line here.¡± Unexpectedly, Xandra reprimanded the housemaid at once for being rude to Sasha. She was still kneeling on the floor, clinging onto Sebastian¡¯s legs, and there were tears on her pretty, wless face. It seemed as though she was defending Sasha by speaking up for her. Protective of me? Sasha rolled her eyes and snickered. The woman¡¯s pretentious attitude really disgusted her. Yet, Sebastian was apparently touched by Xandra¡¯s words. When he saw how forgiving and magnanimous she was, the mes of rage in him werepletely put out. ¡°You don¡¯t have to degrade yourself by pleading with her. There¡¯re actually many other things that you can do for my son.¡± In an instant, Xandra was on cloud nine. She raised her head and asked excitedly, ¡°Sebastian, are you serious? Does it mean¡­ you¡¯re willing to forgive me? Sebastian, I-I¡¯m so happy¡­¡± She burst into tears, but this time, they were genuine and not crocodile¡¯s tears; they were tears of joy for her victory against Sasha! Meanwhile, Sasha was trembling all over. Her heart was filled with a mixture of suffocating rage, despair, and indescribable sorrow. She had a hard time epting the fact that the man was totally oblivious to that woman¡¯s cunningness. Can¡¯t he tell that the b*tch is just putting on a show? Perhaps he is deliberately turning a blind eye to everything. She¡¯s the woman he loves the most, so no matter what she¡¯s done, he will still choose to forgive her. When I was eight months pregnant years ago, he even had the audacity to abandon us just to be with the love of his life. Sasha tightened her arms around her son¡¯s tiny body and shut her red-rimmed, teary eyes in weariness. ¡°Ms. Nancy?¡± Matteo could sense his mommy¡¯s grief, so he hugged her back to give her mental support. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. He finally understood what his mommy had been enduring all this while. Poor Mommy! Daddy¡¯s really dense and doesn¡¯t deserve any sympathy. Mommy made the right decision by leaving him that time. Thank God I¡¯ve stayed by her side all these years! ¡°Ms. Nancy, don¡¯t be sad.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m not sad anymore. Little Ian, don¡¯t worry. I will not let you get hurt no matter what. I will protect you by all means.¡± Gazing lovingly at her son¡¯s face, Sasha quickly wiped her tears away and consoled him. Matteo remained silent, yet Sebastian could sense that something was amiss. He red at them with a cold glint in his eyes and asked, ¡°Sasha Wand, what are you up to?¡± As though her heart had turned stone-cold, Sasha replied calmly, ¡°Mr. Hayes, you really have no idea about what I¡¯m going to do? Since you couldn¡¯t care less about Little Ian¡¯s safety, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless. From now onward, my only aim is to snatch him away from you!¡± ¡°What makes you think you¡¯re capable of doing that?¡± ¡°Since I could even crawl out of my grave, nothing is impossible for me. Don¡¯t ever underestimate anyone¡¯s ability. You won¡¯t know what to expect when a seemingly vulnerable woman like me is infuriated. Sebastian Hayes, you¡¯d better think twice before you leap.¡± Thest few words sent a chill down Sebastian¡¯s spine. As Sebastian gave Sasha a nce, his heart skipped a beat at the sight of her bloodshot eyes; there was murderous intent in them. If she¡¯s given a knife now, she¡¯ll undoubtedly kill anyone standing in her way with it! She¡¯s gone bonkers! Sebastian swallowed hard. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°You can say so. If I see any wounds on Little Ian¡¯s body again, don¡¯t me me for teaching her a lesson!¡± After warning Sebastian, Sasha yanked Berta, who was standing beside her, and gave her a hard poke in the neck. Everything urred within such a short span of time. Berta could only give a shriek of pain before her stiff body copsed on the floor. Everyone in the dining room gaped in shock at what they saw. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 What did she do? What just happened? Astonished, everyone stood rooted to the spot. When they finally recollected themselves and nced at Berta again, she had stopped twitching on the floor. They only realized what had happened when they saw a long needle glistening on her neck. My goodness! At that instant, everyone felt goosebumps all over their bodies. Meanwhile, blood drained from Xandra¡¯s face while her entire body was trembling in fear. ¡°Sasha Wand, what have you done? Are you crazy? How dare you murder someone here! Have you gone mad?¡± Sebastian finally came to his senses. Staring at the housemaid who was lying motionless on the floor, he roared as rage surged within him. She¡¯s mad! She has gone mad! Is she even aware of what she is doing? This is a human being, not an animal! How could she kill someone so impulsively? Is she out of her mind? Since when did she be such a cold-blooded and brutal person? Sebastian felt as if he was about to have a heart attack. Unperturbed, Sasha stared at him and said scornfully, ¡°Why? Are you scared now? Remember this, Sebastian Hayes, don¡¯t ever try to cross my boundaries!¡± Like a phantom, she gritted out those words through clenched teeth before storming out of the vi. Everyone was rendered speechless. Xandra was still trembling with fear and could barely utter any words. It did note to anyone¡¯s mind to stop her from stepping out of the enormous vi. Xandra only came to her senses when Sasha¡¯s figure almost disappeared from her sight. ¡°Quick! Stop her! She¡¯s killed someone! How can we just let her leave like that! Go and get her at once!¡± Xandra shrieked hysterically. She finally tore off her facade, revealing her true self. Her eyes were loaded with abhorrence as if she intended to rip Sasha into pieces. But she was fated to be disappointed. The moment Sasha reached the main entrance of the vi, a miracle urred. Gulp! Berta, who was still lying motionless on the floor a while ago, suddenly let out a deep breath. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Cough! Cough! Cough! Ms. Green, I finally¡­ finally made it¡­¡± There was only dead silence in the dining room. Again, everyone was stupefied. At Sasha¡¯s rental apartment in Old Town. When the clock almost struck four in the afternoon, Ian received a call from Matteo. At that moment, he was watching anime with Vivian in the living room. He was not keen on anime, but his mommy had reminded him to look after his sister. So he had no choice but to apany her. When the phone rang, he answered at once. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Ian, is Mommy home?¡± Matteo asked Ian right after he answered the call. Mommy? Ian scanned his surroundings and frowned; the two of them were the only ones at home. ¡°No, she¡¯s not home yet. Why? Isn¡¯t Mommy with you in the vi?¡± Matteo¡¯s face became grimmer. It¡¯s been quite some time since she left Royal Court One and yet, she¡¯s still not home. I bet Mommy is hiding somewhere and crying right now. When they were overseas, Sasha would never cry in front of her children in order not to let them worry about her. Whenever she was upset, she would go somewhere else till she felt better. Matteo could not wait to leave the vi at once to look for his mommy. ¡°Ian, let¡¯s swap back.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ian was startled and asked curiously, ¡°Swap back? Now? I thought you said tomorrow?¡± He was starting to like this ce and yearned to spend more time together with his mommy. At the thought of the vi that was void of warmth, he did not feel like going back. His question triggered Matteo¡¯s frustration on the other end of the line. He yelled in anger, ¡°No, I can¡¯t stay here any longer. What a terrible ce! I can¡¯t stand it anymore!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You should ask your daddy! Ian, who¡¯s that woman named Xandra? Her acting skills are horrible, yet Daddy still chose to turn a blind eye to what she did. He even sided with her and reprimanded Mommy. What happened to Daddy? He doesn¡¯t know how to make judgments, does he?¡± Ian was at a loss for words. After a while, he replied coldly with a scowl on his face, ¡°She¡¯s Daddy¡¯s girlfriend.¡± ¡°What did you say? Girlfriend?¡± Matteo¡¯s face fell. ¡°So does that mean she might be your stepmother?¡± Shaking his head, Ian said unhappily, ¡°I¡¯ve no idea. But I don¡¯t like her, and I don¡¯t want her to be my stepmother.¡± He had clearly expressed his stance on this matter. Matteo¡¯s anger was slightly appeased upon hearing this. ¡°Ian, I¡¯m d that we share the same sentiments. You know what? Initially, I intended to get Daddy and Mommy back together after discovering our identities. However, I was really infuriated by what I saw just now. I¡¯m really disappointed with Daddy. I¡¯ve never seen such a scum like him!¡¯ Matteo practically roared out hisst sentence. He even used the word ¡°scum¡± to describe his daddy! There was no doubt that he was traumatized by the incident in the afternoon. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Ian fell silent. He was not unfamiliar with Xandra and had always known her to be a two-faced phony who would put up a show in his father¡¯s presence. But he didn¡¯t tell on her as he didn¡¯t want to stir up trouble. As for Daddy, his temperament is the worst. The way he treated Mommy on that boat was just mean! With that thought, Ian agreed that the two of them should swap back to their original identities. After hanging up the phone, Ian did as Matteo told him and tricked his sister into buying him some food downstairs. He then left the rental apartment and took a cab back to Frontier Bay. After a few minutes, Ian sessfully sneaked into his bedroom in Royal Court One without anyone noticing. This was the first time the twins met each other in person since their births. ¡°Whoa! We really do look exactly like each other!¡± eximed Matteo as he finally saw his twin brother in the flesh for the first time. Ian was also amazed at their resemnce to each other. But before he could respond, his small body was already embraced tightly by his passionate twin brother. Ian was rendered speechless momentarily as there was an unfamiliar but warm sensation spreading from his little chest. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got to go now. Mommy should be back soon,¡± Matteo exined. He was worried that the longer he lingered, the more likely someone might walk in on them. Being the more emotional one, Ian replied with a discernible sadness in his voice, ¡°But¡­ will we meet again? And will Mommye over again?¡± After learning what had happened today from Matteo, Ian was afraid that he would no longer be able to see his mother. Matteo patted his brother¡¯s shoulder while speaking in aforting voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. Mommy loves you so much, so she¡¯ll certainlye back to visit you. But you have to remember. When she comes back here, you have to protect her from bad Daddy, okay?¡± Feeling reassured, Ian nodded and said, ¡°Certainly!¡± On that note, the twins¡¯ brief encounter ended. As soon as Matteo left the room, Sebastian came up from downstairs. He was still fuming over the fact that Ian threw a big tantrum at him after Sasha had left. For the first time in his life, his son told him that he hated him and never wanted to see him anymore. Since then, the little boy had locked himself inside his bedroom upstairs. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. As Sebastian stood outside his son¡¯s bedroom, he furrowed his brows and took a deep breath before knocking on the door. ¡°Ian, it¡¯s Daddy. Can you open the door, please? There¡¯s something I want to talk to you about.¡± Instead of opening the door for his father, Ian grabbed onto his pillow and sprinted toward his bed. He was still mad at Sebastian. If what Matteo said was true, he has really gone overboard for bullying Mommy because of Xandra. Ian buried his head into his pillow. ¡°Ian?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sleeping!¡± The cold and impatient voice from the five-year-old added fuel to the fire already burning in Sebastian, causing the corner of his eyes to twitch uncontrobly. This little rascal! Since when did he dare to talk like this to his own father? This is ridiculous! Sebastian had exhausted all his patience and decided to unlock his son¡¯s bedroom door with his own fingerprint. ¡°Ian?¡± ¡°Daddy, you just do whatever it is that pleases you with no regard for others, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s annoying!¡± Sebastian had never thought that his son would be capable of throwing such a strong insult at him. He was taken aback by the intensity of the hatred in Ian¡¯s voice and thus decided to try a softer approach. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault for barging into your bedroom. I was just so worried about you. Ian, I really need to talk to you about Ms. Xandra.¡± Ms. Xandra? Ian¡¯s face turned red. ¡°What¡¯s more to say about her?¡± Sebastian suppressed his anger and continued to build his case, ¡°I know, you think that I have acted too rashly toward your¡­ thatdy doctor today. I just want to remind you that she¡¯s a stranger, after all. But Ms. Xandra, on the other hand, is someone who will be living with us in the future. So, if I have to choose a side, it¡¯ll definitely be Ms. Xandra. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because I love her, and she¡¯s going to be my life partner,¡± Sebastian replied so tly as though he was answering to any other business matter in the office. Ian finally fell silent. He was not Matteo who had spent all his life living with their mother, so he was not able to fully comprehend how hurtful Sebastian¡¯s words were to Sasha. Xandra, on the other hand, had been by his father¡¯s side throughout the past five years, so much so that Ian was already ustomed to her constant presence in his life. ¡°If that¡¯s what you wish, Daddy. But just remember this, if you insist on marrying Ms. Xandra, thedy doctor will no longer belong to you, and she¡¯ll have no rtions with you whatsoever,¡± Ian finally uttered the words that were way too mature for a five-year-old. ¡°What did you say?¡± Sebastian¡¯s eyes narrowed quizzically. He wondered if he might have misheard his words. Thedy doctor? Why did Ian mention that woman out of the blue? And what did he mean by she will no longer belong to me? That woman will belong to the Hayes family for all eternity as long as I say so! Without realizing it himself, Sebastian was offended by the notion that Sasha would have no rtions with him at all in the foreseeable future. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Sasha came back to her rental apartment three hourster. She was at aw firm to inquire about custody issues regarding her eldest son. But the woman was devastated when thewyer told her t out that the chances of her getting custody of Ian were zero. Her dead identity in government archives being the first obstacle. Secondly, the party that she was up against was just too powerful for her to gain any foothold before a judge. I could deal with the first problem by restoring my identity and then divorcing that scum. Since our hatred for each other is mutual, that shouldn¡¯t be difficult to achieve. But the second problem is just driving me mad! With Hayes Corporation now ranking among the top tenpanies in the world, I¡¯ll never have the same backing as he does to win this case. Sasha dragged her tiresome body into her rental apartment. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re finally home! Uncle Solomon is here, and he¡¯s bought us lots of stuff!¡± The delighted voice came from Vivian, who ran toward her mother with a lollipop in her hand. Matteo, on the other hand, seemed to be having a great time talking to Solomon. Solomon was Sasha¡¯s good friend. They had known each other when they were abroad a long time ago. Sasha gathered herself and walked over to greet Solomon, ¡°Hello there. Did the kids call you up again? You shouldn¡¯t have given in to them. You live so far away!¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. I actually came here on my own ord to visit the kids. It had been a while since Ist saw them. Even less so after you came back,¡± Solomon replied. Solomon was awyer. Bespectacled, he exuded a pleasant and polite bearing that always managed to make people around him feel at ease. Sasha stole a nce at the clutters around the house and instantly felt embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the messiness, Solomon. You see, I didn¡¯t expect a guest¡­¡± Sasha said apologetically. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I¡¯m not a stranger.¡± Solomon gave a faint smile and said, ¡°By the way, Matt was telling me that you were out to see a patient. Is the patient feeling better now?¡± ¡°Er¡­¡± Solomon¡¯s unexpected question took Sasha by surprise as she fumbled for the right words. I have just managed to turn off that bloody switch! ¡°His condition was beyond medical help. Forget about him!¡± the woman grunted. In the next moment, something seemed to have struck Sasha as she spoke, ¡°That¡¯s right! I almost forget that you¡¯re awyer too. Mind if I pick your brain for a minute? If a couple is getting divorced, does the party with extreme wealth always get custody of their kids?¡± ¡°Hmm, custody?¡± Solomon sat back down elegantly on the small couch. His gaze stopped momentarily on Sasha before he calmly replied, ¡°Yes, almost always.¡± Instantly, Sasha¡¯s hopes were shattered. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Solomon was amused by the deted look on Sasha¡¯s face as he continued to exin, ¡°Having said that, there are exceptions to it. Although having enough money is important, thew dictates that under certain circumstances, the less wealthy party can overtake custody of their children.¡± ¡°Is this true?¡± Sasha¡¯s face instantly lit up as if seeing hope for the first time. ¡°That¡¯s right. For example, if the guardian has caused physical harm to the kid or engaged in criminal activities. These are just some of the examples. Do you know someone who¡¯s in such circumstances?¡± Solomon asked out of curiosity after exining in detail to Sasha. He was not one to pry, but this was the first time Sasha had sought legal opinion on that kind of matter from him. Hence, Solomon thought that was a little odd. However, Sasha was not ready to confide in him. So she simply replied, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just a friend of mine. She¡¯s getting a divorce, but her husband is withholding their kid. So, I just thought I might be able to help her out by seeking some legal opinions on her behalf.¡± Solomon smiled in acknowledgment. Meanwhile, Matteo, who had been eavesdropping on the adults¡¯ conversation, was inplete shock. His jaw dropped when he heard the word ¡°custody.¡± Custody! I wonder what¡¯s on Mommy¡¯s mind. Is she thinking about taking over Ian¡¯s custody? If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯d be awesome to have Ianing to live with us. Mommy and the three of us will then form a complete family of four! As for bad Daddy¡­ There were twinkles in Matteo¡¯s eyes as an idea took form in his cunning little mind. He then looked across the living room at Solomon, who had been stealing nces at his mother, and said, ¡°Uncle Solomon, since Mommy doesn¡¯t know anything about this custody issue, why don¡¯t you take her out and teach her what to do?¡± ¡°Teach her?¡± Solomon was puzzled. ¡°Yes, Uncle Solomon. I think you should take her over to your ce and tell her what to do in detail. I¡¯ll look after Vivi at home, so don¡¯t you worry about us,¡± Matteo eagerly suggested. Since Daddy is in love with the mean woman, I should find Mommy a boyfriend too. She is such a nice person, so there¡¯s no way men will reject her. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Sasha was bemused by her son¡¯s mischief. Nevertheless, she still headed out with Solomon as the man had promised to show her a couple of books that might be helpful. Her mind was now upied with getting Ian back. In Frontier Bay, a man was waiting impatiently for Sasha. Luke was pacing anxiously downstairs as his boss sat in the living hall, brewing up a perilous windstorm. ¡°So? Have you found her?¡± ¡°Not yet, Mr. Scott. We went to her Aunt Sharon¡¯s house twice and waited outside for a long while. But there was no sign of her. Maybe she didn¡¯t return there?¡± the weary bodyguards reported what they had been doing all night to Luke. Luke did consider that possibility as he was told that Sasha and Sebastian had such a bad row in the afternoon that she had pushed Berta onto the floor. Argh! Luke¡¯s head was pounding. Seeing as it was gettingte and his boss¡¯ eyes were still menacingly wide open, Luke decided to do another round of searching himself. His phone rang just as he was about to head out the door. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Mr. Scott, I finally have the location of Ms. Wand. She came out of Old Town in a BMW X5 and went to Prime Cloud Corporation,¡± the bodyguard reported from the other end of the line. ¡°Did you just say Prime Cloud Corporation?¡± Fearing he might have misheard, Luke had to double confirm. The Prime Cloud Corporation across the road from Hayes Corporation? Isn¡¯t that the fast-growing electronics and infotechpany that has started to attract our attention ofte? What¡¯s her business going over there? ¡°Are you absolutely positive? What¡¯s she doing over there?¡± Luke was still trying to wrap his head around this unexpected turn of events. ¡°I¡¯m not sure as to why she¡¯s there, Mr. Scott. But someone snapped a picture,¡± the bodyguard said while sending the said photo over to Luke¡¯s phone. Hanging up the call, Luke inspected the photo carefully. It was indeed a photo taken discreetly in front of the Prime Cloud Corporation building. It would appear that Sasha was being led into the lobby by a bespectacled young man with a briefcase. She has gone mad! Instead ofing here to treat Mr. Hayes, she followed a man into Hayes Corporation¡¯s rivalpany. What is she thinking! Doesn¡¯t she realize what kind of trouble she¡¯s getting herself into? Luke erged the picture to take a better look at the man, and when it dawned on him who the person was, he almost choked from his gasp. My goodness! This is so getting out of hand. ¡°Luke, what are you doing over there? Have you found that damned woman?¡± Sebastian barked at Luke as there was still no news of Sasha¡¯s whereabouts. His patience was running thin, and his bloodshot eyes were still wide open. Luke felt his legs turn wobbly at the thought of what he was about to tell his boss. Nevertheless, there was no escaping from what needed to be done. With great effort, Luke brought himself to Sebastian and selected his words carefully. ¡°Mr. Hayes, we have found Ma¡­ I mean, Ms. Wand. But um, she went to another ce.¡± ¡°Another ce?¡± The man¡¯s head started aching upon hearing that. His expression turned frightening when he spoke, ¡°Who says she can be elsewhere at this hour? Doesn¡¯t she know she should be here treating me?¡± This man is so used to getting his way he¡¯s practically tyrannical. Madam only voluntarily visited once to treat him, but now, she¡¯s be his personal doctor and not allowed to have her own life. Luke could no longer contain himself and blurted out, ¡°Mr. Hayes, Ms. Wand has no obligation in treating you. The only reason she came herest time was so that she could spend some time with Mr. Ian. Now that Ms. Green has returned, it¡¯s only normal that Ms. Wand wants to keep her distance.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Sebastian¡¯s voice was bing more terrorizing with each word he uttered. The tension in the living room was palpable. Sensing his boss was about to erupt like a volcano, Luke almost jumped out of his skin. He then decided to hand over his phone with a trembling hand and let Sebastian decipher the meaning of the picture by himself. After which, he left the ssh zone as quickly as his wobbly legs could take him. The temperature in the living room immediately dropped to sub-zero; everyone and everything was frozen still in a split second. It was so quiet one could hear a pin drop to the floor. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 It was hourster when Sasha finally came home. She checked her phone and saw about a dozen missed calls from Luke. Ah! I have totally forgotten to go over to Frontier Bay tonight to treat Sebastian. When Sasha was at Solomon¡¯s ce, he not only showed her the references fromw books but also exined to her in detail the methods one could use to gather court-admissible evidence. She had immersed herself in listening to Solomon¡¯s exnation of the relevant legal proceedings and forgotten about Frontier Bay. Should I still head over now? The momentary thought entered her mind. But it soon disappeared as she recalled what had happened during the day. Well, I still have some self-respect. Since that scum was willing to hurl all sorts of insults in my face for that phony woman, why should I care if he is suffering! At that thought, Sasha decided to just wash up and go to bed with her children. The night passed peacefully. The next morning, Sasha was about to make breakfast for the kids when she received another call from Luke. ¡°Madam, Mr. Ian is sick¡± ¡°What! How did he get sick? He was still fine yesterday!¡± Sasha panicked and dropped everything she was doing before walking over to her balcony. On the other side of the line, Luke covered his mouth and lowered his voice as though he was afraid of being caught making the phone call. ¡°He stayed up all night waiting for you toe over. When you didn¡¯t show up, he started to y chess by himself. You know how fragile his body is. He must have caught a cold. Mr. Hayes is getting ready to take him to the hospital.¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Sasha felt light-headed and started faltering. Her heart wrenched in pain as a pang of guilt surged in her chest. After hanging up the phone, she hurried back into the house. What kind of mother am I! I told Ian that I love him and will do everything I can to make up to him. But instead of keeping my word, I was out doing my own thing and didn¡¯t even look after his wellbeing! Sasha rushed to the living room as Matteo and Vivian had just gotten ready in their school uniforms. ¡°Matt, Vivi, there¡¯s an emergency matter that I have to attend to. So, we¡¯re gonna have to grab a quick bite on our way to your preschool. Is that okay? ¡°Sure, Mommy. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Matteo agreed promptly. But his mother¡¯s apprehensive expression concerned him. Trying not to rm the kids, Sasha simply replied, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just that the son of my patient has fallen ill, and I¡¯ve got to take a look at him.¡± Ah! Ian is sick! Both Matteo and Vivian were surprised by what they heard. Twenty minutester, the siblings arrived at their preschool. As soon as their mother was out of sight, the two started to discuss what had happened. ¡°Matt, it sounds like Mommy was talking about Ian. Is he sick?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Furrowing his little brows, Matteo seemed to be in deep thought. It was indeed his idea to get Solomon toe overst night and encourage his mother to go out with him. After witnessing how Sebastian had treated Sasha, Matteo thought it was only fair that his mother found someone who can protect her. He did not anticipate that Ian would fall sick as an indirect result of his n. ¡°He must have be ill because he didn¡¯t get to see Mommy. I¡¯m telling you, Matt, if I don¡¯t get to see Mommy, I will probably fall sick too.¡± Vivian attempted to analyze the situation like an adult in her childlike voice. Matteo fell silent upon hearing that. Oh my gosh. What have I done now¡­ It was just before half-past eight when Sasha rushed over to Frontier Bay. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She was panting breathlessly from the running. A thin film of sweat formed on her forehead, and her delicate, porcin cheeks were turning pink. Despite that, she dared not stop since she was almost reaching her destination. ¡°Little Ian, please be okay. It¡¯s all my fault! From now on, I will never abandon you. I promise.¡± When Sasha finally arrived at Royal Court One, she was huffing and puffing with red-rimmed eyes. ¡°Hold up there. Who are you? And do you think this is a ce where anyone can just barge in like that?¡± The woman was thoroughly exhausted by then. She exined to the bodyguard in her frantic voice, ¡°Hi, I was here a few days ago. Please let me through. I need to take a look at Ian.¡± ¡°Ian? He¡¯s sick, and Mr. Hayes is looking after him in there. Wait, stop right there! You have no permission to enter. Hey!¡± the bodyguard was yelling after Sasha as she had pushed through him and dashed inside. But what is Sasha doing here? The moment she heard that her son was in the vi instead of being sent to the hospital, there was nothing that could stop her from seeing Ian. Indeed, when Sasha finally reached the vi, she was met with a chaotic scene as opposed to the usually quiet and dested space; some were packing for the trip to the hospital while others were preparing the medicine and making phone calls to the doctors. Sasha¡¯s heart sank at the frantic sight. She dashed inside and was already on her way upstairs when a person was hurrying down with a bowl in his hand. ¡°Go get some saline solution. It¡¯s the doctor¡¯s order.¡± She took another nce at the person with the bowl to realize that he was a bodyguard, who was now doubling as a medical assistant. Saline solution? Please don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s got diarrhea and is now dehydrated. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Sasha panicked and dashed over in an instant. ¡°Why are we using saline?¡± she demanded. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he on a drip? What¡¯s going on?¡± She fired off one question after another without giving the bodyguard time to respond. Unbeknownst to her, Ian had an unusual lymphatic system whereby drips would actually do more harm than good. During the years when Sebastian cared for him, he had been erring on the side of caution. When Sasha threw open the door after she bounded up the stairs, the scene that greeted her was not what she expected. ¡°Come on, another bite. When you¡¯ve finished, you¡¯re in for a special treat.¡± ¡°Really, Daddy? Can shee back again?¡± pleaded the child. ¡°Of course, my boy,¡± answered Sebastian. He could not have been more different than his usual haughty and domineering self. Sasha watched as he patiently coaxed the squirming boy, who was doing his best to avoid the spoon. Sebastian is actually a pretty good father. Steeling herself, she entered the room and stood before him. ¡°Let me do it. A jab will work better to stop the diarrhea.¡± When Sebastian looked up at her, Sasha couldn¡¯t help but shudder. His eyes were filled with rage as if her intrusion greatly offended him. However, his son¡¯s health was the more pressing matter at hand, so he held his emotions back. As he ced the boy back onto the bed, his expression softened. ¡°Mr. Hayes, I¡­¡± one of the doctors started. ¡°Leave us,¡± he interrupted him sharply. ¡°Let her do it.¡± The doctors hurriedly cleared the room, not keen to be on the receiving end of his temper. Meanwhile, he watched intently as Sasha prepared the equipment. She could feel the intensity of his gaze drilling into the back of her skull. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Not daring to look behind her, she clenched her fists to stop herself from trembling. But one look at the pale child steadied her nerves as she knew that the boy needed her. Taking a deep breath, she administered the dose and observed him. After twenty minutes, Ian looked much better. ¡°Does it still hurt, Ian?¡± Sasha asked softly. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡± Ian shook his head as hey in bed. Sasha sighed in relief. Bending over, she kissed his forehead and tucked his nket in. ¡°Now, Ian, you need to rest up, alright? I¡¯lle back and visit you soon.¡± Ian nodded, looking over her shoulder at his father. Sebastian approached her. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t yell at her!¡± Ian sat up as though he sensed Sebastian¡¯s hostility earlier. Sasha followed Sebastian out of the room and up a flight of stairs, which took them to the third floor of the vi. Then, he stopped and turned around to address her. ¡°I¡¯m going in for a bath. Youing?¡± A menacing glint shed across his eyes as he stared at her. What? Sasha felt the flush crawl up her cheek and stumbled backward. ¡°Oh, I¡ªI don¡¯t think I will. You have a good shower. I¡¯ll wait for you out here,¡± she mumbled, frantically searching for a way out of her embarrassment. Locating the door, she bolted out of there like a hare in a foxhunt. Sebastian watched her leave with a smirk across his thin lips before he entered the bathroom. Since Ian¡¯s condition improved, the doctors and guards were dismissed, and the vi quickly became quiet again, with only a few servants. Sasha came to the balcony on the third floor. As she gazed at the garden below, it seemed like an enticing ce, so she went down and made herselffortable on the patio while waiting for Sebastian. Right then, she received a text message. Solomon George: Nancy, aren¡¯t youing today? Sasha: Oh no! I¡¯m so sorry. Something urgent came up in the morning, and I forgot to tell you. She only remembered that she was supposed to meet him at his office for a consultation on a legal matter when she saw the text message. Solomon¡¯s affable reply came soon. Solomon: That¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll meet up when you¡¯re free. Just give me a call, and I¡¯lle to pick you up. Sasha: Sure. Soon after, she heard the sound of a door being opened from above. She looked up at the bedroom before entering the vi again. ¡°Sebastian, have you finished your bath? Can we talk now?¡± Confronted with a closed door, she reiterated her request outside the room. Suddenly, the door opened from within, and Sebastian emerged, damp and naked except for the towel around his waist. Good God! Sasha¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Although she had three children with this man, she had never seen his body before! Chapter 49 Chapter 49 He was drugged that night, and the lights were switched off when he was trying to force himself on her, so she did not manage to catch a glimpse of his body. Sasha gulped. His damp torso glistened in the light, entuating and ttering his shapely muscles. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he spoke, but she did not hear a thing. She was too busy following the water droplets that trickled down his chin and onto his chest. ¡°Are you done?¡± Sebastian said sharply. Sasha snapped out of her reverie. It suddenly dawned on her how long she had been salivating over him like a b of meat. She wished the ground would just swallow her up just to spare her the embarrassment. ¡°You were¡­ I just¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ I thought you were done, and I wanted to speak to you.¡± She spluttered on in an attempt to exin herself, not daring to look up. Her porcin face had reddened like a tomato by then. Oh,e on. You¡¯re not that innocent. You¡¯re no stranger to flings and one-night stands. This isn¡¯t the first naked body of a man you¡¯ve seen. As she stood there deliberating with herself, Sebastian mmed the door shut in her face. Sometimeter, he emerged fully dressed. ¡°Well? What was it that was so important?¡± he snapped. Sebastian straightened up and addressed her with a haughty re. It was as if he had donned his familiar snarky persona along with that suit. His disdain permeated the corridor and suffocated her, robbing her of her confidence. Sasha took a deep breath and gulped. Bracing herself again, she blurted, ¡°I would like to take care of Ian if that¡¯s okay with you.¡± ¡°Take care? What right do you have to do that? You are an unfit mother. You can have another kid with that adulterer and care for him!¡± The words were barely out of her mouth before she regretted uttering them. His remark stung, but her mind was whirring with something else. Adulterer? Instantly, her face became as white as a sheet. Why did he say that all of a sudden? Was he stalking me? Sasha¡¯s embarrassment turned into indignation. She red at Sebastian. ¡°Mr. Hayes, did you have me followed?¡± she asked, barely suppressing the rage in her voice. ¡°Follow you? Ms. Wand, you overestimate your importance. I do not need to do that. I know everything that goes on around here.¡± he sneered at her, looking as evil as the Devil himself. Sasha was stumped. This was his territory, so of course he had eyes everywhere. But why did he specifically mention the word ¡°adulterer¡±? He is just a friend! ¡°Yes, I went outst night with a friend,¡± Sasha retorted defiantly. ¡°But Mr. Hayes, watch your choice of words. He is most definitely not an adulterer.¡± Sebastian was undeterred. ¡°My choice of words? Tell me, Sasha Wand, have you ever heard of a decent woman going out at that hour with a man and not have any agenda?¡± Sasha reached her tipping point. ¡°If I¡¯m an indecent woman, what does that make you? Remember when you brought your b*tch and paraded her in front of me when I was pregnant? What does that make the two of you? A scumbag and a wench, that¡¯s what the two of you are!¡± This time, she had gone too far. Sasha watched in slow motion as Sebastian raised his hand to strike her, his face contorted with rage, but she was too petrified to move. ¡°Mr. Hayes, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Luke, who appeared just in time, yelled. With one stride, he stood between Sasha and Sebastian, who was looking deranged and quite ready to beat her. This woman is asking to be killed! Luke restrained Sebastian with some difficulty. ¡°Mr. Hayes, calm down. She only spoke out of turn. I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t mean what she said.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Then, he turned to Sasha. ¡°Ms. Wand, you owe Mr. Hayes an apology. Did you know that he waited up for you?¡± Sasha was frozen in ce since shest spoke and finally came to her senses upon hearing that, but her face turned deathly pale again. Luke was right¡ªshe did not mean to lose her temper. In fact, she was waiting for Sebastian to get out of the shower to apologize for not showing upst night, but his words had hurt her. That was when her anger got the better of her. Sasha hesitated for a moment before she said, ¡°The reason I came here was to apologize forst night. My friend needed help, so I went with him. I only recalled our appointment after I went home, but it was toote.¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¡°Friend?¡± ¡°Yes, I came here on short notice, so I asked Clear Hospital to deliver some of my medical books to his ce. That¡¯s why I went therest night. To get them,¡± Sasha exined. What she said was true in a way. She did go to Solomon¡¯s cest night to take some books. Luke finally breathed a long sigh of relief. Then, he began to cate his boss, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you give her another chance, Mr. Hayes? It¡¯s not like shemitted some kind of heinous crime, right? She even rushed over this morning the moment she heard about Ian¡¯s condition. Besides, Ian is probably going to wake up soon, Mr. Hayes. If he sees the two of you quarreling again, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯d¡­¡± He trailed off, but nheless, everyone understood the words he left unsaid. Ian had fallen ill because of them. If he woke up to see them quarreling, he would definitely be emotionally unstable again. Sebastian glowered at the woman in front of him. In the end, he walked away without saying anything. A loud bang reverberated through the house as he kicked the bedroom door open on the third floor. Sasha jolted in shock and did not dare to stay a second longer, quickly going to her son¡¯s room on the second floor. Whatever. As long as I get to stay, nothing else matters. Ten minutester, the sound of an engine starting came from outside. Sasha craned her neck to look out the window and saw a ck Bentley driving away. They¡¯ve gone to thepany? So does this mean that I can stay here to look after Ian? Wild with joy, Sasha danced around the ce before returning to her son¡¯s bedside and rubbed his belly with a broad smile. Meanwhile, as Luke drove toward thepany, he stole a few nces at Sebastian through the rearview mirror and caught him pinching his be. Boss is acting so strange this morning. His ¡°dead¡± wife obviously has nothing to do with him, so why is he so worked up? I mean, they have cut all ties with each other, so it¡¯s none of his business even if she sleeps with another man. I can¡¯t believe he even called her an adulterer¡­ ¡­ Hence, Sasha stayed at Frontier Bay to care for her son that day. Unbeknownst to her, while she was in the vi, there were a pair of eyes shooting daggers at her from beyond the garden. ¡°Sasha Wand, you still get to stay here even after what happened? Why? It¡¯s not fair!¡± There was a white Maserati parked outside the vi, but it was quite a distance away from Royal Court One, tucked into the corner of the vi next door as if afraid someone might see it. Hearing the way Xandra gritted out Sasha¡¯s name, the middle-aged woman in the car followed her gaze and asked, ¡°That¡¯s the woman who came back from the dead?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. The middle-aged woman was Kelly Green, Xandra¡¯s biological aunt. ¡°And here I thought she was some kind of cunning vixen, seeing as she managed to bar you from entering Royal Court One. But it turns out that she¡¯s just an unpresentable woman.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it, Aunt Kelly. She¡¯s Ian¡¯s birth mother!¡± Xandra was upset that her aunt was still underestimating Sasha at a time like this. Kelly scoffed, ¡°So what? You managed to drive her out when she was pregnant back then, and you¡¯re the one who raised the child all these years, yet you¡¯re telling me you¡¯re no match for her? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Xandra¡¯s chest grew tight in response to her aunt¡¯s admonishment. Indeed, she didn¡¯t know what was wrong with her. She had let the opportunity slip from her grasp the day before. Berta secretly told me that after I arrived, Sebastian kept defending me, so I should¡¯ve been able to stay in the vi. But I never expected that he¡¯d kick me out too after that b*tch left! What¡¯s worse, I¡¯m not even allowed to set foot in the vi today. Meanwhile, that woman gets to roam freely in there. Xandra¡¯s eyes gleamed with hatred and malice as she stared vehemently at the mother and son pair on the second floor. ¡°What¡¯s the use of ring at her like that? If only looks could kill, eh? Well, it¡¯s better to utilize the time to think of some other ways.¡± ¡°Ways to what?¡± ¡°Ways to make sure she dies permanently this time, of course.¡± Kelly looked at the figure in the vi with a neutral expression on her face, but the glint in her eyes was much more terrifying than her niece¡¯s, as though there was a monster lurking beneath her skin. Sasha stayed at Frontier Bay for the whole day. Halfway through the day, Sebastian returned home once, which was out of her expectation. Perhaps it was because he hadn¡¯t slept the night before and couldn¡¯t take it anymore. When Sasha saw hime home, she instantly became a bundle of nerves, worried that his anger from this morning hadn¡¯t yet subsided. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t say anything this time. After allowing her to administer the injection, he went upstairs to sleep for half an hour before he prepared to leave for thepany again. ¡°Sebastian, umm¡­ Since I¡¯ve already given you the injection, I won¡¯t being tonight. My uncle isn¡¯t well, so I have to check up on himter.¡± Right before he left the vi, Sasha cautiously informed him that she wasn¡¯ting at night. In truth, she wanted to go home to check up on her other two children. However, when Sebastian heard that she wasn¡¯ting at night, he turned around and pinned her with a gloomy stare. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 ¡°You may stoping altogether,¡± he enunciated every word and uttered them through gritted teeth while wearing a frosty expression on his face. Sasha was rendered speechless. F**k! ¡°Just ignore him, Mommy. He¡¯s always like that.¡± Unexpectedly, Ian came out just then. Witnessing his father being an insufferable bully again, he put on an icy look and immediately came to his mother¡¯s aid. Sasha instantly broke out in cold sweat. However, Sebastian only shot his son a re before turning to leave. Thank God this a**hole is tolerant toward his own son. Sasha finally loosened up after he was gone. ¡°Little Ian, umm¡­ I won¡¯t being tonight, so be a good boy and don¡¯t forget to eat your medicine before going to bed, okay? I¡¯ll visit you tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ian nodded expressionlessly and went back to his room. Of course, he understood why his mommy wasn¡¯tingter. He had a brother and a sister out there, and he didn¡¯t wish for them to be neglected because of him.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Hence, Sasha picked up the two children from preschool that evening and didn¡¯t go back to the vi anymore. ¡°Mommy, did you go look after that sick boy today? How is he?¡± This was the first thing that came out of Matteo¡¯s mouth aftering back from preschool. Sasha was cooking in the kitchen just then and didn¡¯t think much about her son¡¯s question, so she merely replied, ¡°He¡¯s doing alright. It¡¯s not that serious, so he¡¯s almost fully recovered.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡± Matteo could finally rx after a whole day of worrying. Vivian walked over right then and sprawled next to her brother. ¡°Matt, does that mean Ian¡¯s okay now?¡± ¡°I guess so, but I don¡¯t think we should try to matchmake Uncle Solomon and Mommy anymore. I think Ian got sick because of this.¡± ¡°Ah? Really?¡± Vivian gasped softly. ¡°Yeah, you know how smart he is. When we didn¡¯t let Mommy go there, he must¡¯ve figured out why and started worrying. That¡¯s why he became sick.¡± Matteo was smart as well. After a whole day of thinking, he managed to put two and two together. Hearing her brother¡¯s exnation, Vivian lost interest in the cartoon ying on the television, scooting closer to Matteo with a cute frown on her face. ¡°Then what should we do? Bad Daddy is always so mean to Mommy. I don¡¯t want him to be with Mommy.¡± Matteo fell silent. What else can we do? We can only think of a way to stop bad Daddy from bullying Mommy. Matteo decided to wait until Ian was fully recovered to call him and discuss this matter. It was a cozy and peaceful night for the family of three. The next day, Sasha woke up very early. Her mind was filled with thoughts of her eldest son who was sick. Besides getting up early to bake some pastries, she also made some medicinal soup that could boost his energy, nning to bring everything over to the viter. Matteo had always been a sensible child. When he woke up and saw that his mother was busy in the kitchen, he took it upon himself to put on his clothes and also helped his sister to get ready before walking into the kitchen together. ¡°Mommy, are you cooking this for that boy?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s sick, so I made some soup for him, hoping that he¡¯ll get better soon.¡± When Sasha saw both children fully dressed, she was touched and delighted at the same time. Vivian came over to sniff the pastries just then. ¡°Mommy, are these all for him too?¡± ¡°No, no. Some of them are for the two of you. How could I forget about my two precious babies?¡± Sasha hurriedly exined. Then, she picked up a warm pastry and gave it to her daughter. They were all her children, so of course she would never be biased toward any one of them. Once Sasha made sure they had eaten their fill, she went downstairs while holding Matteo in one hand and Vivian in the other. After sending them to preschool, she rushed to Frontier Bay. ¡°Little Ian, are you awake?¡± Royal Court One was beautiful in the morning, with various types of flowers blooming around the garden. As the sun glowed brilliantly, the entire ce seemed to be enveloped in a golden veil. It was a sight to behold. Sasha entered the vi with the medicinal soup in hand and was about to go upstairs to see her son. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 However, a figure appeared behind her all of a sudden. ¡°Ms. Wand, where are you going?¡± ¡°Ahh?¡± Sasha almost jumped out of her skin, instantly halting in her steps to look behind her as her heart raced with lingering shock. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Berta. I¡­ I¡¯m going upstairs to see if Little Ian¡¯s awake.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going up to see Ian? Ms. Wand, he isn¡¯t awake yet, so don¡¯t disturb him. Also, what did you bring here? Why does it look like that?¡± Berta, who seemed to have materialized out of thin air, didn¡¯t just prevent Sasha from seeing her son. She even poked her nose into Sasha¡¯s business, asking about the things thetter had ced on the dining table. Sasha exined, ¡°Those are some pastries and medicinal soup I brought from home. I personally made them for Little Ian.¡± ¡°Ms. Wand, I¡¯ve told you before that Ian can¡¯t eat outside food. He¡¯s sick, remember?¡± Resentment was written on the housemaid¡¯s face. Sasha started to feel uneasy. ncing at the food she brought, she reigned in her temper and insisted, ¡°I personally made them. There won¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°Who knows? He dide down with diarrhea because of the brownies you made.¡± Sasha¡¯s brows drew together at that. Little Ian fell sick because he ate the brownies I made him? R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only As the possibility surfaced in her mind, she remained motionless on the spot. Of course, she didn¡¯t think that her food itself was the problem since she was confident in her own skills. However, listening to what the housemaid said, she began to suspect that Ian was allergic to certain ingredients. It was a possibility that couldn¡¯t be ruled outpletely. Sasha¡¯s face turned pale, thinking that she had caused Ian¡¯s sickness. ¡°What are both of you doing?¡± Right then, a tall figure descended the stairs, wearing a ck tailored suit over a white shirt. The moment he appeared, the noble and imposing aura he emanated caused Sasha to hold her breath subconsciously. I thought he should be at thepany by now. ¡°Mr. Hayes, Ms. Wand brought food over again. I was afraid that Ian¡¯s condition would worsen after eating whatever she brought, so I was offering her a word of advice.¡± Berta immediately beganining about Sasha to the head of the household. Sasha became frantic. ¡°No, I-I didn¡¯t know that Little Ian fell sick because he ate the brownies I made. I-I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose,¡± she stammered out an exnation, afraid that Sebastian would misunderstand her and never allow her to see her son again. Sebastian narrowed his eyes. His eyes that were always devoid of warmth swept across the food on the table before returning to stare at the woman who had her head bowed. ¡°Who told you that he fell sick because of the brownies?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sasha whipped her head up and stared nkly at the man. ¡°H-He didn¡¯t? But Berta said¡ª¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that, Ms. Wand. I clearly said that the child is sick and needs to be careful of what he eats lest his condition worsens!¡± Berta interrupted her and raised her voice to deny it. Sasha stared at her in wide-eyed disbelief. Wow, look how quickly she changed her statement. Does she think I¡¯m stupid? Sasha went purple with rage. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Since you have so much free time, you should think about how to take good care of him because if something happens to him again, you¡¯ll have to answer to me, Sasha Wand!¡± Sebastian withdrew his indifferent gaze but didn¡¯t do anything else about the matter. A strange feeling slithered into his heart. Although he constantly wanted her to be at his mercy, when he saw the crestfallen look on her face just now, he realized that it didn¡¯t bring him any pleasure whatsoever. Shaking off this peculiar feeling, he strode out the door. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Due to Sebastian¡¯s intervention, Sasha managed to untangle herself from Berta. Without a moment¡¯s dy, she carried the food and went upstairs. ¡°Little Ian, Ms. Nancy is here. Are you awake?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± She was happy to see how obedient her son was. After softly calling out to him, he opened his eyes on the bed and got up with her help. Sasha was more than pleased with their progress. This was a rare heartwarming moment she shared with her son. After dressing Ian up, she coaxed him into drinking the soup she made, causing Berta to grit her teeth in irritation. ¡°Little Ian, let¡¯s go to the garden for a walk, hmm?¡± After Ian finished his breakfast, Sasha noticed that the weather was particrly good. With her son¡¯s health in mind, Sasha thought it would be good to let Ian go out and sweat a little. However, Ian¡¯s face instantly sank. ¡°No!¡± Sasha was taken aback. ¡°Why not, sweetie? Children should exercise more to be stronger. Once you¡¯re all better, you can start going to preschool where you can make lots of new friends who will y with you. Isn¡¯t that fun?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not fun! It¡¯s not fun at all!¡± Sasha never expected that what she said would make things worse. Ian hurled the Transformers figurine in his hand and ran away. Anxious, Sasha got to her feet and went after him. ¡°Ian, don¡¯t run! Wait for me.¡± What¡¯s going on? Why did he be so worked up all of a sudden? Sasha was dumbfounded. She raced after him to his room, nning to coax him. However, he mmed the door before she could reach him and locked her out. ¡°Little Ian? Please open the door. Don¡¯t be angry. Did I say something wrong? Let me in so that we can talk, okay?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you oh-so confident in yourself? What¡¯s wrong? Are things not going well?¡± Berta came upstairs at some point and began mocking her. Sasha was in an irritable mood, and what Berta said was thest straw. Her gaze turned icy as she shot a fierce re at thetter. ¡°One more word from you, and I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s thest thing you say.¡± Berta was stunned, having never seen this side of Sasha. In an instant, fear gripped her as she cowered slightly, feeling a chill travel down her spine. Since when did this woman be so scary?R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Her arrogance was instantly knocked down several notches, and she stuttered, ¡°I-It¡¯s because you mentioned preschool. Ian has always hated going to preschool.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t like it? Why?¡± Sasha was perplexed. He hates going to preschool? Why? I know that he doesn¡¯t like to interact with others, but why doesn¡¯t he like going to preschool too? His condition shouldn¡¯t be that serious. Sasha felt that something was amiss and decided to wait for Sebastian toe home to ask him the reason behind it. However, Sebastian didn¡¯te back all afternoon. Instead, someone else came to visit the vi. ¡°Quick! Tidy the ce up. Mr. Hayes will be here soon, so make sure everything is spotless, or we¡¯ll never hear the end of it from him.¡± Sasha hade down to make lunch for her son when she overheard this. When she saw Berta ordering the housemaids in the garden, she almost missed a step and stumbled down the stairs from shock. Sebastian¡¯s father ising? Oh God! Why all of a sudden? Why wasn¡¯t I told about this? Chapter 54 Chapter 54 What am I going to do? I¡¯m not ready to meet his father yet! Besides, that scum and I agreed that he¡¯d be the one to take me to see his father. That way, I¡¯d have more time to make myself more presentable so that when his father sees that I¡¯m sincere, he wouldn¡¯t be as mad. That was the deal! In her state of panic, Sasha was about to tuck tail and leave. ¡°Ms. Wand, where are you going?¡± ¡°Huh? Umm¡­ I just remembered that there¡¯s something I have to do. I¡¯ll be backter,¡± Sasha formted a response in haste. Yeah, it¡¯s not the right time. I¡¯ll avoid him for now ande back here after he¡¯s gone. However, something seemed off about Berta this time as she tried to make her stay. ¡°Ms. Wand, Mr. Hayes is going to be here soon. Since you saved Ian and have been caring for him all this time, you should stay and meet his grandfather. He¡¯s a nice person, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be very grateful to you when he finds out that you¡¯re his grandson¡¯s savior.¡± The housemaid¡¯s attitude toward Sasha took a hundred and eighty-degree turn. Sasha couldn¡¯t help but feel skeptical. Despite her rising suspicions, there were more pressing matters at hand, and she couldn¡¯t be bothered figuring out Berta¡¯s motives. ¡°No thanks. It¡¯s not a big deal anyway. Well then, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± With that, Sasha put down the bowl in her hand and prepared to leave. Suddenly, Berta rushed over to grab her arm. She was about to stop thetter from leaving when a small figure appeared at the stairs. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ian asked. Having locked himself in his bedroom for the whole afternoon ever since Sasha brought up preschool, he finally made an appearance right then. Although Sasha was delighted to see him, she made sure to approach him carefully. ¡°Little Ian, there¡¯s something I have to do back home, so I need to leave for a while, but I¡¯lle here again at night. Is that okay?¡± Ian remained silent. None of them knew that it wasn¡¯t a coincidence that he hade down at that moment. When he was upstairs, he had actually heard that his grandfather was visiting and noticed the panic in his mother¡¯s voice as she argued with the annoying housemaid. That was why he came down. Why is Mommy so scared? Why is she rushing to go home? Could she be¡­ scared of Grandpa? Is it because she lied about being deadst time, then secretly took Matteo and Vivian with her? There was no change in his expression when he nced at his mother, but a brief momentter, he commanded in an adorable voice, ¡°Don¡¯t let him in!¡± ¡°What?¡± The moment he said that, Sasha stopped in her tracks, and even Berta snapped her gaze to him with a look of shock on her face. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Ian, w-what do you mean? Don¡¯t let who in?¡± ¡°Grandpa!¡± ¡°Grandpa? What? Ian, how could we possibly do that to Mr. Hayes? How can we stop him from entering?¡± Berta instantly rejected, disagreeing with the little boy¡¯s decision. Ian¡¯s face turned gloomy. He then padded down the stairs on his short legs and went straight to the living room to grab the phone. Sasha snapped out of her daze and quickly went over to him. As she neared her son, she found that his call had connected and he was speaking stiffly into the phone. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you toe!¡± Oh my God! Sasha was so anxious she had the sudden urge to pull at her own hair. ¡°Little brat, why don¡¯t you want Grandpa toe? You¡¯re sick, so Grandpa just wants to see you.¡± ¡°No need!¡± Ian¡¯s expression remained stoic as he stubbornly stood his ground. Sasha put her hand on her chest, feeling as if her heart was about to leap out of her throat. In her mind, she was picturing a gray-haired old man holding the phone while clutching his chest in anger. Oh God, will he be p*ssed at his grandson? After they talked on the phone for several minutes, just like Sasha had predicted, Frederick remained adamant as her son failed to stop him froming. Sasha grimaced. After a moment, she squatted in front of her brooding son and cautiously coaxed him, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Little Ian. Just let hime. I will be fine.¡± ¡°Well, I won¡¯t! I don¡¯t wanna see him!¡± Out of everyone¡¯s expectations, Ian abruptly gritted out such shocking words. Did I misunderstand the situation? So my son wasn¡¯t trying to help me at all, but he actually doesn¡¯t want to see his Grandpa? Oh. Sasha was lost for words all of a sudden. ¡°Can you drive?¡± Ian asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Come with me!¡± With that, Ian went upstairs again. Sasha was still confused when he came down once again with something held tightly in his hand. When she took a closer look at it, she was so stunned her jaw almost hit the ground. My dear son, does your daddy know that you¡¯re such a genius? Sasha reacted after a beat and scurried after Ian. Ten minutester, she finally drove a blue and sleek Ferrari out of the vi¡¯s garage, feeling like she was treading on air! Chapter 55 Chapter 55 ¡°Little Ian, howe you have the keys to this car? Mom¡­ I love you to bits!¡± She was so excited that she started babbling incoherently. A nce at the rearview mirror showed the housemaid whose face had gone red from anger outside the vi, but Sasha was too far gone to care. Seated on the front passenger seat, Ian cast a cold nce at her. This car is mine, okay? Silly Mommy! The mother and son duo zoomed out of Frontier Bay in no time, shoving the vi to the back of their minds. ¡°Little Ian, where should we go next? Do you want some good food? Or do you want me to bring you somewhere to y?¡± As the car sped along the road, Sasha¡¯s spirits were lifted considerably, and she started to think about where she could bring her son to have fun since they had already left the vi. Ian¡¯s eyes finally lit up with excitement. Indeed, he rarely came out to y. Even going for a simple stroll happened only once in a blue moon. Every time he went to ces frequented by children of his age, everyone would call him a weirdo and laugh at him when they saw how quiet and introverted he was. Thus, he hated going to preschool and refused to go to crowded ces. His father rarely allowed him to go out as well because of his frail body, and whenever he did, he would make sure Ian was escorted by many bodyguards, which Ian found to be a hindrance. ¡°The amusement park,¡± he finally said the words at the tip of his tongue after remaining silent throughout the whole ride. Sasha shot a furtive nce at her son. Upon noticing the bright gleam in his eyes, she readily agreed to his request, ¡°Alright! The amusement park it is! I will make sure you have fun today. I promise!¡± Then, she floored the elerator and headed straight for their destination. Her curiosity was piqued. Didn¡¯t Ian refuse to go for a walk earlier? I¡¯m sure he knows that there¡¯s gonna be a lot of walking at the amusement park. Then why is he so excited about it? Sasha decided to use this opportunity to understand her son better. ¡­ Sebastian only found out about what happened at Frontier Bay when he returned to his office after a meeting. As soon as he was informed, he mmed the document in his hand onto the table. ¡°How did my father find out about this?¡± ¡°I-I investigated. No one at the vi would¡¯ve dared to speak a word about it, so could it be one of th-the doctors?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Luke stammered as he trembled slightly. The moment he was done, Sebastian uttered in a frightening voice, ¡°Did you leave your brain at home today? Do you really think any of the doctors I hired would dare to breathe a word about it? Investigate this at once and find out who leaked it.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Right away!¡± Luke nodded profusely. What Sebastian said was right. Ever since Frederick¡¯s health deteriorated, no one dared to tell him about Ian¡¯s health condition. Otherwise, death would be the only oue for them. The doctors undoubtedly knew this as well. At that moment, Luke felt that he had indeed left his brain at home. ¡°What about her? Where is she now?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, you mean¡­ Ms. Wand? She¡­ ran away with Ian.¡± ¡°What did you say? Ran away? With my son?¡± As Sebastian whipped his head up, the temperature in the office plummeted drastically, scaring the daylights out of Luke. He hastily exined, ¡°Well, when Ian heard that your father was going to visit, he was very against it. So, he called your father and told him not toe, but of course, your father didn¡¯t listen. Then, Ian¡­ He took the keys to the blue Ferrari you gave him for his birthday and asked Ms. Wand to take him away¡­¡± Cold sweat was dripping down Luke¡¯s forehead because truth be told, this was the first time Ian had done something like this. Sure enough, Sebastian¡¯s expression became even more terrifying, and he exuded a menacing aura that seemed to fill every inch of the office. ¡°And you believe that?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Come again?¡± ¡°He¡¯s only five, but you¡¯re telling me he¡¯s capable of something like this? Then why wasn¡¯t he this bold in the past?¡± Sebastian enunciated each word slowly as anger radiated off his body. Luke did not dare to say a word. So does Boss mean that it wasn¡¯t Ian¡¯s idea but Ms. Wand¡¯s? Oh boy, she is so screwed! ¡°Call¡­ Call that damned woman and tell her if¡­ if she doesn¡¯t bring my son back in¡­ in twenty minutes, I will bury her uncle¡­ and his entire family along with her!¡± Beside himself with rage, pain began to spread through his skull as though a bomb was about to go off in his head. The pain was so excruciating that he wanted so badly to strangle that woman alive at that moment! Sasha Wand, I showed you some leniency and you start acting out already? Very well. Just you wait! ¡­ Sasha and Ian both had a st at the amusement park. Since thetter had never been here before, he had eagerly tried every ride with Sasha. Right then, Sasha glimpsed a shadow of Matteo in him as he finally seemed more like a child of his age. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 ¡°Are you having fun, Little Ian?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Both of them were sitting in a small wooden boat that could seat only a parent and a child. It wasn¡¯t powered by anything and could only move by manually pedaling and rowing the double oars. Hence, when Sasha pedaled, Ian would use his little hands to row the oars. His face was flushed and perspiration coated his forehead, but his beautiful eyes were exceptionally bright, which was a stark contrast to his usual aloof self. Sasha smiled along with him and continued pedaling vigorously, about to bring him to y some more. Just then, her phone rang. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Madam, oh my God. What were you thinking? How could you kidnap Ian and run away like that? Goodness gracious, I really can¡¯t¡­ Please,e back quickly or you¡¯ll be done for!¡± The moment Sasha answered the call, Luke¡¯s frenzied voice reached her ears. Her expression fell as she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? He knows? No¡­ I didn¡¯t kidnap Little Ian. He didn¡¯t want to see his grandpa, so I brought him out with me. That¡¯s all.¡± Oh God, doesn¡¯t she understand the gravity of the situation now? Luke didn¡¯t bother to borate further. Instead, he begged her to quickly bring Ian back and said that if she didn¡¯t, she would never be allowed to see Ian again. Sasha finally came to her senses and brought a very reluctant Ian back on shore. ¡°Little Ian, our fun stops here for today. You just fell sick, so you can¡¯t y too much. Let¡¯s go find Daddy now, okay?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Daddy?¡± Ian was an immensely intelligent child, so he instantly realized that something was off by listening to his mother¡¯s words. However, Sasha would never tell him anything she deemed inappropriate for a child¡¯s ears. After coaxing him a little, she carried him back to the car, and they both left the amusement park, heading toward Hayes Corporation. Twenty minutester, the car drove into the city center and approached Hayes Corporation. Then, it rolled to a stop in front of the skyscraper. After receiving the call from Luke earlier, Sasha didn¡¯t have the inclination to go in whatsoever. From Luke¡¯s tone, she knew for a fact that that man would make things difficult for her if she went up. Unfortunately¡­ ¡°Ms. Nancy?¡± ¡°Oh, alright. I will bring you up, hmm?¡± Sasha snapped out of her trance. ncing at the boy beside her who still looked a little pale and sickly, she alighted the car and brought him down. ¡°Oh, the president¡¯s son is here. Hi, little one. I see you finally have some time toe over.¡± Perhaps because Sebastian often brought Ian to thepany, everyone there knew who he was. As soon as Sasha led him in, the front desk receptionist immediately came over to greet him warmly. Ian never liked speaking, so he merely shot a fleeting nce at her. To dispel the awkwardness, Sasha quickly answered for him, ¡°Yes, his father asked me to bring him here. Is he in his office now?¡± ¡°Oh, yes, yes. The president didn¡¯t go out this afternoon. Oh? I¡¯ve never seen you before. Are you the newly hired nanny for Mr. Hayes¡¯ son? You¡¯re very young!¡± Unexpectedly, the receptionist posed such a question after giving Sasha a once-over. Following that, Sasha¡¯s whole body stiffened. Nanny? Hah! Isn¡¯t that the truth though? She didn¡¯t dare to acknowledge this child as her own at that moment. Besides, no one in this building knew that she was once the president¡¯s wife and would have been the lady boss here because their wedding back then hadn¡¯t even been announced to the public. Sasha lowered her gaze as a self-deprecating smile yed on her lips. Just when she was about to admit to being a nanny, the small hand she was holding abruptly tugged her twice. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Ian¡¯s eyes were extremely hostile as if someone had provoked him. Upon seeing this, Sasha did not waste a second, quickly bringing him to the elevator. Not long after, the front desk receptionist received a notice of dismissal from the Human Resource Department. The reason for her dismissal was because Ian didn¡¯t like her! Sasha brought Ian to the president¡¯s office on the highest floor. ¡°Ahem¡­ Little Ian, why don¡¯t you go in on your own, hmm? I won¡¯t be going with you. Your daddy is inside, so it wouldn¡¯t be very appropriate for me to go in. Is that okay?¡± Sasha¡¯s reluctance to see Sebastian had steadily increased all the way here. Standing right outside his office, she finally sumbed to it. Ian looked at her and agreed, ¡°Okay!¡± Then, he obediently let go of her hand and made his way into the office. Sasha was stunned. No way. That was too easy. He really agreed? He¡¯s usually very clingy. Why is he so obedient all of a sudden? Sasha was rather surprised that her son had agreed so readily, but at the same time, she was beyond delighted at how smoothly things went. She slowly turned around and tiptoed toward the elevator, hoping to quickly leave this ce. ¡°Sasha! Get in here!¡± However, her hopes were crushed when a voice boomed from inside the office. Suddenly, her whole body was frozen to the spot, as if held by an invisible force. How is that scum¡¯s hearing so sharp? Like a meek little girl, Sasha obediently approached his office. ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Hayes.¡± She let out an awkwardugh. Upon stepping into the office, her eyes were immediately drawn toward the man sitting behind therge desk. In the spacious and brightly illuminated office, sunlight poured in through the French windows, creating a halo around his figure. Right then, he looked like a king reigning over his kingdom in his throne, so noble and lofty no one dared to look at him directly. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Sasha subconsciously held her breath and immediately averted her gaze. ¡°Come here, Ian.¡± Sebastian¡¯s eyes did not immediately find Sasha when she came in. Instead, he asked his son toe over first, indicating that he would settle the scores with herter. Ian furrowed his brows and walked toward his father. ¡°Where did you go today?¡± ¡°Nowhere,¡± Ian answered indifferently. Sasha let out a long sigh of relief. Oh, thank God he didn¡¯t say that we went to the amusement park. Otherwise, it would only make that man angrier. However, Sebastian didn¡¯t believe Ian when he noticed all the sweat on thetter¡¯s body. ¡°Then why are you sweating so much? You¡¯re even lying to me now?¡± Ian had no way to refute that. When Sasha realized that things were getting out of hand, she hurriedly stepped forward, forgetting about her own predicament. ¡°Don¡¯t me him. It¡¯s not his fault. We just¡­ went out to y for a bit, but don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t catch a cold. I bought a small towel for him and made sure to wipe off his sweat.¡± Afraid that he would blow up, she quickly added in thest sentence. ¡°Shut up!¡± the man snapped at her in return. He looked like he was a second away from biting her to death with that insidious look on his face. Sasha swallowed hard. Whatever. I¡¯m not going to argue with this scum. Deep down, she knew that it seemed reckless to bring Ian out when he had recently fallen sick. However, his longing gaze at that time made her heart wrench painfully in her chest. As his mother, there was no way she could bring herself to refuse him. Besides, since she was a doctor, she had considered things from all aspects and allowed him to go only after she was certain that no harm would befall him. Luckily, Sebastian found nothing wrong with him after checking his son from top to bottom. Because he perspired quite a lot while ying at the amusement park, his cheeks were flushed a healthy shade of pink, making him glow slightly. Hence, Sebastian¡¯s expression was no longer as grim. ¡°Alright. Mr. Scott will take you up for a shower and get your clothes changed.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Ian agreed sulkily. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Soon, Luke came in to take him to the lounge room upstairs. ¡°Daddy,¡± Ian called out. Sebastian raised his brows in question. ¡°Don¡¯t scold her!¡± Ian sternly said. Out of everyone¡¯s expectations, Ian did not forget about Sasha before being led out of the office. Sasha, who was steeling herself to receive a tongueshing, instantly felt warmth spreading in her heart. ¡°Little Ian¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®Little Ian¡¯ him anymore!¡± Sebastian snapped at her before turning to Luke. ¡°And what are you waiting for? Take him upstairs now!¡± Already fuming, his anger seemed to skyrocket just then. Ungrateful little brat. Did he forget who raised him all these years? After Ian was taken away, silence nketed the office, and Sasha knew that it was time to face the music. I don¡¯t get it. Why is he so angry? All I did was take him out to y for a bit. Sasha decided to break the silence. ¡°Okay, I apologize for what I did. I understand that it was quite inappropriate for me to take him out, but I did it because I saw something today, and I think you owe me an exnation, Sebastian.¡± ¡°What did you say? I owe you an exnation?¡± Sebastian never thought that before he could reprimand her for what she did today, she would question him first. Sasha nodded. ¡°Yeah, why doesn¡¯t he like going to preschool? The weather¡¯s quite good today, so I wanted to bring him for a walk in the garden. But the moment I suggested it, he became very agitated. Then, when I brought up ying with the kids in preschool, he got all riled up and started shouting. Sebastian, don¡¯t you think you owe me an exnation for this? How did a healthy child be like this under your care?¡± Silence ensued. Within a split second, the atmosphere turned almost suffocating. The sun was still shining brightly outside, its golden rays filtering through the windows. However, standing in the middle of the office, Sasha felt as if she was in the dead of winter, so cold that she shuddered involuntarily. What¡¯s going on? Did I say something wrong? There was a gnawing sensation in her chest. ¡°You want me to give you an exnation, is that it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ yes.¡± ¡°Very well, Sasha. I will give you just that. He became like this because you abandoned him back then. Due to his premature birth, he was critically ill and couldn¡¯t speak until he was two years old. He didn¡¯t have a mother, so I was the one who raised him. He¡¯s quiet and withdrawn because there has always been a void in his heart that only his mother could fill, causing him to constantly feel out of ce and insecure wherever he goes. Is this good enough of an exnation for you?¡± Due to the anger coursing in his veins, Sebastian¡¯s chiseled face grew cold, with sarcasm and hostility the only emotions lining his features. As he looked at her, a mocking chuckle escaped his lips, but that rich sound was like a knife stabbing into her heart. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 What did he say? This is all my fault? Sasha was stunned with a buzzing sound in her ears. In an instant, her face drained of all color. She had never thought of this possibility. ¡°What? Nothing to say? Weren¡¯t you acting all righteous just a while ago, using me of not taking good care of your son? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything now? Go ahead, ask me more. I promise that there¡¯s a lot more you don¡¯t know about.¡± Faced with her silence, Sebastian¡¯s tone became harsher. His handsome face seemed to be the biggest mockery of all, and the sight of it seemed to twist the knife further into her heart, causing every cell in her body to scream in pain. Sasha squeezed her red-rimmed eyes shut, enduring the excruciating pain in her heart. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. All of this happened because I abandoned him. I admit that I have failed as a mother, but what about you, Sebastian? Are youpletely innocent? If you hadn¡¯t brought that woman home when my due date was approaching, would things have turned out this way?¡± she refuted. She believed that if she was at fault, then he as a father was to me as well. Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, the man scoffed with disdain. ¡°Are you saying that it¡¯s my fault? Have you forgotten that it was you who shamelessly wanted to marry me? If it wasn¡¯t for you, would something like this have happened? How dare you pin the me on me? All of this sh*t started because of you!¡± A deafening silence shrouded the entire office. The sun continued to shine brilliantly outside, which was a stark contrast to what Sasha was feeling. She felt as if there was a hole in her chest, allowing harsh winds to gush in and chill her to the bone. All that was left in there was her bleeding heart. The pain was so strong that gradually, her heart became numb to it. Why is this happening? Wasn¡¯t what I suffered five years ago enough?¡± Why did Ie here to humiliate myself again? Sasha¡¯s bloodless lips slowly curved into a mirthless smile. ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t have the right to talk to you about responsibility. I was the one who shamelessly married you back then, leading to everything that has happened up till now. It¡¯s my fault, Sebastian. It¡¯s all my fault. If I could turn back time, I¡¯d rather jump off the building with my mother than cling onto you.¡± Her face had gone as white as a sheet. Even then, she looked at him with a smile on her face, one that was filled with regret, as she told him that if given a choice, she would rather die than meet him again. Sebastian¡¯s mind went nk. He had never seen this look on her face, let alone heard her say such words. Why does she look like that? There was once when she loved him deeply. Even when he showed up with Xandra five years ago and she copsed in a pool of her own blood, her eyes still gleamed with sorrow and despair when she looked at him. But now, he couldn¡¯t discern any emotion in them. She was like a deste and barrennd. Besides her paleplexion, her face showed nothing. Like a star winking out of existence, only emptiness remained. Sebastian squeezed the pen between his fingers. ¡°Oh? Mr. Hayes, Ms. Wand, you¡¯re both still here. Umm¡­ Ian is done with his shower, but he doesn¡¯t want to wear his clothes. He wants¡­ Ms. Wand to go upstairs.¡± Just when the temperature in the office seemed to have reached sub-zero, Luke pushed open the door and came in, saying that Ian didn¡¯t want his help in dressing up. Sasha¡¯s face was colorless and her heart had frozen in her chest, but when she heard that her son was looking for her, she regained some semnce of rationality. ¡°Is something wrong with him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not too sure either. He just doesn¡¯t want toe out of the bathroom and keeps asking for you. Maybe his stomach is acting up again?¡± Luke made a guess. Upon hearing this, Sasha¡¯s expression changed drastically. Not bothering to continue arguing with Sebastian, she immediately picked up her feet and left. At the end of the day, she was still a mother. No matter what she was going through, as soon as she heard that something had happened to her child, she locked away all her scars and rushed to find him. ncing at the man behind the desk who was staring after the woman, Luke heaved a long sigh. ¡­ Sasha reached the lounge room upstairs. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Indeed, Ian had ordered Luke to go down and get his mommy because he knew that his daddy would never listen to him and bully his mommy. If Matteo were to find out about this, he would definitely be angry. Hence, Ian had asked Luke to go down. After thetter left, Ian took the opportunity to call Matteo using his smartwatch. ¡°Hello? Ian, is that you?¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Matteo, who was in preschool at that time, had been wanting to give Ian a call. Ever since he heard from his mommy that morning that Ian had fallen ill, he had been feeling guilty and worried. He thought about calling Ian to ask how he was doing. Unfortunately, he did not have the courage to do so, for fear that this brother would not answer his call. Luckily, Ian called him first. Matteo was delighted. ¡°Ian, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know stopping Mommy from going to your ce would cause you to fall sick. Are you okay? I really didn¡¯t mean it. I got upset after seeing Daddy bullying Mommy, and I don¡¯t ever want Mommy to be with a man like him. Ian, do you get me?¡± Matteo apologized to his twin over the phone. After listening to him, Ian paused momentarily before he nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Matteo sounded grateful. ¡°Thank God you understand! That¡¯s great, Ian!¡± ¡°But,¡± Ian had more things to say. ¡°I want to see Mommy too. Matt, can you give Daddy another chance?¡± This was the first time he managed to form several sentences at once. The fact that his tone carried a hint of grief and desperation made it even rarer. Matteo was stunned. Give bad Daddy another chance? Of course he wanted his daddy and mommy to be together. He also wanted to have a father by his side. That way, their family would beplete. But he knew that his daddy was a really nasty man. The other day, Matteo was bursting with anger when he saw him bullying his mommy. Matteo deliberated for quite some time on the phone. Nevertheless, Ian patiently waited for his reply on the other line. In the end, Matteo finally agreed to his request. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll give him one more chance then. But remember, you must not let him bully Mommy again. Also, report to me if anything happens, do you understand?¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ian agreed as well before he hung up the phone with satisfaction. For the first time, there was a faint smile on his usually emotionless face. Sasha knew nothing about the little secret between her two sons. After she came upstairs and noticed that the bathroom lights were still on, she quicklyposed her emotions. Warm light emitted from the gap of the closed bathroom door, and the silhouette of a small figure could be seen crouching on the floor in there. What¡¯s he doing? Is he doing that because he doesn¡¯t feel safe? Seeing him like this, Sasha¡¯s heart wrenched in pain. She sprinted to the sofa and quickly retrieved a set of clothes for Ian to change into. She called out to him outside the door, ¡°Little Ian? Little Ian? It¡¯s me, Ms. Nancy. Can Ie in?¡± ¡°No!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, Ian was actually trying to put on his underwear in the bathroom. He was so nervous that beads of sweat were already trickling down his flushed cheeks. He was not Matteo, who had been independent since he was much younger. Matteo did not require anyone to help him get dressed, among other basic tasks. On the other hand, Ian was the young master of a rich family whose daily routines had been taken care of since he was a baby. Hence, he was not ustomed to getting dressed on his own. Fortunately, after a little struggle, he finally managed to put on his underwear. He did not have to feel ashamed in front of his mommy anymore. Only then did he announce from the bathroom, ¡°You cane in now.¡± Sasha had been waiting anxiously outside. This was the first time she had to personally help her eldest son get dressed. She actually felt both excited and blessed to be able to do so. Moreover, she was worried that he would be scared while he was inside. When Sasha was finally given the green light to enter, she quickly opened the door and burst into the bathroom, holding the stack of clothes in her hand. ¡°Little Ian? You¡­¡± Surprisingly, aftering in, she found that her son had disappeared behind the shower curtain. Only the back of his head could be seen. What¡¯s this kid doing? Suspicion glinted in Sasha¡¯s eyes, and she hurried over to check on him. Standing behind Ian, she asked him gently, ¡°Ian, is there something wrong? Why are you hiding?¡± Ian¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t look!¡± Huh? Don¡¯t look? Sasha finally understood why Ian was behaving so strangely. As she stood there, with her previous confusion vanished, she could not help but chuckle, ¡°So our Little Ian is actually quite shy. That¡¯s alright. Do you see what I have here? I¡¯ve brought you a big bath towel. We¡¯ll wrap you up in this and then get you into some clothes. How does that sound?¡± Sasha waved the bath towel in front of the boy. Behind the shower curtain, Ian stayed quiet. Wrap my whole body? Eventually, his little head poked out from behind the curtain. His face had turned red because of the water vapor in the bathroom. His pair of dark, charming eyes resembled his father¡¯s as they sparkled like that of a vignt kitten. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°Oh, alright, here you go!¡± Sasha then passed the bath towel to him. The experience she had as a mother came in handy. She had already foreseen the situation in the bathroom beforeing in. And so, Ian came out of the bathroom wrapped in the big bath towel. Thanks to her quick thinking, Sasha sessfully helped her son dress up for the first time. Additionally, she also found a good excuse to turn over the underwear he had put on wrongly in the bathroom. After Ian was properly dressed, both mother and son stepped out of the bathroom. ¡°Little Ian, do you¡­ want to stay here?¡± Now that Ian was done with his shower, she thought about leaving again, refusing to stay in this ce a moment longer. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 However, instead of responding to her question, he went to the TV cab in the living room, where he rummaged for arge set of Lego blocks and began to y with them on his own. Sasha was stupefied by his actions. It¡¯s like he¡¯s telling me that he doesn¡¯t want to go back. Now what? Do I¡­ just leave him here? It should be fine if Ian did not want to return. This ce seemed to be fully equipped with everything the boy needed, as though it was exclusively prepared for him. Furthermore, when she brought him here the last time she came over to deliver medicine, hadn¡¯t he stayed with that man the whole afternoon? Hence, Sasha chose to let him be for now. She nned to head downstairs and inform Luke before going back. However, what irked her was that when she came down, not only was Luke not in the president¡¯s office, but the man she loathed the most was also nowhere to be seen. Where did they go? She was getting agitated as she could not find Luke and did not know where he had gone to. What now? Should I go look for him again? Sasha¡¯s frustration was building up. Right then, the phone on Sebastian¡¯s desk rang. Ring, ring¡­ Sasha paused in her tracks for a moment, then turned to leave. It was impossible for her to be bothered with phone calls right now, especially when she did not even want to meet the owner of the office she was currently in or spare the man a nce. So why would she even care about his affairs? All of a sudden, a small figure appeared across from her, ¡°Answer the phone!¡± ¡°What?¡± Sasha whipped her head around, surprised to see her son, who seemed to have followed her without her knowing. Ian looked up at her. ¡°Daddy¡¯s phone calls are very important. We can go home after you answer it!¡± Still holding onto the Lego blocks, the boy stepped into the office. Sasha deliberated with herself. Fine, I¡¯ll see who¡¯s calling so that I can take him home after this. Sasha picked up the phone and greeted, ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello!¡± Surprisingly, after the call got through, the caller on the other end spoke in Jetroinian. Arching her eyebrows, Sasha replied in fluent Jetroinian, ¡°Good day, how can I help you?¡± When the other party heard that Sasha could also speak Jetroinian, they were quite pleased. Meanwhile, the little boy ying with Lego blocks in the room also turned to look at her. Wow, silly Mommy is so awesome! ¡°Good day, Mr. Hayes. I am Matsushima Oka, chairman of Nikkawa-Gen. I would like to inform you that I have received the acquisition contract issued by yourpany and that I agree to sell Nikkawa-Gen to the Hayes Corporation! ¡° The speaker was fluent in Jetroinian too. From the sound of it, he must be a native Jetroinian. When Sasha heard that, she grabbed a piece of paper and a pen to take notes. ¡°Yes, sir. However, I am not Mr. Hayes. He has stepped out at the moment. Would you like me to leave a message for him?¡± Her patience was running thin. And so, Matsushima Oka started, ¡°Alright, thank you, miss. Please deliver this message to him. I have a little request which I hope Mr. Hayes can agree to. You see, Nikkawa-Gen is a family business passed down from generation to generation in the Matsushima family, so I don¡¯t want this family legacy to end like that. After Mr. Hayes¡¯ acquisition, I¡¯d like to use all the funds to buy some of the shares and be one of the new shareholders. Is that possible?¡± The scribbling stopped right then. Are all businessmen nowadays so shameless? It¡¯s like someone asking to upy a room of the house they¡¯ve sold and share part of its ownership. Sasha sneered, ¡°Mr. Matsushima, you have crossed the line with that request. Since you have decided to sell yourpany to the Hayes Corporation, there is no reason for us to make you one of the shareholders, no matter how we look at it. What¡¯s the difference between this approach and looking to the Hayes Corporation for financing needs?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± The Jetroinian man did not expect that the request he made would be summed up by a regr employee so bluntly and urately. In a split second, he got somewhat irritated. Is the Hayes Corporation that great? So much so that even a regr employee knows so much about finance? ¡°Did I say something wrong? You¡¯re selling thepany, and yet you intend to be one of the shareholders yourself. What is this if not financing? Let me tell you, if you really want to raise funds, you don¡¯t need to seek out the Hayes Corporation. Sebastian Hayes is not an idiot. He won¡¯t be fooled by you. You should take your GDP to Wall Street for a spin. Maybe get an analyst who¡¯s willing to help you gain more bang for the buck. Do you hear me?¡± Sasha exined herself clearly, then hung up the phone! Ian was rendered speechless. Is Mommy scolding someone else? Has Mommy just ruined Daddy¡¯s business? I guess it doesn¡¯t matter since he bullied her first. Let this be his punishment then. The little boy withdrew his gaze from his mother and went on to y with the Lego blocks. Ten minutester, Sasha left thepany and returned home with Ian. About three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Sebastian finally returned to thepany after ending a meeting with one of his clients. ¡°Mr. Hayes, we have a problem. The chairman of the Jetroinian machinerypany that we intended to acquire has promptly decided not to sell the firm to us. What should we do now?¡± Sebastian had just returned to the office when thepany¡¯s vice president, who was in charge of marketing, came looking for him while uttering cries of anguish. ording to the vice president, the acquisition project that they had been working on for so many months was suddenly disrupted. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Sebastian frowned. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± The vice president was aggrieved. ¡°I don¡¯t really know. ording to the staff at the Marketing Department, someone by the name of Matsushima personally called up ourpany. He originally proposed the possibility of bing a shareholder after the acquisition. However, the person who answered the phone gave him a scolding and told him to take his GDP to a financial analyst on Wall Street. That way, he could perhaps gain more bang for the buck!¡± Sebastian sank into his thoughts. As he stood there, Sebastian pondered over the statement while he wiggled out of his suit jacket, his eyes twitching uncontrobly. Take their GDP to Wall Street? This is interesting¡­ Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Sebastian returned to his desk, lit a cigarette, and took a long puff. He then tapped on the desk with a slender finger, signaling the vice president to pass him the project document, which he proceeded to review then and there. Several minutester, he finished reading the report and tossed the document onto his desk. ¡°What¡¯s the problem with what she said?¡± ¡°Pardon me, sir?¡± Sebastian¡¯s reaction was so different from his own, so much so that the vice president became baffled in an instant. Sebastian leveled an icy re at him. ¡°The chairman wants to sell hispany, but then he wants to own it too. How is that different from a whore iming that she¡¯s still a virgin? Telling him to take his GDP to Wall Street is a rtively politeeback, in my opinion. If I were the one who answered that call, I would have told him to set his bloody factory and himself on fire!¡± The vice president was certainly not expecting that. For a full five seconds, he stared nkly at the foul-mouthed president before him. He was so flummoxed that he had forgotten what he wanted to say. Is it really that serious? It was merely a matter of letting the old owner be the new shareholder. This had happened in other companies too. So why did it be such a major issue here? The vice president could not understand what was on Sebastian¡¯s mind. But if he had a deeper understanding of finance, he might get the gist of it. Allowing such behavior would be akin to approving the other party¡¯s investment using alternate means. Due to their identity as the previous owner, ording to the rules, they could have many rights as a shareholder after bing one themselves. This was equivalent to putting old wine in a new bottle. Hence, what was the point of the acquisition in the first ce? The vice president eventually left in a fluster. Luke came knocking after he heard about the incident. He was perplexed as to how such an employee existed in theirpany. Who is this haughty person who dared to bicker with a client so tantly? ¡°Mr. Hayes, I¡¯ve talked to the Marketing Department. It wasn¡¯t them, and they have no idea who it was either.¡± ¡°Find that person. Whoever did it has a solid understanding of finance and could be helpful to the company,¡± Sebastian instructed after listening to Luke¡¯s report. He then started burying himself in work. He might have a bad temper, but he would never spare a good talent whenever he came across one. Luke nodded and agreed to carry out the investigation. Just when he was about to leave, he incidentally spotted a piece of paper on his boss¡¯ desk. The message on it was written in anothernguage. ¡°Oh. Mr. Hayes, what¡¯s this?¡± Bewildered, he reached out and picked it up. Sebastian looked toward Luke when he heard a stir. Surprise crept up his face as well. ¡°Jetroinian? Mr. Hayes, I didn¡¯t know you can write Jetroinian. At least, I haven¡¯t seen you do it before. It looks neat! Wow, you¡¯re really talented!¡± Luke was stunned when he realized that it was Jetroinian written on the scrap paper. He regarded his boss in amazement, unable to believe what he was seeing. Indeed, Sebastian had never written Jetroinian in thepany. As a matter of fact, he knew thenguage. He just did not write it much because there was little need for it. Moreover, fewpanies demanded the Hayes Corporation tomunicate in theirnguage. So, exactly who scribbled these Jetroinian words on this piece of paper? More importantly, who had the guts to barge into my office? Sebastian took in the note with solemn eyes, only to find that the words were beautifully written indeed. The handwriting was graceful yet unmistakably firm, as free-flowing as nature intended. Even the Jetroinian trantor recruited by thepany could not write the letters as neatly. As for its content¡­ ¡°Nikkawa-Gen? Acquisition?¡± ¡°What? Mr. Hayes, what do you mean?¡± Luke was instantly shocked when he heard those words. Isn¡¯t this what they were just talking about? It actually happened in Mr. Hayes¡¯ office! In that case, does that mean the call was received and answered here? Oh God! Who could it be? I most certainly wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, and Mr. Hayes just returned to thepany with me. Who else would dare to enter this office? This is the president¡¯s office. Usually, other than Mr. Hayes and I, no one else would dare to enter without permission. Unless¡­ An utterly absurd idea suddenly emerged in his mind. He immediately turned to face the president and found that the man had the same reaction he had. Holding the note between his fingers, the president had stopped talking, but on his face hung a grave expression. He examined the note in his hand before his eyes flitted to the sofa at the other end of the room, where several Lego blocks could be found. Things were bing increasingly strange indeed. How mortifying! This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡­ Meanwhile, Sasha had taken Ian back to Frontier Bay. Just as she expected, by the time she brought Ian back, Frederick was already long gone. Peace was once again restored to the vi. However, there was something odd about the ce. Even the pesky housemaid Berta was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Oh, are you wondering about Berta? Mr. Hayes thought she was getting old and seemed to be cking in her work, so he dismissed her. I¡¯m the new housemaid. You can call me Wendy.¡± The new housemaid seemed nice. Wendy noticed the doubtful look on Sasha¡¯s face and actively exined the story behind her employment to Sasha. Berta has been dismissed? Just as well, I don¡¯t like her very much. Sasha felt a little better. She decided to stay here and apany Ian until it was time to fetch Matteo and Vivian from preschool. Although she hated this ce and did not want to stay for a minute longer, Ian was her child, so as long as he was here, she would endure it no matter how ufortable she felt. Sasha stayed until about four o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Then, she was ready to head back. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 ¡°Little Ian, it¡¯s gettingte. I have to go now.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± came a t response from Ian, who was ying a game in the room. Sasha rose from her spot and proceeded to put on her socks, ready to leave. ¡°So will you being tonight?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You said you woulde over every night to treat Daddy¡¯s illness.¡± Ian¡¯s fingers did not stop tapping on the game controller while his eyes remained glued to the screen. With that listless demeanor of his, if Sasha had not been staying with the boy in the same room, she might have suspected that he wasn¡¯t the one who said those words. Sasha lowered her eyes. For a moment there, she thought about telling him that she would not be coming that night. In fact, she would not being anymore. She didn¡¯t want to treat his daddy¡¯s illness again if she could help it. But as she stood there gazing at the boy¡¯s little head and then at the medicine left on the table, she nodded in the end. ¡°Yes, of course I¡¯lle. You should go to sleep after you put on your pajamas, understand? I wille to check on you as soon as I arrive, alright?¡± The boy remained quiet. He felt embarrassed now that his secret had been discovered. But he nodded in the end before shifting his focus back to the game. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Sasha left the house after that, feeling relieved. Half an hourter, at the preschool in Old Town. ¡°Mommy, finally! There you are! I thought you don¡¯t want us anymore.¡± Reaching the preschool at half-past four was not consideredte. But as soon as she got there, her two little kids came running toward her. They leaped into her embrace and began to whine like the children they were. Well, Vivian did most of the whining. Matteo, on the other hand, just stood in front of his mother, carrying his schoolbag. Sasha instantly cracked a smile. She squatted down and took her two precious kids in her arms. ¡°Now, why wouldn¡¯t I want you two? There¡¯s nothing I want in the world other than the two of you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Vivian was happy to hear that. She gave Sasha a tight hug and kissed her on the cheek. Meanwhile, Matteo merely hugged her. From that hug, the clever boy could sense that something was amiss about their mommy. Her smile seemed rather unnatural. Is it possible that¡­ Mommy went there again today, and something happened? Matteo¡¯s beaming face immediately dimmed. After fetching her kids, Sasha brought them to the supermarket to get some groceries before going home. She had to prepare dinner for them, clean up after that and then make a trip to Frontier Bay, so there was no time to spare. At the thought of going back to that ce, she started to feel upset again. ¡°Matt, I¡¯m going to make dinner. In the meantime, you and your sister should get your homework done, alright?¡± ¡°Sure, Mommy.¡± Having said that, Matteo led his sister to the living room and took out their homework from their schoolbags. He spread out his sister¡¯s homework, got out her pencil which had a butterfly figurine, and ced it nicely in front of her. After that, he whispered into her ear. ¡°Vivi, I have to make a phone call. Do your homework here, alright? Cover for me and don¡¯t let Mommy find out.¡± ¡°Matt, who are you calling? Is it Ian?¡± The little girl¡¯s pair ofrge eyes widened in anticipation. The way her eyshes fluttered made her seem just so much cuter. Matteo nodded. ¡°Yes. I realize that Mommy¡¯s not in a good mood today, so I want to ask Ian if she¡¯s been treated badly at his ce again.¡± ¡°Hmph! Bad Daddy! Alright, call him! If Daddy¡¯s been bad again, then we¡¯re kicking him out of this family!¡± Vivian was definitely Mommy¡¯s loyal fan. When she heard that Mommy was being bullied again, her chubby cheeks flushed red with rage as she pped her little arms about. Matteo hurried to his room to call Ian. But before he could dial the number, there was already a text message waiting for him. He clicked on the message to realize that it was from Ian. Ian: Sorry, Matt. Mommy and Daddy were fighting again, but I¡¯ve already punished Daddy. So they really got into a fight again! Matteo was enraged when he saw the message, so much so that he automatically ignored the word ¡°punish.¡± Matteo: Mommy¡¯s a person, not a thing. Do you think punishing Daddy is enough to settle this? If I beat you up and allow you to punish me after that, does that solve anything? It doesn¡¯t! And there¡¯ll surely be a next time! Ian did not reply after that. After a long while, when Matteo thought that he would not get another response from Ian, the screen lit up. Ian: Then, what do you suggest? Matteo: I won¡¯t believe him again until he really repents his actions. Ian: So, you¡¯re not letting Mommye over tonight? Matteo: That¡¯s right! Silence fell again on the other end. Their interaction hade to a halt. This time, Matteo did not receive any more messages from Ian until Sasha finished making dinner. Is he mad? But there¡¯s no other way around it. This is our mommy here. If we don¡¯t love her, who will? Who else will protect her and treasure her? Matteo came out of the room, feeling upset. Right at that moment, Sasha stepped out of the kitchen with her freshly made food. She was stunned to see her son looking somewhat downcast, so she asked him, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Matt, why the sudden long face?¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Matteo came to his senses and smiled at his mother. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. A cartoon episode¡¯s just ended. The bad guy¡¯s always causing trouble, yet he¡¯s not punished for it. It makes me so mad.¡± The little boy deliberately put on an angry expression. Sashaughed when she heard that. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Matt. The bad guy will be punished eventually. You can find out what happens next when you watch the cartoon tomorrow. Alright now, let¡¯s set the table and get ready for dinner.¡± ¡°Sure, Mommy.¡± Matteo then went to set the table with his sister. Atst, dinner was served. Sasha had prepared the kids¡¯ favorites¡ªhomemade roll, fish and chips, and omelet, to name a few. Although there wasn¡¯t much food, all of them were made with love. The minute Matteo sat down and picked up his cutlery, his thoughts drifted to that message, which he replied just a moment ago. Has Ian tasted any of these before? He felt unhappy again. Buzz¡­ Buzz¡­ ¡°Hello. Who¡¯s this?¡± Sasha was not there to see Matteo¡¯s reaction this time as she was still in the kitchen cleaning up and serving spaghetti for her kids. It was at that moment when her mobile phone suddenly rang. ¡°Hi, Sasha! It¡¯s me, Lucy. Are you free tonight? Your uncle isn¡¯t feeling so well. If you have time, can you come over and have a look at him? I think your acupuncture worked on himst time.¡± Lucy had called. ording to her, Jackson had fallen ill again. It was a chilly evening. With his physical condition, falling ill was quite expected. Sasha peeked at the time on her wristwatch and agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯lle over after dinner.¡± Lucy was happy to hear that. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. In that case, why don¡¯t I go over to your ce? I can babysit the kids. It¡¯s gettingte now, so it¡¯s not advisable to leave them alone at home. What do you think?¡± ¡°Sure, that¡¯ll be great.¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Sasha epted Lucy¡¯s offer. She then hung up the phone and quickly served the spaghetti on arge te. ¡°Matt, Vivi, I need to head over to your great-aunt¡¯s house for a bit. Your great-uncle¡¯s gotten sick again. I¡¯m going to take a look at him. You two stay at home. Aunt Lucy will being overter, is that okay?¡± ¡°Okay, Mommy.¡± Vivian, who had already begun to devour the food, quickly responded with childlike innocence. Matteo had no issue with the arrangement as well. If Mommy¡¯s going to great-aunt¡¯s house, then it¡¯s not me who¡¯s stopping her from going to Frontier Bay. If Ian asks about itter, I can tell him that it has nothing to do with me. As the boy pondered the current situation, relief washed over him. After the three of them finished their dinner, Sasha fetched her medical kit and out the door she went. ¡­ At Royal Court One, Frontier Bay. Sebastian came back earlier than usual that night. It was about seven o¡¯clock by the time he reached home. ¡°Oh, Mr. Hayes. You¡¯re early today.¡± Wendy was surprised by his early return. She was actually not a new housemaid hired from a random agency. Instead, she had been transferred from the Hayes residence to work in the vi. Before Sebastian moved out, she had been in charge of caring for him. So, after Berta was found to be the informant, she was dismissed from Royal Court One, and Sebastian subsequently had Wendy transferred here. Instead of responding to her, he put away his shoes, scanned the house, and asked her about Ian. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s upstairs. Mr. Hayes, you got back just in time. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into that kid. He got angry all of a sudden. I called him down for dinner, but he totally ignored me. When I went to knock on his door, I couldn¡¯t hear a thing. Geez¡­¡± Once she started telling Sebastian about that child, Wendy grew more and more frustrated. Ian could be difficult to deal with at times. His mood swings were unpredictable, and that was not the worst part. More importantly, sometimes he would refuse to talk to anyone, and whenever he got angry, he would lock himself in his room, shutting everyone out. But if he shut everyone out, how could anyone get through to him? Sebastian had juste in from the cold, and his body was just getting warmed up. When he heard about his son¡¯s behavior, he immediately fell gloomy again. Gazing at the stairs leading to the upper level, where only silence greeted him, he proceeded to climb up the steps, one at a time. ¡°Ian? Open the door. It¡¯s Daddy!¡± The door to Ian¡¯s room on the second floor was shut tight as expected. After Sebastian got up there, he repeated what he did thest time by trying to use his fingerprints to enter the room. Clearly, Ian had not forgotten about it, for the door was locked from the inside. What¡¯s up with this kid today? Don¡¯t tell me Sasha¡¯s bothering him again. Sebastian was already exhausted after a day¡¯s work and had no time for this. His knitted eyebrows added a hint of menace to his grim expression. ¡°Ian, open the door this instant! If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m going to be very angry! And you know what happens when I¡¯m angry! There¡¯ll be serious consequences!¡± The room remained silent. Eventually, after he waited outside the boy¡¯s room for about two minutes, a click sound came from inside the room; Ian had unlocked the door. With that, Sebastian gave the door a push. He wanted to have a proper heart-to-heart with his son to find out what had happened to him. ¡°Ian?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ever keep your promises?¡± The kid, who stood in the middle of the room, was still in the same set of clothes he had worn during the day. The only difference was the expression on his face. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 As Ian lifted his head to stare at Sebastian, the man actually saw traces of anger and resentment in his eyes. He had never seen his son like that before. Resentment? Does Ian resent me? Does he hate his own daddy? Sebastian¡¯s temper finally rose at that thought. His face darkened as he loomed over his son. ¡°What do you mean I don¡¯t keep my promises? What did I do now?¡± ¡°You scolded her!¡± ¡°Who? Sasha? After all this time, you¡¯re still defending her! Yes, I scolded her. What about it? Have I promised you that I won¡¯t argue with her? Ian, have you forgotten that you¡¯re my son? Have you forgotten that I was the one who raised you?¡± When Sebastian finally came to a realization, an overwhelming pang of jealousy exploded within him, and he couldn¡¯t help but bellow at the child in a loud voice. Ian was utterly frightened! He had never seen his father so scary before. The boy¡¯s face turned pale as tears began to flow out of his beady eyes that were still ring at his daddy. ¡°I hate you! I don¡¯t ever want to see you again!¡± With as much strength as he could muster, he tossed the toy he had been holding in his hand at his father. Then, he darted to his bed, where he proceeded to wrap himself tightly in the nket. Sebastian was dumbfounded. It took some time for him toe to his senses. After that, he turned to look at the bundle on the bed, where a child¡¯s whimpering could be heard. How he wished to p himself in the face at that moment! Sebastian, what were you thinking? Are you crazy? How could you lose your temper in front of your son! He¡¯s just a child! He took several steps forward and stood by the bedside as he contemted his next move. Then, he leaned in and sat down next to the little bundle. ¡°Ian, I¡¯m sorry. I was wrong for losing my temper and yelling at you. More importantly, I shouldn¡¯t have broken the promise I was supposed to keep. Can you forgive me?¡± There was no reply. The bundle did not budge. It seemed like the child was really hellbent on ignoring him. Sebastian could not help but feel an ounce of regret. Frankly, his son was never a crybaby to begin with. Perhaps because of his character or because Sebastian kept instilling in him what it meant to be a man, the boy rarely showed his vulnerable side in front of other people. He was like a precocious kid who matured too fast. At the age of five, the times he had cried could be counted using the fingers on one hand. However, the little boy was currently wrapped up in his nket, crying his heart out. Sebastian was beyond guilty. He got increasingly frantic the longer Ian refused toe out of his fort. So, he decided to open up the nket himself. ¡°Ian, pleasee out. I promise you that I will never argue with¡­ Ms. Nancy again, alright?¡± Sebastian hoped his coaxing would work. Indeed, that seemed to satisfy the kid, for the crying gradually stopped. ¡°Do you¡­ really mean it?¡± Sure enough, the little guy lifted the nket almost immediately. It was clear as day that, while he was hiding in there, tears had streamed down his face while snot ran down his nose, the sight of which completely upended his past image. Sebastian¡¯s eyes twitched slightly as he took in his son¡¯s face, but he suppressed his emotions. ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t quarrel with her for no reason anymore. We had a disagreement today because she took you out when you were still recovering from your illness. I was worried, so I merely reminded her what she shouldn¡¯t have done.¡± Ian sniffled. His teary eyes had reddened like a rabbit¡¯s. However, he did not shed any more tears. Sebastian took this as a sign that the boy had chosen to believe him, so he pulled him out from under the covers and into his arms. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get you washed up. It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s already mad.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Ian blurted that out of nowhere, Sebastian was unable to make head or tails of what the boy meant. It was not until he found the little fellow standing by the bathtub, with his head drooping once again, that he realized what was going on. Is he talking about his mother? What about her? Is she noting over tonight? Right then, the hand that was testing the temperature of the water in the bathtub froze midair. A glint of grimness shed across his eyes when he thought about the reason why he came home so early. ¡­ Sasha had to stay at her uncle¡¯s house until it was close to ten at night. Jackson¡¯s health problem was nothing new. Initially, his condition got better after Sasha treated him. Momentster, his daughter, Xenia, popped by. When she saw Sasha, she began to mock the doctor. And that was how Jackson lost his temper. As a result, his blood pressure rose, and Sasha had to stay back to look after him. ¡°Sasha, you know, you don¡¯t have to be so kind. He¡¯s my father, not yours. It¡¯s futile no matter how nice you are to him. There¡¯s not much value to be squeezed out of him anymore.¡± Xenia struck a conversation, albeit with stinging mockery, when she noticed that Sasha was still treating Jackson¡¯s illness despite thete hour. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Sasha merely furrowed her brows, opting to ignore her. She had not seen Xenia in five years. Contrary to their rtionship now, the two used to get along really well in the past. When they were children, Sasha used to visit the Wand family often to spend time with Xenia. She even requested her father to enroll her in Xenia¡¯s school. They were not sisters by blood, but their rtionship had been closer than that. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 But since when had she be like this? R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Was it when the Wand family became bankrupt? Was it when Sasha had no choice but to stay with the ckwoods for a year? Or was it when, in spite of Sasha¡¯s family¡¯s bankruptcy, Frederick let her marry his son? She had no idea. All she knew was that Xenia¡¯s attitude towards her became unbearable after Sasha returned from the dead. ¡°How is it, Uncle Jackson? Do you feel any better?¡± ¡°Yes, much better. You should head home, Sasha. It¡¯s gettingte.¡± In no mood to listen to any more of his daughter¡¯s constant nitpicking, Jackson wanted to send his niece away as soon as possible. Sasha nodded, packed up her medical kit, and wanted to leave. ¡°Are you in such a rush because you¡¯re going to meet that guy again? You really can¡¯t teach an old dog new tricks, huh. You have already died once ande back to life, yet you¡¯re still choosing to get involved with that man?¡± Xenia started scoffing again, her words were even more unpleasant than before. If anyone else witnessed her like this, they would never be able to tell that she had received the highest levels of education. At the end of her tether, Sasha red at her cousin. ¡°Could you please watch your mouth? Since when I have gotten involved with that man?¡± ¡°Watch my mouth? Do you think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯ve been going to Frontier Bay every day, and have been asking Mrs. Grint to look after your kids at night? Isn¡¯t that because you went crawling back to him? Do you keep ncing at your watch because you¡¯rete for your session with him? Go on, then! Rush off and go to him, you slut!¡± Sasha grew red in the face with anger. ¡°You¨C¡± She never dreamed that Xenia would dare to say such horrible things. Since when did she be such a vile person? Is this still the Xenia I once knew? Sasha felt a raging fire grow inside of her, but tried to put it out for Uncle Jackson¡¯s sake. ¡°What are you talking about? I only go over to see my son, so don¡¯t try to twist the truth.¡± ¡°Your son? Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough! Did youe back just to get into an argument, Xenia? If you¡¯re going to keep this up, I want you to leave! You¡¯re just making a fool of yourself!¡± Jackson interrupted, standing up from his chair and scolding Xenia loudly. Xenia bristled like a cat that had just been sshed with cold water. ¡°I¡¯m making a fool of myself? Jackson ckwood, are you blind? Who¡¯s the real ck sheep here? She was the one who made a huge fuss about wanting to marry that man. Then, she was kicked out of the house a yearter while pregnant, making us aughing stock! We didn¡¯t even dare to show our faces in public for five years because of her, and you¡¯re calling me the fool?¡± Screaming her head off, Xenia scowled venomously at Sasha as if wishing she could personally chop her up into a hundred tiny pieces. All the blood drained from Sasha¡¯s face. That hit a nerve. Even today, she still felt tremendously guilty for dragging the ckwood family into her mess all those years ago. It was exactly this feeling of guilt that usually held her back from retaliating, always taking whatever Xenia said in stride. Sasha¡¯s fingernails dug crescent-shaped indents into her palm. Fortunately, Sharon happened to exit her room right before Sasha was about to unleash all her frustration on Xenia. ¡°Xenia, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind? Who said you could shout at your father like that?¡± Sharon reprimanded loudly. Only then did Xenia finally shut up. Breathing a small sigh of relief, Sasha¡¯s grip loosened. ¡°Aunt Sharon¡­¡± ¡°That goes for you too. Next time, don¡¯te over without a valid reason. This house isn¡¯t a boxing venue.¡± Sasha lowered her head and nodded, not wanting to upset Sharon further. Sasha didn¡¯t me Sharon for her reaction. After all, she was the one who was indebted to this family. Regardless of whatever they said or did to her, she would always forgive them for it. But she was taken aback when Sharon followed up her previous statement by saying, ¡°Xenia may have sounded a little harsh, but some of what she said was true. You were already hurt once by that Sebastian man, so you should learn your lesson and not go back to him again. Once bitten twice shy. Learn to have self-worth, understand?¡± Sasha felt the knife that was already deep in her chest twist into its wound a little more. She started clenching her hands by her sides. I¡¯m not going back to Sebastian. I know my self-worth. I¡¯m only getting involved with him now because he has my son that I left behind! Soon, her vision started blurring, she held back the well of indignant emotions as she walked out of the house. With the cool breeze and light rain of the night caressing her face, she made her way to a bus stop where her legs finally gave out. Sitting on her haunches, the dam of tears broke. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Sasha wasn¡¯t sure how long she squatted there crying at the bus stop, but at some point, the light rain had turned into a downpour and drenched herpletely. Spotting her, someone quickly approached. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Miss, are you alright? It¡¯s so cold out here, and it¡¯s raining too. Don¡¯t you want to go home?¡± At the sound of the stranger¡¯s voice, Sasha slowly raised her head which she was resting on her knees. The stranger was a middle-aged woman in her forties, wearing a thick, padded-down jacket that had lint at the hems. Even from a distance away, Sasha could tell smell the odor of oil and smokeing off the woman. She had to be a stay-at-home mother or housewife. Shaking her head, Sasha sniffled. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Then, you should hurry back home. There¡¯s probably someone waiting for you, right? Did you miss the bus? I¡¯m telling you, youngdy, there are no buses thate around here at this time. I¡¯ll help you wave down a taxi,¡± the woman offered kindly. ¡°There¡¯s really no need¡­¡± Sasha hurriedly shook her head, waving her hands in front of her. The woman seemed to notice the sadness on Sasha¡¯s face, she sighed as she offered some words of advice. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve been through a lot, kiddo. It¡¯s alright. You¡¯ll always run into problems in life, but the most important thing is that you get back up and face them head-on. Think of the people who loves you and waiting for you, alright?¡± Sasha¡¯s mind nked. The people who is waiting for me? How could I have forgotten? There¡¯s someone waiting for me. Even if my parents are gone and I¡¯m estranged from my rtives, I have my kids waiting for me back home! There¡¯s no one who needs me more than them! Sasha ced a hand on the floor to push herself upright, stumbling slightly as if having woken up from a deep slumber. ¡°I understand now. Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Hurry along, then.¡± The middle-aged woman smiled, shifted the bags in her arms, and started hurrying back to her own home. Sasha¡¯s lips were already blue from the cold as she stuck a trembling arm out, waiting for a taxi to notice her. I have to get to my son. He¡¯s waiting for me. It was gettingte. The rain grew heavier with every passing moment, and Sasha didn¡¯t feel any warmer even though the taxi¡¯s heater was turned on. Pulling her clothes tighter around her, she tried to look for something to dry off her damp hair. It was only then did she realize that she¡¯d left the house in such a rush, the only thing on her right now was her medical kit. Never mind. I wonder if Ian¡¯s already asleep by now? Staring out of the window, she couldn¡¯t help but worry. Fortunately, due to thete hour, there wasn¡¯t a lot of traffic on the road. The drive to Frontier Bay was only twenty minutes. ¡°Miss, we¡¯re here.¡± The driver had never been to this famous residential area full of rich people before, so he couldn¡¯t help but take a good look at Sasha through the rearview mirror. Not only did the sight of her bedraggled appearance let him down, she even had to scrounge up money for the taxi fare. Sasha got down from the taxi. Turning towards the mansion, she saw that it waspletely dark except for a fewmps lighting up the garden. Does that mean Little Ian is already asleep? Standing outside with only an umbre above her head, she considered walking away. She¡¯d only insisted oning here at such ate hour because she¡¯d promised Ian that she woulde and visit him at night. If she didn¡¯t show up, he might refuse to sleep and wait up in his bedroom in thin pajamas, just like before. Then, he ended up getting sick. What about now? Sasha stared at the mansion for a long while, making sure that there were no signs of life before finally mustering up the courage to walk away. ¡°Dr. Wand? Dr. Wand!¡± Someone suddenly called out to her. Who is that? Sasha whipped around, staring curiously at the person. ¡°Wendy? Is that you? Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± ¡°Oh, I am waiting up for you! Thank goodness you made it.¡± Wendy was out of breath and wet from the rain as she ran out of the house, but there was also a bright smile on her face like she¡¯d justpleted a mission of sorts. Is Little Ian really still awake? Her heart leaping into her throat, Sasha followed Wendy in without another word. The two of them entered the mansion. Sasha quickly noticed that the downstairs living room was still brightly lit, but the rest of the house was empty, with no sign of Ian to be found. Where is he? Turning towards Wendy, Sasha asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the kid?¡± Chapter 67 Chapter 67 ¡°Huh? The kid? Do you mean Ian? He¡¯s asleep, why?¡± Wendy was busy looking for a dry towel, having noticed Sasha¡¯s soaked hair and clothes and afraid that she was going to catch a cold. Sasha blinked owlishly. Ian is asleep? Then, why is Wendy still waiting up for me¡­? ¡°Found it! Dr. Wand, please dry yourself off with this first. I¡¯ll make some chicken soup for you before you go off to the third floor.¡± ¡°The third floor?¡± ¡°Yes. You came here to do acupuncture on Mr. Hayes, didn¡¯t you? I think he¡¯s still awake, although I haven¡¯t seen hime out of the study since he first went in. You should hurry up and see him before he goes to sleep, and then you can go home early too,¡± Wendy exined as she handed Sasha the towel, ushering her up the stairs. Sasha just remained quiet. Wendy had merely made her own choice to wait up for her. Maybe it was Berta who, before leaving, had told her that Sasha woulde over every night to provide medical care for that scum. Should I go up? Sasha didn¡¯t want to budge an inch, feeling especially drained when she recalled how they¡¯d fought in his office that morning. Other than disgust, she realized that she could find no word to describe her emotions towards him. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Dr. Wand?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sasha sighed. After all, she had promised her son that she would help to treat his Daddy. Sasha trudged up the stairs with heavy footsteps. On the third floor. in fact, Sebastian was still awake and currently having a video conference with some of the higher-ups from hispany. It was the middle of the night. If Sebastian chose to have this kind of video conference at this ungodly hour while he was still sick, his colleagues would understand. After all, he had to share the pain of not being able to sleep at night with someone, even if it meant torturing his subordinates. But he was apparently receiving treatment for his illness, and the treatment was effective! So why is he still doing this? Doesn¡¯t he think that he¡¯s being too unreasonable? ¡°Uh¡­ Mr. Hayes, my son is crying, may I go feed him?¡± Having had to sit through the meeting for two hours straight, one of the higher-ups finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore and bravely raised a hand up in front of the camera. The meeting instantly went quiet. On the other side of theputer, Sebastian¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You¡¯re not a woman. Why do you need to feed your child?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that, Mr. Hayes. My wife has been carrying my son and trying to get him to feed him for two hours, but she has not eaten anything. So nothing ising out and I need to try and feed him some form milk.¡± There was a full five seconds of silence before Sebastian growled out, ¡°Scram!¡± The new father happily left the meeting as ordered. Almost instantly, everyone else started following suit, their eyes sparkled with hope as they started to speak up. ¡°Mr. Hayes, may I go take a shower?¡± ¡°Mr. Hayes, I¡¯d like to leave for a second. My wife has been calling for me andining that she¡¯s cold. Can I go warm the bed for her?¡± Just as everyone thought their boss was going to start breathing fire through the screen like a dragon, they heard a knock through Sebastian¡¯s video camera. ¡°Sebastian Hayes? Are you there?¡± What? ¡°Sebastian Hayes¡±? Who dares talk to Mr. Hayes like that? And to call him by his full name, too? Who is that? Not even the boss¡¯ future wife, Xandra is that casual with him. So who could it be¡­? Everyone¡¯s eyes widened,pletely forgetting the racket they had caused. Unfortunately for them, Sebastian immediately mmed theptop shut in the next second. Sasha, standing outside his door, had nned on knocking once and then leaving if there was no immediate response from him. It was already hard enough for her toe this far. But she didn¡¯t expect to instantly hear the sound of a chair being scraped against the floor, followed by the door opening from the inside. A warm light illuminated Sebastian from behind, and she could see cream-colored walls and wooden furniture when she looked past him. The study was clearly designed with a warm-toned palette in mind, completely different from the rest of the house. He was also wearingfortable, casual clothing that contrasted starkly with his usual cold and stern demeanor. ¡°I¡¯m here to help with your acupuncture treatments. Since you¡¯re not asleep yet, we should get it over with as soon as possible.¡± Sasha avoided looking at him, her tone was cold and hollow as if talking to a stranger. She was just doing her job as a doctor, and he was just her patient. Sebastian¡¯s mood worsened at the sight of her expression. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 ¡°What happened to you?¡± Sebastian¡¯s gaze swept over her wet hair and rumpled clothes. Sasha was still wearing the same clothes from when she went to his office in the afternoon. They weren¡¯t particrly special clothes, but at the very least they were clean and dry. Was she robbed or something? Why does she look like this? And what¡¯s wrong with her face? Sebastian looked at her closely with a more critical gaze. Her appearance was rather presentable. Although she wasn¡¯t as pretty as Xandra, her features were still fairly attractive in their own right. Her eyes stood out especially, looking bright and clear like jewels sparkling under the moonlight. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. But now, those eyes were swollen and red. What happened? ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The wind was really strong when I wasing in,¡± Sasha exined curtly. She didn¡¯t stop to consider if his question was out of concern for her. After all, why would he be? What a joke! He was probably just scared that she might lose control of her emotions again and disturb his work, or something else along those lines. Brushing a stray lock of hair aside, she asked impatiently, ¡°Have you decided where you want to be while you I perform the procedure on you?¡± He felt a sh of anger at the woman¡¯s ignorance but decided to show no sign of it as he left the study without another word. Sasha following behind him. Two minutester, they arrived at arge bedroom decorated entirely in monochrome colors. As they walked in, Sebastian picked up a remote control and turned on the heater. Sasha suddenly did a double take. Is this his bedroom? She instantly grew uneasy and disgusted, remembering that another woman used to sleep in this very room. But what puzzled her was that when Sebastian went to the closet to take a nket, Sasha only saw rows of men¡¯s shirts and suits. She didn¡¯t seem to spot a single piece of female clothing. Huh? As she tried to take another look, a white towel was suddenly flung in her direction. ¡°I don¡¯t have any women¡¯s clothes, so dry your hair off with this.¡± Pausing for a moment, Sebastian seemed to realize that his gesture seemed a little too caring for his taste. ¡°Don¡¯t fall sick and pass it on to the kids!¡± Sasha stood unmoving for a moment before finally cing the towel over her head, and slowly drying her hair. She knew that people were more prone to fall sick after standing in the rain, especially during this time of the year. Even though she escaped death a few years ago, she had given birth to three premature babies at once. As a result, her health was already severelypromised, and her body might not be able to handle a simple illness. So, she wasn¡¯t really in a position to refuse him. With the rising temperature in the room and her hair finally dried, Sasha felt much morefortable. She picked up her medical kit and walked towards Sebastian, who was lying on the sofa. ¡°Have you slept today?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What about your medication?¡± ¡°I have taken it¡­¡± Just like a normal conversation between a doctor and a patient. Holding her hand out, Sasha said, ¡°Your arm, please. I need to check your pulse.¡± He turned his head slightly to stare at her outstretched hand. Her slim, pale fingers were slightly red at the joints. After a long while, he finally stretched his arm out. This was a very strange feeling. He still saw her as the neen-year-old girl he married several years ago. Back then, as soon as she first set eyes on him, she¡¯d stumbled all over herself and was too shy to even look him in the eye. Since when did she be so¡­ cold? As she gripped his arm, Sebastian couldn¡¯t sense a single trace of the fear and nervousness she once had. ¡°When did you learn to do all this?¡± ¡°What?¡± Sasha¡¯s eyes darted towards him, still focused on taking his pulse. ¡°Do you mean this?¡± ¡°Yes. I remember that you didn¡¯t study medicine. How do you know how to do all this?¡± Sebastian¡¯s gaze fell on his wrist. There was still a hint of leftover coolness on his skin from where Sasha had taken his pulse. It wasn¡¯t arge area nor very cold, but there was a little sensation on the small spot of flesh. ¡°Have you forgotten that Ie from a family of doctors? My mom studied under my grandfather ever since she was young. Then, she inherited his legacy after she grew up. If she hadn¡¯t married my father, she would likely be set to inherit the ckwood family business right now,¡± Sasha told him, her tone slightly sour as she pulled out a long needle from her kit. Sebastian coughed awkwardly. He had, indeed, forgotten that her Uncle Jackson and his family were running a healthcare business. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Unfortunately, Jackson was not interested in the family business at all. Hence, the once sessful ckwood familypany was slowly declining under his management. If it weren¡¯t for the intervention of his wife, Sharon, there was no telling what thepany would look like now. Sebastian decided to stop prying into Sasha¡¯s life and just wait for her to finish the procedure. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Almost immediately, there was a sh of pain that struck his head, quickly followed by a numb sensation spreading all the way down his body. Sasha gave him a cold sidelong nce. ¡°Bear with it!¡± Damned woman. I never said I couldn¡¯t take it. A few needlester, the painful throbbing in his head subsided considerably. Finally feeling at ease, Sebastian¡¯s mood lightened and he continued to ask her questions. ¡°Besides this, what have you been doing while you were out of the country in the past few years? I mean academic achievement.¡± ¡°Academic achievement?¡± Sasha chuckled dryly. ¡°Mr. Hayes, I¡¯ve been solely focused on surviving for the past few years. I wasn¡¯t on vacation, nor did I have time to pursue an academic degree.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that after failing the university entrance exam all those years ago, you never resumed studying after leaving the country?¡± ¡°Yep, I never continued studying. My education level is still at the high school level. So what about it? Do you regret letting me into your fancy, schmancy house? And you even let me treat your illness.¡± Sasha retorted, her tone was sharp and defensive as she set down the needle. She hadn¡¯t studied once in the past five years. She barely had the time to do so while taking care of two babies. Of course, her top priority when bringing her children to a foreignnd would be surviving. Where would she find the time to study? This man would never understand all the pain and the suffering she had to go through for those five years. Besides, she gave up on her academic career not because she didn¡¯t pass the university entrance test, but because she wanted to marry him! She¡¯d secretly tore up her eptance letter to Yartran¡¯s most famous School of Economics, as well as the full schrship that she had rightfully earned. The needle in Sasha¡¯s hand was nearly bent from how strongly she was gripping it. Sebastian didn¡¯t think she would get so worked up over the subject. He¡¯d only asked her some questions in order to confirm something. But why did she lose her temper all of a sudden? Does she me me for not getting into university? What a crazy woman! Sebastian¡¯s expression clouded over and he stopped talking. But he didn¡¯t need to continue with his questions. Unbeknownst to him, Sasha would soon leave behind a piece of paper that she¡¯d written his prescription on, and her handwriting on the paper would match the Jetroinian handwriting on the paper she¡¯d left at his office during the daytime. What else is this woman hiding from me? Sebastian slowly grew dizzier with every passing moment. Sasha was still agitated from all the quarrels she¡¯d been through that day. She quickly set down the written prescription on a table and packed up her bag to leave. She¡¯d had enough of this hellish ce and never wanted toe back. But just as she was getting up, Sebastian suddenly opened his mouth and said, ¡°Your request about letting Ian go to preschool. If you can find a way, I¡¯ll let you try it out.¡± Huh? Sasha stopped in her tracks. She would always grow soft as soon as her children were involved. It didn¡¯t matter how indignant she felt, or how much pain she was in. ¡°Are you¡­ serious?¡± ¡°Yes, but you need to keep me updated on what exactly you are nning to do! Ian has already expressed that he¡¯s against the idea. If you use any inappropriate methods and end up hurting him, then you can never see him again!¡± Due to the treatment, he was slowly starting to trip over his words as hey there with his eyes closed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t. I¡¯m a doctor, so I understand that at the very least,¡± she instantly reassured. She was trying to remain as calm as possible, but if one listened closely, they would be able to hear that the underlying hatred and impatience that was in her voice earlier was no longer present. Now, she was clearly more energized. Sebastian let out a huff, then finally drifted off to sleep. Sasha¡¯s mind nked out. After her constant state of distress throughout the night, her brain needed some time to catch up with the happiness of the sudden surprise. It took her nearly a minute to process the new information before jumping up from the stool and giddily twirling around in circles. ¡°I¡¯m so happy, Little Ian! Mommy gets to bring you to preschool now!¡± A genuine smile appeared on Sasha¡¯s face for the first time that entire day. Even though she was still tired and fatigued, relief overwhelmed her as if she had finally grabbed ahold of a floatation device after having drifted at sea for hours. Sometimes, a mother¡¯s happiness was just that simple. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Sasha went back home in high spirits. Due to thete hour, her two children were already asleep when she arrived. She went into the nursery to give them both a kiss and then went to take a shower. It was a quiet night. The next morning, Sasha was woken up by amotion outside her room. ¡°What about Mommy?¡± ¡°Shh, Mommy¡¯s not awake yet. She must havee home verytest night. Go get dressed quickly, I¡¯ll cook some eggs for you.¡± Those were the voices of her two children. Sasha¡¯s eyes open immediately and she bolted out of bed and rushed out, yelling, ¡°Matt, don¡¯t touch the stove! It¡¯s too dangerous! Mommy will do it!¡± Even though her son was quite independent and responsible for his age, he was only five years old. She couldn¡¯t let him attempt to operate a stove of all things. Thankfully, both kids had yet to start doing anything. With that, Sasha started rushing about cooking breakfast and making sure her kids were well-fed. Suddenly, she remembered that Ian also had to go to preschool starting today. ¡°Come on, sweeties. Let¡¯s go to school quickly,¡± she told them, hurrying them out the door. ¡°Okay,¡± they replied. But Matteo wanted to ask her if she went to Frontier Bay yesterday. He had texted Ian using his smartwatch yesterday after she left, but that boy didn¡¯t even reply to any single one of his messages! Is he really mad at me? Matteo was a little worried. About ten minutester, the two kids arrived at their preschool. ¡°Bye, sweeties! Mommy wille earlier in the afternoon to pick you up!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Okay, Mommy!¡± Her two children obediently waved her goodbye. But once she was out of sight, the two of them went to find a corner in the preschool to hide in. ¡°Matt, look! Mommy¡¯s here!¡± Vivian cried out. She had sharp eyes, and she spotted Sasha¡¯s signal tracker pop up on the screen of Matteo¡¯s tablet as soon as she sat down. Matteo found the signal too and stared silently at it until it eventually stopped moving. ¡°Frontier Bay? Mommy went there again?¡± ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t that where mean Daddy lives? Why did Mommy go there? Isn¡¯t she scared that Daddy will bully her again?¡± Vivian¡¯s chubby face scrunched up with worry as soon as she heard her brother¡¯s words. Matteo¡¯s eyebrows were also furrowed. He had no idea what had been going on for the past two days, and Ian refused to reply to his texts. Should I go over and take a look for myself? The idea nted itself in the little boy¡¯s mind¡­ Sasha rushed all the way to Frontier Bay. Unfortunately, it was already past nine o¡¯clock when she arrived. To make things worse, Sebastian hadn¡¯t left for work yet. He sat on a chair in front of the main entrance with his legs crossed as if he was waiting for her specifically. Slightly apprehensive and out of breath, Sasha approached him. ¡°You¡­ You haven¡¯t gone to work yet?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m waiting for you?¡± Those words that came out of his mouth were cold and hostile. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. There were just too many cars on the road and I got stuck in the morning traffic. I had to wait for a long time before I could get a taxi. The road on the way here was jammed as well¡­¡± she exined, panicking. She really hoped that she hadn¡¯t thrown a wrench into their ns after Sebastian had finally agreed to let Ian go to preschool. But Sebastian refused to listen to her exnation, uncrossing his legs and standing up straight to tower over her. ¡°You¡¯ve lost your chance, Sasha! You can¡¯t even be punctual! How am I supposed to trust you to resolve our kid¡¯s problems?¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 He turned and walked away with a dour expression on his face. Sasha dashed over anxiously with the intention of exining to him. However, a loud ¡®bang¡¯ sounded out from inside the vi in the next moment. What happened? Her eyes immediately darted to the man. She saw that his expression had changed, and he briskly marched over to the door. ¡°What are you doing, Ian? Open the door now!¡± Oh my god, it¡¯s Little Ian! Sasha¡¯s heart started pounding at a breakneck pace as she started to run. When she reached the second floor, she saw that there was already someone there. A woman was knocking on the closed door of the nursery and pleading, ¡°Pleasee out, Ian. We won¡¯t take you to preschool. Please don¡¯t lock yourself in there ande out, okay?¡± It was Wendy. It turned out that the child had started throwing a tantrum from the moment that he heard Wendy say that he had to go to preschool that day. He pushed her away while she was trying to dress him and violently mmed the door shut. What to do now? Once Sasha understood the situation, she started to panic. Frankly, she had anticipated something like this happening yesterday. Which was why she had nned on keeping it a secret from the child till she had a chance to coax him slowly. He had formed a deep trauma associated with preschool. She needed to talk things through with him and convince him to let down his guard in order for him to go back to school. However, she did not expect to turn upte. Now, everything was ruined. ¡°Be a good boy, Ian. Open the door. Daddy has something to say to you.¡± Sebastian had also arrived at the door. He suppressed the rage within him and coaxed the child in a very gentle tone. They were soon disappointed to realize that there was no reply from the other side of the door. The only sound was a constant banging. Who knew what the child was doing? They were all extremely worried. Sebastian¡¯s expression grew darker. The vein in his temple was throbbing. He reached out his hand and was about to forcefully break the door open. ¡°No!¡± Sasha quickly stopped him. ¡°You can¡¯t go in like that. He¡¯ll only get even madder. We have to try another method, one that¡¯ll be easier for him to ept,¡± she exined as she used her body to block his ess to the door. Sebastian remembered how he had forced his way inside thest time. The child was even more provoked and his tantrum became worse. ¡°Do you know what to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try¡­¡± Sasha could not see his expression and had no choice but to utter her reply through gritted teeth. ¡°Little Ian, this is Ms. Nancy. I¡¯m sorry. We shouldn¡¯t have decided to take you to preschool without asking you first. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She stood outside the door and used her most gentle voice in an attempt to coax the child. She used to do this for her other two babies as well. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Her heart sank when no reply followed once again. The banging continued. Sebastian sneered, ¡°Is this the method you were talking about?¡¯ She pretended not to hear him as she pressed her ear to the door and continued trying to talk to the child. ¡°Little Ian, we can undo the decision. If you don¡¯t want to go, I¡¯lle here every day to y with you from now on, okay? It¡¯ll be just like yesterday. We¡¯ll go to many fun ces, ces where you¡¯ve never been. We¡¯ll go see mountains, the sea, and other beautiful sceneries, okay?¡± Sebastian¡¯s vein continued to twitch. Is this woman insane? When did I undo my decision? Isn¡¯t she the one who¡¯s been pestering me to send him to preschool? What is she doing now? Mountains? The sea? Is she having a stroke? However, once thest word fell from Sasha¡¯s lips, the banging slowly stopped. Shortly after, the soft pattering of a child¡¯s footsteps grew louder. There was the sound of the lock utching and the tightly shut door was finally open. ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the truth. When have I ever lied to you? I¡¯ll go anywhere with you. When I was making this decision with your Daddyst night, I was already thinking that I¡¯ll go with you to the preschool if you¡¯re scared. I won¡¯t leave your side for even one second!¡± Sasha squatted and pulled the child into her embrace. She gazed kindly upon him. He was sweating profusely after smashing things in the room. She gently helped him to wipe the beads of sweat away. Sebastian was dumbfounded. The stick and carrot approach? It looks like she¡¯s not stupid, after all. Sebastian was stunned. He never expected Sasha to bring up the preschool again after Ian came out. But, the moment that she said she would apany him anywhere, even to the preschool, his resentment-filled eyes softened. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 In the end, Ian agreed to go to preschool. Sasha was delighted. She immediately started packing his bag and dressed him up smartly. The pair strolled out of the door hand in hand and drove away in the minivan. Luke had arrived to fetch Sebastian. He nced at the high-and-mighty Sebastian who had just stepped out. ¡°Mr. Hayes, do you really trust her to take Ian to preschool?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± ¡°Nothing. I just can¡¯t believe it. Even you have trouble handling Ian. Is Ms. Wand really up to it?¡± Luke quickly shook his head to indicate that he had no issue and was only doubtful of the woman¡¯s capabilities. Surprisingly, Sebastian who had always given that woman the cold shoulder did not have much of a reaction. His gait was rxed as he climbed into the car. Luke was speechless. Forget it. I won¡¯t ask anymore. Luke hastily rushed over and climbed into the car as well. Just as he was about to start the car¡¯s engine, Sebastian, who had been leafing through a document ordered, ¡°Look into what Sasha has been doing overseas the past five years.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Luke looked towards the rearview mirror. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°I want to know everything about her, including what she does in this country!¡± Sebastian kept his eyes trained on the document. His piercing obsidian eyes obscured his true feelings. However, his tone was cold and he was more serious than ever. He finally wanted to know more about his ex-wife after five years. Technically, they were not divorced. He was ¡®widowed¡¯, which meant that he wanted to look into his ¡®deceased wife¡¯. Luke sighed and started the car. This was the first time Sasha had seen such a luxurious preschool. Holy crap, is this really a preschool? Is this an elite academy? Look at the beautiful buildings and the sprawling field. It might as well be a park. If not for the small carrot on the school gate, I would be convinced that I¡¯m in a high-end university. Compared to this ce, Matt and Vivian were attending a slum of a preschool. Sadness pricked Sasha. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. Your preschool is so beautiful. Let me take you to your teacher.¡± Sashaposed herself and led the child to the entrance of the school. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Ian? I¡¯m surprised to see you at school today.¡± The teacher in charge of greeting the children was shocked to see Ian. Ian immediately retreated behind his mother. Sasha hugged him tightly. ¡°Yes. Ian wasn¡¯t feeling well for a while and couldn¡¯te. He¡¯s better now, so here he is.¡± ¡°Oh, he wasn¡¯t well? I thought he wasn¡¯ting anymore.¡± The teacher clearly did not believe Sasha when she saw her and Ian. Forget it. I won¡¯t start a row with her. Sasha held Ian¡¯s hand. ¡°Excuse me, but can I take him in? He still isn¡¯t feeling his best and I just want to let his teacher know.¡± ¡°Of course not. Is this your first time at the preschool? Don¡¯t you know the rules here?¡± ¡°I just¡­¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, our teachers are famous globally. Do you know how many parents in the city rack their brains trying to find a way to send their child here? How dare you doubt that our teachers won¡¯t be able to properly care for your child? You can leave if you want!¡± The teacher¡¯s extremely rude outburst angered Sasha. She debated whether she should allow Ian to go in or take him home. What kind of preschool is this? She¡¯s so arrogant! Sasha had no choice but to allow Ian to go in on his own. She had no idea how amazing this preschool was. The children that were chosen for enrolment based on their family background. If they were not of a certain standard, they would be promptly rejected. When they registered Ian, Sebastian did not allow Ian¡¯s identity to be revealed. Hence, Ian was somewhat of a pariah. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Sasha watched as Ian went in. Before he left her, she assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Little Ian. I¡¯ll be right outside waiting for you. I won¡¯t go anywhere. When you finish school at noon, we¡¯ll go have lunch together, okay?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± The highly reluctant Ian finally acquiesced. Perhaps it was because the time he needed to spend inside was short, or because Sasha was waiting for him outside, but Ian feltforted. Then, Sasha left. Ian followed the teacher into the ssroom where he had not been in for some time. ¡°What? This idiot actually came back?¡± ¡°Yeah. Why is he back? Didn¡¯t his family take him away to cure him?¡¯ ¡°Hahaha.¡± The children in the ssroom immediately started mocking Ian. Ian¡¯s face paled, and he turned to leave. ¡°Where are you going, Ian? Are you being naughty again?¡± The teacher who led him in quickly grabbed hold of him. With that, Ian returned to the ssroom. An autistic child required special attention. If his emotions were settled, he would not cause trouble from then on. Unfortunately, it was clear that this teacher was not as impressive as the teacher at the gate imed. ¡°Sit down now and read this book. Don¡¯t go anywhere, do you understand?¡± The teacher casually grabbed a book and ced it on the desk in front of Ian. She led the rest of the children out to y. Read this book? An intelligent childlike Ian was above such childish tasks. Ian fished out a transformer toy from his schoolbag. He yed and counted down the ticking hands of the clock, waiting for the time to pass so he could be released to Sasha. Sometimeter, a few children snuck back. ¡°Look at him, he¡¯s watching the clock again. He¡¯s not reading as the teacher told him to. Is he really an idiot?¡± ¡°Of course, he is. He doesn¡¯t look like a normal child at all.¡± ¡°Hey, idiot!¡± A few children started to poke fun at and ridicule Ian. A chubby child realized that Ian was not responding to their taunts. He moved to stand right in front of him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything, you idiot? What are you ying with?¡± The child immediately reached out to snatch Ian¡¯s transformer toy away from him. Ian finally responded. He was introverted and was highly possessive over his things. At home, no one was allowed to touch his things without his permission. Ian struggled to keep the chubby child from taking his transformer toy. The chubby boy was frustrated at Ian¡¯s refusal to hand over the transformer toy. ¡°This idiot is refusing to give it to me. Quickly, hold him down and take it from him.¡± The other children swarmed and held Ian down against the table. Poor Ian was rather weak. He quickly ran out of strength and he could only watch as his toy was taken away. ¡°Give it back to me!¡± ¡°Hey, the idiot is talking. Fine, I¡¯ll give it back to you. But, you have to kneel in the small house till I say so. I¡¯ll only give it back to you when I¡¯m satisfied. with that.¡± Ian pointed at the small storeroom and directed Ian to kneel inside. Thus, innocence is not a guaranteed trait of the young. The environment in which they grew up in as well as their innate personalities could unleash the monsters in them which would lead them to the path of wickedness. As Ian was dragged to the storeroom, he did not even have the strength to fight back. Under the instruction of the chubby child, the other children soon tossed Ian into the storeroom.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. After that, they locked the door. Somehow, the teacher had failed to witness this entire scene. Alternatively, she chose to turn a blind eye. Sasha had no idea what had just happened in the preschool. She was sitting in the car and searching for ces where she could bring her son to eat after school. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something streak across the small path outside the car. What? What¡¯s that? A stray cat? She jumped, put her phone down, and peered out the window. However, she was too slow. By the time she looked out, the thing had disappeared. At the entrance of the preschool in the distance, a child had appeared. ¡°Mister, I¡¯mte. Please open the door for me.¡± ¡°Why are you sote? You should havee early!¡± The security guard at the entrance was not suspicious at all as the child that appeared uttered the name ¡®Ian¡¯. The security guard grumbled and opened the door. ¡°Ian? Why are you here? You¡¯re supposed to be studying in the ssroom.¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Before he could arrive at the ssroom, a teacher walked in. Her expression turned cold when she caught sight of the child and she started to berate him. Ian grinned at the teacher. ¡°Okay, Teacher. I just went to the washroom and forgot where our ssroom was. Can you tell me please?¡± The teacher was momentarily stunned. Why is Ian so talkative all of a sudden? He even smiled at me. He never smiles at me. All this young boy does is sit around with an aloof expression. The teacher was still stunned. Before the rest of her could react, her finger instinctively pointed towards the right ssroom. The small child shot her another smile, waved and dashed away. Several minutester, in ss 2. The small child found the ssroompletely empty. His eyes, which had already emptied of all emotion, swept the surroundings. His gaze soon fell on a fallen textbook on the floor. ¡°Ian?¡± He ran towards the desk. It did belong to Ian. He picked up the book, and Ian¡¯s name was inside. Moreover, he noticed a familiar transformer toy on the floor as well, and its arm was torn off. Those jerks. How dare they bully my brother? Ian, or rather Matteo, scanned the ssroom angrily. He made a call on his smartwatch. A few secondster, the same brand of smartwatch rang. ¡°Ian¡­¡± He saw it and rushed over, only to realize that the door was locked. He was absolutely furious. He yanked down the lock and kicked the door in. ¡°Are you okay, Ian? I¡¯m here!¡± Ian was curled into a ball inside. He was all withdrawn and always felt that hecked security. After he was locked inside, he squeezed himself into a corner with his knees tucked in tightly. He remained in that position throughout. His small face was as white as a sheet. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Ian. I¡¯m here to save you.¡± Matteo¡¯s heart ached when he saw him in that condition. He crouched down next to his fraternal brother and suppressed the fury within him. Slowly, he reached out his hand and patted Ian¡¯s shoulder, trying to comfort him. Ian was still in a daze but regained his senses gradually. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Matt¡­¡± He was sobbing as he climbed onto Matteo and hugged him tightly. His grip was so tight that Matteo struggled to breathe. It just so happened that Matteo had been tracking his mother¡¯s signal when Ian was locked up. He saw she was at the preschool and guessed that his mother must have sent Ian there. Hence, he called Ian on his smartwatch to check on him. He never expected to stumble onto such a situation. How dare someone bullies the brother of Matteo Wand? He¡¯s as good as dead! Matteo could feel his brother quaking in fear as he hugged him. He was so ovee with rage that mes almost started shooting out of his eyes. ¡°Go, take me to them. I¡¯ll avenge you!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ian was preupied with the warmth he felt in his brother¡¯s embrace. After he heard what Matteo said, he released him and his eyes widened in shock. Avenge? Matteo could never stand to let the bullying slide and he was not going to exin to his brother. When he saw Ian¡¯s hesitation, he handed him a mask and pulled him out. At a nter box behind the preschool. The chubby child and his gang who had stolen Ian¡¯s transformer toy were ying there. They were astonished by how real this transformer toy seemed. It was as though it had leaped right out of the cartoon and into their hands. They had never yed with such a toy before. Why does the idiot have something so cool? The chubby boy was ecstatic, and he was more than prepared to im the toy as his own. At this moment, a childish yet cold voice screamed down from above the chubby child¡¯s head. ¡°Give it back!¡± The chubby child¡¯s head snapped up and realized that there was a child standing behind him who was currently ring down at the transformer toy in his hand. ¡°Ian? You got out? Who let you out? How dare you?¡± The chubby child immediately recognized the other child. Despite his fear, his first reaction was to bellow and call upon the rest of the children into action. They quickly assumed the formation to beat Ian up. Beat me up? Matteo chuckled haughtily. He could not be bothered to speak, and he lunged towards the chubby child. In a sh, Matteo had swiped the transformer toy away before the chubby child even had time to react. The chubby child was absolutely floored. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 They never expected that the idiot they were used to pushing around would suddenly be a force to be reckoned with. He had taken the toy away with one quick motion. ¡°Beat him! Beat him now! Make sure you beat him up!¡± The chubby child was livid. He was shrieking as he waved his fists around in the air. Matteo watched as the chubby child and the children he was ying with charged towards him. You want to fight? He really doesn¡¯t know who he¡¯s up against. I haven¡¯t fought in a while. When I was in the preschool overseas, I would send every child in my taekwondo ss crashing to the mat. Matteo hitched up his sleeves. Heunched a flying kick effortlessly and his opponent copsed to the ground. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Crap! The chubby child was utterly stunned. Ian, who was wearing the mask and hiding behind the nter box, was just as appalled. His eyes were as wide as saucers. Matt is¡­ so amazing. He looked extremely jealous. When the chubby child saw his first friend copse, panic set in. He charged towards Matteo with his fists iling. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you, Ian!¡± he shrieked furiously. Matteo attacked the child who had grabbed him with a left hook. Next, he leaped up from the ground and nted a kick right in the chubby child¡¯s face. With a strangled cry, the chubby child fell to the ground. They want to take me on? Dream on! Matteo swept his gaze over the rest of the terrified children. He chuckled evilly and waved towards the nter box behind him. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, the masked Ian stiffly walked out from behind the nter box. ¡°How did he bully you just now?¡± ¡°Was it this hand? Did he pinch you and take your toy? Hit him! Hit him till he remembers you!¡± Matteo shot daggers at the chubby child on the ground. He wanted to teach the child the lesson that if anyone were to bully him, he should retaliate immediately! This would be a lesson the chubby child would never forget. Just like how Mommy taught me! Ian was stupefied. Daddy never taught me such rough measures. He only showed me how to win without shedding blood. Daddy always says that that¡¯s true strength. Despite his envy, he was a little d that he had never hit anyone. Ian finally brandished his small fists and under his brother¡¯s encouragement, he punched the chubby child with all his might. It took a while, but Sasha eventually settled on a restaurant. She decided to bring her children to a Jetroina restaurant after school. Right as she made her reservation, she caught sight of a ck car speeding past the entrance of the preschool. The car stopped, and its passenger rushed into the preschool. What¡¯s going on? How can they go into the preschool at this hour? Sasha thought it was rather strange. She wanted to go in out of worry for her child. She climbed out of the car and walked in that direction. ¡°Hello, may I ask why that person was allowed to go in?¡± ¡°Why did she go in? It¡¯s because some children are fighting inside. Someone hit her child and broke his nose. Even his hand is broken as well. Of course, she has to go in,¡± snapped the security guard. Oh my god! Is there even bullying in preschools now? His nose and hand were even broken. This is so scary! What about my Little Ian? Is he okay? Sasha¡¯s face turned as white as a sheet. She could not stop worrying about her son who was inside. She quickly started to plead, ¡°Can I go in to take a look? My child is inside too. He¡¯s Ian from ss 2.¡± ¡°What? Your son is Ian? What are you still doing here? Your son hit another child!¡± The moment Sasha mentioned her son¡¯s name, the security guard started to shriek at her. He imed that Ian was the one who had hit someone. Ian fights? Sasha stood there nkly. She was still trying to wrap her head around it when the jarring sounds of arguing and children¡¯s wails came from the other side of the door. Sasha realized that the person from the car had emerged. It was a middle-aged woman wearing a ck mink fur coat. She was pointing at the person who had gone in with her, and two children were brought out. One of the children was being carried out on someone¡¯s back. The other child was being led by the woman. The small child was struggling against her talons. Little Ian? Isn¡¯t that my Ian? Sasha¡¯s eyes were extremely wide. A burst of anger erupted from within her. She no longer cared if she was allowed in or not. She kicked the door open and charged in. ¡°What are you doing? Why are you grabbing my child? Let go of him!¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Sasha barged in furiously and headed straight for that woman. She didn¡¯t say a word pushed the woman harshly and snatched her kid away. She looked just like Matteo at that moment. The woman was surprised for several seconds, and she couldn¡¯t even react to it. Ian, on the other hand, finally got to see his mother. His tiny arms hugged her tightly, and his tiny figure stuck entirely onto her. Sasha held him tightly and asked, ¡°Little Ian, are you alright? Did she hurt you?¡± Sasha was a little nervous when she asked those questions because she was terrified of her son being hurt by that middle-aged woman. She even checked under his clothes. Ian didn¡¯t say a word. The middle-aged woman, on the other hand, finally came around after hearing those words. She jumped and pointed a finger at Sasha immediately before yelling and cussing aloud. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Me? Hurting him? Is this how you teach your son? Why don¡¯t you ask him who he has beaten up?¡± ¡°What? He¡¯s a kid. Who can he hurt?¡± Sasha didn¡¯t believe a word that woman said. Hearing that got the woman to jump even more. She protested, ¡°Just ask him. He broke my son¡¯s nose, then dislocated his arm by stomping on it! So tell me. Why can¡¯t a kid like him hurt someone?¡± Sasha was so surprised that she was rendered speechless. Little Ian broke her son¡¯s nose? And dislocated his hand? She has got to be joking, right? Sasha thought that those words were absolutely ridiculous. However, the woman got her wounded son to show up in front of Sasha soon after. Sasha couldn¡¯t speak. Holy¡­ It¡¯s real¡­ ¡°Little Ian, d-did you really do that?¡± asked Sasha, who finally felt a little guilty. She still didn¡¯t quite believe it, because Ian looked too thin and weak. He didn¡¯t seem like someone who could beat another kid. Moreover, she knew Sebastian well. There is no way he¡¯d teach his son to beat someone up. What made Sasha gasp, however, was that her little baby actually nodded while in her arms. ¡°Yes,¡± answered Ian. Sasha was hit hard. ¡°See? He admitted it. What else do you have to say?¡± demanded the middle-aged woman upon hearing Ian¡¯s confession. Sasha had no choice but to soften up and turn to her son, who was standing by her. She took the initiative to apologize, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about this. I don¡¯t know what happened exactly, so how about we take the kid to the hospital first?¡± ¡°Go to the hospital? You think that¡¯d solve everything?¡± ¡°No, that is not what I meant. I just meant that the most important thing to do right now is to treat the child¡¯s injuries. Sometimes, kids fight against one another. How about we investigate the matter once your child¡¯s condition gets better? Don¡¯t worry. If my son really attacked your son with malicious intent, then I will surely give you a satisfactory response. Also, I will bear all medical expenses for your son¡¯s treatment. I will not shy away from any responsibilities.¡± Sasha was genuine when she shared her idea on dealing with the matter. That was also the most reasonable way to solve the matter. Sasha didn¡¯t deny responsibility and would bear the consequences if Ian had attacked the boy. However, the most important matter at hand was to treat the injured kid. Unfortunately, the middle-aged woman would not listen to any of her words. ¡°Why should I listen to you? Your son has admitted to hurting my son, and what you have to do is to hand him over to me right now. Either that or don¡¯t me me for what happens next.¡± After that, the middle-aged woman waved her hand. Two men wearing ck suits showed up behind the middle-aged woman immediately. Sasha¡¯s expression turned grim. Who the hell is she? She¡¯s being aggressive under broad daylight? Seriously, is there now and order in this country? Sasha immediately got her son and backed away a few steps. ¡°What are you guys doing? Don¡¯t go overboard,¡± said Sasha. ¡°Go overboard?¡± the woman scoffed and added, ¡°What can you do if I insist on doing so?¡± After that, she plunged towards Sasha immediately. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Sasha turned pale immediately. She couldn¡¯t care about anything else anymore, so she carried her son and ran. However, she was a woman who was holding her son while running; so naturally, she wasn¡¯t as fast as the middle-aged woman and her two subordinates. ¡°Ah!¡± All Sasha felt was her scalp aching. Someone had pulled her hair, and she couldn¡¯t move a secondter. p! That was a loud p across Sasha¡¯s face. She was defenseless, so she stumbled back a few steps with her child still in her arms. The mother and son duo fell right onto the ground. ¡°Mommy!¡± Ian was in his mommy¡¯s arms, so he saw everything. He couldn¡¯t be bothered about his own safety anymore, and he shouted aloud when he saw his mommy¡¯s red and bloated face. All Sasha could hear was humming in her ears, so she didn¡¯t know what her son was shouting about. That being said, her arms still held him tightly and shielded him. When the middle-aged woman saw that, she instantly smiled evilly and gestured for her two subordinates to follow her over again. To everyone¡¯s surprise, the kid in the woman¡¯s arms suddenly turned around and red at them. ¡°You will regret this.¡± That was a rather scary expression! He was only five, but at that moment, the tiny face that resembled his daddy¡¯s actually managed to freeze the others with his deadly res. The two subordinates paused immediately. Both felt a chill went down their spines. That is so weird. He is but a five-year-old¡­ However, the middle-aged woman hadn¡¯t noticed that something was off. Her expression remained evil as she stubbornly approached to hurt the mother and son duo. Then, everyone saw the child in his mommy¡¯s arms press a button on the watch wrapped around his wrist. ¡°Daddy, someone is hurting your wife and son. Are youing over or what?¡± Sebastian was in a middle of a meeting when he received that call. He had a cigarette between his fingers at the time. Hearing that got him to tremble at once that he almost burnt himself. ¡°What did you say? Who¡¯s hurting you?¡± ¡°Someone who should drop dead!¡± The baby voiceing from the phone was cute but sounded extremely cold and cruel somehow. Sebastian¡¯s expression changed immediately. He sprang up from his seat and left with his phone in his hand. A terrifying and murderous aura instantly engulfed him. Ian had never spoken like that to Sebastian before. Hell, the boy had never spoken to anyone before in that manner because he was just a five-year-old. He wouldn¡¯t feel murderous, regardless of how angry he got. Yet, Sebastian sensed the murderous intent from his son. So someone is actually hurting my son? And my baby¡¯s mommy? Sebastian gathered all of Hayes Corporation¡¯s security guards, and within a few minutes, a fleet of over ten cars rushed to the preschool. The top managers, who were there for the meeting, were all bbergasted. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. That is too scary. Who on Earth is so stupid that they have the guts to offend this dude? Now, he is going all out to get the culprit. Xandra had also heard about the incident at that moment. She was usually the one who sent Ian to the preschool, so her contact information was registered in the system. That was why the preschool notified her the second something happened. That woman caused a ruckus in the preschool? This is amazing! I finally have the opportunity to teach that b*tch a lesson. I can even prove my strength to Sebastian. He¡¯ll definitely love me even more once I settle this matter nicely. With that, Xandra took off as well. She even reached the preschool before Sebastian. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 ¡°I am so sorry, Mrs. Kent. This is all Ian¡¯s fault, and I will teach him a lesson as soon as we get back. No matter what, hitting someone is wrong. Please don¡¯t worry, we will teach him ordingly. We will also foot all the rted medical fees.¡± Xandra was graceful when she stood inside the preschool¡¯s office and apologized to the secretary general¡¯s wife. She seemed genuine when she said that she would teach Ian a lesson once they got home. This is definitely a good parent. The teachers in the preschool and the secretary general¡¯s wife instantly looked better. ¡°Things would not have spiraled out of control if you had shown up earlier, Ian¡¯s mom. Just look at what kind of nanny you have hired. It¡¯s bad enough that she won¡¯t talk nicely, but being aggressive and attacking? My gosh, that is so barbaric.¡± ¡°Exactly, what kind of a person is that? Ian¡¯s mom, I think you should fire her as soon as possible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes shone with discrimination and insult when they turned to Sasha, who was still being held hostage by the two men in ck suits. Sasha scoffed. So she¡¯s the mom? Those blind idiots! ¡°Fine, everything is settled then. I will leave now if there is nothing else.¡± Xandra had solved the matter beautifully and was prepared to leave with Sasha and Ian. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Xandra had barely touched Ian, who was standing beside Sasha, when he pushed her away rudely and growled, ¡°Scram!¡± ¡°Ian, what are you doing?¡± Xandra¡¯s face turned pale immediately. Her gaze swept past the entire office and saw that everyone was looking at her strangely. She was so angry that she wanted to pull the brat over to give him a good round of beating. ¡°Ian, be good ande here. Mommy will take you home.¡± ¡°Stay away from me! You are not my mommy, she is,¡± insisted Ian before he rushed to Sasha. He tried to free his mommy from the two men who were holding her hostage. Unfortunately, he was too young, so his tiny hands were not strong enough to help his mommy when he pushed them. Instead, the man he pushed grabbed his tiny arm immediately. ¡°Let go! Let go of him right now!¡± shouted Sasha. She was instantly panicking. Unfortunately, those men were not going to let Ian go. They were about to attack when someone rushed into the office and shouted, ¡°Something bad happened! A lot of men suddenly show up outside and im that they are here to pick up Ian Hayes!¡± Ian Hayes? No one knew how the captured kid suddenly became so strong, but he broke free and immediately ran out. ¡°Daddy,¡± shouted Ian, ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m here. Daddy!¡± Ian¡¯s shouts were loud, and his voice was filled with sorrow and tears. The people in the office heard themotion, so they immediately rushed out. They were not prepared to see what was out there, and their jaws dropped the moment they saw it. This has got to be the biggest stance the preschool has ever seen. Over ten four-wheel drive cars were parked in a straight line, and it was something that was only seen in a movie. The car that led the fleet was a ck Bentley with a unique number te. The door was opened the second the car was parked, and they saw a ridiculously noble and handsome man walking out of it. It looks like a king had just made an entrance. Who is that man? The preschool had never seen any parent doing such an entrance before. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Everyone was shocked. ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re finally here. They hit me and mommy. Mommy is still being held captive in there,¡± said Ian between sobs. Ian had already reached his daddy¡¯s side by then. The kid hugged his father tightly in his arms. Ian was autistic, but he had been pushed so hard that he was even crying aloud. Sebastian picked his son up and brushed his gaze against everyone there. That got the others to shiver instinctively. Next, his lips parted, and he instructed, ¡°Get them!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Over a dozen men in ck suits got out of the four-wheel drive cars upon hearing the order. They rushed toward the preschool immediately. ¡°Ah!¡± Screams instantly echoed all around the preschool. Everyone was horrified, and they tried to flee from the scene as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, there was no way that Sebastian¡¯s men would let anyone go. It took Sebastian¡¯s men less than two minutes to seize everyone and round them up at the entrance of the kindergarten. One kick from a few men was all it took to get everyone to go on their knees in front of Sebastian. The preschool¡¯s principal was one of the people kneeling. So was the middle-aged woman, who had walked out of the office with the others. Sasha was still held in the office, so she had no idea what happened¡­ Or at least that was the case until a man holding a gun suddenly barged in. She was stunned and hadn¡¯t even gotten a chance to react to it before the two men holding her fell. Everything was so scary that Sasha¡¯s brain fused. ¡°Y-you¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Wand, we¡¯re with Mr. Hayes, and we¡¯re here to rescue you. Are you alright?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± That got Sashapletely petrified. She was in a daze when they took her out of the office a few minutester. To her surprise and annoyance, she was still witnessing a violent bloodbath in front of the preschool. ¡°You¡¯re the one who hit my son?¡± ¡°N-no!¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Y-yes.¡± Thump! The man holding the boy in his arms kicked over the middle-aged woman who was on her knees and she fell immediately. She was injured so badly that she couldn¡¯t even get up. Oh my gosh! Everyone was terrified. They trembled, and a few teachers even passed out in fear. Sasha was also bbergasted. That man¡­ actually came? And i-is he defending me and my son? A wave of emotions hit Sasha. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but she was ecstatic to see how that unreasonable middle-aged woman fell onto the ground. Xandra, on the other hand, looked terrified. ¡°You¡­ Just you wait. I-I am the secretary general¡¯s wife. You kicked me, and I will not let you off the hook so easily.¡± To everyone¡¯s surprise, the middle-aged woman got back up after being kicked and still had the audacity to run her mouth at Sebastian. Everyone on site turned to the man who looked as terrifying as the devil. All they saw was that his expression had turned even scarier. ¡°Who is the secretary general?¡± The man looked like he had just emerged from the deepest parts of Hell. He had a kid in his arms, but every other part of him exuded a freezing aura that inspired horror and devastation. Even a peek at him would get one¡¯s scalp tingly. The security guard stepped up and immediately answered, ¡°It¡¯s Kyle Kent.¡± ¡°Kyle Kent?¡± ¡°Daddy, that¡¯s her. She¡¯s the one who pped Mommy,¡± said Ian in an angry tone at that crucial moment. He was still in his daddy¡¯s arms when he pointed his tiny finger at the middle-aged woman. At that instant, the aura on-site turned so cold that it was freezing. ¡°p her!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Also, get rid of Kyle Kent. Don¡¯t ever let me hear that name again!¡± A simple sentence was all it took for that man to crush someone as powerful as the secretary general. He¡¯s truly the devil! The middle-aged woman finally slumped to the ground. How powerful does a man have to be to crush a secretary general with mere words? Who among us has the power to even be on the same level as him? The middle-aged woman finally regretted her decisions, but it was all toote. The subordinates who received their orders pulled her by her hair to get her up. Then, they pped her endlessly and mercilessly in front of everyone else. This is too bloody and violent! No one dared to say a word or even make a squeak. They looked lifeless and were tempted to hide away immediately. The same applied for Xandra. Unfortunately, the cruel man saw her at that moment. His gaze turned even colder when he demanded, ¡°Why are you here? What did you do earlier?¡± ¡°She forced me to apologize and wanted to pay that woman.¡± At that moment, Ian, who had been resting in his daddy¡¯s arm, voiced up once again in a chilly tone to cause another problem. Xandra instantly turned pale, whereas Sasha was gleeful. Good job, my sweet boy! ¡°N-no, that¡¯s not it. Listen to me, Sebastian. I was just¡­¡± ¡°So this is how you¡¯ve been interacting with the school over the past two years? The son of Sebastian Hayes was attacked. Yet, he is the one who has to apologize and pay the other party?¡± The man¡¯s voice was downright cruel and was so distant that it could freeze the entire continent. Xandra saw how angry he was, and she got so terrified that she almost knelt down in front of that man. ¡°Sebastian, I-I didn¡¯t¡­ I just wanted to create an environment so he and his ssmates can interact nicely. H-he¡¯s different, after all.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so different about him? My son is as healthy as all the other kids, so how is he different? I wondered why he hated the preschool so much. Now the truth is out. It¡¯s because you¡¯ve been nting all sorts of wrong ideas in his head, and buttering all the other parents up. Oh, you evil woman. My son has the most powerful family backing him up, and you turned his identity into a boy from a dumpster!¡± Upon hearing that, Sasha immediately shouted at and insulted Xandra before the man standing opposite of her could say anything else. Xandra was so angry that her face distorted. Sasha was about to p the woman when the man in front of her spoke in the cruelest tone he had ever used. ¡°Lock her up. No one is allowed to let her go without my permission!¡± Sebastian spat every single one of those words through his teeth. That showed just how murderous and angry he was at that moment. Xandra shivered immediately. Thump! Her legs gave way, and she went down on her knees the very next second. ¡°No, Sebastian. Please don¡¯t lock me up. I¡¯ve learned my lesson, Sebastian,¡± begged Xandra endlessly. She was on the verge of losing all dignity and almost crawled to that man and kowtow to him. However, the evil man never even looked at her. He simply turned around with his son in his arms. At that moment, even Sasha, who had witnessed all that, couldn¡¯t help but was taken aback. That scum really is heartless. Isn¡¯t that the woman he loves the most? He¡¯s actually okay with locking her up? Sasha didn¡¯t know how she felt at that moment. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 A few hourster in the Frontier Bay. Sasha went to the washroom on the second floor to put a cold towel on her bloated face. Hiss¡­ ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Ian had been standing by the washroom¡¯s door the entire time. When he heard his mommy hissing, he immediately tilted his tiny head up and stared at his mommy with worry glowing in his eyes. Mommy got hurt because of me. Will Matteo get mad when he finds out? The kid¡¯s tiny hand gripped the broken toy that he had snatched back. He looked devastated, with guilt and remorse weighing down in his heart. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Little Ian. See? It doesn¡¯t hurt at all. I was just hissing because of the cold. I identally froze myself with the ice water.¡± Sasha sensed that the little guy¡¯s emotion was off, so she quickly crouched down beside him and cooed him. Ian tilted his head up and saw how his mommy¡¯s face was reddened and bloated. He didn¡¯t know what to say, so after hesitating for a while, he approached her. The kid had never done anything immature before, but he actually bulged his tiny lips and blew on his mommy¡¯s cheek. Sasha was momentarily stupefied. What is my son doing? Is he blowing on my face to ¡®blow away the pain¡¯? Like his baby sister does? Vivi was practically a professional in ying a childish cutie pie. Whenever she saw her mommy getting injured anywhere, she would rush over to blow on the cut and imed that it would be fine soon. Sasha was touched by her son¡¯s gesture. She reached out and held him in her arms. ¡°Little Ian is such a good boy. I¡¯m fine now. It¡¯s true. It doesn¡¯t feel bad at all. I will be fine as long as you are okay,¡± promised Sasha as she suppressed the tears in her eyes and smiled. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Ian suddenly felt a little awkward. However, he never struggled or broke free. He simply let his mommy hug him until he heard his daddy¡¯s voice. Daddy is home. ¡°Mr. Hayes, wee home.¡± ¡°Where is Ian?¡± asked Sebastian instantly. The man was obviously still worried whether his son was traumatized. ¡°He¡¯s on the second floor. Ms. Wand is with him. Oh, and Mr. Hayes? I don¡¯t know what happened, but Ms. Wand¡¯s face is bloated. It looks as if someone has beaten her,¡± informed Wendy in a worried tone. Ah, so Sasha never told Wendy what happened? Sebastian scoffed and replied, ¡°She deserves it.¡± Wendy was speechless. She wanted to say something, but her young boss had already walked up the stairs by then. As suspected, Sebastian heard the mother and son duo conversing in the nursery before he even saw them. Sasha asked, ¡°Little Ian, is there any make-up for women in the house? Can you get some for me? I need it to hide my injury so that no one will see it when I leave.¡± Ian tilted his head up to stare at his mommy. Mommy is probably worried about Matteo and my baby sister seeing her bloated face. The tiny thing that had been ying Lego looked up. His warm brown eyes shone with a little guilt when he answered, ¡°There¡¯s none.¡± ¡°Huh? Are you sure there isn¡¯t any make-up in the house? How can that be? Err¡­ Hasn¡¯t Ms. Xandra been staying here the entire time? It¡¯s unlikely that she doesn¡¯t have any make-up around here. Little Ian, you can get some for me. I promise I won¡¯t use too much of it,¡± said Sasha. She didn¡¯t actually want to utter those words because the mere thought of using that vile woman¡¯s make- up disgusted Sasha. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have a choice. If I don¡¯t hide my injury away, Matteo and Vivi will worry and ask about it when they see it. Sasha popped her head out and scanned her son, who was in the bedroom. To her surprise, the boy, who had been ying with his toy, shook his head and insisted, ¡°No. There¡¯s no lady living here.¡± Sasha didn¡¯t know what to say. She was stunned for a few seconds because she couldn¡¯t understand what she just heard. Nody living here? Sebastian heard their conversation at that moment. He pushed the door open and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Gah! Sasha saw him and was so surprised that she shut her mouth immediately. She grabbed a random towel to hide her face. D*mn it. Why is this scum suddenly here? Shouldn¡¯t he be working in the office? Sasha was a little nervous about seeing him at that moment because she was in a very embarrassing situation then. In the end, she even needed him to show up and rescue her. Gah, this feels awful. Ian saw his daddy there, so the former got up from the y area and greeted, ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re back!¡± Sebastian nodded. His gaze calmly swept past the thin, crouching figure in the washroom before he stretched his long legs and went to his son. ¡°How are you? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± replied Ian, as he nodded calmly. Sebastian ruffled the kid¡¯s tiny head before getting up and walking to the washroom. Sasha couldn¡¯t speak. She simply hid inside the washroom. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 If there was an actual hole in front of her, Sasha would¡¯ve jumped in there and hide instantly. ¡°How long are you nning on hiding in there? Weren¡¯t you, oh, so brave, when you fought with the others this afternoon?¡± Sasha couldn¡¯t speak. The f*ck? The man¡¯s heartless insult left Sasha with no choice but to show herself and left the washroom. ¡°What else can I do? She won¡¯t even let a helpless woman and a kid go. Was I supposed to watch as she hit our¡­ I mean, your son?¡±ined Sasha. She felt so wronged as she caressed her own face. Sebastian hovered over her and red down. He wanted to say something, but he changed his mind when he saw the clear p mark on her cheek. Even the corner of her lips are a little swollen Sebastian narrowed his eyes a little, and his gaze became warmer. She is such an idiot. She actually got smacked until her lips split in a fight! ¡°You had iting. You fought with them even after he broke the kid¡¯s nose? What were you thinking? Were you trying to break their neck?¡± What the f*ck? Sasha¡¯s big, round eyes bulged in fury instantly. ¡°Dude, do you think I want to fight? The situation was dire, and things spiraled out of control. She said that she was going to torture your son to avenge her son. How can I allow it? D*mn it, I am a woman. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a martial arts expert like your bodyguards..¡± hissed Sasha. She was agitated when she spoke, so she hurt her lips again and stung herself. Her hand flew to her lips as she hissed. Sebastian had nothing to say now. His eyes couldn¡¯t help but twitch a little, but he stopped talking in the end. A few minutester, the two of them left the nursery. Sasha, whose face was still swollen, nned on packing her things and going home immediately. However, she had just closed the door when the man standing in front of her said, ¡°Follow me.¡± Huh? Follow him? Sasha thought that she misunderstood him, so she looked around. I don¡¯t think there is anyone else around¡­ She eventually followed him over after hesitating for a while. At first, she thought that she was in for a rough time. She caused a pretty bigmotion at the preschool, after all. However, she was surprised to see that the man led her to the bedroom she visited the night before. He later got the medical kit from one of the closets. Sasha didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°See if you can find anything of use,¡± instructed Sebastian in a distant tone. He sounded so distant that it was as if he found an injured stray dog and was tossing out leftovers for it. That makes sense, I guess. I was injured while babysitting his son, so it¡¯s only normal for him to compensate his employee for the injury. Besides, it¡¯s just medicine. Sasha calmed down her beating heart that had suddenly thumped a little faster. She tilted her head down and started picking out the medicine calmly. There was actually a good variety of medicine in there, but most of them were for kids. It was obvious that it was prepared for Ian. Sasha¡¯s gaze shifted downward as she continued searching for it. Eventually, she found an ointment in the box that could get swellings down. After picking the ointment out, she looked around before she snuck into the washroom with it. Click! The refreshing scent of mint spread out. It was the same scent that Sasha detectedst night in the closet of the bedroom. She noticed that there weren¡¯t any female products in the washroom. The white tile on the floor, as well as the light grey wall, made the entire ce look like a cold hotel room. There was only one mug and one toothbrush by the basin. I-is that woman really not living here? How is that possible? Aren¡¯t they married? Why aren¡¯t they living together? Sasha had just gotten her heart to calm down, but it had already started thumping uncontrobly fast again. She focused on the ointment and started applying it to her face. To her surprise, the effects were pretty good. However, her lips¡­ Hiss¡­ Sasha hissed again and took a deep breath. It hurt so badly that she almost tossed the cotton butt away. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sebastian happened to have found what he needed in the study room at that moment, so he returned to see her crouching in the washroom. He walked over when he noted that she had her hand on her lips. Sasha wanted to hide her face further away and not let him see it. This has got to be a joke. How can I let him see me in such a pathetic state? It¡¯s not like he doesn¡¯t already have tons of things to tease and insult me with! What she didn¡¯t expect was that the guy actually assumed that something was wrong when she ignored him. Hence, he reached out and picked her up from the floor. ¡°Ah! Sebastian Hayes, w-what are you doing?¡± growled Sasha. She was on the verge of going insane. She hid her lips with her hand while ring at him with her watery, brown eyes. At that moment, she was so tempted to murder him. The corner of Sebastian¡¯s eye twitched again when he caught that. This was probably because he didn¡¯t expect the woman who had always put up a strong front before him to end up in that state. She¡¯s actually tearing up from the pain of being hit and having an injured lip? I can¡¯t believe her eyes are actually watery. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°No!¡± lied Sasha angrily. She was stubborn in denying her pain. However¡­ He¡¯s not listening at all! After that scum heard that she wasn¡¯t in pain, he tossed her to the side. She was staring in surprise when he picked up the ointment and pinched her chin. ¡°Open your mouth,¡± ordered the man. Sasha couldn¡¯t speak. She swore that it onlysted a second, but she could sense her brain exploding with a loud boom! Every thought in her mind stopped running. She was sitting so close to him that she could hear his breathing. In the end, she opened her mouth obediently. That was the first time they were that close to one another. It didn¡¯t matter if it was five years ago or right this moment in the washroom. Sasha¡¯s heart still couldn¡¯t help but beat faster and out of rhythm. At first, Sebastian didn¡¯t think much of it. He simply wanted to help that woman put the ointment on. She is so stupid. I honestly have never seen a woman this dumb before. Things changed when he put some ointment on his finger and tapped gently on the woman¡¯s soft lips. A sense of familiarity suddenly zipped up his fingers to his heart. He was taken aback, and his mind immediately recalled that wedding night from five years ago. He had always been a loner and had never had much interest in women. Hence, he hadn¡¯t been with any other woman over the past five years, and she was his one and only. He remembered that he was drugged that night. There were many things that he could no longer recall, but he retained some memories of how he spent the night with a woman in his arms. He recalled how she was as soft as a kitten and how her lips were especially soft. That sweet, peach-like taste and her watery lips¡­ Sebastian remembered what she tasted like, even after all those years. His gaze suddenly turned wilder. He stared at those lips that had no lipstick on but still looked soft and sexy. There was a moment when he actually felt the urge to kiss her. He wondered if she tasted as good as she did five years ago. ¡°S-Sebastian? A-are you done?¡± Sasha couldn¡¯t bear with it any longer. She had never been that close to him before, and his warm breath was caressing her face. His other hand was also pinching her chin. That made her feel hot, and her heart raced. She didn¡¯t dare to look into his eyes because she was worried about falling for them again. Those eyes¡­ They were my downfall five years ago. Fortunately, the man came around after she called out. All she saw was uncertainty and confusion zipping past his eyes before he immediately applied the medicine to her lips and let her go. ¡°How did someone as stupid as you be a doctor?¡± The man immediately started dissing her again after he let her go and walked out of the washroom. Sasha¡¯s heart was still beating wildly. It took her a while to gather herself and look into the mirror. She saw that her ears were still a little red from blushing too much, so she turned on the tap. She only felt better after sshing some cold water on her face. ¡°What does any of this have to do with me being a doctor? I am not a nurse, and that is their job.¡± ¡°Excuses!¡± dissed Sebastian before he left. Sasha didn¡¯t know where he went or what he nned to do. She put her things away, then got out of the room to walk down the stairs. ¡°Ms. Wand? D-did you juste from Mr. Hayes¡¯ room?¡± Sasha was surprised to bump into Wendy immediately after exiting the room. Thetter was holding a men¡¯s suit at the time, and it looked like she was there to deliver the clothes. Has he already left? Sasha nodded to answer Wendy¡¯s question before adding, ¡°Yeah, I was in there to put some ointment on. What¡¯s wrong? Wendy?¡± Wendy couldn¡¯t speak. What¡¯s wrong? This is rather peculiar. This employer of mine rarely lets anyone enter his room, and he usually instructs me to disinfect the entire room after the visitor left. That even applies to Ms. Green. So¡­ why wasn¡¯t I instructed to disinfect the room this time? Wendy was a little stumped by all that. Sasha, however, had no idea what Wendy was thinking about, so she walked down the stairs when the latter didn¡¯t respond. Sasha had to go home. She left a note for her sleeping son before asking Wendy to take care of the kid. Then, she left the ce. Sasha had some extra time that day, so after she went home, she decided to make good use of it. Her two babies were still studying in their preschool, so she wanted to cook a great meal to make up for her two angels. It had been a while since she prepared a nice meal for them. Sasha went to the grocery store. ¡°Nancy, what a coincidence.¡± Sasha was picking out the ingredients when she suddenly heard someone approaching and greeting her in a surprised tone. Sasha shifted her gaze over and turned to the person beside her. ¡°Solomon,¡± said Sasha, ¡°Hi, I just got here. I¡¯m thinking about buying some ingredients to make some calzone for dinner. What brought you here?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°I had a meeting nearby with a client, and I just finished discussing work with him.¡± Solomon had always been a gentleman. He was wearing a pair of sses with gold frames, and a light grey windbreaker. He looked rx and handsome. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°I see. Would you like to drop by my ce for a while? The weather is freezing today,¡± offered Sasha, who would swear that she was just making small talk when she made that offer. She never expected him to take up on that offer immediately. ¡°Sure,¡± replied Solomon, ¡°I happen to have a feww books for you. These are the books you asked me to buy for you earlier. I¡¯ll take them to your ce.¡± Sasha didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. Shoot! I forgot all about this. Is it toote now to tell him that I won¡¯t take the matter to court? In the end, Sasha brought that man to the ce she rented. The season was changing, and winter was right around the corner, so it was actually pretty cold. The ce was too old, and both the windows and walls were too thin, so no one felt warmer after Sasha opened the door. In fact, walking into the house made one feel even colder. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about this. Let me turn the heater on,¡± said Sasha before she hurried to the heater. Solomon circled around the house absent-mindedly. That was only the second time he went into that house, but he didn¡¯t seem unfamiliar with the ce. ¡°Nancy, this ce is too old, and it¡¯s not warm enough. Would you like to rent another ce?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, there¡¯s no need for that. This ce is actually pretty good. It¡¯s close to the preschool, so it¡¯s convenient,¡± replied Sasha, who was busy getting the heater to work. Are you kidding? It took me forever to find an old and dingy ce like this. That scum definitely won¡¯t set foot in this ce, so why would I want to move? It¡¯s not like I enjoy being annoyed. It didn¡¯t take Sasha long to set the heater up, but she busied away in the kitchen soon after. What she wasn¡¯t aware of was that as she was busying away and focused on her cooking, her guest in her living room had poured himself a ss of water. He suddenly got up and walked to the kitchen door. The dim light from the evening sun illuminated the ce, and the steam filled the kitchen, but he never shifted his gaze from her. And his gaze¡­ It looked like love, but it also seemed like a simple, tonic gaze. Still, if anyone were to take a closer look, they would see a fiery passion that was as hot as the working heater in the living room. In fact, it was so hot that it was rming! ¡°Sorry to make you wait. I have to get everything done before the kids are back. That way, they can fill their tummies as soon as theye home.¡± Maybe it was because she sensed the burning gaze, but Sasha turned around, looked at him, and uttered those words soon after. Solomon saw how awkward she seemed, so he retracted his gaze unwillingly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Do you need any help?¡± ¡°No. You can rx in the living room,¡± said Sasha without a hint of hesitation. The two of them knew each other well, but there was still a distance between the two. Sasha continued for about twenty minutes before she finally finished preparing everything. ¡°Let¡¯s head out together,¡± said Sasha bluntly. when she left. She didn¡¯t beat around the bush and suggested that the man leave with her. It was impossible for Solomon to not know what she meant. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. At that moment, all he could do was grin wryly before walking down the stairs with her. All in all, he stayed for less than thirty minutes with her. ¡°Mr. George, is Ms. Wand still going to court?¡± ¡°No, not anymore.¡± The man who had been smiling gently a moment ago looked distant and cruel inside the car. The name that they used in their conversation was no longer Nancy but Sasha. ¡°Have they patch up?¡± asked the personal assistant who steeled up after hearing everything. However, the man never answered that question. His expression simply changed and he looked grim, and the look in the eyes behind his sses turned cold too. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Sebastian never told his father about her return?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking it¡¯s because Ms. Wand is categorized as someone who has cheated death. Her identity and record would have been erased back then. Which means they would have to submit an application to the court to reim her name once they take her back.¡± The man was quiet for a second. Reim her name? So does that mean the Sebastian guy doesn¡¯t want her to im her identity and the record she held now? Why though? Is it because she would be recognized as part of the Hayes family once she ims her identity? Could it be that Sebastian Hayes doesn¡¯t want that to happen? Solomon suddenly acted like he realized something. The grim expression on his face instantly eased up a lot. ¡°Spread the news right away!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± blurted the assistant in confusion, ¡°Spread the news? W-won¡¯t that make things worse for you? Once the news got out, Frederick will learn about her survival and would want her identity to be recovered immediately. That would turn her into Sebastian¡¯s legal wife once more.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong. She will never be one of them.¡± After saying his piece, the man¡¯s gaze reverted to its solemn and gentle stance. It might even carry a hint of glee. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 ¡°Huh?¡± The assistant was utterly confused. Make it public? Won¡¯t that backfire immediately? Won¡¯t it give Ms. Wand a reason to stay with the Hayes after her identity is reimed? No¡­no way! The first thing he had to confirm should he make the news public was whether Sasha¡¯s household register was still tied to the Hayes. She would find out soon enough that Old Mr. Hayes had yet to learn of her return, and that would reveal to her Sebastian¡¯s reasons for doing what he did. The assistant nodded as he put two and two together in his mind. He nced at thewyer sitting in the backseat, slightly shocked by this revtion. Meanwhile, Sasha made her way to her kids¡¯ preschool to pick them up after school. She had thought that they would leap into her embrace the moment they saw her as usual, but she was instead greeted by several teachers, much to her confusion. ¡°Ms. Wand, we need to inform you that your son got into a little scuffle with another kid and got injured as a result,¡± a teacher said with her head bowed low apologetically. ¡°Huh?¡± Sasha eximed with a gasp. No way¡­didn¡¯t his twin brother just get in a fight today? Can theymunicate telepathically or something? Without wasting another second, Sasha rushed into the building to look for her son. Matteo was sitting in the middle of the room while being surrounded by teachers, who were trying their best tofort him. ¡°Does it hurt, Matt? I can apply some ointment on the wound,¡± a teacher offered, only for Matteo to turn her down with a wave of his injured hand. ¡°No need. I¡¯m a brave young man!¡± he dered with arge grin. The truth was, he had sustained that injury while beating up another kid with his twin brother, and the fight with his ssmate was just to dispel suspicion. Vivian, having taken part in the same fight as her big brother, watched everything from the sidelines. After a while, she stood up and announced, ¡°He¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry! My brother never loses a fight!¡± Matteo and the teachers fell silent, confused by her sudden deration. Luckily, Sasha rushed in at that very moment before any of the teachers could figure out what Vivian meant. ¡°Are you alright, Matt? I heard that someone beat you up!¡± she eximed, scooping her son into her arms to check him for injuries. However, much to her bewilderment, aside from the bruises and swelling on his knuckles, he was completely unscathed. Wait¡­did he get beaten up or did he beat someone else up? Sasha gave Matteo a sidelong nce, and he panicked a little on the inside. Wrapping his arms around her neck, he cooed, ¡°Alright, Mommy. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Weren¡¯t you the one who taught us to forgive and forget?¡± Sasha opened her mouth to say something in response, but nothing came. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. In the end, they left the preschool to return home as the teachers thanked them profusely in the background. Back home, Sasha disappeared into the kitchen to cook dinner with Vivian following close behind. Seeing that both of them were distracted, Matteo snuck back to his room and dialed Ian¡¯s number. ¡°Hey, Ian! How are things at your end?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. What about you?¡± Ian was still rather concise, but he seemed to be working on hismunication skills. Matteo patted his chest proudly. ¡°I¡¯m fine! I even got into a fight with another kid in my ss after I went back, and my teacher and Mommy didn¡¯t suspect a thing! Don¡¯t you think I am smart?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Ian said without much thought. ¡°By the way¡­ I don¡¯t want to go to that preschool anymore.¡± ¡°Huh? Where do you want to go then?¡± Matteo asked, confused. Ian fell silent as memories of Matteo¡¯s preschool resurfaced in his mind. When they idently switched ces that day, Ian had had the time of his life in Matteo¡¯s preschool. It was not as big or well-furnished as his own preschool, but the kids and teachers there treated him well. Most importantly, Vivian was there as well. ¡°Oh, do you want toe to my preschool? We can just switch ces again! I can help you teach those rascals a lesson before we switch back!¡± Matteo said with a smirk. Ian was pleasantly surprised by the suggestion, and his eyes lit up immediately. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course! Though¡­ Mommy won¡¯t have anything to do in Frontier Bay once we switched ces. Then, she might go and work at Uncle Solomon¡¯spany once that happens,¡± Matteo said. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Matteo suddenly recalled how Solomon had told Sasha to go to hispany should she ever need a job, and he decided to mention it to Ian. Much to his surprise, Ian rejected the idea immediately. ¡°No way! We can¡¯t let her go there!¡± Matteo fell silent in shock. Wow! That¡¯s the most you¡¯ve spoken at a time! ¡°What¡¯s wrong? She¡¯s going to look for a job anyway,¡± he said. ¡°Tell her to go to Daddy¡¯spany!¡± ¡°Huh? Daddy¡¯spany?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯ll settle this.¡± Before Matteo could say anything else, Ian cut the line decisively. Why would I let Mommy work at someone else¡¯spany when she can work in Daddy¡¯spany and visit him every day? I need to talk to Daddy about this when hees back! Unfortunately for him, Xandra had already gone to look for Sebastian at hispany after the scuffle at the preschool. ¡°Greetings, Ms. Green. Long time no see! May I ask where you¡¯re headed to?¡± ¡°Yeah, Ms. Green! It¡¯s been a long time since west saw you around!¡± Xandra walked through the crowds in silence. Unlike Sasha, whom the employees usually ignored or regarded as Ian¡¯s caregiver, everyone treated Xandra like she was a celebrity walking down the red carpet whenever she appeared at the Hayes Corporation. After five years of staying by Sebastian¡¯s side, his subordinates have long since bestowed her the unofficial title of ¡®Mrs. Hayes¡¯. Her ego was greatly inted because of that, but she continued to keep a low profile to make herself less vulnerable should she ever be Mrs. Hayes in the future. When she arrived at the President¡¯s office, the secretary greeted her warmly. She nodded in response and asked, ¡°Is Mr. Hayes free now?¡± ¡°He is. Do you need me to tell him that you¡¯re here?¡± the secretary asked. Luke was busy elsewhere, and a clerk in charge of receiving the President¡¯s guests picked up the phone and called Sebastian to get his permission immediately. That applied to any guest who wishes to see Sebastian, and Xandra was no exception. However, unbeknownst to her, Sasha had the privilege of skipping the formalities when she visited a few days back. A few minutester, the clerk informed her that Sebastian had approved her visit, and her shoulders sagged in relief immediately. Without wasting another second, she picked up her bag and walked into his office. ¡°Sebastian¡­ it¡¯s been so long¡­ ¡° she cooed, walking up to him as he sat upright behind his desk. Tears began to flow down her cheeks as she stared at the man she had wanted to see for the longest time. They have never been separated for so long before, but Sebastian seemed less than excited to see her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked calmly. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡­ came to apologize, Sebastian. I got a call from the preschool today, and they told me that the secretary general¡¯s son assaulted Ian first. I have prior knowledge of that. Moreover, his injuries looked pretty bad, and I was scared that it would affect thepany¡¯s reputation¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, Sebastian! I didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡± she blurted, looking pitiful and regretful. She would have easily fooled anyone who did not know the truth with those top-tier acting skills, but things were different this time round. Sebastian red at her coldly. ¡°Is that your excuse? You took care of Ian for five years, and yet you don¡¯t know what his personality is like? Do you think thepany¡¯s reputation would be ruined by a preschool, of all things?¡± His voice was colder than the chilliest caves in the world, and it made Xandra shiver. She turned pale in an instant, and the tears in her eyes disappeared into thin air. ¡°No, Sebastian, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­ ¡° ¡°Xandra, you should have stayed put instead of making a fuss. Do you know what I hate the most?¡± Sebastian asked. His gaze almost burning a hole through her eyes, sending another shiver down her spine. ¡°Sasha was right. You wouldn¡¯t have thought of anything else but Ian¡¯s safety should you regard him as your own child. You¡¯re really fake, don¡¯t you know that?¡± Xandra¡¯s defenses copsed the moment he said thosest words. She felt as though someone had pped her across the face, turning it into a red, burning mess. Sasha Wand! It¡¯s you again! Chapter 85 Chapter 85 What do I do? What can I do to gain his trust again? How do I make sure he doesn¡¯t get distracted by anyone else? She looked down and let the tears fall as she clenched her fists tightly. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t see Ian as my own child, because I want to have one of my own!¡± ¡°What?¡± Sebastian eximed, rising from his seat abruptly. ¡°Your own child?¡± Xandra looked into his eyes and continued, ¡°Yes, Sebastian, I want a child of my own. I have craved for reciprocated love and emotional contribution from your end for five whole years?¡± Sebastian fell silent with a grim expression on his face. However, Xandra was not going to give up. This was her chance to fight back, and she would not let that chance slip by. ¡°I feel neglected and scared every night, and I see nothing but you leaving me behind every time I close my eyes,¡± she said sorrowfully. ¡°Don¡¯t you know, Sebastian? I was the girl who left you those letters under that magnolia tree for ten years. I didn¡¯t want to reveal myself, simply because I was scared that you¡¯ll treat me like I was transparent!¡± She opened her bag with shaking hands and took something out. Sebastian narrowed his eyes at the sight of the object that she took out. It was just an old fountain pen wrapped in an old and yellowing handkerchief, but Sebastian could see the magnolia flower embroidery on its edges from where he was standing. He curled his fingers instinctively. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought of sucking up to you, so I never expected you to write back. You told me afterwards that you¡¯ll take care of me for the decades toe in return for the warmth I gave you those ten years, and that¡¯s why I went home with you. Don¡¯t you remember, Sebastian?¡± Xandra cried, almost choking on her tears. Sebastian pinched his fingers together. He prided himself on his self-control, and he knew Xandra¡¯s true intentions. Somehow, he managed to keep his emotions in check despite her irritating attempts to get his attention. ¡°What do you want, exactly?¡± he asked. Xandra looked up with a start, her pitiful actpletely forgotten. What do I want? I want to return to your side and live like how we used to before! Without even bothering to wipe her crocodile tears off her face, Xandra bbered, ¡°No, nothing much. I just wish to go back to Frontier Bay and make up for my mistakes¡­ ¡° ¡°There¡¯s no need, Xandra,¡± Sebastian said coldly. ¡°Now listen up. I won¡¯t let you touch my son ever again.¡± Xandra¡¯s hopeful expression disappeared immediately, and her face turned as pale as a sheet. Left with no choice, she decided to change gears. ¡°Can Ie and work here instead? I really miss you, Sebastian. Is there any position that I can fill?¡± she asked. ¡°Work here?¡± Sebastian repeated quietly, eyes still trained on her. By the time Sasha heard of Ian¡¯s n to get her a job at the Hayes Corporation, it was already the next afternoon. Her eyes widened when he told her about his n. ¡°Why are you telling me to work at your Daddy¡¯s company? I¡¯m a doctor! I can work in a hospital!¡± Ian raised his head to look at her in the eyes as he slung his bag over his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll go to school if you agree to work at Daddy¡¯spany.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Huh? Sasha stared at him with a perplexed expression on her face. What has going to school got to do with me working at the scum¡¯spany? Since when did he learn to strike deals with people? Sasha pondered over it for a moment and decided to mention a certain person as ast resort. ¡°You see, Ian, getting into your Daddy¡¯spany isn¡¯t as easy as you think. Your Daddy doesn¡¯t even like me.¡± She bent down and looked into his eyes as she spoke those words while trying her best to hide her sorrow. Isn¡¯t it true? He¡¯ll never let someone like me work at hispany. He wouldn¡¯t even have let me into his life if not for Ian¡¯s illness! However, Ian simply grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the house. ¡°Let¡¯s go and see Daddy!¡± Huh? What in the world is happening? Sasha¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she stumbled after Ian. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Sasha tried to stop him, but before she could say anything, a man descended the stairs just a few meters away from them. ¡°Ian? Why are you here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in school by now?¡± the man asked as he fussed with his beautifully pressed ck suit. Hidden under his zer was a dark-colored, handmade dress shirt, and a pair of long pants covered his slender legs. The sunlight shining in from behind him illuminated his perfectly chiseled features, and it made Sasha clench her fists instinctively. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Daddy, what do you think of the deal I mentioned?¡± Ian asked. ¡°Your deal?¡± Sebastian said, a little confused. He stopped to look at his son with a mildly amused expression. ¡°What deal?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to school if you let her work at yourpany!¡± Ian dered solemnly while pointing at Sasha. Sebastian froze for a moment before turning around to nce at Sasha. She could almost see the storm clouds settling on his face, as though he was going to use her of feeding words into his son¡¯s mouth. Sasha waved her hands immediately in fear. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look at me like that! He told me that he¡¯ll only go to school if you let me work in yourpany. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on too!¡± She shrugged to show her innocence, and the clouds on Sebastian¡¯s face seemed to clear a little. ¡°Ian, why are you trying to get her into Daddy¡¯spany? Daddy doesn¡¯t run a hospital, you know,¡± Sebastian asked. ¡°She can take care of you there!¡± Ian said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. The two adults¡¯ eyes widened when he said that, and Sebastian was furious. ¡°Stop messing around. I don¡¯t need anyone to take care of me! Now be a good boy and go to school, Ian!¡± ¡°No! I won¡¯t listen to you unless you listen to me!¡± Ian shouted, yanking his bag off his back and throwing it onto the ground before stomping off with swollen eyes. Both adults watched as he left, absolutely dumbfounded. Oh boy! After a few seconds, Sasha red at Sebastian and stomped her feet. ¡°What the hell are you doing? None of this would have happened if you agree to his conditions! You can just give me a position in your company, and you don¡¯t even need to pay me. Is that alright?¡± Sebastian was a little taken aback by her sudden outburst, and he pondered over it for a few seconds in silence. Why is it my fault now? It¡¯s all your fault for rejecting my offer in the first ce! It took ages for Sasha to convince Ian to pick up his bag again and get ready for school. Sebastian stood outside Ian¡¯s room with a grim expression, but he remained silent, much to Sasha¡¯s relief. ¡°Shall I send Mr. Ian to school now, Ms. Wand and Mr. Hayes?¡± ¡°Yeah, go ahead.¡± Sasha waved her hand as a n formed in her head. What if I just ignored his request and ran off on my own? He won¡¯t know about it. However, Ian waved a tablet in front of her face when he walked past her. ¡°You see this? I can see everything in Daddy¡¯s office just by hacking into the cameras!¡± Sasha resisted the urge to scream. Her n had been rendered useless by this revtion. Ten minutester, Sasha sighed and headed towards the uniquely numbered Maybach with her bag slung around her shoulder. She had never ridden in that Maybach, not now, not five years ago. She had told herself to stay away from it at all costs, but Ian had given her no choice. She could feel her muscles tensing up the moment she saw the man sitting inside, and her breaths quickened as beads of cold sweat began to form on her palms. Why am I like this? ¡°Hey! Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and get on!¡± Sebastian yelled, visibly annoyed. He nced at his watch impatiently to signal to her just how precious his time was. Sasha pulled open the door and slipped into the car quickly to distract herself from her thoughts. Much to her delight, the soft covers of the seats and the pleasant interior of the car calmed her nerves considerably. Taking in deep breaths of the sweet aroma in the air, she sat up stiffly and pretended to look at the scenery outside. Looks like I haven¡¯t gotten over him yet¡­ Chapter 87 Chapter 87 They headed to the office in silence, and Sasha figured that Sebastian still hated her. Maybe he doesn¡¯t even remember that I¡¯m here¡­ As she calmed down, her disappointment returned as well. So this is my fate? After they reached the office building, Sebastian pulled into the reserved parking spot and alighted from the car to ride his exclusive lift to his office. Sasha did the same, only to be stopped by him. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± he asked coldly. Sasha froze. He finally spoke up¡­ She shrugged nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m going outside, Mr. Hayes. No one in thispany knows me, and I¡¯d rather not let them see me with you.¡± With that, she grabbed her bag and scurried off before he could say anything in response. He stood rooted to the ground in silence as his face darkened like the sky before a storm, but he left soon after without another word. As for Sasha, she walked into the building through the front door with her head held high after escaping from the carpark. ¡°Greetings, miss. May I ask what you¡¯re here for?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ who? Me?¡± Sasha was distracted for a moment as she stared at the receptionist in confusion. Wait, what¡¯s my position again? What am I going to do? Wait for him to assign me work after I go to his office? That¡¯s going to take forever! He might even have forgotten about me, considering how much he hates me¡­ She frowned and decided to give it a shot. ¡°I¡¯m here to look for a job. Are there any vacant positions in yourpany?¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re looking for a job? Have you sent your resume to our HR department yet?¡± the receptionist asked, shocked. Does she think that this is a market where she could just pick and choose a job as she wishes? Unbeknownst to the receptionist, that was exactly what Sasha was going to do. All she needed was a job to satisfy her son¡¯s request, and she decided on a clerk position in the business department in the end. She walked up the stairs to the interview room nonchntly, only to bump into Luke after the interview was over. He was tasked with looking for ¡®the President¡¯s wife¡¯, which happened to be Sasha. By the time he found her, she had already passed the interview like it was nothing. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to recruit her?¡± he asked the head of the business department in shock. ¡°Why not? No one has ever gotten full marks on this test?¡± the head of the business department said while waving the test in front of Luke¡¯s eyes. Luke fell silent as he looked at the sheer number of red ticks on the paper. With a sigh, he walked over to Sasha¡¯s side and said, ¡°Madam, would you like to work in the President¡¯s office? The work there isn¡¯t as taxing as this¡­ ¡° ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯d rather work here,¡± Sasha said, cutting him off. She picked up a stack of documents and headed over to the photocopier machine to avoid him. Thest thing she wanted was to face that scum of a man everyday. Luke pursed his lips but did not say anything else. He headed upstairs again after muttering a few words of caution. When he returned to the President¡¯s office, Sebastian was still hunched over the documents on his table just like how he had been when Luke left. He waste that day, and things have already piled up on his table by the time he arrived. Luke hesitated before walking up to him and saying, ¡°Mr. Hayes, the business department has already taken Ms. Wand in.¡± ¡°The business department?¡± Sebastian said, looking up with a raised eyebrow. After a few seconds, his confused expression turned into a smug grin. Wait¡­ why is he smirking? Did he already know that she¡¯s going to the business department or something? ¡°Did you see thising, Mr. Hayes?¡± Luke asked, confused. Sebastian shook his head with a grin. ¡°She¡¯s just here to fulfil Ian¡¯s request, so there¡¯s no way she¡¯ll take this seriously. I bet she chose the business department out of interest.¡± ¡°Interest? She likes doing business?¡± ¡°I think so. Do you remember that call from Nikkawa-Gen?¡± Sebastian asked. Luke froze for a moment. ¡°Nikkawa-Gen? Do you mean thatpany that we didn¡¯t manage to acquire?¡± ¡°Yeah. She was the one who took the call, and she noticed things that even the vice president of the business department didn¡¯t see. She¡¯s talented, so I¡¯m not surprised she picked that department in the end,¡± Sebastian answered calmly. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Luke froze in bewilderment. Wow¡­ I didn¡¯t know she was so talented! I thought she didn¡¯t even go to university? What else could she do besides being a doctor? Why is she so knowledgeable in the field of business? He finally understood why his boss wanted him to probe further into that woman¡¯s background. ¡°Um¡­ Mr. Hayes? You promised Ms. Green a management position in the business department too. Now that Ms. Wand is here¡­ ¡° ¡°Tell her not toe!¡± Sebastian said coldly as he tapped the documents on the table with his fingers impatiently. Luke¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He¡¯s never been so impatient with Ms. Green before? Maybe he doesn¡¯t love her anymore? He treated her like an actual wife and even gave her permission to enter and leave his house at will, yet he¡¯s throwing her out over a tiny mistake? Luke struggled to understand his boss¡¯ way of thinking. He believed that two people in love would leave room to forgive and forget when one of them made a mistake, no matter how grave the consequences were. However, Sebastian seemed to forget the fact that she had loved him wholeheartedly the moment she made that mistake. He was simply ruthless. Meanwhile, Sasha was having the time of her life working in the business department. The vice president treated her well because of her ster entrance test results, and no one dared to get in her way as well. However, herzy attitude got on everyone¡¯s nerves quickly. ¡°Nancy, have you finished the contract for the vice president?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°What about the sales report?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Sasha leaned against the back of her chair and took a sip of her tea, as though she was just there to enjoy herself rather than to work. Why so serious? I¡¯m just here to fulfil my son¡¯s request. What¡¯s the point of working so hard? After she spent a whole morning putting together just three reports, the other employees grew frustrated and ran off toin to the vice president. ¡°Sir, that new girl Nancy is so unproductive. What should we do?¡± ¡°Yeah, Sir! We¡¯re still waiting for our contract!¡± ¡°Can we transfer her out, Sir? Our department is going to suffer if this goes on!¡± The employees tried to convince the vice president to kick Sasha out, and he began to get suspicious as well. He looked out of the window of his office, sighing when he saw Sasha enjoying her cup of tea on her work desk. Are all talented people like this? Does she think that she can bezy and conceited just because she¡¯s young and capable? He walked out of his office and stood before her with a frown. ¡°What are you doing, Nancy?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sasha said, sitting up abruptly. ¡°N-Nothing much, sir. Do you need my help?¡± The vice president gestured at the mountain of documents on her table and said, ¡°Leave these here and come to my office. You can be my assistant, and I¡¯ll teach you what I know about investments and stocks.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sasha eximed, her eyes shing in excitement. She was indeed interested in finance, and even her teachers in school praised her for her talents. With that, she happily moved over to the vice president¡¯s office and began her learning journey with much passion. They even went to the staff canteen together during lunch, and it did not take long before Sebastian heard of it. ¡°What? She¡¯s the assistant of the vice president now?¡± Luke could tell that he was not happy at all, but he did a great job in hiding his emotions well after he heard of the news. ¡°The vice president must have noticed her talents. I don¡¯t see anything unusual with it,¡± Luke exined. ¡°Oh, really?¡± Sebastian huffed mockingly. Luke pursed his lips and nced at the clock. Noticing that it was lunch time, he took out his phone to give the usual restaurant a call. However, before he could dial the number, he heard a few clerks chattering loudly outside the President¡¯s office. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Is that woman who went for lunch with the vice president of the business department just now his new assistant?¡± ¡°Look how nice he was to her! He even helped her order her favorite dishes!¡± ¡°I bet she doesn¡¯t know how lucky she is! She¡¯s going to climb the ranks faster than any of us!¡± Luke turned around to see Sebastian listening attentively with a deep frown on his face. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Sebastian could have ignored those clerks entirely, since he was technically not in a rtionship with Sasha, but Luke could tell that he was not going to do that. He watched with bated breath as Sebastian¡¯s face darkened. ¡°He ordered her favorite dishes?¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a misunderstanding here, Mr. Hayes¡­ ¡° ¡°So that¡¯s why she wanted to work here! You are fooling around, Sasha Wand!¡± he snapped. Every line in his well-chiseled face grew sharper as his expression turned chilly, and Luke struggled to find the words to reply to him. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s that kind of person¡­ ¡°Please calm down, Mr. Hayes. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s like that. Do you want me to summon her here so that she can exin herself?¡± ¡°Why would I do that? She¡¯s just going to bring her filth into my office!¡± Luke gasped. He called her filthy! He fell silent in fear. Meanwhile, Sasha was happily enjoying her food with the vice president in the staff canteen when her phone vibrated. She picked it up, only to see a message telling her that she had been fired. I¡¯ve been fired? Is this a mistake? I¡¯ve only been here for a few hours! I¡¯m an employee of the Hayes Corporation now! Why am I fired? What¡¯s wrong with that scum? She dialed Sebastian¡¯s number immediately. ¡°We¡¯re sorry. The number you have dialed is currently unavable.¡± ¡°We¡¯re sorry. The number you have dialed is currently unavable.¡± Sasha cursed under her breath. What the f*ck! Did he just cklist me? Vexed, she pushed her food away and stood up abruptly. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hey¡± the vice president called, visibly surprised. ¡°Where are you going? You haven¡¯t even finished your lunch yet?¡± Sasha ignored him and left the canteen quickly. Where am I going? To beat up that jerk, of course! She stormed into the President¡¯s exclusive lift and arrived at the penthouse suite a few minutester. The employees there watched with their mouths agape as she kicked open the door of the President¡¯s office with a loud bang. ¡°Who the hell is she?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she that vice president¡¯spdog now?¡± ¡°Why did she just barge into the President¡¯s office?¡± ¡°Did she just kick the door open?¡± They watched in horror as Sasha stormed into the office and yelled, ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, Sebastian Hayes? What do you mean I¡¯m fired? Do you actually think I¡¯m here to work for you?¡± The onlookers fell silent in shock. Sasha waited for his reply while panting from anger, and her frustration only grew when Sebastian took his own sweet time to turn away from the window he had been facing. ¡°Get out!¡± he growled, making the onlookers shiver in fear. Sasha blinked. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®get out¡¯? You¡¯d better watch your words! I¡¯m here for my son¡¯s sake, and now you¡¯re telling me to get out?¡± ¡°Are you dumb or something? I¡¯m telling you to get the hell out of Hayes Corporation!¡± Sebastian yelled angrily, though his face waspletely expressionless.. ¡°Listen up, Sasha Wand, this is mypany, not your matchmaking service! How disgusting can you get?¡± He red at her with much hatred in his eyes, as though she did not deserve to be standing in front of him at that very moment. What? What the hell is wrong with him? Sasha could feel her hands trembling in anger. ncing around the office, she noticed an art instation made out of metal just to her left, and she put her hands on it without much thinking. Sebastian¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to throw this on your stupid head, of course!¡± she shouted. ¡°Who told you that I¡¯m here to hook up with other men? Have you forgotten that we used to get in bed together? Are you so insecure that you think those ugly bas*ards could take me away from you? Are you dumb?¡± As she shouted obscenities at Sebastian, she tried to pick up the art instation with much difficulty. ¡°It¡¯s thirty kilos. Let¡¯s see if you can actually lift it,¡± Sebastian snickered, the storm clouds on his face long gone. Sasha tried to lift the instation out of spite, only for it to fall back onto its podium with a loud thud. Why the hell is it so heavy? Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Sweaty and exhausted, Sasha was finally drained out of energy. The thing was so heavy that she had to loosen her grip. After that, she squatted angrily as she couldn¡¯t even stand now. ¡°Sebastian, you¡¯re f*cking mental!¡± Panting, tears finally fell from her swollen, misty eyes. Sebastian was taken aback for a second. He was quite delighted when she saw her clumsily carrying the iron pieces but immediately became sorry when he saw her shedding tears while squatting on the floor. ¡°Is it you or me who¡¯s mental here? How dare you use me of this when you¡¯re the one who came to mypany and caused chaos?¡± ¡°Chaos? What did I do?¡± Sasha immediately raised her head and red at the man with her red, teary eyes. Sebastian tilted his head slightly and looked away. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear it yourself? Now the entirepany is talking about how lucky you are to catch the vice president¡¯s attention as soon as you came. Sasha, why didn¡¯t I know that you¡¯re an expert at winning people over?¡± He worded it much nicer than before. Nheless, Sasha jumped in rage after hearing this. ¡°Bullsh*t! What does he like about me? I think he¡¯s the one who is mental because he still wants me to be his assistant after beingined for not doing my job there! What do I have to do with this?¡± Sasha went quiet for a moment. ¡°By the way, is this a characteristic of yourpany that the employees take after their boss?¡± She suddenly changed the topic and jeered at the man. They¡¯re all mental! Sebastian understood what she meant, and rage pulsed through his veins. But in the end, he endured it as Luke served the food at that moment. ¡°Erm¡­ Mr. Hayes and Ms. Wand, do you want to eat first?¡± Sebastian didn¡¯t answer. However, when Sasha saw it, she immediately stood up. ¡°No! Who am I to deserve Mr. Hayes¡¯ food? I disgust him anyway.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Then, the woman left with an angry look, without turning her head. She even mmed the door after her. Sebastian and Luke were left speechless. Seeing his expression worsening, Luke quickly soothed, ¡°Let¡¯s eat, Mr. Hayes. Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll ask her to work in your office when Ms. Wandes back in the afternoon.¡± ¡ª Sasha left Hayes Corporation. Of course, I won¡¯t eat at the lousy cafeteria! I¡¯m too angry to eat anyway! It¡¯ might as well eat at home! But just when she was about to get home, preschool suddenly called, ¡°Hi Matt¡¯s Mom, what¡¯s wrong with Matt today? He¡¯s so quiet! Is he sick?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sasha¡¯s face went pale instantly. Matteo¡¯s sick? He isn¡¯t, is he? He looks fine when I send him there this morning. Feeling uneasy about it, she didn¡¯t care about anything else and asked the cab driver to drive straight to the preschool. ¡°Hi Matt¡¯s Mom, you¡¯re finally here! Here¡¯s Matt¡ªhurry and take a look!¡± Sure enough, the minute reached the preschool¡¯s entrance, the teacher immediately brought out two children with a concerned look. Sasha immediately trotted over and squatted in front of the two children. ¡°Matt, are you feeling sick?¡± ¡°No, no, Mommy, Matt is not sick.¡± Vivian waved her chubby little hands to indicate that her brother was not sick at all. However, Sasha noticed something odd about Matt. What could it be? I can¡¯t tell either. ¡°Matt?¡± ¡°Nothing, the food isn¡¯t good.¡± He finally muttered after standing in front of his mother for a while. The food isn¡¯t good? Sasha immediately looked up at the teacher. However, the teacher shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not true! Matt has always loved the food at preschool. Besides, we have his favorite mashed potatoes today. Why isn¡¯t it good?¡± The teacher couldn¡¯t believe it, so Sasha looked at her son again. Matteo had always been a good kid. When Sasha was working, he would take his sister to preschool obediently without causing trouble for his mother unless he was sick. Could it be that he really fell sick? Sasha remembered that her son would keep quiet about being sick before to not worry her, so she was more certain about it when he didn¡¯t talk much. ¡°Alright, Matt. Mommy¡¯s taking you to the doctor.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The two kids were startled. Are we really going to the doctor? But he¡¯s not really sick! The truth is he¡¯s not Matteo but Ian, her other son! When the siblings were brought out of the preschool, Vivian helplessly stuck her head close to her after seeing her mother trying to get a cab. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 ¡°Ian, what should we do now that Mommy is taking you to the doctor? Didn¡¯t I tell you to be more talkative and smiley like Matt? Ian was speechless. I¡­don¡¯t know how. How would I? I¡¯m used to living alone in a big house, and everyone around me has a cold attitude. Isn¡¯t it weird if I grew up having a cheery personality? Besides, is it even easy for me to change just like that? After frowning for a while, he suddenly broke into a confident expression. ¡°No worries! You¡¯ll see!¡± ¡°What? How can you lie to a doctor for being sick if you¡¯re not?¡± ¡°Stomachache.¡± ¡°Oh? This should work. Let me tell you something: When I didn¡¯t want to go to preschool before, I would always lie to Mommy about having stomachaches. Wow, Ian, you¡¯re so clever.¡± The little girl became happy again. She held Ian¡¯s hands with her chubby little hands and looked at him admiringly. Ian was rather speechless. A few minutester, Sasha finally grabbed a cab and took the siblings into the car. Actually, she was a doctor herself, and she could tell if her kids had a headache or stomachache. But sometimes, mothers were just too cautious. For example, she was worried about her son falling sick now. Hence, she must take him to a good hospital to get a blood test or use modern medical equipment to have a medical check-up to y safe. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t simply send her kids to any hospital. Sasha was nervous and was holding the ¡°sick¡± kid on the way there. But Ian, on the other hand, was enjoying her sweet embrace as he had never been this loved while Vivian was staring at him enviously. ¡°Mommy, what about your other baby?¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± Sasha didn¡¯t understand what her daughter meant at that moment until after the chubby little girl climbed from her seat into her mother¡¯s arms. ¡°Vivi, don¡¯te near. Matt will get you sick too.¡± ¡°No, he won¡¯t.¡± Vivian didn¡¯t believe Ian as she knew that he made this up to steal her mother for himself. Besides, she didn¡¯t want to be away from her mother either. Fortunately, it was only a ten-minute drive from Old Town to the hospital, and Sasha quickly got her children off the car into the building. ¡°Hi, nurse. It¡¯s Matthew Wand. We would like to see a pediatrician, please.¡± ¡°Pediatrics? It¡¯s crowded over there now. How about visiting a specialist instead? You don¡¯t have to waste time lining up.¡± The registrar nurse said while clutching the card that Sasha handed over. That¡¯s even better! Nothing is more important than my children consulting a doctor. After making an appointment with a specialist, Sasha took her registered number and headed to the specialist clinic on the ninth floor. Meanwhile, Ian was still rtively calm after lying about his stomachache, but when he was suddenly brought to the specialist, his expression changed, and he wouldn¡¯t move anymore. ¡°Matt, why did you stop?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go!¡± Ian forcefully broke free of Sasha¡¯s hands and ran away. ¡°Hey, where are you going? Matt, why are you running away?¡± she yelled anxiously. At that moment, in the corridor of the clinic, an old doctor with gray hair wearing a white coat came over. When he saw the little running figure, he was a little startled. ¡°Mr. Ian? Why is he here?¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s Mr. Ian?¡± ¡°Yeah! Quick, stop him and carry him over. Is there something wrong? Where¡¯s his father? Call him now!¡± After instructing the other doctors with him, he went after Ian as well. Sasha was rendered speechless. When she was staring at the doctors chasing after the boy, she nked out as if an explosion happened in her head. Oh my, why did I forget about this? This hospital is thergest public hospital in Avenport. Since Ian was always sick, he must¡¯ve been a frequent patient. Besides, the Hayes would¡¯ve found him the best doctor here. Good lord, what a stupid thing have I done? Sasha froze. Then, she quickly took her daughter and followed after them, but her son, Matteo, was already carried by the doctors! ¡°Mr. Ian, why are you running away? Where¡¯s your father?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Who cares about his father? Dr. Lee, take the child and run a check-up on him with me. And you, Ms. Stone, call his father.¡± ¡°Yes, Professor!¡± Sasha almost cked out. Oh no, what now? He¡¯s not Ian but my Matteo! If they asked Sebastian toe here, he would know about the two children when he went to check at the Empire Preschool! Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Will he return my son to me? Sasha was like a cat on hot bricks. Having little choice, she could only take her daughter, follow after them, and y by ear. Then, she would take the child away when she got the chance without anyone noticing. Unfortunately, it was toote. When she took her daughter there, her son was taken to the clinic by the old doctor without asking any preliminary questions. ¡°Wait! Doctor, I¡¯m sorry, my child is okay, and he doesn¡¯t need to be checked.¡± Sasha was losing her mind. How could they run a medical check-up in a fully enclosed room like this? My Matteo is fine! They would only scare him. Nevertheless, the doctor ignored her after shooting her a nce. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, erm¡­I¡¯m this child¡¯s nanny, and I¡¯m new here,¡± replied Sasha guiltily. ¡°You¡¯re new, eh? Do you know why Mr. Hayes let you send the kid here? We¡¯re actually very familiar with him as he has beening here since little. Alright, that¡¯s enough talk. You can wait here while I do a check-up on him.¡± Then, the old professor disregarded Sasha¡¯s protest and let his assistant carry the boy into the MRI room. Sasha was rendered speechless. No, he¡¯s not Mr. Ian! He¡¯s my Matteo! Frantic, she wanted to exin once more. However, theputer screen had disyed the test results of the child lying on the MRI bed. ¡°The pylorus still hasn¡¯t closed well, and there¡¯s even some swelling. Is there a problem recently?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the food again. Poor kid.¡± After the doctor and his assistant had studied the image projected, they began to discuss distressedly. After Sasha heard them, there was a buzzing noise in her ears. The pylorus isn¡¯t closed? How? Isn¡¯t my Matteo all well and good? Why didn¡¯t I know about this before? Her heart plummeted, and horror surged. She didn¡¯t care about anything else and ran to the front of the computer between the two doctors like a madwoman. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! How could it be that his pylorus hasn¡¯t closed up? There¡¯s no way!¡± ¡°Why is it impossible, nanny? This problem has stayed with Mr. Ian. Not only that, his small intestine is shorter than others, and his kidney is not fully developed. Didn¡¯t your employer tell you all about these?¡± When the doctor saw her denying it like a maniac, he furiously banged on theputer screen. Sasha finally went silent. Since she was also a doctor, she understood the contents disyed on the screen, and the doctor was right. Sasha slumped back into the chair. When Sebastian arrived, the old doctor hadpleted the check-up on Ian. Actually, it was natural and temporary for Ian to be in this situation as he grew up with the problem. His premature birth had caused many physical defects. As long as there were no new problems that urred, he would be fine. After hearing the results, Sebastian remained calm. However, when he turned his head, he saw Sasha sitting in a chair in despair. Her face was as pale as death, and she had a somber expression. She was ring hollowly into space and lost in thoughts without realizing Sebastian calling her. What is this woman doing? He cast his gaze on the little girl standing next to her, but the adorable girl was already staring back at him with ck, beady eyes. As soon as she met his gaze, she immediately hid behind her mother¡¯s back timidly. Whose child is this? Why does she resemble¡­this pale woman? Sebastian was taken aback for a second. ¡°Who are you? Why are you here?¡± Vivian was shocked by her father¡¯s sudden question and immediately buried her face in her mother¡¯s chest. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Mommy? She calls her Mommy? His face muscles spasmed, his expression hardened, and a wave of anger surged from his chest. ¡°Sasha Wand, who¡¯s this girl? Why is she calling you Mommy?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sitting in the chair, Sasha was finally brought back to her senses by the man¡¯s angry questioning. She looked up and saw the enraged man and found her daughter clinging tightly to her and became dumbfounded. ¡°She¡­She¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Mummy, let¡¯s go. Vivi wants to go home.¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Vivian started having a fit. Unlike her two brothers, the girl was more cowardly, and she had always heard her brothers talking about how bad-tempered her father was and how he bullied their mother. Thus, she was petrified by that time. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Sasha finally regained consciousness and hugged her daughter, trembling with fear as she was afraid that things might get worse. ¡°She¡­¡± ¡°She really is your daughter? Wow, you¡¯re incredible, Sasha. Didn¡¯t you just disy your pure and righteous side this noon? I didn¡¯t know that your illegitimate daughter is this old! You really disgust me!¡± Unexpectedly, the man had already started railing before she could say a word. His expression turned ashen with anger, and hatred filled his eyes. At that moment, Mr. Hayes, who was famous for being cid in the business world, had lost his temper. Sasha was startled. Illegitimate daughter? He actually thought that this child was fathered by someone else? Sasha¡¯s heart sank, and she looked at the man with an exasperated expression. Should I be d or sad about this? How can someone this stupid man be the top businessman in the field? ¡°Speak! Why don¡¯t you say anything?¡± ¡°What should I say? What do you mean by illegitimate daughter? Sebastian, I have nothing to do with you for a long time ago. Why can¡¯t I be with someone else if you can be with that b*tch, Xandra? If I gave birth to a bunch of children with someone else, let alone only one, it¡¯s none of your business too!¡± Sebastian went quiet. Finally, this has immediately shut that scum up! He clenched his fists, and his handsome face darkened. However, he couldn¡¯t utter any more words. Sasha sneered silently. You have asked for it since you dared to argue about this with me! Then, she ignored him after her retorts. When she saw her soning out from the MRI room, she took her daughter and went forward. ¡°Doctor, is he alright? Can we go now?¡± I had to take my children back as soon as I can. Otherwise, this ill-tempered scum would definitely tear me into strips if he found out about my other son! When she was about to take her son, the man suddenly pulled him away before she could carry the boy, and she couldn¡¯t fight the man¡¯s strength. ¡°Sebastian, what are you doing? Take your filthy hands off him! You have no right to touch him!¡± How dare this man snatch away my son from me and forbids me from touching him! He¡¯s really driving me nuts! This is my Matteo, not his Ian! Who is he to stop me from taking my son? I only have him now. She finally lost it under a massive flood of fear. With teary eyes, she almost wanted to snatch her son back, but the child finally spoke, ¡°Daddy, what are you doing?¡± Sasha was dumbstruck. Daddy? My Matteo¡­called this man Daddy? On the other hand, Sebastian wasn¡¯t surprised as the hospital notified him about Ian. So he lowered his head and looked at his son. ¡°Daddy will take you home.¡± ¡°No! I want to go to preschool.¡± Then, Ian broke free from his father¡¯s grip and walked directly toward Sasha. She was overjoyed when she saw this. Ignoring everything else, she stepped forward and carried him in her arms. ¡°Alright, we won¡¯t go home but to the preschool. Sebastian, I¡¯m only taking him back there and nowhere else. Since he¡¯s so eager to go there, let¡¯s not affect him with our matters,¡± said Sasha while she carried her son instantly. Then, before the man had time to react, she left speedily with the two children and was soon nowhere to be seen. Left behind in the clinic, Sebastian was enraged. Sasha Wand! ¡ª Sasha ran frantically with her two children all the way until they got in a cab. After the frightened family had arrived at Old Town, she finally carried them off the car. Then, she went to a small park nearby and didn¡¯t want to move anymore. ¡°Mommy?¡± As a girl, Vivian was more meticulous. When she saw her in this situation, she immediately leaned her chubby face over and asked caringly. Sasha hugged her adorable daughter when she saw this. Not long after, she saw her son staring at her eagerly, so she reached out her hand and pulled him into her arms too. ¡°Mommy is okay, don¡¯t worry. Mommy¡¯s just a little tired, and I just need to rest for a bit.¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 She held her two children in her arms. Worn out, she felt incredibly guilty and pained. When and how did Matteo know about his father? Besides, why does he have so many physical defects that I have no idea about? What am I doing? How can a mother not know anything this serious? For the first time, she felt that she had failed miserably as a mother. ¡°Matteo, tell Mommy. Did you already know about Daddy?¡± Sasha finally calmed herself down and asked the boy. After hearing that, Ian, who was lying in her chest, immediately drooped his head. He felt helpless and didn¡¯t know how to exin it to his mother. He was actually scared that she would abandon him after he told her the truth. Fortunately, Vivian was there. When she saw him afraid to speak, she blinked her sparkling eyes and helped Ian. ¡°Yeah, Mommy. Vivi knows too.¡± ¡°Huh? You too?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, because Mommy was always bullied and even kept away by Daddy, Matt became angry, so he followed the bad guy that got you and found out who Daddy is.¡± In a childish voice, the little girl exined how the siblings found out about their father. After listening, words couldn¡¯t describe Sasha¡¯s emotions at that moment. Well, it makes sense. Although my son is only five, he has an exceptional IQ and can hack into the entire localwork server in Clear. So what¡¯s so strange about him finding out about his useless father? Sasha decided to drop the topic and looked at the little guy sadly. Both mother and son went quiet. Suddenly, the two kids had a gut feeling that something terrible was about to happen. ¡°Matteo, Mommy feels really guilty about you because¡­ I never knew about your health problems. It¡¯s all Mommy¡¯s fault. Mommy will take you back to Clear, alright? Let¡¯s go as soon as possible. From now on, I will only focus on getting you well, alright?¡± Sasha held her son¡¯s tiny hands and told him her decision while enduring her pain within. Huh¡­ I should¡¯ve prioritized the more important things instead of those significant matters that didn¡¯t belong to me in the first ce. How can he endure all these without me knowing? He¡¯s only five! Sasha lowered her gaze and tears started flowing down uncontrobly. The siblings were shocked upon hearing her words. Go back to Clear? No way! Mommy is taking us out of here? Then, what about Matteo? He¡¯s still in Frontier Bay! Ian was frightened. If Mommy leaves, does that mean I¡¯ll be left alone again? I don¡¯t have anyone here¡­ Is she abandoning me again? Ian teared up and ran away from his mother¡¯s arms. ¡°Matteo! Why are you running away? Come back! Don¡¯t run!¡± Sasha quickly stood up and rushed over with her daughter. What¡¯s wrong with him? Why did he run away when I told them about going back to Clear? Sasha was confused. Perhaps, if she realized that it was Ian instead of Matteo, she would understand. However, for Ian, it was the most uneptable thing for his mother to abandon him again. ¡ª Matteo¡¯s father brought him home that day. This bad Daddy must be rejected by Ian, who chose Mommy, so that¡¯s why he looks so angry. He even ignored me when I said hi to him first. Hmph! Bad Daddy. I won¡¯t talk to you if you neglect me! Sitting at the back, Matteo took out his snacks from his little backpack from preschool and ate his lollipop happily. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Huh? Nothing! I¡¯m just ying.¡± There¡¯s no way I will tell Daddy about how I have helped Ian secure his ce at school today. If Daddy knew, he would beat me up! Matteo took out his toy car from one of his winnings. Eww! What¡¯s this childish thing? I¡¯m already in preschool! Sebastian had been observing the boy from the rearview mirror. How dare this ungrateful little brat turn to that woman immediately after five years of me taking care of him! But what is he doing? He was a little surprised when he noticed the little guy¡¯s behavior. The boy simply threw his backpack on the seat and sat with his legs crossed. ¡°Ian, who taught you how to sit like that? Didn¡¯t Daddy teach you about proper manners? Why did you already learn these bad habits after going to preschool for only two days?¡± Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Matteo became quiet. After two seconds, Matteo slowly changed his sitting posture into how the little bore, Ian, would. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. I bet it was Daddy who taught the little bore to sit like that. Matteo sighed. Fortunately, his father didn¡¯t say anything else after he corrected his sitting posture. Then, the two finally returned to Frontier Bay. ¡°Hi, Mr. Ian. Are you hungry? I have made your favorite pastries! Do you want some?¡± ¡°Yay! Thank you, Ms. Dolivo!¡± Smilingly, Matteo quickly agreed, and his bright smile stunned Wendy. Did Mr. Ian smile at me? Good lord, he actually smiles at me! I didn¡¯t know that he would! He looks fantastic! The surprised Wendy immediately went to the kitchen to get the pastries. After Matteo saw that she had left, he went back to his room on the second floor with his little backpack. I gotta call Ian back. He called me when I was in the car just now, but I had to hang up on him so that Daddy won¡¯t know. ¡°Ian, where are you going? Aren¡¯t you going to change?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Matteo stopped heading upstairs and stared nkly at his father. Change? Why? Matteo didn¡¯t know why his father said that. However, he would understand if he knew Ian was used to his father¡¯s severe mysophobia, and his brother was trained with good hygiene habits. ¡°What are you waiting for? Don¡¯t you know that you have to go to the disinfection room to change into clean clothes before going to your room? Have you forgotten?¡± Sebastian felt strange. What¡¯s wrong with my son today? Why is he so unusual? Matteo was shocked. Disinfection room? That little bore actually made one in his house? Defeated, Matteo could onlye down from the stairs. ¡°Sorry, Daddy. I forgot. I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Then, the little guy went to the disinfection room with his little backpack. Sebastian sank into his thoughts. At that moment, with the pastries in her serving tray, she saw the scene and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Hayes?¡± He frowned as if trying to say something. Eventually, when the little figure was nowhere to be seen, he kept quiet and went upstairs. A few minutester, Matteo called Ian with his smartwatch when he went back to his room. ¡°Hey, Ian?¡± ¡°Matt! Matt! This is bad! Mommy is taking us to Clear, and Ian is ignoring everyone now!¡± Unexpectedly, Vivian answered the call, and she anxiously told her brother the situation in a childish voice. Mommy¡¯s taking them out of here? Why? Matteo became worried too, and he quickly asked, ¡°Why? Why is Mommy taking us back?¡± ¡°Because she mistook Ian for you! When Ian was taken to the hospital, an old doctor took him for a medical check-up and discovered many illnesses. So Mommy became upset and thinking he was you instead. Now, she wants to take us back to Clear to heal you!¡± The little girl might look stupidly cute on the outside, but she could also exin things very clearly. Matteo¡¯s expression changed after hearing that. ¡°How did it turn out like this? I have to go back now if that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°Yeah, you have to! Ian has been locking himself up forever and ignored Mommy no matter how she tried to talk him out of it!¡± Vivian turned to look at the locked door while agreeing with her brother. At that point, there was no other way out except for Matteo to go back to solve the problem. Hence, he let his sister soothe Ian for the time being, and he would go over and exin it to his mother when he got the chance. Well, it seems like we can¡¯t hide it any longer. Matteo hung up and he got frustrated thinking of the situation. Unexpectedly, Sebastian came up at that time. When he saw the closed door, he strode toward it and knocked. ¡°Ian, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Huh? Nothing, Daddy. I¡¯m just ying inside.¡± As soon as Matteo heard his father¡¯s voice, he gathered himself and quickly opened the door. ¡°Daddy, why are you here? Are you looking for me?¡± Sebastian went quiet as he was not used to this smiling, little face. When did this little brat learn how to smile? Isn¡¯t his attitude usually frosty? It¡¯s so unusual for his five- year-old to show any signs of joy. What¡¯s going on? After staring at the bright face for a while, he scowled and added, ¡°I¡¯m just here to tell you that thedy doctor won¡¯t be here anymore from tomorrow onward.¡± Chapter 96 Chapter 96 ¡°Why?¡± Matteo asked with his eyes widened. Mommy won¡¯t be here anymore? Why not? Is she unwilling to do that, or did Daddy ask her not toe anymore? I think it¡¯s more likely to be thetter. Sure enough, Sebastian, who was peering down at the boy, immediately became impatient. ¡°If she¡¯s noting, then so be it. Why do you ask so many questions?¡± ¡°Then, it must be you who don¡¯t want her toe over, right? Daddy, are you still angry about the thing that happened at the hospital? You can¡¯t really me her because I was the one who called her. Since I assumed that you¡¯re too busy, I asked her to take me there. Don¡¯t be angry, Daddy,¡± exined Matteo. He thought that his father was angry because of that, and he only knew about it after Ian texted him. He also assumed that his father became jealous when Ian chose Sasha over him. Unexpectedly, his father¡¯s face became even uglier after Matteo¡¯s exnation. ¡°Why am I angry? Alright, let me tell you this. From tomorrow onward, Mr. Scott will be taking you to school, and Ms. Wendy will be taking care of you at home.¡± ¡°What? Mr. Scott?¡± Matteo was not too happy with this news. He¡¯s actually letting Mr. Scott take Ian to preschool every day now? So he¡¯s really not letting Mommy over anymore? How can he do that? This is so unreasonable of him! I¡¯ve tried so hard to let Ian spend more time with Mommy and even switched our positions. Now Daddy banned her froming just like that? He has no idea how big of a misunderstanding he has caused her! She¡¯s feeling so guilty right now for assuming that I¡¯m the one who¡¯s sick! N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. How can he be so thoughtless? Matteo became furious as well. He tightened his tiny fists, and anger reced his smile. ¡°Daddy, do you know that you are really annoying?¡± ¡°What did you say? Annoying?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to like you, but look at yourself. You lose your temper and bully others as you please. No one likes this kind of Daddy, and I won¡¯t either!¡± After the disappointed child had expressed his thoughts with teary eyes, he turned around and mmed the door shut. Sebastian was dumbstruck as he didn¡¯t see iting from this little guy, and he hadn¡¯t heard anything like it from him before. What did he mean by wanting to like me? Did he not like me before? Am I not his Daddy? What is actually going on with him today? Is he a different boy? Sebastian was enraged again. However, since his son had shut the door on him. Seeing that, he contained his irritation and thought of talking to him after he felt better. Sasha, look at what you¡¯ve done! When the man left, he still assumed that it was her who changed his son¡¯s temper. ¡ª Sasha was serious about leaving with her two children and started looking up flights on herputer as soon as she got home. Remaining silent, Vivian would still check on Ian¡¯s closed-door as told by Matt. I have to make sure that Ian¡¯s fine. The little girl stood guard loyally. After looking for a while, Sasha realized there weren¡¯t many flights to Clear because of the cold weather, so she could only turn herputer off in disappointment. ¡°Vivi, what are you doing? Where¡¯s Matt?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, Matt? He¡¯s still in his room. Mommy, are we leaving now?¡± Vivian was still concerned about this matter and immediately asked as soon as she saw her mother. Sasha shook her head. ¡°No. We will probably be in a day or two. Has Matte out yet?¡± Sasha asked. After Ian locked himself in his room, Sasha wanted to coax him. Why is my son acting strange? He didn¡¯t respond to me at all, even when I tried to call for him. Is he feeling guilty that I¡¯ve found out that he¡¯s sick and tries to hide from me? That thought stabbed her in her heart. Vivian nodded. ¡°Yeah, Mommy. Maybe Matt didn¡¯t want to leave. So please can we stay?¡± ¡°No, we have to. Matt¡¯s sick. Don¡¯t worry, Mommy will cook first, and I will talk to himter. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine after that.¡± Sasha soothed her daughter and went to the kitchen to start cooking. She had confidence in her son as he had always been very understanding. She believed that he would be fine after talking to him. Unexpectedly, she found the room to be empty when she went to unlock the door after she finished cooking. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Gosh! Please tell me this is not happening! Sasha could hear her heart pounding away as the surroundings suddenly became muted. ¡°Vivi, where¡¯s Matt?¡± ¡°Matt? He¡¯s inside his room. I didn¡¯t see himing out, Mommy,¡± Vivian replied without taking her eyes off the paper ne in her hand. She had been folding paper nes on the floor for some time and did not even realize that her brother was missing. Vivian was not a very observant kid. She was still young and unlike her brothers, she was not very sensitive to her surroundings. She put the paper ne down and blinked her eyes at Sasha in oblivion. Sasha clicked her tongue at her clueless daughter. She knew she had to go look for Matteo on her own. Grabbing an overcoat from the clothes stand, she hurried out of the house without losing another moment. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. It was almost seven in the evening and night was falling. ¡ª¡ª Over at Royal Court One, the clock struck seven¡ªit was dinner time. When Sebastian heard Wendy calling from downstairs, he quickly tidied up the stuff in his study and went downstairs after a whole day of tiring work. ¡°Here you are, Mr. Hayes. I¡¯ve been knocking on Ian¡¯s door a few times, but he refused toe out. What should I do now?¡± the anxious housemaid asked, sping her hands before her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go get him,¡± Sebastian said, turning towards Ian¡¯s room. He had been working the whole day, and just as he thought he could finally have dinner and rx, Ian was being difficult. A frown spread across his brows on his tired face as he headed towards the nursery. ¡°Ian, open the door, Daddy¡¯s here. It¡¯s dinner time.¡± No one answered. There was dead silence, as if there was no one inside. Is he asleep? The frown on Sebastian¡¯s brows deepened and he turned the door handle. Behind Sebastian, Wendy poked her head in and looked around. ¡°There¡¯s no one here. Where¡¯s Mr. Ian?¡± the maid asked nervously. Her face started turning pale and she gasped in horror. Even Sebastian was shocked. The frown instantly vanished and his eyes widened in fear as he checked out every corner of the room. Ian was a bad-tempered child, and he liked locking himself in his own room whenever he was upset¡ªbut he would never leave without telling anyone. He was not that ill-behaved. He knew Sebastian would be furious if he were to do it. Where on earth is he? The veins on Sebastian¡¯s forehead throbbed like they were going to burst. ¡°Summon all the guards! Find out what happened!¡± he roared as he darted downstairs in light speed. ¡°Yes, Mr. Hayes!¡± Wendy cried out and followed after him. She knew things were going to turn really ugly this time. It¡¯s already sote at night, where can Ian be? Everyone will be in deep trouble if we can¡¯t find the kid anywhere in thepound. Wendy gathered all the guards within just a couple of minutes. The whole vi was brightly lit and the whole team was mobilized to look for the missing child. Meanwhile, Matteo was already outside of the vi when everyone was frantically searching for him. It was totally not his intention to leave without telling anyone. After receiving Vivian¡¯s text, his original n was to wait till tomorrow morning when Daddy would be out for work. But Ian called him twenty minutes ago and his whole n just went haywire. ¡°Is Mommy going to desert me again?¡± Ian asked when he was on the phone with Matteo. Matteo tried exining everything to him and assuring him, but to no avail. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Ian. Mommy did that because she thought you were me. You must understand that she was worried crazy.¡± ¡°So, it means she chose you over me, right?¡± Ian asked coldly after considering the issue from every angle. Ian had always thought that Sasha could not wait to bring Matteo back to Clear because she was worried sick and she felt guilty. But when Ian thought harder about the whole thing, it also meant that Sasha was abandoning his eldest son again. Matteo really did not know how tofort Ian, but before he could do anything, Ian had already hung up. Matteo tried calling him again, but Ian had already switched off his smartwatch and was no longer reachable. This made Matteo broke out in cold sweat. So instead of just waiting for Ian¡¯s news, Matteo stole away immediately to look for him. He was afraid Ian would do something stupid. By the time he got off the cab and dashed up to his house, only Vivian was home. ¡°You¡¯re back? Ian¡¯s gone and Mommy¡¯s looking for him right now. What should we do now?¡± Vivian ran over and asked anxiously the moment she realized it was Matteo who came back. She quickly filled Matteo in on everything that had happened at home. Matteo¡¯s face darkened with worry as he listened to Vivian. I knew it. I knew something¡¯s gonna happen. Seriously, why does this little bore have such a short temper? Can¡¯t he just wait a little longer? Matteo paced around in the house with his heart in his mouth. Thoughts raced through his mind as he tried toe up with a n. He ruffled his hair in frustration before dashing for the door and headed out to look for Ian. He figured it would be easier for him to look for Ian since he had called him on his smartwatch earlier on. As a skilled hacker, Matteo could use his tablet to locate Ian. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 After Matteo left the apartment, he found a suitable spot and sat down. But just as he thought he would not bump into anyone he knew, a car sped by in the neighborhood and someone spotted him. ¡°Kelly, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m seeing things, but I think I just saw your niece¡¯s stepson in Old Town.¡± The sky was already dark and the woman in the car was simply taking a cursory nce at the surroundings. If it were not for the sudden beam of light from the tablet that shone right in Matteo¡¯s face in the dark when he switched on the tablet, she would not have even spotted him sitting there all alone. ¡°Old Town?¡± Kelly asked, rmed. Kelly was at home when her friend called her and told her what she saw. The family had never had a moment of peace ever since Xandra went to Hayes Corporation to work two days ago. She was all dressed up and her mood was phenomenally good when she went out. But she came back dejected when she did not even get to enter thepany. ¡°Are you sure you saw that kid?¡± Kelly asked, her grip tightening around her phone. ¡°Hm, I think it¡¯s him. Let me go back and check,¡± the woman said, taking a U-turn and driving back to where she first saw Matteo.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Kelly stole a look at her niece and shook her head. Xandra had been fervently trimming her nts like a psycho for the whole day. After a few minutes, Kelly¡¯s phone beeped and a photo showed on her screen. It showed a boy who looked exceptionally familiar. He had a small bag on his back and he was sitting on a staircase, ying with his tablet. This is really him! This is Xandra¡¯s stepson! She sprung from the couch and beckoned her niece toe over. ¡°Cut it out, Xandra. You won¡¯t get to go to thepany even if you cut away all the flowers in the world. I have something that you might want to see. Come here.¡± Xandra looked up at her aunt without saying a word. Tending to nts was never her favorite pastime. But ever since she got back from thepany, she had been trimming the bonsai. Even she herself could not understand why she became sopulsive. She realized she had been cutting the branches a lot ever since that darn woman came back to life and ruined her life. Snip! The thought of that woman made Xandra¡¯s blood boil and she clenched her grip tight around the scissors, cutting off another branch forcefully. She looked at the nearly-bald bonsai before throwing the pair of scissors aside and walked over without betraying any emotions on her face. Kelly held out her phone towards Xandra and showed her the photo. ¡°Take a look. Isn¡¯t this boy Sebastian¡¯s son?¡± Sebastian? The mention of his name lightened Xandra¡¯s mood. She hastened her steps towards her aunt and grabbed the phone over. ¡°Who sent this?¡± she asked the moment she saw the photo. ¡°One of my besties. She said she saw him in Old Town. I wonder why Sebastian¡¯s son is there though. What do you think?¡± Kelly asked. Xandra darted her eyes around as she thought hard. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll ever go to that ce. It looks filthy.¡± ¡°I know right. He¡¯s Ian Hayes. I don¡¯t think someone of his status will ever go to a ce like that. Why not we probe into this? Who knows what we might find out?¡± Kelly¡¯s keen observation told her things were not as simple as they seemed. She pored over every detail of the picture and her gut feeling told her there must be something more to it. Beside her, Xandra nodded in agreement before instructing their men to do a thorough investigation of the area. Now that they had started an investigation, it was impossible for Sasha and the kids to remain under the radar. Although Old Town was not as well-surveilled as New Town, there were still security cameras on the main roads. It did not take long before Xandra and Kelly found out about everything. ¡°Sasha Wand! She lives in Old Town?¡± Xandra eximed at the top of her voice when she looked at the footage on her phone. Her face turned crooked in disgust and anger as if she would rip the woman in her screen into shreds. Kelly was equally shocked when she saw the footage. But the two did not realize that the little boy in the footage was not Ian, but Matteo since the brothers looked identical to each other. ¡°So she actually brought Ian to her ce? I really don¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening. Ian has grown so fond of her ever since she came into his life. Look at this. He¡¯s following her around wherever she goes!¡± Xandra seethed with anger as her slender finger pointing at the screen quivered uncontrobly. What happened at thepany two days ago already made her feel humiliated beyond measure. Now that she saw the surveince camera footage, she totally lost it. ¡°Stupid b*tch! I¡¯m gonna kill her! I swear I¡¯m gonna kill her!¡± she screamed and ran out of the door. Kelly reacted immediately and pulled her back. ¡°Are you crazy? Do you want to kill her yourself? Get someone else to do it! She won¡¯t be lucky enough to survive,¡± Kelly reminded her. A glimmer of devilry shone in her dark eyes as she drilled her re through the photo of Matteo. ¡ª¡ª Back at Royal Court One, Frontier Bay. Sebastian almost went berserk when he saw Ian standing calmly at the door with his bag. The boy stood in front of the gate and looked at his dad quietly. Sebastian rushed over immediately, his furious re fixated on the boy as his steps hastened into a run. He raised his quaking hand at the child when he finally came close, ready to teach him a good lesson. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Sebastian stopped in the air as his worried gaze fell on the boy he had been looking for the past hour. Ian¡¯s eyes were watered with tears and his nose was red. Sebastian¡¯s hand gradually lowered and guilt budded in his heart. He knew he should not haveshed out at Ian for no reason. The kid would not have run away if he had not lost his temper. ¡°Where have you been?¡± Sebastian knelt down before Ian, trying to soften his voice. But he never expected that his gentle tone would make that stubborn boy broke down in tears. Ian ran up into his embrace and dug his head in Sebastian¡¯s chest. ¡°Daddy¡­¡± After everything that happened at Sasha¡¯s ce, Ian could not hold it in any longer when he saw Sebastian. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks, soaking Sebastian¡¯s shirt wet. Ian felt Mommy and his siblings had all forsaken him. And the only person he had now was Daddy. Sebastian was his onlyfort when the whole world turned against him. Sebastian slowly wrapped his hands around the wailing child, not knowing how to react. ¡°What happened, Ian? Daddy¡¯s here. Tell me what happened.¡± Sebastian¡¯s voice was rigid and awkward. He had attended countless business talks at work but never had he felt this nervous and helpless. A thought flickered in his mind and the expression on his face instantly hardened. I¡¯ll turn the whole Avenport upside down if I find out who did this to my child. But instead of answering Sebastian, Ian just cried his heart out. When he finally calmed down again, he looked at Sebastian and said, ¡°Daddy, can I sleep in your room tonight?¡± Sebastian¡¯s eyes widened as he looked Ian in the eyes. He scooped him up in his arms and fury glistered in his eyes. Ian was a withdrawn child. Although he was very attached to Sebastian, he had never once asked to sleep in Sebastian¡¯s room. Ian was a grown boy and he had his own ego. His dignity never allowed him to ask to sleep in his father¡¯s room. Something must have happened to him. I know he¡¯ll never put aside his pride and make such a request. After bringing Ian up to his room, Sebastian mobilized all the bodyguards under Hayes Corporation to get to the bottom of what happened. He wanted to know exactly what happened when Ian went missing. ¡ª¡ª T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Meanwhile, Sasha could not find Matteo after searching every nook and cranny. She had been looking for him for the whole night, but still, she found no sign of him. ¡°Matt? Where are you? Matt! I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t force you to go back anymore, I promise!¡± Sasha was on the verge of losing her mind. Her search had been unfruitful for the past hours. She shed her torchlight around desperately as she strolled down the streets of Old Town. Fear was eating her up and she was contemting if she should just knock on the neighbors¡¯ door one after another to look for Matteo. Back at home, Vivian was also getting anxious. Mommy and Matteo had been out for a few hours already, and there was still no news of them. Vivian could not just sit and wait any longer. She picked up the phone and called Uncle Jackson. ¡°Uncle Jackson, Mommy and Matt are missing. What should I do¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s voice broke into tears once the call got through. Jackson and Sharon were already in bed when the phone rang. The night was cold and it was already midnight. Anyone would be in bed already. Jackson immediately sat up in his bed the moment he heard Vivian¡¯s voice. ¡°Vivi? Is that you, Vivi?¡± The girl bawled her eyes out over the phone. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m Vivi. Could you pleasee over? Mommy and Matt have been missing the whole night, and I¡¯m alone at home¡­¡± Jackson struggled to get out of bed in a hurry as Vivian¡¯s cry rang through the phone. He told Vivian he would go over and hung up immediately, but Sharon quickly stopped him. ¡°Where are you going? It¡¯s so cold outside. Go back to bed and leave it to me.¡± Having said that, she got out of bed, bundled up, and made a call. In no time, a few people came over and all of them set out for Old Town. When Sharon and her friends reached twenty minutester, they saw Sasha going from door to door, asking people if they had seen Matteo. ¡°Hello! Open up, please. I¡¯m looking for my son. Could you please open up?¡± Her voice was growing coarse after a whole night of shouting, and her tears had dried under the chilling cold. But the exasperated mother was still looking for her son in the cold dark. Has she gone crazy? Sharon shook her head as she came over and stopped Sasha. ¡°What are you doing? Do you know what time it is already?¡± Sasha turned her stiff neck around slowly and saw her aunt. Her face was red and swollen under the beating of the freezing wind. ¡°Aunt Sharon¡­ Matt¡­ Matt is missing¡­¡± Speaking, she clung to Sharon as if she was herst hope and started weeping. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Sharon had never seen Sasha this distressed. She heaved a sigh and held her niece in her arms. ¡°Listen to me, Sasha. We will find him. I will make sure we find Matteo.¡± Sasha nodded andposed herself. Her aunt¡¯s words echoed like a beacon of hope in the storm. Sharon¡¯s appearance was like the light at the end of the tunnel for Sasha. She knew Aunt Sharon would be able to help her. Sharon was the only reason why the Wand family could survive after they went bankrupt. She was also the one who dealt with the mess Sasha created for the whole family. Sasha was confident her aunt would be able to help her this time. After a whole night of investigation, Sharon and her lot found out that someone had kidnapped Matteo. ¡°Yeah, I swear I saw the boy. He was on his tablet when a ck van drove up next to him. A man came down and covered his mouth before dragging him into the car.¡± The stranger told them everything he saw and even described urately what Matteo was wearing and the bag he carried when he was pulled into the car. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Sasha almost fainted when she found out Matteo was kidnapped. No mother would be able to take the agony of losing her child to a kidnapper. They treasured their children like their own lives, and they would protect their children with their lives. Sashay in Sharon¡¯s car until the break of the day. She opened her eyes gradually when the first ray of the morning sun struck her face. After a short rest, her throat was sore and parched. ¡°I hope you feel refreshed. We need to make a police report today and ask them to look into this,¡± Sharon said when she saw Sasha finally awake. The police? Sasha was still feeling groggy after a nap. Everything happened so quickly yesterday it took her some time to recall everything. When she finally came around, she sat up in rm and shook her head. ¡°No, we can¡¯t go to the police. He will find out about it if I make a police report. I will look for Matt myself!¡± She opened the car door and dashed out, disheveled and not even knowing where she was going. ¡°Sasha Wand! Come Back! What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Sharon jumped off the car and raced towards her when she saw Sasha running away. Gosh, does she have to be so quick? Damn it! Sharon lost Sasha after running after her for about five minutes. Panting heavily, Sharon went back to her car and made for the police station. She knew who Sasha was trying to hide from. She did not want the child¡¯s father, Sebastian, to find out about it. If this spiraled out of control, the news would reach his ears. But Sharon could not afford to worry about that anymore. The police were their final resort. This could well involve a whole ring of human traffickers and the police would have to step in if this was the case. They would put Matteo¡¯s photo online and asked themunity to help look for the missing child. Anyone who knew Sebastian had a son would easily recognize Matteo. ¡ª¡ª Little did Sharon and Sasha know, despite them trying all they could to hide it from Sebastian, he had already received a call from the kidnappers in the morning right after he woke up. ¡°Morning, Mr. Hayes. Did you sleep well yesterday? Or were you up worrying about your missing child? Do you miss him?¡± The mechanical voice on the phone sounded heavily altered, but still, the insolence in the kidnapper¡¯s voice was conspicuous. Sebastian looked at the sleeping child from the corner of his eyes and hung up without saying a word. That¡¯s crazy! He let off a grunt and went to wash up in the bathroom. After getting a change, he headed downstairs, only to see the bodyguard he dispatched yesterday waiting for him by the staircase. ¡°Mr. Hayes, we found out where Ian was yesterday. He went to Old Town.¡± Old Town? Sebastian¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Why did he go to Old Town?¡± The bodyguard evaded his questioning re. ¡°We¡¯re not sure why he went there But we found him going in and out of a rental apartment. And the apartment belongs to Ms. Wand.¡± ¡°Who? Sasha?¡± The air suddenly became cold in the living room. So Ian went to her cest night. Why is he so fond of her? Did she cast a spell on him or something? I can¡¯t allow this to go on. Ian ran away without telling any of us yesterday, who knows what he will do in the future? Anger clouded Sebastian¡¯s face as he thought about Sasha. ¡°Call Luke and ask him to get that woman out of Avenport. I don¡¯t want to see her again!¡± Opposite Sebastian, the bodyguard raised his brows in surprise. Get her out of Avenport? Aren¡¯t you the one who brought her back in the first ce? Now you¡¯re asking us to get rid of her after everything you¡¯ve done to get her back? The bodyguard was totally befuddled. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Since Sebastian had made it explicit that he wanted Sasha out of Avenport, the bodyguard had no choice but to do as he was asked to. After sorting things out with the bodyguard, Sebastian went upstairs again and got ready for work. Just as he was about to leave his room, his phone rang again. He groaned and picked it up. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked impatiently. ¡°Mr. Hayes, you don¡¯t care about your son anymore, do you? I¡¯ll kill your son if you dare hang up again!¡± Sebastian rolled his eyes at the familiar voice. ¡°Hey, what do you want? Money? If you¡¯re thinking about ripping me off, dream on. I have no time for games!¡± Sebastian¡¯s patience was wearing thin. The day sure did not start well with these annoying calls bothering him. ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t believe that I have your son, Mr. Hayes. Fine then, I¡¯ll send you a picture of him, and you can take a look for yourself. Make sure youe prepared with one billion!¡± The kidnapper hung up without waiting for a reply. Sebastian stared at his phone in disbelief before the screen lighted up again. He just received a photo from the man. Instantly, he tapped on it and zoomed in on the child. It was indeed a photo of a child being held hostage. Sebastian could not tell where the ce was, but the kid in an orange jacket was bound up with thick ruffian ropes on a small chair. Hisplexion was fair, and his cheeks were chubby. Although his eyes were covered with a rugged ck cloth, his mouth and his nose were still visible. Sebastian squinted his eyes at the boy, perplexed. Well, this sure looks like Ian. But Ian is in my room. Sebastian headed out of the room with his eyes on his phone, still taken aback by how much the boy in the photo looked so simr to his son. He was so surprised he did not even notice Ian was already out of bed and was standing by the staircase leading to the second floor. Still in a daze, Ian stared at him nkly with his Transformers toy in his hand. Sebastian heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Ian. He deleted the photo in his phone and bolted down the stairs towards Ian. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re awake. Why didn¡¯t you change out of your pajamas?¡± Sebastian reached out toward him, wanting to bring him back to his room for a change. But Ian took a step back and looked at Sebastian, his face white as a sheet. ¡°Were you on the phone with someone, Daddy? I heard someone got kidnapped.¡± Sebastian was astonished Ian actually overheard his call. He waved his hand dismissively, saying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You heard it wrong. It¡¯s a call from the office.¡± ¡°I know what I heard, Daddy. Someone said your son has been kidnapped, right?¡± Ian looked at Sebastian in the eyes with his hands clenched up tightly as he reiterated his question. ¡°Well, yeah¡­ But you¡¯re here, so it must be a prank call.¡± Sebastian shrugged his shoulders, not understanding why his son was so worked up. The boy stood there quietly, and his body started quivering. For a moment, Sebastian thought he was seeing things. Ian seemed disconcerted, and his face was so pale. ¡°Are you okay, Ian? Did you catch a cold?¡± Sebastian dropped the topic and went closer, wanting to bring Ian back to the room. ¡°Let¡¯s go get changed, okay? You¡¯re gonna catch a cold if you¡¯re dressed so thinly.¡± Ian sprang away from him instantly and dashed down the staircase towards the door. Sebastian was totally taken aback seeing the boy running amok. ¡°Ian! Come back! What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Sebastian darted after him, his furious voice reverberating along the staircase. Seriously, I really have to teach this boy a good lesson! Since when is he this rebellious? Sebastian chased after Ian and finally caught him at the cor and tugged him back in. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, Ian Hayes? Do you want to stand in the corner?¡± Sebastian bellowed at the wild child. ¡°Let me go! I want to go and find Ms. Nancy! Let me go!¡± Ian screamed and kicked all he could to free himself from Sebastian¡¯s grip. Even his voice was wobbling and breaking into tears. He knew something must have happened to Matteo. Thus, he had to find Mommy and see if everything was okay. After he got home yesterday, he tried calling Matteo when he finally got a grip of himself, but none of his calls went through. Ian called him again in the morning, but still, he could not reach Matteo. That was when Ian knew something must have gone wrong. Hence, he was stunned when he overheard the call at the staircase. Did someone mistake Matteo for me? Did someone kidnap him? Guilt came eating him up from the inside as these questions spun in his mind. He huffed and puffed, trying to break free from Sebastian. His shrieks and struggles infuriated Sebastian. The enraged father was on the verge of pping the kid in his face to make him calm down. But Sebastian could not bring himself to do it. He felt helpless looking at Ian demanding to go back to Sasha. Why does he insist on going back to that woman? After everything I¡¯ve done to make sure she stays away from him, he still wants to go back to her even when he doesn¡¯t know she¡¯s his mother. Is there really such a thing as an inexplicable bond between a mother and her child? Sebastian let out a sigh and finally caved. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Fine. I will bring you to her, but you have to promise me you¡¯ll go get changed. You can¡¯t go out wearing your pajamas.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go right now!¡± Ian cried out and instantly rushed upstairs. Behind the boy, Sebastian raised his brows in resignation and shook his head. Whatever. This will be thest time he¡¯s seeing her anyway. And this time, I will make sure I get this point across when I see her. She will never be seeing Ian again. While waiting, Sebastian craned his neck impatiently and went upstairs to get his car keys. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Ian got ready within ten minutes, and the two headed to Old Town. Sebastian never probed into where Sasha was living as he had always thought she was staying with her uncle. After all, that was what she told him. It was not until today that he found out that Sasha actually lied to him and that she had found another ce to stay. This obviously did not set Sebastian in a good mood. Thus, he drove Ian to Old Town without saying a word. This neighborhood is simply too squalid and slummy. His nose wrinkled in disgust as he looked around. Beside him, Ian¡¯s reaction was totally different. As the car drove nearer to Sasha¡¯s ce, Ian poked his head out of the window and looked around in expectation. He was looking for her, and Sebastian could tell from his actions that his son could not wait to see her. That little boy was scanning the area meticulously, trying to get a sign of his mother. Sebastian eyed the eager kid from the corner of his eyes and pursed his lips. Too bad this is thest time she gets to see Ian. The car drove towards an apartment, but Sebastian could not find a ce to park since arge crowd had gathered at the entrance. Right in the middle of the group was a little girl who was holding a stranger¡¯s hand. The person was trying to calm her down. Vivi! The moment Ian spotted her, he asked Sebastian to stop the car. He then jumped off immediately and ran over, pushing his way through the crowd. ¡°Vivi!¡± he shouted with all his strength. Vivian turned her head around, trying to locate the direction of the familiar voice. Her frightened gaze wandered around aimlessly. Ian! Ian¡¯s here! The moment Vivian saw Ian, she let go of the man¡¯s hand and darted toward Ian. She ran as she tried to hold back her tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Ian! You¡¯re here!¡± She nted herself right in his open arms. Vivian was terrified after a whole night of anxious waiting. Sasha did note home, and neither did her two brothers. This was the biggest fright of her life. When she finally saw a familiar face, she could not hold it in any longer. Ian instantly realized the despair on her face and weed his sister into his embrace. A frown of disdain settled on Sebastian¡¯s brows as he looked at the little girl in Ian¡¯s arms. Isn¡¯t this the girl I saw at the hospital yesterday? She¡¯s the illegitimate daughter of that woman. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why are you here? Where¡¯s your mother?¡± Regardless of the aversion Sebastian felt towards the girl, he went closer and asked her what all this mess was about. Beckoned by a stern and unfamiliar voice, Vivi looked up and hid behind Ian. Both Sebastian and Ian suddenly became speechless. After a while, Ian turned around and asked gently, ¡°Vivi, what happened? Where is Matt?¡± Vivi stole a timid look at Sebastian and then at her brother before finally talking again. ¡°Matt came home after you left yesterday. When he heard that you¡¯re gone, he went out to look for you, but he hasn¡¯t been home ever since then. He went missing, and Mommy went looking for him¡­ And now, Mommy is missing as well¡­¡± Vivian finally lost it and broke down in tears, wailing away at the top of her voice. Ian¡¯s hands dropped from his sister¡¯s shoulders in shock when he heard everything. Meanwhile, Sebastian looked at his son¡¯s reaction and the crying girl and was left confused. ¡°Who went missing?¡± he asked again. ¡°Matt¡­ The bad guys got him¡­¡± Vivian answered again. ¡°Who is Matt?¡± Sebastian inquired hastily. ¡°My brother¡­ Could you help me find him?¡± Vivian wiped away her tears and blinked her imploring eyes at Sebastian, hoping to get help. Although she knew the man standing before her was her father, she thought it would be better not to call him so without Mommy¡¯s permission. Vivian¡¯s request elicited an unexpected response from Sebastian. A mocking smile broke across his strikingly handsome face, making Vivian withdrew in fear. ¡°So, are you telling me that your mother has another child other than you?¡± Vivian looked at him in silence. Yeah¡­ Mommy has two more kids¡­ Ian and Matt. We¡¯re all Mommy¡¯s babies. Looking at Sebastian¡¯s expression, Ian decided to step in and begged him to help. ¡°Daddy, please save Matteo before it¡¯s toote.¡± ¡°Why should I save him? He¡¯s not rted to me,¡± Sebastian asked in return. His tone was scornful and indignant. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Seriously, this woman never fails to surprise me. Not only has she an illegitimate daughter, but she also has another son. Hah! Thest thing I would want to do is to associate myself with that disgusting woman! Just as Sebastian was about to reject his son¡¯s entreat, his phone rang. ¡°Sebastian Hayes, do you really want your kid to die? Fine! I¡¯ll give you what you want!¡± Over the phone, there was a series of ruffling noises before a deafening gunshot pierced through the noises. Almost concurrently, a desperate scream joined in themotion. ¡°No!¡± A woman¡¯s raucous shout came right after the gunshot. Sebastian¡¯s mind went nk instantly. Even he could feel the anguish of the woman from her scream. Right then, Ian¡¯s choking pleas shook Sebastian back to reality. The kid had heard the gunshot from the phone and broke down as he clung to Sebastian¡¯s leg. ¡°Daddy, I hate you! Why didn¡¯t you save Mommy? Why didn¡¯t you save Matteo?¡± Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Instead of waiting for Sebastian toe around, Ian pulled Vivian¡¯s hand and ran off. They did not know where they had to go to seek help, but all they knew was they had to do something to find their Mommy and save Matteo. After a while, Sebastian finally came back to his senses and ran over to the two children. ¡°Hey! Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Let us go! We want to go save Mommy!¡± Ian bellowed in uncontroble rage. He red at Sebastian with his eyes full of hatred as he pushed his hand away forcefully. It did not take long before Ian realized his blunder. He had shouted ¡°Mommy¡± twice when he was lashing out at Sebastian. To Ian¡¯s surprise, instead of interrogating him, Sebastian seemed unusually calm. He looked at the two kids for a few seconds and dragged them into the car. ¡°Stay inside!¡± Speaking, he mmed the door behind them and went to the driver¡¯s seat before the car zoomed off. Within a few minutes, the ck Maybach was already out of Old Town when Luke called. ¡°Mr. Hayes, I¡¯ve got their whereabouts. They are in an abandoned vessel by the pier. We¡¯ve already sent some helicopters and snipers over.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Sebastian hung up after receiving news from Luke. He straightened his back and stepped hard on the pedal as the car sped down the street. Although he was caught in a tense situation, his face did not betray any emotions. Sebastian drove on steadily, just as he would any other day when he was going to work. Despite his cool, it was obvious that he took this incident seriously. After all, he had sent out helicopters and a few snipers. This itself was enough to illustrate how severe the situation was. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. A glimmer of zest broke out on the abductor¡¯s face when his phone rang ¨C he had been waiting anxiously for Sebastian¡¯s call for the past fifteen minutes. ¡°Mr. Hayes, have you made up your mind?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the kid?¡± Sebastian ignored his question and interrogated the man about the child instead. ¡°How do you know he¡¯s not dead?¡± The man asked after a slight pause. An apathetic chuckle came from Sebastian¡¯s side. ¡°I figured you won¡¯t kill the child, ¡¯cause it¡¯s money you want. Besides, it¡¯s not like you have the guts to kill my son. You can¡¯t afford to.¡± Sebastian¡¯s threats rendered the man speechless. What Sebastian said was true, so the kidnapper had nothing to say in retaliation. ¡°Well, yes, the child is still alive. I hope you¡¯ve got the money ready.¡± ¡°I have the one billion you want, but you¡¯ll have to prove to me that the child is still alive,¡± Sebastian negotiated calmly but firmly. One billion was not a small amount, so Sebastian thought he had better err on the cautious side and make sure Matteo was alive. After all, Sebastian Hayes would never make a losing bargain. The man half-expected Sebastian¡¯s request. Thus, he fiddled with his phone for a bit and switched the voice call to a video call. When the video got less grainy and Sebastian could finally take a good look at the hostage, he finally understood why it was not a prank call. The kidnapper really had a child with him. But he was not the only person in the video. There was another woman. Although her face was sttered with blood, she had her shaking arms around the boy. ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t touch him!¡± the injured woman yelled. When the woman realized the man had them caught on a video, her arms tightened around the child she was protecting, trying to shield him from harm. Sasha Wand! Without Sebastian himself realizing, a hint of anger sparkled in his eyes as he narrowed his eyes at the familiar figure. ¡°Get lost, woman! Or I¡¯ll kill both of you!¡± The man shouted and lifted his leg to kick Sasha¡¯s back mercilessly. ¡°Mommy!¡± Matteo bawled the moment Sasha fell to the ground. The impact sent a fresh flow of blood gushing out of her shoulder as she hit against the cold, wet floor. On the other hand, Sebastian¡¯s face was taut with concentration. His nails dug deep into the leather steering wheel as his grip intensified. ¡°Mommy!¡± Matteo cried out frantically as he knelt in front of Sasha, demented with worry and fear. ¡°Come over here, you brat! Come over if you don¡¯t want your mother to die!¡± The man gave Matteo a brutal tug and dragged the five-year-old over effortlessly, like an eagle preying on a small animal. ¡°Let him go!¡± Sasha scrambled desperately towards the brute, stumbling her way to Matteo. Her body was soaked in blood, and yet, she was relentless. The man booted her aside and brought Matteo closer so Sebastian could see him. Sebastian almost hit the brake pedal in an emergency when he saw the boy. What he saw hit him like a lightning bolt. He jerked his head closer to the screen and scrutinized the boy before his eyes. Who is he? Ian? Wait, no! Ian¡¯s in the car. Who on earth is this boy? Why does he look so much like Ian? His eyelids twitched as he looked at Matteo. An inexplicable glint shed in his eyes as Sebastian fixed his gaze on the child. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 ¡°Matt! Ian, look! It¡¯s Matt!¡± Vivian cried and pulled Ian over. The two gasped in terror when they saw the atrocious scene. ¡°So, Mr. Hayes, is this your son? You¡¯d better pay up, or I¡¯ll kill him right here!¡± the man jeered with a sadisticugh. When the man saw Sebastian¡¯s reaction, he knew instantly that Sebastian was shocked. Sebastian¡¯s mind went nk. He totally did not expect to see a boy who looked just like Ian. Before he could recover from the shock, Sasha had already picked up a huge wench behind the man. Though she was struggling to get on her feet, she was ready to give that man a fatal blow. Sebastian¡¯s eyes widened in rm. Without a second thought, he hit themand button beside his hand. The snipers near the pier were already waiting for his order to shoot. Before Sasha could ambush the kidnapper, the man¡¯s body froze at a muffled shot. Sasha took a step back instinctively as specks of warm blood sshed on her face. Right at that instant, she was lost for words. She stood looking at the man dropping to the ground with a nk stare. Everything happened so quickly that her body stiffened at the brutal sight. It was not until a pair of small, mmy hands tugged her that she finally came around and drooped her head, looking at the frightened child. ¡°Mommy, Daddy¡¯s here. He came to save us.¡± Sasha felt an unbearable burden lifted from her chest immediately. Then, she copsed to the ground and passed out. She had been out looking for Matteo for the entire night, and she was spent. The wound on her body, although not fatal, had sapped her of her remaining energy with all the excessive bleeding over the past hours. Help arrived in a timely fashion. The bodyguards took Matteo with them after Sasha was rushed to the hospital immediately. That was the first time Sebastian met his son ¨C a son he had never seen over the past five years. Sasha had kept him well-hidden over the years. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Matt!¡± When Ian saw him, he ran over and apologized profusely. Matteo gave him a warm hug, a tired smile spread across his small face. ¡°You have nothing to be sorry for, Ian. You¡¯re my family, and I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you either. Come to think of it, it¡¯s good that I was the one who got kidnapped. I doubt you¡¯ll be able to survive all this.¡± Tears welled up in Ian¡¯s eyes when he heard what Matteo said. After all Matteo had been through, he was still thinking about Ian. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Sebastian looked at Matteo, and an approving smile subtly settled on his lips. Indeed, he was d to have finally met his other son, but Matteo¡¯smendable character was what made Sebastian pleasantly surprised. For the past five years, Sebastian had given the best education to Ian. Yet, Matteo also grew up well despite not being as privileged. His character and mannerism were exceptionally refined and apudable. This sure put Sebastian in a good mood. Seeing the happiness on his father¡¯s face, Ian held his siblings¡¯ hands and suggested that they go greet Sebastian. But the smile on Matteo¡¯s face suddenly vanished as he pulled back his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll go wait for Mommy. Let¡¯s go, Vivi.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Vivian agreed. The two turned and left without even looking at Sebastian. In the meantime, Ian and Sebastian looked at one another, not knowing what to say. Did my son just turn his back on me? He doesn¡¯t even care if I¡¯m his father? A gloom settled over Sebastian¡¯s chiseled face. Ian came over and wanted to exin Matteo and Vivian¡¯s behavior, but Sebastian just patted him gently on his head and assured him before going after the two kids. Sebastian knew he was the one who had to do the exining. After all, he had never done anything for Matteo. ¡°Matt. That¡¯s your name right? Matt.¡± Sebastian asked when he caught up with the kids who were in front of the operating theater. He then bent down towards the boy and inquired gently. Nheless, Matteo was not buying it at all. He turned his head and looked to another side. Although his reaction was quick, Sebastian still caught a glimpse of tears in the boy¡¯s eyes. Right then, guilt immediately crept in Sebastian¡¯s heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Matt. I never knew about you. That¡¯s why I dismissed the kidnapper¡¯s call when he said he had my son. I would have done everything I could to save you if I knew. I really didn¡¯t mean toe so late.¡± As a father himself, Sebastian knew why the child was angry and did not want to greet him though the kid knew he was his father. True enough, that was why Matteo was disappointed. When Matteo got carried off, the kidnapper clearly told him that he had called Sebastian three times. And yet Sebastian simply ignored those calls. On the contrary, Sasha was the one who came to his rescue. Using her tablet, she located Matteo and came to protect him. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Matteo¡¯s eyes watered as he thought about his mother. He knew he was the reason why she was so badly wounded. The boy blinked his eyes hard to force back his tears. Before long, he finally came to terms with his emotions and turned towards Sebastian. ¡°Do you me Mommy?¡± Sebastian looked at him, puzzled. ¡°Mommy lied to you. Do you me her for that?¡± He looked at Sebastian in the eyes. From his unwavering gaze, Sebastian could tell there was worry and fear. Do I me her? The question resounded in Sebastian¡¯s mind as he thought about everything that had happened. He would be lying if he said he did not me her at all. She hid Matteo from him for five years and even told him that Ian was the only one who survived. But what about now? Do I still me her? Thoughts battled in Sebastian¡¯s mind. First, she faked her death. Now he even found out that she kept his son from him ¨C one who was still alive. If Sasha were not in the operation room right now, Sebastian could have well thrown her into the deep seas. But do I still me her? The bloody scene of how Sasha protected Matteo shed before his mind. Sebastian pursed his lips and shook his head determinedly. ¡°No, I don¡¯t me her. She¡¯s the one who raised you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± A smile broke out on Matteo¡¯s face when Sebastian finally elicited an answer. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. I don¡¯t me her,¡± Sebastian assured him. ¡°Then will you take care of Mommy?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Sebastian replied without the slightest hesitation. What Sebastian said was heart-felt. Sasha was severely injured after the incident. Thus, Sebastian would definitely provide the care she needed since she was his kids¡¯ mother. After that, Matteo finally forgave his father, and the two made up. Sebastian decided to bring all the three kids back to Frontier Bay throughout Sasha¡¯s stay at the hospital, although he was still notfortable around Vivian. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You can¡¯t stay here since your mother¡¯s still in the ward,¡± Sebastian called out coldly to Vivian. Things were still a little awkward between the two. Incipient tears rolled furiously in the girl¡¯s eyes. Why is Daddy so cold to me? He was so nice to Matt just now. I¡¯m also his child, but he didn¡¯t recognize me¡­ Seeing his sister so upset, Matteo came over andforted her. ¡°Vivi, we have to head home first. Mommy will definitely be disappointed when she finds out that Daddy already knew about my existence. She will be even more upset if she finds out Daddy knows about you too.¡± ¡°Yeah, we should just wait till Mommy wakes up,¡± Ian came over and urged. Vivian nodded firmly and went with them in the end. She was thest child Mommy could im as her own, so Vivian was determined to keep it that way. At that moment, she had made up her mind to not let Mommy feel hurt. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The three kids followed Sebastian home to Frontier Bay. A huge reason why Sebastian did not recognize Vivian was because she was the smallest among the triplets when they were born. Sasha gave birth to the triplets prematurely eight months into pregnancy. If it were not for Dr. Kaye, who performed a C-section on her, the children would not have survived. But because Vivian was the smallest in size when they were born, she still looked like she was a year or two younger than her brothers. That was why it never urred to Sebastian that she was one of the triplets. Besides, daughters usually took over their mothers¡¯ appearance, so Sebastian was totally unsuspecting of Vivian¡¯s identity. He brought the three kids home, thinking only Matteo and Ian were his children. Over at the Greens, Xandra was fuming when she found out about what happened. ¡°That sl*t! I can¡¯t believe she actually kept another child to herself. The other twin did not even die in the first ce!¡± Her whole face twisted in fury and hatred. Beside her, Kelly was equally mad as she was the one who arranged the whole kidnapping The original n was to kidnap Ian and make Sebastian realize that his son had been visiting Sasha at her ce. Kelly wanted to incite Sebastian against Sasha so he would get rid of her. But just as she was feeling proud of her fool-proof n, the long-lost twin came out of nowhere and spoiled her n. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she has been hiding one of the twins all this while! That cunning b*tch!¡± Xandra screeched. Kelly was busy making other arrangements to make sure everything did not trace back to her when she caught Xandra wallowing at the corner. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? All you know is toin. Will that solve the problem?¡± Xandra finally quietened down after her aunt scolded her, but the abhorrence in her eyes was still obvious. ¡°With things turning out this way, Sebastian will definitely not go easy on the main culprit behind this. We have toy low for now,¡± Kelly warned her niece. ¡°So I¡¯m supposed to just sit here and watch her go into Hayes Residence like it¡¯s her own house? Do you know that her two kids are at Frontier Bay already?¡± Xandra howled. She knew she could not just wait and do nothing. Regardless, Sasha was not an ipetent rival, and Xandra knew it full well from her past dealings with her. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Xandra had been under tremendous stress recently as things kept happening one after another without giving her a break. When she found out their n failed, they shouted in vexation like a madman. Kelly red at her useless niece from the corner of her eyes and smacked her lips. ¡°Let¡¯s go on a vacation. We should go abroad to get your mind off this.¡± ¡°What? Now?¡± Xandra questioned in surprise. Nevertheless, Kelly ignored her disapproving gaze and proceeded to book the flight tickets. ¡°You need some time off. As for me, it¡¯s better for me to make myself scarce, so Sebastian doesn¡¯t find out anything. It will be the end of the story if Sebastian traces things back to us.¡± Xandra clenched her jaw, wanting to disagree, but she knew what her aunt said was true. Hence, she finally gave in. ¡°You can take this chance to study abroad as well. A woman of substance is always better than a woman with just a pretty face. I remember Sebastian loved all the letters you wrote himst time. You should study a little and improve yourself. Perhaps he might fall in love with you all over again,¡± Kelly said while booking two tickets on the airline website. Xandra listened to her quietly and nodded. Two days passed, and Sasha finally woke up. Her injury was not fatal, but her body was weak, to begin with. Besides, she lost too much blood from her injury. That was why it took her a good two days to finallye around. Sasha was dazed and confused when she first woke up. For a long time, she stared into the while ceiling, trying to recall what happened to her. ¡°Sasha? Are you awake? You okay?¡± A surprised voice came from beside her. Sasha turned her head around slowly and looked at the man. ¡°Uncle Jackson?¡± Jackson heaved a sigh of relief hearing his niece spoke. ¡°Thank God you still know who I am. Let me get you some water.¡± He rolled his wheelchair towards the counter and poured her a drink. Sasha struggled to get up when she saw Jackson getting her a ss of water, only to cringe in pain when she strained her wound. ¡°Don¡¯t move. You should rest a little more so you could fully recover,¡± her uncle said as he walked over. Sasha positioned herself back to the original posture and propped back down slowly. Then, she took a sip of water and gave the ss back to Jackson. ¡°Where¡¯s Matt? Is he okay?¡± Sasha asked, her voice hoarse and dry. ¡°He¡¯s fine. He¡¯s at Frontier Bay with Sebastian now, so you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± he assured her. His words ended up agitating Sasha. She cocked her head towards Jackson with her eyes wide, clearly shocked at the piece of news. ¡°What? He¡¯s with Sebastian? Does he know Matt is his son then?¡± Sasha showered him with a litany of questions. ¡°Of course, he does. The two kids look exactly the same. How would he not know?¡± Jackson replied. Sasha¡¯s face turned pale the moment he said that. Shoot. What¡¯s he gonna do now? Is he gonna take Matt back as his son? I bet that¡¯s what he was trying to do, or he wouldn¡¯t even bring Matteo back to Hayes Residence! Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought of losing Matteo to Sebastian. Meanwhile, Jackson spotted her agony andforted her. ¡°Just focus on recovering, Sasha. We can think about this after you feel better. You¡¯re the one who brought the kid up, so if he insists on fighting over child custody, we will see him at court.¡± Sasha knew her uncle was only trying to make her feel better. After all, who would stand a chance again the Hayes at the court? It was impossible to win against them. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Tears streamed down her cheeks as reality sunk in. After that, Jackson decided to give her some space and left after staying on for a little while. It was not like he could hang around longer even if he wanted to. His body was weak, and he had to go home to rest. Not long after Jackson left, Sasha dozed off again. By the time she woke up, it was already dusk. Before Sasha could look at the clock to check what time it was, a child¡¯s whisper came from the outside and caught her ears. ¡°Matt, is Mommy awake?¡± ¡°Yes. Daddy got a call just now, and they said she was awake. Don¡¯t worry, Vivi. We just have to wait. Another familiar and loving voice followed after the girl¡¯s question. Matteo? Vivi? Sasha opened her eyes wide and sat up. When Vivian noticed Sasha¡¯s movement, she opened the door and dashed in with excitement. ¡°Mommy! Are you awake, Mommy? I miss you, Mommy!¡± Vivi was as happy as ark to see her mother awake. With a huge smile on her face, Sasha weed her daughter into her embrace as she caressed the latter¡¯s head. ¡°Mommy misses you too, Vivi!¡± Behind her, the two boys came in happily. Matteo ran over when he saw Sasha and joined the happy pair. Ian, on the other hand, was less emotionally expressive. He was someone who took time to warm up to someone else, but he was undoubtedly ted to see Sasha again. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 ¡°Mommy!¡± Matteo¡¯s voice echoed loudly in the ward. ¡°Matt! My sweet little boy!¡± Sasha hugged him tight as she called his name, her voice almost breaking in tears. She could not believe she was holding Matteo in her arms again just when she thought she had lost him. In the meantime, Ian stood in the distance as he watched the exhrated lot. He also wanted to run into his mother¡¯s embrace, but he did not dare to. It was his fault that his brother almost ended up dying, and it was his fault his mother was severely injured. The guilty child stood still at his ce, worried that his mother would not like him anymore and that she would never forgive him. But amidst the excitement of meeting her two children again, Sasha turned around and blinked her watery eyes, looking for her eldest son. ¡°Ian? Ian, why are you standing there? Come here¡­¡± Sasha already knew that Ian had found out that she was his mother since Jackson had told her about it in the morning. Ian¡¯s face lighted up in joy when Sasha called out to him. He sped over and plunged himself into her mother¡¯s arms. Just as the mother and children were enjoying their reunion, a towering figure appeared at the door. Sebastian¡¯s silhouette was clearly defined under the rays of the setting sun. He had his hands casually tucked in the pockets of his cks and had his suit unbuttoned, revealing a moss green handmade shirt underneath. He took a step forward into the room, stepping out of the sun before leaning against the wall. His sculpted face did not show a single hint of emotion as he stood there quietly, making the ambiance tense all of a sudden. Sasha¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she watched Sebastian came in. ¡°You¡¯re here¡­¡± she greeted him weakly. She knew she was partly to me for the whole incident. If she had told him from the very beginning that his other son was still alive and was with her, all this might not have happened. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. More importantly, she had hidden that kid right under his nose. Her shifty gaze darted at Sebastian now and again, but he did not even look at her in the face. Instead, he went over to the table and took up her medical record. The air in the room was getting unbearably stiff when Vivian finally spoke. ¡°Mommy, I miss you so much. Look at my face. I¡¯ve lost so much weight because I missed you too much.¡± She crawled into her mother¡¯s bed and snuggled in her mother¡¯s nket. The girl poked her head out of the nket and put her face up close to Sasha so she could have a good look at her. Sasha giggled and stroke her cheeks tenderly. ¡°Hm, I think my little sweetie did lose some weight.¡± ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll make me fried chicken when you feel better, Mommy? You always make the best fried chicken,¡± Vivian requested. Her soft and affectionate voice could simply melt anybody¡¯s heart. Sasha pinched her chubby cheeks and smiled at her daughter lovingly. Just as Sasha was about to promise her daughter, she felt a piercing gaze burning in her direction. She looked up uneasily and met Sebastian¡¯s re. He was watching Vivien intently with his brows locked when he caught Sasha looking at him. All of a sudden, he became conscious of his actions and cleared his throat awkwardly. Sebastian could not deny that he did not like that little girl, but every time he saw her being sweet to anyone but him, an unountable feeling of anger rose in his heart. Come on, do I really look that fierce? I took care of her for two days! But she¡¯s never this nice to me! Sasha looked at the unweing man and mustered her courage to strike a conversation. ¡°Thank you for taking care of the kids for the past two days.¡± Regardless of how he had felt towards her earlier, she was grateful to him for saving her and Matteo. Thus, Sasha could only tread carefully to see if he was still resentful. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me for taking care of my own kids,¡± Sebastian replied apathetically, ¡°But since you¡¯re awake already, you can take the girl with you.¡± Sasha¡¯s brows arched in surprise. ¡°Take her with me? Where to?¡± ¡°How would I know? Bring her to her dad, of course. Are you asking me where your husband is?¡± Sebastian questioned her back spitefully. He had resentment written all over his face, and his tone was bitter. That man could not believe he had to talk with her about this topic that disgusted him so. Meanwhile, Sasha waspletely at a loss for words. So he doesn¡¯t know that this is his own daughter? Don¡¯t tell me he could only recognize Matteo but not Vivian. Sasha was beyond speechless, but deep in her heart, she felt a flicker of relief. At least I get to keep Vivian to myself. This is better than losing both Matteo and Vivian at the same time. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Feeling ashamed of your past? Oh, don¡¯t you worry because I¡¯m not interested in your love life at all. We ended five years ago, so I won¡¯t do anything to your man.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± After a long pause, Sasha muttered under her breath, her grip tightening around her little girl. It was now Sebastian¡¯s turn to fall into silence. Dead again? Is she like a ck widow or something? Why is everyone dead? Chapter 108 Chapter 108 He bit her lip. Sensing the predicament he had ced himself in, he stood there fuming. However, looking at the little girl, he felt his anger dissipate without even realizing it. They remained in the ward a little longer, as Sebastian had to be at work. Before sending the children back, he summoned the doctor to enquire about Sasha¡¯s condition. ¡°Mr. Hayes, the patient is recovering well. If nothing else happens, she will be allowed to be discharged in two days,¡± said the doctor. ¡°Yay! Did you hear that, Mommy? You¡¯ll be out soon,¡± Vivian squealed happily. ¡°Will youe live with us at Frontier Bay? We have arge house there, and it¡¯s very beautiful!¡± Sasha nced at Sebastian skulking in the corner of the ward and shook her head. ¡°Of course not, Vivi. We don¡¯t live at Frontier Bay. He will take you there these two days because Mommy will be here at the hospital. When I get out, we¡¯ll be going home, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, mommy,¡± Vivi¡¯s face fell in disappointment. Matteo overheard and chimed in. ¡°Yes, Mommy, I will pack our things these two days, and we will go back home together when you get out.¡± He was a good boy, always obedient to her. Before she could respond, Sebastian, who had just finished speaking with the doctor, stomped over with a scowl on his face. ¡°Matteo! Where do you think you¡¯re going? Royal Court One is now your home, and that¡¯s where you¡¯ll be!¡± he snapped, with a nasty expression that was in that he would not take no for an answer. Sasha and her three children felt cornered and rmed. However, watching Matteo scrunching up his face in an effort to hold back his tears, her maternal instincts kicked in. ¡°What did you do that for? You frightened him!¡± she red at him angrily. Guilt flitted across Sebastian¡¯s face, but he quickly reasserted his upromising stance. ¡°I am stating a fact,¡± he said. ¡°He is my son, and he will not be going back there.¡± ¡°And why shouldn¡¯t he?¡± Sasha retorted. ¡°He is my son just as much as yours. Possibly even more so, seeing as I was the one who had raised him for five years.¡± She was incensed but still afraid of his temper. The thing that she had feared the most had arrived. Sebastian was trying to fight for custody of her babies. Taking them away from her home would just be the first of many more toe. Will he ban them from ever seeing her again? Sasha hugged Matteo close at the thought. Meanwhile, Sebastian was beginning to get worked up again. ¡°This is ridiculous! He is a Hayes. He will be living with me and not that dump you call a home. Heck, my maids live better than you, so I will not permit my child to live in that hell hole!¡± ¡°You- ¡° Sasha gasped for breath and clutched her chest, her anger too much for her still frail body. Matteo hugged his mother in a panic. ¡°Mommy, are you okay? Please don¡¯t be angry. I won¡¯t go anywhere! I will live with you!¡± Sebastian stood motionless. Just then, Ian came over and tugged on his father¡¯s hand. ¡°Daddy, if you bully Mommy again, I will go with them too!¡± he walked over and joined his brother at Sasha¡¯s side. Sebastian was furious. He had to fight the urge to spank the boys. They don¡¯t even respect me as a father! I paid for their meals and pushed work aside to spend time with them, and this is how they repay me? Little rascals! He ushered the three children out of the ward without another word. After that, they did note back for two days. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Despite the fight, Sasha felt optimistic that she would be out and about in two days. When that day arrived, she was in a cheerful mood. An attendant arrived as she was changing out of her hospital robes. ¡°Ms. Wand, Mr. Hayes has instructed that you be sent to Royal Court One at once.¡± ¡°What?¡± She leaped up. To Royal Court One? Why? What does that scoundrel want? Is he crazy? Me, living in his house? Sasha felt sure she had misheard. However, the guard who handled her discharge and escorted her out of the building proved otherwise. He held her firmly by her good arm and steered her towards the car. Within minutes, they took off for Frontier Bay. At this very moment, three young children were having a very important meeting at the vi¡¯s hanging garden on the second floor. ¡°My part is done. Mommy will be able to move in immediately once she arrives. How about you, Ian?¡± Matteo said. ¡°Done! I¡¯ve sent someone to pick up Mommy!¡± Ian said confidently. ¡°I¡¯ve cleaned up Mommy¡¯s bedroom too! It¡¯s next to mine,¡± Vivian chirped, not wanting to be left out. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Excellent! As soon as each child reported their respective task, Matteo looked around, satisfied. ¡°Good! The next order of business is to greet Mommy. Remember, guys, we must make her feel like Daddy wants her here, got it?¡± ¡°Yes, Matteo,¡± Vivian said, and Ian nodded briskly. An unforeseenplication urred to Ian. He turned to Matteo and frowned. ¡°What about Daddy? What happens when he finds out?¡± Matteo waved his hand impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ve taken care of it. He won¡¯t find out.¡± His siblings sighed in relief. Half an hourter, the ck Cayenne finally emerged. The children excitedly ran out. ¡°Mommy! Mommy,e here!¡± The first to reach was Vivian as she loved her mother the most. As Sasha exited the vehicle, she pulled her child in for a big hug. As she watched Vivian clinging to her leg, she didn¡¯t realize how much she missed them. ¡°Well, Mommy is here. Are you happy, sweetie?¡± ¡°Yes, very much, Mommy,¡± Vivian answered. ¡°I¡¯ve cleaned your bedroom for you, so you¡¯ll be living right next to me. It¡¯s beautiful.¡± She informed her solemnly whilst watching her expression intently as if she was expecting a word of praise from Sasha. Sasha was stunned upon hearing that. Even a bedroom was prepared? Did Sebastian really agree to let me live here? Or was it because I was still recovering and that he felt sorry for me? As she pondered her situation, the terror she regarded him with seemed to vanish slightly. She was even feeling optimistic without realizing it. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Matteo greeted his mother next, beaming from ear to ear. Instead of tackling her like his sister did, he lent a hand with her bags. ¡°Ian,¡± Matteo called. ¡°Come here and give me a hand with these.¡± The usually reserved Ian even sprinted over and helped. Sasha watched them, and her heart was instantly filled with gratitude and joy. That wasn¡¯t even the best part. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, Wendy, the housemaid greeted her warmly. ¡°Ms. Wand, you¡¯re here! Are you feeling any better? You poor thing. I have some broth in the kitchen for you. Once you¡¯ve settled in, I¡¯ll bring you some.¡± Sasha felt close to tears. It had been a long time since she was being cared for that way. As a single mother for five years, she was always the one giving out love and care and receiving little in return. But now, someone was even cooking for her. Sasha scrunched her nose, trying not to cry. ¡°Sounds good, Wendy. Thank you.¡± She hurried upstairs with her luggage before she broke down. Up on the second floor, Ian used to be the sole upant. But now, along the corridor, Matteo, Vivian, and Sasha joined him. It was a good thing that Sebastian¡¯s vi was huge. ¡°Mommy, do you like this room?¡± Matteo asked as they entered it. ¡°Um¡­¡± Sasha avoided his gaze and busied herself with putting away her clothes and medicine. Matteo smiled to himself. He ran through the bathroom into Ian¡¯s bedroom and huddled up with his siblings to conduct another meeting. ¡°Did you see that? Mommy thinks that this was Daddy¡¯s idea. You guys did a great job. Ian, that move with Wendy was genius.¡± Matteo gave his brother a thumbs up. Ian wasn¡¯t used to being directly addressed and praised like this. He looked down shyly but was secretly overjoyed. At the same time, Vivian¡¯s eyes shone with excitement. ¡°What¡¯s the next step, Matteo? Daddy will be home any minute.¡± However, Matteo still did not know what to do. Sasha was oblivious about the fact that she was being discussed in hushed whispers in the neighboring room. She worked slowly as her arm was still throbbed with pain. As Sasha was taking a long time, Wendy came up to her room and knocked. ¡°Ms. Wand, do you still have a lot to go? Here, let me help. The broth is getting cold, so go and have some while it¡¯s still warm.¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s alright, Wendy. I¡¯m almost done here,¡± Sasha was not used to being pampered. It made her feel slightly uneasy. Thus, she quickly finished up and followed Wendy downstairs. Wendy¡¯s kind demeanor was in direct contrast to Mrs. Lowe, the old maid. Thetter was ill-mannered and insubordinate. The moment Sashaid her eyes on Mrs. Lowe, she had a bad feeling about her. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Wendy is a nice change. Much more pleasant. After that, Wendy led Sasha into the dining room. ¡°Now, Ms. Wand, you take your time with the broth. I have to get busy. Mr. Ian has requested calzones for dinner.¡± She rolled up her sleeves briskly. ¡°Calzones, huh?¡± Sasha repeated. She felt guilty. Even though Ian was her flesh and blood, she knew nothing about him and what he liked. At that moment, she made it a point to learn everything about him, and offhand remarks such as these were stored away carefully in Sasha¡¯s mind. ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy nodded. ¡°It¡¯s one of the things I don¡¯t know how to make, so I¡¯d better figure it out now. I sure hope he¡¯ll like it.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a good thing that I do! Can Ie in with you?¡± Sasha eximed, looking enquiringly at Wendy. This was her chance to cook something for her son, which she had never done. Calzones were one of her specialties. Matteo and Vivian loved them. In fact, she had made a big batch not too long ago. Hearing that, Wendy was delighted. ¡°How fortunate! I appreciate it very much, but your arm¡­¡± she hesitated. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem,¡± Sasha said quickly. ¡°You can prepare the dough, and I¡¯ll do the wrapping.¡± She brushed off the inconvenience of her arm for fear of being excluded from this endeavor. Wendy examined her for a moment before agreeing to let her help. After a hectic afternoon of unpacking and wrapping calzones, it was dusk before Sasha finally had a chance to rest. ¡°Phew, finally done!¡± Wendy wiped her brow. ¡°How¡¯s your arm, Ms. Wand?¡± ¡°Oh it¡¯s fine,¡± Sasha replied, waving her good arm. She then excused herself to wash her hands. Meanwhile, Wendy was in a fantastic mood. Touting the tray of unbaked calzones, she said, ¡°I¡¯d better give Mr. Hayes a call toe home early tonight. It¡¯s not often we get to have such a delightful dinner together.¡± The moment Sasha heard that, she froze while still bent over the kitchen sink. Sebastian? She¡¯s asking him toe back earlier? Out of nowhere, Sasha felt a pang of anxiety. She then tried to think of something to say. ¡°Ms. Wand? What do you think?¡± Wendy probed. ¡°Oh? That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s a good idea. But are you sure this is something he would like?¡± Sasha answered distractedly, trying to dissuade Wendy. Wendy, however, was determined to carry through with her n. After she assured Sasha that Sebastian was not a picky eater, the former went away to call him. Sebastian is not a picky eater? Doubt arose in Sasha¡¯s mind as she recalled clearly that this was not the case. He was extremely picky to the point of being incredibly annoying! Nheless, Sasha had no choice but to go along with the n. Extracting the piping hot tray out of the oven, she followed Wendy upstairs. ¡°Ian,¡± she called, ¡°The calzones are done!¡± She opened the door to Ian¡¯s room and eximed. ¡°Matteo! Vivian! What are you two doing here?¡± The children, who were deep in thought with plotting, stood up hurriedly at the sudden unannounced entrance of their mother. Wasn¡¯t she making calzones? Why is she up here? Vivian was the most nervous, as she wasn¡¯t used to lying to her mother. On the contrary, Matteo was the first to respond. ¡°Mommy! We were just ying, and Ian is unbelievable!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Sasha smiled. ¡°Matteo, you are unbelievable too. All my babies are unbelievable.¡± Luckily for them, she had no idea what they were up to. Matteo smiled widely at his mother¡¯s compliment. Since the children were all there, Sasha ced the tray on the table so they could all enjoy. ¡°I¡¯m hungry, Mommy,¡± Vivian whined. ¡°Me too, Mommy,¡± Matteo added. ¡°Is that pork in there?¡± Vivian and Matteo were big fans of her calzones. She would always try her best to make the best calzones she could for them. As they were greedily munching, she turned to look towards Ian, who was standing slightly away from them. ¡°Little Ian, why are you standing there? Didn¡¯t you ask for calzones today? Come and have some. I made them myself,¡± Sasha beckoned. However, Ian hesitated. He had never had calzones before. His father never allowed him to as they were too oily to be healthy. Besides, he was used to much more exotic meals than this at Frontier Bay. Slowly, Ian shuffled forward. Watching his siblings devour one bite after another, he finally relented. Sasha smiled and fed him a bite. ¡°Is it good?¡± she asked. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± he nodded as his eyes shone with delight. Huh? This child¡­ Didn¡¯t he ask for calzones?Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Why do they look like they have never had it before? Sasha shook her head in amusement. In the end, they savored the calzones in the room, enjoying the precious family moment together. It was past seven when Sebastian arrived home. Standing at the doorway, he was slightly bewildered to see a pair of woman¡¯s shoes on the shoe rack. Next to it was a pair of shoes that he believed to belong to that little girl. As for the other pair of shoes¡­ ¡°Mr. Hayes, you¡¯re finally home! The kids are waiting to have dinner with you.¡± As Sebastian was unhappily staring at that pair of shoes, Wendy appeared and greeted him. He retrieved his gaze and then entered the house. Since the kids moved in, Sebastian woulde home every night to have dinner with them. On the other hand, he was worried that the housemaid couldn¡¯t cope with taking care of so many children. On the other hand, he wanted to spend more time with Matteo. ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°The kids are upstairs. I¡¯ll call them toe down.¡± Wendy was about to head upstairs to call the kids when Sebastian suddenly halted her. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll call them on my own after I get changed.¡± With that, Sebastian went up the stairs while carrying hisptop. His distinguished air was discernible by merely looking at his upright back figure. As he walked past the second floor, the kids¡¯ voices from Ian¡¯s room caught his attention. ¡°Then what happened to Jane? Did she get over it?¡± ¡°Of course! Her mother and brothers love her so much. They constantly give her their support and encouragement, so she managed to get over it.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. A woman was answering the kid¡¯s question about the ending of the sob story. Her voice was soothing, like the gentle wind blowing across theke. At that moment, the kids felt the warmth of a mother¡¯s love, just like the little girl in the story. Who¡¯s in there? Sebastian¡¯s eyes darkened. He halted his steps, casting his gaze over the nursery. Through the narrow slit of the door, he made out a few figures in the room. The little ones were seen surrounding a woman as they nuzzled up against her. Before he knew it, his face grew grim upon identifying that that woman was none other than Sasha. The next moment, he made his way toward the room inrge strides. ¡°Mommy, this story makes me feel sad. I don¡¯t want to listen to it anymore. Can you tell us another story?¡± ¡°Alright, Vivi. Then let¡¯s¡­¡± Sasha was looking through the piles of storybooks for a more cheerful story, when all of a sudden, the door swung open with a bang. Both Vivi and Sasha were silenced at the sudden interruption. Ian and Matteo, who were cuddling up to their mother, were also frightened by the sound of the door mming against the wall. As they turned around, their faces turned pale the moment their eyes met the gloomy expression on their dad¡¯s face. ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re finally back!¡± Sebastian was on the verge of losing his temper. To everyone¡¯s surprise, the reticent and introverted Ian suddenly got up and rushed toward Sebastian, wrapping his arms around his legs. At that instant, Sebastian¡¯s temper deted like a popped balloon. Sasha, on the other hand, was dumbfounded by her son¡¯s action. She had no idea what he was trying to do. ¡°Daddy, thank you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Sebastian was no less surprised than Sasha. In fact, he was even more confused since he had no idea what they were doing before he arrived. Just then, the more articte Matteo came into the picture. ¡°Daddy, Ian was thanking you for letting Mommy live here. Initially, we nned to go to Mommy¡¯s house since she was discharged from hospital today, but Mr. Scott suddenly called us. He said he already fetched Mommy to your house since she needs to treat you. That¡¯s why we didn¡¯t go to her house.¡± Matteo was clear-headed and eloquent as he spoke. Although Sebastian knew his son was making an excuse, trying to put him off, he couldn¡¯t find any ws in his impable reasoning. At that moment, Sebastian¡¯s face clouded over. He was unsure whether it was really Luke¡¯s deeds. Yet, one thing that was for sure was that the kids all took Sasha¡¯s side. From the way they spoke up for her and shielded her from his anger, it was obvious that they were working together to stand up against him. Sebastian started to feel the throbbing in his temples upon the realization. Right then, Sasha spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Hayes. I think I¡¯d better leave. It was not my intention to come here, but your bodyguards were the ones who brought me here when I came out of the hospital. I¡­ I didn¡¯t know they did it without your permission, so I¡¯m sorry to have stayed in your house for the entire day.¡± She cast her eyes down the moment they met his angry face, hiding all the emotions in them. The next moment, she stooped down to pick Vivian up. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 The way things turned out was totally unexpected, especially for Ian and Matteo, who came up with the n. Everything is going ording to our n. Daddy didn¡¯t ask Mommy to leave, but why is Mommy still leaving? The two little ones were confused. They were too young to understand that things were not as straightforward as they seemed when it came to two adults dealing with each other. Things need not be said most of the time since adults could tell other¡¯s inner thoughts by observing the changes in their facial expressions. ¡°Matt, let¡¯s go.¡± Carrying Vivian, Sasha reached out her hand to hold Matteo¡¯s. She wouldn¡¯t leave her son at this ce. Ian, who was clinging to his dad¡¯s legs, turned around to look at her. His eyes reddened upon hearing her words. As for Matteo, the little boy was torn. Standing by the door, Sebastian spoke up just as the scenario of the separation of a child from his mother was about to y out, ¡°Sasha Wand, are you doing this on purpose?¡± Hearing that, Sasha instantly looked up at him. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Sebastian¡¯s eyes darkened while he exuded a cold aura. ¡°What, am I wrong? I didn¡¯t ask you here to stir up trouble, but look what you¡¯ve done to the kids!¡± He cast his eyes over the kids as he spoke. ¡°I¡­¡± Sasha swallowed her words at the sight of the boys¡¯ reddened eyes. The room was surrounded by a gloomy atmosphere. Except for Vivian in her arms, both Ian and Matteo, who were in high spirits a moment earlier, were now looking at her pitifully. She never wanted to upset the kids. Feeling guilty, Sasha¡¯s confidence faltered. Yet, Sebastian didn¡¯t afford her a chance to exin herself when he picked Ian up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and have dinner now.¡± Then, he beckoned Matteo over. ¡°Matt,e here. Let¡¯s go down together.¡± Matteo pursed his lips. Why are both Daddy and Mommy fighting over me? He sighed internally as he was suddenly made to choose between his parents. Nevertheless, Matteo decided to walk toward his dad after weighing his options. ¡°Alright, Daddy. Ian, don¡¯t be sad. Mommy is not going anywhere. Go, bring Mommy and Vivi to the dining hall, but be careful with her injury.¡± Being as clever as always, he came up with the brilliant idea of swapping his ce with his brother. Ian, too, was clever enough to understand what Matteo was up to. He pulled away from Sebastian and then walked toward Sasha, standing meekly before her. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± His pitiful eyes could make anyone¡¯s heart ache for him. Sasha immediately kneeled in front of him, looking him straight in the eyes. ¡°Ian, I¡¯m sorry for making you sad. I¡¯m not going anywhere. I will stay here and be with you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mommy.¡± Ian brightened up in an instant, wrapping his arms around his mother. Apart from her son¡¯s persuasion, the other reason that Sasha decided to stay was that she understood Sebastian didn¡¯t me her for staying in his house. He was only mad at her because she failed to take good care of the kids; she had disappointed them. Standing by the door, Sebastian stared at Sasha impassively as she wiped the tears off Ian¡¯s face. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Seeing that the two had finally recollected themselves, Sebastian let out a snort and then led Matteo downstairs. Both Ian and Matteo were relieved. Daddy didn¡¯t mean to ask Mommy to leave! A few minutester, all of them went downstairs. ¡°Come and have your dinner. The food is getting cold.¡± Wendy ushered them to the dining hall. She was more than happy to see the familying down together. Sebastian then gave her a slight nod before he led Matteo to the dining table. Matteo was in a good mood. Sitting in the junior chair, he asked smilingly, ¡°Daddy, what do you like to eat?¡± Sebastian cast a nce at him. ¡°Me? I¡¯m not a picky eater.¡± ¡°Really? Mommy made calzones today! Do you like calzones?¡± Matteo threw another question at him. Before Sebastian even said anything, Sasha was startled by Matteo¡¯s question that her hands slipped, almost strangling Vivian when she was tying the napkin around her neck. ¡°Mommy! Be careful! You won¡¯t get to see me again if you tie the napkin any tighter.¡± For a few seconds, the dining room fell into an eerie silence. Sasha felt so awkward that she wished the ground would swallow her up. Wendy was trying hard to stifle herugh. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Sebastian¡¯s eye twitched while looking at Sasha. To save Sasha from embarrassment, she quickly entered the kitchen and then brought them some calzones. ¡°Mr. Hayes, the kids wanted to have calzones today, so Ms. Wand helped me make these notwithstanding her injury. They taste rather nice. Would you like to have some?¡± Wendy ced a whole set of cutlery and a te in front of Sebastian. Seeing that, Sasha¡¯s wrung her hands unwittingly. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Actually, Sebastian had no liking for calzone. He was a picky eater since he was young. Being a member of the Hayes family, he grew up living a good life. Once he tasted the food and disliked it, the chef wouldn¡¯t prepare the same food again. Calzone first appeared on the Hayes¡¯ dining table that year when Sasha and her family visited them. The Hayes¡¯ had the kitchen prepare this particr dish for them, knowing that they loved Italian dishes. At that time, Sasha clearly remembered that the boy who was five years older than her had only taken a bite of the calzone. He said it tasted awful. Sasha retrieved her gaze as the piece of memory surged within her mind. She cast her eyes downward to focus on feeding her daughter. A few secondster, she heard Matteo asking, ¡°Daddy, does it taste good?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± This time, Sebastian elegantly finished the whole calzone. Instead of showing disgust, he nodded approvingly at the savory vor that lingered on his tongue. Sasha was dumbstruck. Was I hallucinating? Did he just say that it¡¯s not bad? But I remembered him hating it after just one bite¡­ In a state of confusion, Sasha fixed her eyes on Sebastian. As if he sensed her gaze, the man suddenly looked up, his eyes meeting hers. Sasha was startled, and she almost dropped her cutlery. Why do I keep looking at him? I must be out of my mind! At that instant, she had her heart in her throat. She quickly retrieved her gaze and then helped fetch Vivian the dipping sauce, avoiding his eyes. Luckily, Sebastian¡¯s ringing phone spared her from further embarrassment. It was a call from the office, and the man hurried off as soon as he ended the call. As Sebastian¡¯s figure vanished from sight, the naive Vivian suddenly leaned closer to her, whispering in her ear, ¡°Mommy, are you afraid of Daddy?¡± Nheless, Sasha would not admit it no matter what. She fed Vivian a mouthful to stop her from asking any more questions. ¡°Of course not. Hurry, sweetie. I will give you a shower after you¡¯re done eating.¡± Her words sessfully put Vivian off. Since Sasha would be staying with them, the kids didn¡¯t bother to ask for their dad. After taking their showers, they rushed to Sasha¡¯s room for a bedtime story. Of course, Sasha was more than willing to spend more time with the kids. She had made it a habit to tell Matteo and Vivian bedtime stories when they were living together. Now that Ian had joined them, the story-telling session became all the more enjoyable. That night, the kids fell asleep in Sasha¡¯s bedroom. Later, she instructed Wendy to carry them to their respective rooms. All of them had a good night¡¯s sleep after that. The next morning, Sasha was awakened by the continuous knocks on the door. ¡°M-Mommy, are you awake? It¡¯s V-Vivi¡­ Mommy, wake u-up!¡± Sasha was instantly wide awake at the sound of Vivian crying. She quickly climbed out of bed to answer the door. Standing outside her room was Vivian in her pink pajama with tear-stained cheeks, holding a bunny plush. Sasha was worried upon seeing the poor little girl shedding tears. She crouched down to hug her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sweetie? Why are you crying? Tell me, what happened?¡± She thought Vivian was not used to living in a new ce. The next moment, Vivian threw herself into her mom¡¯s arm, sniveling sadly. ¡°Mommy, I want to go to preschool¡­ with Ian and Matt¡­ but he doesn¡¯t allow me to¡­¡± With that, she once again broke into tears. Preschool? Her words reminded Sasha that the kids still needed to attend preschool. It had been at the back of her mind since she was in the hospital. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he let you go? Aren¡¯t you attending the same preschool as Matt?¡± she asked. ¡°After Daddy brought us back, he transferred Matt to Ian¡¯s preschool, but he doesn¡¯t allow me to join them. Mommy¡­¡± The little girl was crying her heart out, shaking all over, especially when she said her dad refused to let her join her brothers. Sasha finally understood the reason for her daughter crying. She was heartbroken, and her anger spiked. Yet, she couldn¡¯t possibly argue with Sebastian because that man had no idea that Vivian was his daughter. Besides, she wouldn¡¯t want him to find out about it either. There was no way she could ask him to change his mind. Sasha hugged Vivian tighter, trying to console her, ¡°Why don¡¯t we attend the previous preschool?¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to! I want to be with Ian and Matt. Mommy, do you not love me anymore? Are you going to abandon me, just like Daddy did?¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Vivian looked at her mom through her teary eyes. Thetter¡¯s heart wrung at the sight of her sad expression. Vivi, I promise I will let you go to preschool with your brothers! With that, Sasha decided to go all out for the sake of her daughter. She asked Vivian to wait in her room while she prepared herself before heading to the third floor. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 ¡°Sebastian? Are you awake? I need to talk to you.¡± Actually, Sasha was reluctant to step foot on the third floor again because every time she did, they would end up arguing. There was not even once that they could talk peacefully. Thinking that their uing conversation was a serious and unpleasant one, she backed away a little from his bedroom door to maintain a safe distance. About a minuteter, she heard some noises from inside the room. Then, there was the sound of footsteps approaching the door. ¡°What is it?¡± Sebastian appeared behind the opened door in his dark shirt. His cor was unbuttoned, revealing his corbone. Underneath the leather belt and shiny gunmetal buckle was a pair of long legs. The man had a dignified grace in his appearance. Inexplicably, Sasha felt a bit self-conscious in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, actually. It¡¯s just that I heard you¡¯ve transferred Matteo to Ian¡¯s preschool. I¡­ I was just wondering if you could let Vivi join them.¡± ¡°Why should I? She¡¯s not my child anyway,¡± was his curt reply. Sasha felt a feeling of guilt washed over her. ¡°E-Even though she¡¯s not your child, she¡¯s still Matt and Ian¡¯s sister. Can¡¯t you let her join them for the boys¡¯ sake?¡± ¡°No!¡± Sebastian wouldn¡¯t budge. With that, the man turned to close the door. Seeing that, Sasha stepped forward and pushed against the door, preventing him from closing it. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be so harsh! Let¡¯s talk this through.¡± At this moment, she had forgotten that she was determined to stay away from him earlier. ¡°Go away!¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I know I¡¯m rude toward you sometimes, so please forgive me if I ever offended you. I promise I¡¯ll do whatever you want ¨C just say it.¡± Disregarding his reluctance, Sasha slid into his room. She went all out by making such a huge promise. Sebastian was about to throw her out, but he halted upon hearing her words. She¡¯ll do whatever I want? ¡°Anything?¡± he asked. Looming over Sasha, his dark eyes bore straight into hers. The unfathomable emotion in his eyes made her shudder. For a moment, Sasha¡¯s mind went nk as the man stared her down. She blinked her eyes and swallowed dryly, not knowing how to respond. Why is he so intimidating? ¡°What? Are you scared?¡± Sebastian moved forward, forcing the woman to have her back against the door frame. He curled his lips into a condescending sneer when he noticed the fear and panic on her face. Sasha¡¯s eyes widened as she put on a brave front. ¡°I¡¯m not scared! Tell me, what do you want me to do? Oh, didn¡¯t you want me to treat you? I can do it now.¡± With that, she reached out her hand to touch his tired-looking face. Before Sebastian could even react, Sasha had urately found the acupuncture points somewhere in between his brows and started massaging them gently. Her fingers were cold in the winter morning. Sebastian was in a daze since he didn¡¯t expect she would be so bold as toy her fingers on him. Or perhaps, it was because her massaging had eased his eye strain after another sleepless night. ¡°Do you feel better? For people like you who have a huge workload and have yet to recover from illness, it is a great relief from pain and distress if I give you a massage every morning.¡± In all seriousness, Sasha was really putting in her effort to treating this man. After all, she was counting on her massage skills to get Vivian into Empire Preschool. Since the man was six feet tall, she needed to lean forward to massage him. Still focusing on the task at hand, she was unaware that their current position was a bit too intimate. Sebastian¡¯s eyes darkened at their close proximity. In fact, they were so close to each other that he could clearly see his reflection through her crystal clear eyes. He could sense the faint scent of her lime shower gel. Her breath was tickling him as she spoke, and he couldn¡¯t seem to move his eyes away from her tempting lips. The thought of feeling the tenderness of her lips soon surfaced in his mind. ¡°Argh!¡± Just then, Sasha cried out in pain when she identally stretched the tissue surrounding her wound due to overexertion of force. The next moment, she toppled over. Without a second thought, Sebastian grabbed her waist, pulling her into his arms. In an attempt to regain her bnce, Sasha instinctively grabbed his shirt, popping a few buttons off it. At the same time, her lips brushed against his chest identally¡­ Chapter 115 Chapter 115 At that moment, time seemed to be on a standstill. None of them moved. Sebastian¡¯s eyes darkened at the tingling sensation on his chest. As for Sasha, her face flushed a crimson red, looking at him like a frightened doe. What have we done? How did things end up this way? Her mind went ck as she clung to Sebastian¡¯s body. Meanwhile, thetter¡¯s hands were still holding her waist. Slowly, the warmth of his hand seeped through her clothes, making her heart thumped wildly. Although she had given birth to his three children, they had never been so close to each other before. At the same time, Sebastian¡¯s breathing grew heavier as his eyes traced her delicate face. Actually, Sasha was a good-looking woman. Her crystal clear eyes looked like a pair of dazzling gems while her lips were soft and supple, tempting him to have a taste of it. Sebastian¡¯s eyes darkened while he lowered his head, moving closer to hers. Sasha held her breath, her heart pounding like crazy. ¡°Daddy, are you ready to go?¡± Just then, a child¡¯s voice rang out with the sound of footsteps running up the stairs. Instantly, Sasha came back to her senses, pushing the man away from her. Then, she hurriedly stumbled her way out of his bedroom. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Matteo, who just reached the third floor, halted his steps. Oh, no! It seems like I¡¯ve ruined everything for Mommy and Daddy. The observant Matteo knew there must be something happening between his parents by their looks. He couldn¡¯t help feeling frustrated, thinking he shouldn¡¯t havee at the wrong timing. ¡°Daddy, t-take your time¡­ Um¡­ Please c-continue.¡± Pretending as if he didn¡¯t notice anything, Matteo waved at his parents and then walked downstairs. Sasha felt embarrassed, and her face went blushing as red as the tomato. ¡°Matt, what are you talking about? There¡¯s nothing happening between us. Hey, don¡¯t go! Wait for me!¡± She immediately went after Matteo, not daring to take another look at the man behind her. As she reached the second floor, she saw Matteo entering Ian¡¯s bedroom. It turned out the boys were long awake. Matteo went upstairs just now to ask if their dad would send them to preschool today. Right! Preschool! The sight of the two children carrying their school bags reminded Sasha that Vivian was still waiting for her, so she turned and rushed to her room. ¡°Vivi¡­¡± Vivian had waited a long time in the room. Upon hearing Sasha¡¯s voice, she instantly cast her plushie aside and opened the door. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m here! Have you persuaded Daddy? Is he going to let me join Ian¡¯s preschool?¡± Sasha fell silent while looking at her daughter¡¯s face that was full of anticipation. She was so panicked just now that she forgot to confirm with Sebastian whether he agreed to transfer Vivian to Ian¡¯s preschool. Now, she had lost the courage to ask that man again. What should I do? Should I go and ask him again? ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡°Yes. Daddy has agreed. Come, let¡¯s get you changed.¡± At this moment, Sasha couldn¡¯t care less about Sebastian; all she wanted was not to disappoint her daughter. Without loss of time, she helped Vivian get changed and tied her hair before bringing her downstairs. ¡°Matt, Ian, is it okay if you go to school with Vivi today?¡± ¡°Hooray! We can finally go to school with Vivi!¡± Both Ian and Matteo, who were already waiting downstairs, jumped in excitement at the news. They were more than willing to go to preschool with Vivian, especially Matteo, who had always attended preschool with his sister. In fact, even if Sasha didn¡¯t talk to Sebastian, he was going to voice his dissatisfaction about Sebastion¡¯s decision anyway. And so, the kids left happily for preschool, with Ian and Matteo holding each one of Vivian¡¯s hands. Standing at the porch, Sasha¡¯s eyes followed them as they left. As she turned to enter the house, she saw Sebastianing downstairs. The next moment, she stumbled and hit the door. ¡°Y-You¡¯re here¡­¡± Sebastian walked in her direction, his expression cold and distant. He didn¡¯t even spare a nce at her as if he had totally forgotten about what happened earlier. Sasha was relieved since she wouldn¡¯t feel that awkward this way. Keeping her head down, she pressed her back against the door to give way to Sebastian. She decided to slip into the house when he was not noticing. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Sebastian suddenly halted his steps. ¡°They¡¯re gone?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sasha looked up, blinking her eyes in panic. ¡°Y-Yes.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I can let her join Ian¡¯s preschool, but you should be the one responsible for the fee.¡± Sasha was ted as she never thought he would give his consent. Having forgotten about the awkward moment earlier, she replied, ¡°Sure! How much is it? I can pay you right now!¡± She waited for Sebastian to tell her the amount she needed to pay. With the money she saved up during the past few years, she believed it wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem to send her daughter to Ian¡¯s preschool. However, she couldn¡¯t believe her ears when Sebastian told her that the fee was one million. ¡°What? One million?!¡± Sasha¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. The preschool fee is a million? Is he kidding me? Even studying at the best university overseas won¡¯t cost as much. That¡¯s daylight robbery! She asked harshly, ¡°Are you kidding me? The preschool fee costs a million? What¡¯s so special about this preschool?¡± Sebastian sneered, ¡°Well, it¡¯s the best preschool in Avenport funded by me.¡± He paused for a while before he added, ¡°A million only covers a semester. If you really want to let your daughter study there, you need to prepare at least two million. Ms. Wand, are you sure about it?¡± This man has indeed lived up to his identity as a cunning and profit-oriented businessman. He is not satisfied at all with a million that he now doubles the price. Sasha was so angry until her fingers trembled. Vivian is your daughter! How could you treat her like that? Wouldn¡¯t you worry that your children won¡¯t take care of you when you¡¯re older? Right that moment, she wished she could p that b*stard¡¯s face with her shoe. But before she could do anything, Sebastian had walked out of the door. Sasha¡¯s body thudded against the door, her shoulders slouching. Wendy quickly came up to her and consoled her, ¡°Ms. Wand, are you alright? Don¡¯t listen to Mr. Hayes. He was just kidding, and he won¡¯t ask for that much.¡± Oh Wendy, I bet you¡¯re wrong this time. Sasha knew she had always been a thorn in Sebastian¡¯s flesh. Now that he thought Vivian was not his daughter, it was impossible for that man not to charge her. Later, Sasha returned to her room to check the bnce in her bank ount. She found out there were only four hundred thousand, which was not even close to a million. What should I do now? I don¡¯t have enough money¡­ I have to let Vivi go to preschool with her brothers¡­ Her heart ached when she recalled Vivian looking at her with anticipatory eyes earlier this morning. Sitting on her bed, she scrolled through her phone to see if there was any other way she could gather the remaining six hundred thousand. In the end, she managed to find a person who could help ¨C Solomon! Meanwhile, at the Hayes Corporation. Luke only heard that Sasha had moved into Royal Court One after he came back from a meeting. He was so shocked that he spat out his water. ¡°What did you say? Ms. Wand moved into Mr. Hayes¡¯s house?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who ordered the bodyguards to bring her there? Why are you so surprised?¡± The person gossiping with Luke was the clerk who paid Sasha¡¯s hospital charges. Thus, she knew exactly what happened that day. Hearing that, Luke once again choked on his water. Bullsh*t! Why would I even do that? I¡¯m not crazy! After that, he took a sip of water to calm his nerves. ¡°How are they now? Are they alright?¡± ¡°They¡¯re fine. Mr. Scott, I¡¯m curious. Is Ms. Wand really Mr. Hayes¡¯s ex-wife? What a shocker! I¡¯ve never heard that he was married before, but now his ex-wife suddenly appeared. Isn¡¯t Ms. Green his fianc¨¦e?¡± the clerk asked curiously. Matteo¡¯s kidnapping incident had caused a hugemotion, and the Hayes Corporation had even deployed snippers and helicopters for the rescue mission. Now, all of the employees were curious about the identity of Matteo ¨C the boy who looked identical to Ian. To the clerk¡¯s disappointment, Luke would not quench her curiosity. It was not his ce to gossip about the president¡¯s private affairs. Luke soon dove into his work. To his surprise, Xandra showed up at the office that afternoon. ¡°Look! It¡¯s Ms. Green! She¡¯s here!¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t shown up for days. I thought she¡¯s noting to the office anymore.¡± ¡°Duh! Even though Mr. Hayes¡¯s ex-wife suddenly appeared, she¡¯s still Mr. Hayes¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Only an idiot will give up the opportunity to be the president¡¯s wife.¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Xandra became the center of attention the moment she stepped foot in thepany. The employers were still whispering to each other. Instead of rushing up to Xandra to fawn over her, they were now standing aside with crossed arms, waiting to see if she would make a scene. Xandra hadn¡¯t shown her face for days. She couldn¡¯t help clenching her fists in anger when she noticed she was the subject of their gossips. Now, everyone in Hayes Corporation knew Sasha was Sebastian¡¯s ex-wife and that that woman was Ian¡¯s mother. If Xandra wanted to marry Sebastian, all she could do was to maintain her grace and put on airs as the future president¡¯s wife. ¡°G-Good morning, Ms. Green.¡± ¡°Morning.¡± Xandra unclenched her fists and returned the greeting of an employee, who was holding a pile of documents while waiting for the elevator beside her. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. As expected, the employee was pleasantly surprised by Xandra¡¯s friendliness. She was so nervous that her palms became sweaty when she entered the elevator after Xandra. ¡°Are you from the business department?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see you¡¯re carrying a lot of documents. Did your workload increase after Sasha stoppeding to work?¡± asked Xandra with a gentle smile on her face. The employee was slightly bewildered when Xandra suddenly mentioned Sasha, which didn¡¯t ring a bell with her. When the employee finally remembered that Sasha was the president¡¯s ex-wife, her body tensed up in an instant. ¡°N-Not really. Actually, s-she¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wish any employer to overstretch themselves. You can ask the vice president to get the Human Resource Department to hire new staff. Initially, we hired Sasha because she was idle at home. We later dismissed her since she was notpetent with the job. It¡¯s better to hire new staff so that it won¡¯t affect the department¡¯s work efficiency.¡± Xandra was acting all amiable and friendly for some reason. It was as if she was sympathizing with the employer¡¯s distress, she even looked guilty when she said it was her decision to put Sasha in the business department. The employer was shocked by the revtion. Oh, my goodness! So Ms. Green was the one who let that woman work in our department. No wonder she disappeared after having only worked for one day. It¡¯s because Ms. Green dismissed her for causing all the trouble in the business department! It seems like Mr. Hayes¡¯s ex-wife is no match for Ms. Green since thetter could send her away whenever she wants. The employer¡¯s eyes shone with excitement, thinking she got the news first-hand. Feeling eager to share the piece of news with her colleagues, she rushed out as soon as the elevator door opened. Unbeknownst to her, a wicked smile crept onto Xandra¡¯s face after she left. Sasha, do you seriously think you canpete with me? I¡¯ll let everyone know who thedy of Hayes Corporation is. A determined glint shed across her eyes as she tucked her hair behind her ears. A few minutester, the elevator brought her to the president¡¯s office. ¡°Ms. Green, you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Good morning, Ms. Green!¡± ¡°Morning, Ms. Green.¡± Within minutes after the conversation in the elevator, there was a drastic change in the employers¡¯ attitude as they greeted her reverently. Xandra shed them a faint smile before entering Sebastian¡¯s office. ¡°Sebastian, I¡¯m here to bid you farewell.¡± Sitting behind his desk, Sebastian was upied with his work. He didn¡¯t give Xandra any response though she was fixing her ardent gaze at him. He intended to ignore her until he heard her words. ¡°What? Farewell?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked again. Looking at the man¡¯s knotted brows, for a moment, Xandra wanted to change her mind and tell him that she was joking. Just then, Aunt Kelly¡¯s words rang out in her mind. She then recalled the employers¡¯ attitude toward her just now. Rumors that were unfavorable toward her were circting in thepany. That had had an impact on her credibility as the future president¡¯s wife. In the end, she put up a good front, showing her considerate side. ¡°Do you remember me telling you that I¡¯ve sent my script to a magazinepany overseas? They¡¯ve contacted me recently, saying that they wanted to sign me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sebastian¡¯s expression softened. Xandra¡¯s writings and her perseverance were the things he liked about her. He didn¡¯t know how she managed to write all those letters buried under the magnolia tree. Eventually, she survived through hell, rising like a phoenix from the ashes. ¡°If that¡¯s so, you should give it a try. Do you need me to book a flight for you?¡± he asked. Xandra was exhrated as this was the first time he showed that he actually cared about her. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Aunt Kelly was right! ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve already booked the flight.¡± She hesitated and then made a request, ¡°If you have the time, could you send me to the airportter?¡± Sebastian frowned slightly. He took a nce at his watch and agreed nevertheless. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll fetch you after I finish my work.¡± Xandra nodded in satisfaction. Kelly was right in saying that she should treat a man as if she were flying a kite. If she constantly pulled the string taut, it would eventually snap. Likewise, a man would only feel suffocated and try to break free from her. Thus, she made up her mind to let the string loose sometimes, allowing the kite to fly. This way, only would the man willingly stay by her side. In the meantime, Sasha finally got to meet Solomon in a caf¨¦. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Solomon, I¡¯m sorry for asking you out all of a sudden. I hope I didn¡¯t cause you any inconvenience.¡± Sasha felt sorry because Solomon, the young man with gold-rimmed sses, was already waiting for her at a table by the window by the time she arrived. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m on my lunch break anyway.¡± Solomon discreetly sized her up. The woman had light makeup on, with a faint reddish tinge on her cheeks so that she would not look that pale. Her full lips looked moist and plump after the application of lipstick. ¡°Thankfully I didn¡¯t disturb you.¡± Sasha heaved a sigh of relief. Tiny beads of sweat were seen covering her forehead. She took the seat opposite Solomon and was about to call the waiter over when thetter said, ¡°I¡¯ve ordered a Jamaican Blue Mountain for myself and a cup of hot cappino for you. You prefer it with sugar and milk, am I right?¡± ¡°Huh? Y-yes¡­ but I was supposed to treat you to coffee.¡± Sasha smiled sheepishly when she heard Solomon had already ordered for both of them. In fact, a cup of sweet and creamy hot coffee indeed suited her liking. She knew people would definitelyugh at her taste if she was to order this in a high-end caf¨¦, thinking it was a waste of the high-quality coffee beans. Nevertheless, she always ordered coffee ording to her liking. After all, why would she force herself to drink ck coffee when life was already full of bitterness? ¡°Actually, Solomon, I wanted to ask you about something. Earlier, you told me that your friend wanted to hire me to work in his clinic. I¡¯m wondering if he still needs me.¡± Solomon was surprised. ¡°You¡¯ve decided to work?¡± Avoiding his gaze, Sasha then gave him an excuse to put him off, ¡°Yes. I might need to stay here for a while, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m finding a job. I wonder how much he¡¯s going to pay me?¡± Fortunately, Solomon was tactful enough not to ask further questions. ¡°I told him that you¡¯ve worked for Clear previously. I suppose your annual sry will be higher than what Clear Hospital offered.¡± ¡°Is that for real?¡± Sasha¡¯s eyes brightened. As a famous doctor in Clear Hospital, her annual sry was more than a million. If she was to work at Solomon¡¯s friend¡¯s clinic, perhaps she could negotiate and request an advance payment of six months¡¯ sry. She finally found a glimmer of hope. ¡°Solomon, is it okay if I go for a job interview now?¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes. Oh, you don¡¯t need to apany me. Just give me his address and contact number, and I can go by myself,¡± Sasha reassured him as she was afraid to waste any more of his time. Solomon suddenly stood up and grabbed his coat. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen him before. It¡¯s better that I bring you there. Besides, he doesn¡¯t have many patients in his clinic at this time¡± ¡°Oh, um¡­ okay then.¡± Sasha nodded her agreement since he insisted. Soon after, the two left the caf¨¦. Finding a job and requesting an advance payment of sry was the only way Sasha could think of. Previously, she did the same thing to raise her two children when she just moved to Clear. After that, Sasha got into Solomon¡¯s car. Initially, she thought he would drive her to meet his friend right away. However, a few minutester, she realized they were heading to a mall in the city center. ¡°Why are we¡­¡± ¡°I think you¡¯d better change into a new set of clothes. My friend is germophobic, so¡­¡± Sitting behind the wheel, Solomon cast a sidelong nce at her while smiling teasingly. Sasha¡¯s face flushed scarlet when she lowered her head to look at her coat. It was indeed a little dirty. When she moved into Royal Court One, she didn¡¯t bring her clothes from her rental apartment. For the past few days, she was wearing the very coat that Matteo brought her when she still was receiving treatment in the hospital. Thinking that it was inappropriate to meet her future boss in a dirty coat, Sasha eventually agreed to Solomon¡¯s suggestion. Unbeknownst to her, a ck Bentley had arrived at the mall¡¯s parking lot after their car. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 It was a sudden idea of Xandra¡¯s to go shopping at the mall. Since she became Sebastian¡¯s fianc¨¦e, she had been living a luxurious life. Every aspect of her daily livings was being taken care of to the highest standard. Since it would be a long stay overseas this time, she decided to buy a few more handbags and bring them along with her. ¡°Sebastian, wait for me in the car. I¡¯ll be back as soon as possible.¡± Sebastian nodded a response without looking at her. As soon as he stopped the car, he fished out his phone to check if there were any urgent matters that he needed to attend to. Seeing that, Xandra didn¡¯t dare to disturb him. She quietly put on her coat and then got out of the car. ¡°Must we go upstairs? We can just buy a coat at any one of the shops on the ground floor.¡± ¡°Sure! We¡¯ll head to the ground floor then. Are you cold?¡± ¡°No. Let¡¯s go.¡± The moment Xandra opened the door, the chilly breeze gushed into the car, along with snippets of indistinct conversation. Sebastian stopped scrolling his phone upon hearing the familiar voice. In an instant, he cast his eyes over to see Sasha walking with another man. He exuded a cold and ominous aura, especially when he saw the man wrapping his coat around the petite figure. Within seconds, the atmosphere around him dropped below freezing point. Sasha Wand! Eventually, Sasha entered a shop on the ground floor. She decided to randomly pick a coat so that they could then go for the interview. ¡°Wee, Miss. How can I help you?¡± Sasha cast her eyes over the shop and said openly, ¡°I need an affordable coat.¡± She once lived a good life before the disruption of the Wand family. Even so, she never really pursued a materialistic lifestyle back then, let alone now. To her, the utility of an item was more important than whether it was branded. The staff, however, became aloof upon hearing her words. At the same time, Solomon cast a cold nce at the staff before he took a coat from thetest collection. ¡°Nancy, there¡¯s no hurry. We should pick one that suits you the most. I think this looks pretty good. Why don¡¯t you try it on?¡± The staff brightened up and started concurring with Solomon, ¡°That¡¯s right. Miss, this coat suits you well. I believe you will definitely attract everyone¡¯s attention on the street.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sasha gazed at the coat dubiously. Solomon reassured her, ¡°Trust me. Just go and try it on first, and then we¡¯ll decide whether we are getting it.¡± With that, he grabbed her hand, leading her to the fitting room. Since Solomon insisted, Sasha gave in and did as he said. In the meantime, the staff was trying to strike up a conversation with Solomon outside the fitting room. ¡°Sir, you sure have good taste. This coat is of thetest collectionunched recently. You¡¯ll be stunned when your girlfriendes outter wearing the coat.¡± Solomon smiled faintly but remained silent. A few minutester, Sasha came out in the coat. The coat suited her perfectly as if it was custom-tailored for her. The Morandi color cor greatly entuated her fair skin, while the ssic Chanel-style design that emphasized the wearer¡¯s waistline highlighted her curves. ¡°Miss, you look gorgeous.¡± All of the staff in the shop eximed in awe. Solomon was also amazed. He had long known that she was beautiful. Yet he never thought she could be so stunning after dressing up. ¡°We¡¯ll take this one. Wrap it-¡± ¡°Sebastian, this coat looks nice! I love it. Can we get this one?¡± Just as Solomon was about to pay for the coat, Xandra caught sight of Sasha¡¯s back view in the shop. She immediately pleaded with Sebastian coyly to buy the very coat that Sasha was trying on. Sebastian?! Sasha froze in front of the mirror. Her expression changed upon hearing someone calling Sebastian¡¯s name. It can¡¯t be that coincidental, right? How could we even bump into each other in one of the many shops in this huge mall? Inexplicably, Sasha started to panic. Before she could even hide in the fitting room, Xandra had rushed into the shop. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Excuse me, wrap this up for me.¡± Notwithstanding that Sasha was wearing the coat, Xandra was so insolent that she directly asked the staff to wrap it up for her. The staff was stumped by her request. As for Solomon, the usual calmness on his face was reced by anger. ¡°Miss, my friend is trying on the coat. Isn¡¯t it inappropriate of you to cut in line?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing inappropriate about it. Since I have my eyes on the coat, it now belongs to me.¡± ¡°Why should we let you have it?¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s my woman. Is this reason valid enough?¡± Right then, Sebastian entered the shop. Although it was wintertime, the man was wearing a thin shirt underneath his unbuttoned ck coat. One might wonder if he could even stand the cold weather outside. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 His woman? Sasha¡¯s feeling of panic and nervousness disappeared, reced by her usual calmness. She turned around and said coldly, ¡°What if I refuse?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Upon that, Xandra¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she looked at Sasha¡¯s face in a daze. ¡°Sasha Wand? It¡¯s you! Why are you here?¡± With a condescending smile, Sasha scoffed, ¡°Ms. Green, what a strange question you¡¯ve asked. I can come and shop if I want to. I don¡¯t need to ask for your permission, do I?¡± She didn¡¯t even bother to hide her disgust and hatred toward Xandra. ¡°You!¡± Xandra turned red in anger. Without sparing another nce at her, Sasha turned to face Solomon and said apologetically, ¡°Sorry about that, Solomon. Could you please hand me my purse? We¡¯ll leave after I pay for the coat.¡± ¡°Alright. Here you go.¡± Solomon was standing by the side during thedies¡¯ exchange. He handed over the purse that he was carrying to Sasha at her request. Seeing that, Sebastian¡¯s eyes turned gloomy. A woman would only let a man carry her purse if they were in a close rtionship, just like Xandra would ask him to carry hers though he would reject her most of the time. Anger was boiling in him. Initially, he brought Xandra to the shop with the intention of humiliating Sasha. Instead of leaving triumphantly, he was so pissed that he wished he could strangle that woman to death. Just then, Sasha seemed to be facing some issue when making payment. ¡°Miss, this coat costs one hundred and eighty thousand, but the bnce in your credit card is only a hundred thousand.¡± Sasha cried out, ¡°What?! A hundred and eighty thousand?¡± She was so shocked that she forgot that there were two people in the shop, waiting to humiliate her. The cost of the coat was almost twice the amount of her savings. How could she spend all her savings on a coat when she still needed to earn money to pay her daughter¡¯s preschool fee? At that instant, Sasha regretted making such a stupid decision of buying the coat just to defend her dignity in front of Xandra and Sebastian. Meanwhile, Xandra and Sebastian were gloating over her misfortune. Seeing Sasha in trouble, Sebastian curled his lips into a smug smile. He even pulled a chair over and sat down with his legs crossed. Hmph! Since you enjoy shopping with other men, why don¡¯t you call more of your male friends over and ask them to pay for you? Let¡¯s see if any of them could actually afford that coat. At this moment, Xandra spoke up, ¡°Sasha, do you not have enough money? Let me pay for you. Actually, you¡¯ve misunderstood me. I didn¡¯t know you were trying the coat earlier.¡± Unlike her previous aggressive manner, she offered to help Sasha pay for the coat gently. What the flippin¡¯ hell¡­ What is she trying to do? Is she trying to show to that scum that his wife-to-be is a generous and kind woman? Sasha clenched her fists. Just as she was about to ept defeat and leave the shop, the man standing beside her handed over a credit card to the staff. ¡°My girlfriend doesn¡¯t need your help,¡± Solomon said to Xandra. Then, he turned to face the staff. ¡°We¡¯re paying with my credit card. And also, please wrap the dirty coat in the fitting room for us.¡± The mellow tone in his voice resembled a tenor saxophone ¨C smooth and almost hypnotizing. Everyone was gaping at him. At this point, the shop was dead silent to the point that one could hear a pin drop. This was an unexpected oue to everyone, including Sasha. In her befuddled state, she watched the staff swiped the card and wrapped the dirty coat for them. Before she had even realized it, Solomon took her hand in his. ¡°We¡¯ll be going now. Enjoy your shopping!¡± Solomon was polite enough to say his goodbye to both Xandra and Sebastian before leading Sasha out of the shop. The shop was still engulfed by dead silence though Solomon and Sasha were long gone. At that moment, Xandra dared not to utter a single word in the face of Sebastian¡¯s intimidating aura. She had not seen Sebastian this angry before. His face was clouded over, and his eyes gleamed with murderous intent. ¡°S-Sebastian¡­¡± Bang! Sebastian rose to his feet and kicked the chair forcefully. The next moment, he rushed out of the shop. Xandra immediately chased after him to stop him but to no avail. The man had run so fast that his figure vanished from sight in no time. Xandra reached the parking lot only to see the ck Bentley whizzed by her and soon vanished from sight. Does he have to be so angry just because his ex-wife has found herself a boyfriend? She bit her lips, trying hard to hold back her tears. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 In truth, Sebastian¡¯s reaction to the matter felt like a knife to her heart. She wasn¡¯t willing to admit it but she did lose the battle this time to Sasha. How can this be? Doesn¡¯t he not love her? When she was pregnant, he showed no concern for her at all. But what made him change after five years? Xandra went home in disappointment. Meanwhile, Sasha was stuck in a daze. It wasn¡¯t until Solomon drove her far out of the city and had almost arrived at his friend¡¯s clinic that she slowly regained her senses. ¡°Stop by the side, Solomon. Stop the car!¡± The moment she recovered her senses, she insisted angrily for Solomon stop the car at once to which heplied. ¡°Nancy, I¡­¡± ¡°Enough. I am in no mood to listen to you. I¡¯m busy today and won¡¯t be heading over to your friend¡¯s ce. I¡¯m sorry.¡± After cutting him off, Sasha opened the car door and was prepared to leave. Solomon panicked in response. ¡°Nancy, listen to me. I didn¡¯t mean what I did earlier. When I saw them humiliating you, I just couldn¡¯t bear to watch and ended up saying those words.¡± Solomon didn¡¯t dare to restrain her physically. After she got out of the car, he quickly followed and came around to block her way instead. Earlier, he was just trying to be expedient. Unable to tolerate the situation any further, he dered that she was his girlfriend. However, Sasha didn¡¯t relent. In fact, his words caused her expression to darken which rarely happened over the many years they had known each other. Solomon began to feel anxious. ¡°Nancy?¡± ¡°You knew everything about me, don¡¯t you? And you knew who Sebastian is too, right?¡± Sasha finally red at him intently and it was the first time he heard her speak to him in such a frosty tone, causing him to turn pale. ¡°Let me exin¡­¡± ¡°Forget it. Actually, it doesn¡¯t really matter. You¡¯re right, I am Sebastian¡¯s ex-wife and both my children are his. Therefore, Solomon, you should stay away from me just so that he doesn¡¯t hurt you. It¡¯s for the best that we pretend to not know each other.¡± Sasha finally calmed down and warned Solomon solemnly. However, he was infuriated by what she suggested. ¡°Why should I stay away from you? Both of you are no longer rted to each other so what gives him the right to treat you this way? Nancy, you don¡¯t have to be afraid. I¡¯ll protect you from now on.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Suddenly, he approached Sasha with a longing look in his eyes, causing her to freeze for a moment before retreating a few steps. Staring at him, she suddenly felt a surge of resentment inside her. She ignored him and tried to g a cab by the street. In a very short while, she managed to get into one and left. All this while, she was aware of his feelings for her. But she had told him that they can only remain as friends as she would never love another man for the rest of her life. After getting into the cab, Sasha informed the driver of her address as she nned to head home for a nap. Little did she expect her phone to ring. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Sasha, where are you? Why is Vivi suddenly sent back here? Isn¡¯t she staying with you?¡± It was Jackson¡¯s voice on the phone, telling her that Vivian had been sent to his ce. How is that possible? Isn¡¯t Vivi at preschool? Sasha found it strange. ¡°I¡¯m outside right now and have no idea why Vivi was sent over. Who sent her? Also, what about Matt? Aren¡¯t they together?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see Matt. A few young men in suits came by. Do you know anything about it?¡± Sasha was lost for words. Suddenly, her heart skipped a beat as a frightening thought shed across her mind. A sense of dread began to swell within her. ¡°Alright, I understand. Uncle Jackson, I¡¯ll find out what¡¯s going on immediately.¡± Sasha ended the call and called Empire Preschool immediately. Once they knew she was Vivian¡¯s mother, the staff at Empire Preschool confirmed that Vivian was picked up from school. ¡°It was someone named Luke Scott who came to get her.¡± ¡°What did you say? Luke?¡± ¡°Yes. He even left with her brothers, Ian and Matteo.¡± Overwhelmed by fear, Sasha was so shocked she couldn¡¯t hear anything else. With her hands trembling, she even dropped her phone in the cab. No, this is not possible. He won¡¯t do such a thing. After all, we were only arguing and there¡¯s no reason for him to go that far. Sasha couldn¡¯t stop reassuring herself. However, when she picked up her phone to call Luke, the reality that greeted her pushed her back into the abyss. ¡°Why are you asking me? How should I know? I¡¯m equally confused by what¡¯s going on. Why was I suddenly instructed to pick up your sons? Or send your daughter to your uncle¡¯s ce?¡± After a long bout of silence, Sasha, already pale, could hear herself ask, ¡°What about the boys then? Where are they?¡± ¡°Do you mean Mr. Matteo? Both he and Mr. Ian have been picked up. Mr. Hayes has asked me to book flight tickets for Machia for them.¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Inside the cab, Sasha was stunned by Luke¡¯s answer that she slumped. Why must that assh*le treat me this way? By sending them to Machia, does he n on not letting me see them forever? Is my worst nightmareing true? That assh*le! That heartless animal! Sasha was trembling in anger. The thought that she would not get to see her children again felt like a part of her had just been cut out raw, causing her to suffocate. ¡°Miss, Miss, are you alright?¡± When the cab driver saw her face in the rearview mirror, he quickly called out in concern. Only then did Sasha regain her senses. ¡°I¡¯m alright. Mister, sorry for the trouble, I¡¯m not going back to Old Town. Instead, take me to Hayes Corporation.¡± Sitting up straight with reddened eyes, she uttered every word with conviction while ring straight ahead. Frightened by her response, the driver quickly changed directions and headed back to the city center. Ten minutester, they arrived at Hayes Corporation. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Sasha immediately got off and rushed into the building, intending to head straight to the top floor to see Sebastian. However, the moment she reached the entrance, a uniformed guard who had previously not been stationed there raised his hands to stop her. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to enter.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because Mr. Hayes has ordered that you¡¯re banned from entering from now on,¡± the guard asserted with a frosty re. Sasha almost burst a vessel at his words. How dare that assh*le station someone here to stop me? Is he sick in the head? Does he think he can stop me from fighting for the children just like that? In his dreams! After ring fiercely at the top floor of the building, Sasha turned and left. Half an hourter, another woman arrived at the entrance. However, this woman was dressed in a full-length winter coat that made her look elegant and distinguished. She wore a pair of sunsses and held a custom-made handbag. The moment she appeared, her graceful swagger caused thedies around her to feel embarrassed of themselves and the men to swoon over her. My God! Who is this woman? She¡¯s really gorgeous and extremely charming! Inside the building, there were many who were already attracted by the woman, including the guard who had stopped Sasha earlier. He simply gawked at thedy in awe. ¡°Miss, may I know if¡­¡± ¡°Shoo!¡± Not even bothered to talk to him, the unbelievably gorgeousdy shot him an icy nce before entering the building. Who does he think he is to be worthy of talking to me? Upon entering the building, a clerk quickly came up to greet her politely. ¡°Hello, Miss, may I know what I can help you with?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see your president.¡± This time, the woman responded. Furthermore, when she dered the purpose of her visit, she took off the sunsses she was wearing. ¡°Good heavens¡­¡± At that very moment, everyone in the lobby gasped in awe. Thedy¡¯s face was indeed picture perfect. It was oval-shaped with ideal proportions, while her features were greater than the sum of their individual parts. Combined, it gave one the sensation of blossoming spring flowers. Coupled with exquisite makeup, her looks were so mesmerizing that no one could peel their eyes away from her, especially from her jewel-like eyes. Given how beautiful she was and that she was holding a designer bag, the clerk quickly informed the president¡¯s office and personally escorted her into the elevator. ¡°Miss, the president¡¯s office is on the top floor. You¡¯ll see it when you get there.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you.¡± The gorgeousdy was also well brought up as she thanked the clerk politely before entering the elevator. However, the moment she got in, she dropped her elegant act and seethed while staring at the shing floor numbers of the elevator. ¡°How dare you challenge me? I was a socialite long before any of you were anything in your lives. Sebastian, I¡¯ll f*cking show you!¡± Without a doubt, that woman was Sasha. When Sebastian received a call saying that a prominent youngdy wasing to see him, his mind was filled with questions. Prominent youngdy? Who is it? He couldn¡¯t recall anyone that fit the description. However, as his schedule was always filled with appointments, he figured he must have missed this one by ident. Therefore, he gave permission to the clerk to allow thedy in. When she entered, the clicks of her heels caught the attention of all the employees in the president¡¯s office. Before he knew it, the door to his room was opened. It was at that very moment he looked up and was briefly stunned at the sight of her, even though she was wearing a pair of sunsses. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 However, it was only for a fleeting moment. The next second, thedy took off her sunsses and hurled it at him together with the designer handbag. ¡°How dare you bar me froming up here. Do you think I can be bullied so easily? Sebastian Hayes, let me tell you, if you don¡¯t return my boys to me, I will kick up such a big fuss that you will regret it!¡± Bam! Sebastian¡¯s eyes narrowed as he jumped out of his chair to evade the flying objects. The bag and sunsses crashed onto his table, smashing into hisputer and sending all his documents flying. Sebastian was shocked as he stared at theputer and documents strewn all over the floor and also the rock that rolled out of the handbag. He was so furious that he was lost for words. Sasha was equally shaken. Oops, did I overdo it? Hisputer might contain a lot of important data. If I broke it, does it mean there¡¯s no more room for negotiation? Sigh, I should have chosen a smaller rock. Sasha began to regret her actions. Meanwhile, a thunderous roar finally rang out of the office. ¡°Sasha Wand! Do you f*cking want to die? I¡¯ll help you along if that¡¯s what you want.¡± Sasha retreated a step by reflex. ¡°You¡­ you forced me to do it. Why did you to kidnap my children and send them to Machia? What¡¯s your intention? Are you trying to prevent me from seeing them ever again? Sebastian, let me warn you that if you continue to do this, I¡¯ll do something even more extreme!¡± Having rediscovered her courage, she started to stand up for herself. Furthermore, she had also given him a warning. Sebastian was further infuriated by her words. ¡°How dare you threaten me? Let me tell you that they are my sons. I can send them wherever I want.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But I gave birth to them, and I am their mother!¡± ¡°You have lost the right to be their mother, Sasha. Ever since you shamelessly seduced other men, you no longer qualify to be one. You don¡¯t even deserve to touch them!¡± She had never expected him to attack her in this way. Sasha wanted to look for a rock again. This time, it wasn¡¯t hisputer she was aiming for but his head instead. I¡¯ll smash his head into pieces and burn it to crisp in the oven. How about that? ¡°Sebastian, let me be clear. Since when did I seduce anyone else? That¡¯s just because someone was helping me out of indignance over how you treated me. Do you think I¡¯m like you? Desperate to the extent where you brought a woman home while I was still pregnant?¡± ¡°So what if I have a boyfriend? Is it illegal? We no longer have anything to do with each other. And you allowed that vixen to be your wife officially. So why is it that when I do the same thing, I be the one who is seducing another man? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s just absurd?¡± Herst sentence couldn¡¯t be anymore stinging. At the same time, Sebastian felt as if he had been pped in the face, causing him to turn green in anger. Against such scum, I have to take a hardstand. Or else, he will never show me any respect. And most importantly, he won¡¯t remember that we no longer have anything to do with each other. The tension in the room finally began to ease. At that moment, amidst the incendiary atmosphere of the office, silence nketed the whole floor. It was so frighteningly quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Sasha couldn¡¯t help but clench her fists. ¡°Get out!¡± ¡°What?¡± Sasha looked up and wondered if she had heard wrongly. Obviously, she didn¡¯t as Sebastian had put his phone on speaker. ¡°Get security in here, now!¡± His expression had drastically changed. Just a moment ago, he was filled with fury and murderous rage. But now, he seemed different. After being scolded by Sasha and regaining hisposure, his expression became icy cold and nothing else could be gleaned from it. Feeling agitated still, Sasha wanted to continue pressing her case. However, someone suddenly rushed in. ¡°Mr. Hayes, your sons have disappeared at the airport!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Just as he spoke, both Sasha and Sebastian stared at the man. Then, both of them lost their composure. That man was one of Sebastian¡¯s bodyguards who was tasked to escort the children to the airport. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Hayes. I didn¡¯t watch them carefully enough. It¡¯s just that¡­ they are just too smart. The moment we arrived at the airport, they gave me the slip.¡± The bodyguard looked as if he was on the brink of tears as there was nothing he could do. After all, those two children were in a league of their own. Initially, when Sebastian decided to send them to Machia, he arranged for seven to eight bodyguards to escort them as he knew how slippery they could be. However, the moment they arrived at the airport, one of them made an excuse to use the gents as a distraction while the other shut down all the bodyguards¡¯ phones by hacking them with his tablet¡­ Luckily, Sebastian and Sasha didn¡¯t see the bodyguards¡¯ faces at the airport when they lost the boys. It was an absolute disaster. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 ¡°You are a bunch of useless trash!¡± After admonishing his bodyguards, he stormed out of his office. Meanwhile, Sasha quickly followed behind him. Sebastian remarked, ¡°Why are you following me? Didn¡¯t I ask you get out?¡± Sasha retorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear it. Sebastian, let¡¯s stop quarreling for the time being and find the boys first, alright?¡± She decided to relent and began pleading with him with a pitiful expression. She had no choice as the children were everything to her. At that moment, she was willing to do anything for them, including apologizing and retracting her earlier words. Sebastian red at her intently and prioritized his sons in the end. With that, both of them set out together. Outside, all his nosy staff were dumbfounded. What just happened? Why did Mr. Hayes leave with the woman? Who is she? Wait a minute, why does she look familiar? The eyes and the pale lips¡­ ¡°F*ck! Isn¡¯t that his¡­ ex-wife?¡± Everyone in the president¡¯s office was stunned. Both Matteo and Ian did escape. However, they didn¡¯t venture far and were still at the airport because they were discussing something of great importance. ¡°I think Daddy and Mommy must be having some problems again.¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡± Sitting on the sofa of a cafe, Ian held onto his ss of warm milk and grudgingly agreed with his brother¡¯s assessment. Given how they were abruptly brought from the preschool to the airport while their sister was sent away separately; it was obvious that something serious had happened. What should we do now? Ian was equally frustrated as he had a hunch that Daddy must be the one at fault. If that is true, what are we going to do if Matteo loses his patience and forbids Mommy from being together with Daddy? Would he and Vivi leave with Mommy then? Ian tightened his grip on his Transformers toy. ¡°Ian, I don¡¯t think we can allow this to continue. We have to think of a way to teach Daddy a lesson.¡± As expected, Matteo had thought of the same thing when he voiced his concerns. Ian¡¯s face lost all color as he hung his head in silence. ¡°Ian?¡± ¡°Go on¡­¡± Ian finally nodded in resignation. After which, Matteo exined his n in detail. ¡°Look, Daddy brought us to the airport so that he can send us somewhere that Mommy can¡¯t find us. In that case, we should let him have a taste of his own medicine.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ian looked up immediately and stared intently at his brother. He was sensitive enough to notice Matteo had used the word ¡°we¡± and wasn¡¯t just referring to himself. However, Matteo assumed that his brother was asking again because he didn¡¯t understand. Hence, he exined his n one more time. ¡°Since Daddy doesn¡¯t want Mommy to see us, we might as well include Mommy in this. We shouldn¡¯t let Daddy find the three of us. No, wait¡­ I mean the four of us, including Vivi. We must let him know what it feels like to not be able to see all of us. What do you think?¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Ian readily agreed. After all, he was of the opinion that Daddy should be made aware of his mistake. Therefore, after both of them left the cafe, they went to the airline¡¯s sales counter. A few minutester, while Sasha was sitting inside Sebastian¡¯s car, which was speeding to the airport, she received a message on her phone. It read: Ms. Nancy, with regards to the four flight tickets to Clear which you have bought, the departure time is 14:35¡­ ¡°Ahh!¡± Sasha gasped aloud. When Sebastian who was driving heard it, he turned around in anger. ¡°What are you shouting for? Are you sick in the head?¡± Sasha didn¡¯t dare make another sound. She was shocked to find out that she had inadvertently booked four flight tickets of which three were child seats. Suddenly, something ridiculous shed across her mind. It was at that moment that she received another message. This time it was an ordinary one. It read: Mommy, did you receive the message about the flight tickets? It¡¯s Matteo here. Listen to me, Ian and I have booked tickets for the four of us to return to Clear and leave naughty Daddy behind. Ahem¡­ahem¡­ Shocked, Sasha coughed aloud to contain her surprise. Already exasperated by the fact the children were missing, Sebastian mmed on the brakes and stopped the car by the roadside. ¡°Get down!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sasha put on her pitiful face again. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t, I¡¯ll stop coughing. I was choked by a gush of cold wind. I promise I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let me repeat myself!¡± Sasha could filled the rage and animosity in his tone. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 She only responded with silence. Fine, I¡¯ll get out if that¡¯s what he wants. After getting out and mming the door shut, Sebastian floored the elerator and sped off like a rocket. Pfft! When he was gone, Sasha quickly called the number that had texted her. ¡°Hello? Matt?¡± ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s me, Matt. Did you get my message?¡± Matteo was using the hacking software on his tablet tomunicate with his mom. When they heard her voice, both brothers were ted. However, their mom didn¡¯t sound as happy as they had expected to their surprise. ¡°Matt, how can you do this? Do you know that you will cause both me and Daddy to worry? He has just dropped everything he was doing toe and search for both of you.¡± ¡°But, Mommy, we just wanted to help you.¡± When they heard what Sasha said, both of them pouted in guilt. Sasha was speechless. Forget it, I¡¯d better not reprimand them now. It¡¯s more important to find them first. Hence, after enquiring further and confirming that they were at a hotel near the airport, she hailed a cab to meet them. Despiteing as a shock, the boys action also touched her. She was moved by the fact that she had a ce in their hearts and that they were constantly trying to protect and stand up for her. Nevertheless, she was still shocked at how extreme their n was. It was just too brazen and dangerous! Filled with anxiety, she finally arrived at the hotel the boys were staying in. ¡°Little Ian, Matt¡­¡± The moment the door opened, Sasha eximed in delight when she saw the boys. However, Matteo who opened the door gave her the cold shoulder. After ncing at her with an aggrieved expression, he walked back into the room with a pout. Sasha didn¡¯t know what to say. Turning to the side, she noticed her eldest son there. Despite not having the same expression as his brother, he also had nothing to say. ¡°Little Ian?¡± Sasha suddenly felt guilty as she entered the room. Squatting in front of them, she apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Little Ian, Matt, it¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have med both of you.¡± Ian pursed his lips. After a short while, he looked at Sasha and calmly replied, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± It was expected of someone who grew up with Sebastian. In both his actions and thoughts, he would act differently from Matteo, whereby he was calmer and would take the overall situation into consideration. After having her anxiety eased by half, she quickly held her son¡¯s hand before proceeding to mollify the other together. ¡°Matt?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± He was still giving her the cold shoulder while grumpily looking out the window. Sasha was both annoyed and amused. Left without a choice, she had to deploy her trump card. ¡°Fine. I wanted to go home with both of you today but Matt is still angry with me. What am I to do now?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Matt who was still sulking began to relent. Ian was also captivated by Sasha¡¯s offer. Hence, he put on a rare but authoritative tone of an elder brother. ¡°You cannot be angry at Mommy. It¡¯s wrong to do so.¡± Ian actually used a long sentence to admonish his brother. After being censured by his brother and tempted by his mommy¡­ Matteo finally turned around. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we shouldn¡¯t have done it? Why do you still want to take us home?¡± ¡°Those are two separate matters. Given how much my two sweeties love me, how can I not take both of you home?¡± Sasha hugged Matteo while gently coaxing him. On the way to meeting them, she did think of doing that. Although they had demonstrated their love for her in the wrong way, she still decided to take them home with her. Despite their methods, she couldn¡¯t deny whatever they did was well-intended. Having heard her words, Matteo finally broke into a smile. ¡°Ian, look, Mommy has agreed to take us back to Clear.¡± Matteo looked at his brother happily. Ian nced at Sasha and didn¡¯t say a word. After a while, Sasha finally rified, ¡°Sweetie, you have misunderstood. I¡¯m not taking you back to Clear, we are just going back to the house that we rented.¡± ¡°What!¡± Matteo was shocked. Seeing his reaction, Sasha quickly exined. ¡°Because we can¡¯t do that, Matt. Although Daddy is in the wrong, he is still your daddy. He cares a lot about you and loves you. If we disappeared just like that, he will be very worried and sad. Furthermore, it would be very irresponsible of us to do something like that.¡± Sasha tried to exin to her son as clearly as possible. Just as she finished, both boys were stunned. Mommy actually thought that way? Both of them didn¡¯t expect Sasha to act that way after going through such humiliation. Even if Sebastian were there, he wouldn¡¯t have expected it too. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 After all, he first thought was to send the children away and not allow them to see her after what happened at the clothing store. But now, the Sasha was telling the boys not to do it. This was an issue of upbringing. At the end of the day, Sasha was brought up as a properdy since birth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mommy. I¡¯m wrong.¡± Matteo finally understood and apologized to Sasha. Sasha rubbed his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I know that you didn¡¯t do it on purpose. In fact, you were doing it for my sake.¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm!¡± ¡°Therefore, I actually wanted to say that I agree with your n.¡± Sasha supported their stance again. Huh? She agrees now? The boys widened their eyes and gave Sasha a puzzled look. Sasha smiled in response. ¡°Given how Daddy bullied me. I feel that we really should teach him a lesson.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we first return home and I will then take the three of you out for a day out. We will not tell Daddy about it and let him feel anxious, alright?¡± ¡°Alright!¡± The boys agreed in unison. A few minutester, Sasha and the boys left. When Sebastian arrived at the airport, he arranged for his men to sweep the ce. Unfortunately, his sons were simply too savvy. The surveince feeds of wherever they went had been wiped. Therefore, after searching for the whole afternoon, they came up with nothing. Those two scoundrels! With his eyes already reddened, Sebastian kicked his car in rage when he still couldn¡¯t find them. ¡°Continue the search. Find them even if you have to turn Avenport upside down!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Hayes.¡± ¡°Also, where is the hacker that I have asked you to locate? Why isn¡¯t he here yet? All of you are just useless. Why are you taking so long just to find one person?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Despite his voice turning hoarse, Sebastian continued to rant furiously. He was both worried and fearful to the extent he cracked his knuckles subconsciously. Sasha was right. He did have what it takes to be a father. Trembling in fear, his bodyguards went to get the hacker at once. After a while he received a report saying that it wasn¡¯t that the hacker didn¡¯t arrive, it was just that none of them could undo the destruction wreaked by the boys on the surveince feeds. ¡°M-Mr. Hayes, Mr. Ian and Mr. Matteo are simply too smart. Ordinary hackers¡­ aren¡¯t able to crack their code at all.¡± Bam! A loud bang rang out. Infuriated, Sebastian mmed his foot into the bodyguard who could barely get back up. It was a frightening sight. Given how rare Sebastian got physical with them, the bodyguards were all in a sullen mood and didn¡¯t dare utter a single word. Luckily, the investigator from amongst the airport staff finally arrived. ¡°Mr. Hayes, we have a lead. At 16:35, one of our counters sold four flight tickets to Clear. The person who booked them was¡­ Nancy.¡± ¡°Who did you say it was?¡± It had been a long time since Sebastian heard that name and so he couldn¡¯t recall who it was out of a sudden. His bodyguards had no choice but to remind him. ¡°That¡¯s Ms¡­ Wand.¡± Suddenly, the atmosphere fell silent as if it was the calm before the storm. Clear? Did she n to leave with the children from the very beginning? When did this happen? She was with me when the bodyguard reported the matter. Most importantly, she looked as if she knew nothing about it. In that case, how did she leave with the children? Did they have this nned since the very beginning? He suddenly recalled that on the way to the airport, Sasha had eximed strangely twice. Also, she hardly protested when he kicked her out of his car. Therefore, did she turn the tables on me by leaving with the children when I was the one who sent them away first? Everything suddenly clicked in Sebastian¡¯s mind. ¡°Mr. Hayes? Are you alright?¡± When the bodyguards saw him holding onto his forehead and staggering, they were shocked as they quickly went up to support him. After a long while, Sebastian managed to steady himself. Looking straight ahead with his bloodshot eyes, he barked, ¡°Prepared the helicopter, we are setting off for Clear at once.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Hayes!¡± ¡°Also, prepare a gun for me. I¡¯m going to kill that b*tch!¡± Meanwhile, Sasha and the three children enjoyed a wonderful afternoon out. Firstly, they went to the amusement park. After all, all kids loved them especially Ian. As his body wasn¡¯t well, he was always forbidden to go on rides. Therefore,ing here was the happiest thing that ever happened to him. ¡°Ian, I¡¯m telling you, the pirate ship is the scariest ride ever. Let¡¯s not ride that, alright? Let¡¯s go for the musical carousel instead.¡± At the end of the day, Vivian was still a girl and naturally less daring. When she saw the thrilling rides, she began to shirk from them. She wanted Ian to ride the wooden horses on the carousel with her. On the other hand, Ian wanted to join Matteo, to swing up far into the air on the pirate ship. To him, it looked extremely thrilling. However, his sister was pleading with him. ¡°Alright.¡± Finally, Ian made the mature decision. Holding Vivian¡¯s hand, they went to ride on the carousel. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Sasha didn¡¯t dare go on any of the rides as she was still hurt. Therefore, she went to buy some snacks for the children. ¡°Excuse me, three Cokes, three grilled chicken wings, and three meatballs please.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Everything was bought in threes, delighting thedy boss who was selling them. She proceeded to prepare all of them at once. Holding the food, Sasha quickly returned to where the children were. At that moment, the theme park wasn¡¯t crowded. All the children that visited enjoyed themselves and didn¡¯t care about how cold the weather was. It was under such circumstances that Sasha found Matteo at the pirate ship and Ian who was riding the carousel together with Vivian. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. She enjoyed every moment of it. Sasha called out to them. ¡°Matt,e down, I have bought some snacks for you.¡± ¡°Okay,ing.¡± As Matteo was almost done, he came down from the pirate ship immediately. After that, Ian returned from the carousel with Vivian in tow. ¡°Mommy, Mommy, I enjoyed myself today because Ian was there to protect me.¡± Vivian had also gotten down from the carousel and was delighted the moment she saw Sasha. Hugging Vivian, Sasha remarked, ¡°I¡¯m sure you are. We should praise Ian for taking good care of you. Ian,e over here. I want to give you a hug too.¡± Sasha beamed as she pulled her eldest son closer. Praised by Sasha, Ian blushed before shirking in embarrassment. He was really different from Matteo. Matteo was a lot livelier and more easygoing having been raised by Sasha. Although he also took care of his sister, he was not as steady as Ian. Perhaps, the difference lies in the environment they grew up in. When Sasha saw the sky darken, she began to ponder to herself. ¡°Matt, Little Ian, we¡¯re going home after we finish the snacks, alright? It¡¯s gettingte.¡± ¡°Alright, Mommy.¡± ¡°Sure, Mommy.¡± Both of them agreed in unison. As Vivian gulped down her Coke, she looked up with her big sparkling eyes when she heard Sasha mention that they were going home. ¡°Mommy, where are we going back to? Is it Daddy¡¯s ce?¡± No one told the innocent little bun that she had been kicked out by Sebastian. ¡°No, I¡¯m feeling a lot better, so we will go back to our own home together with your brothers, alright?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± She was a little disappointed, she still preferred to stay in a big house. More importantly, the house belonged to her daddy. With that, the four of them returned home. At the same moment, darkness had also fallen. As it was already evening, Sasha had to prepare dinner. Although the children ate at the amusement park, it was just considered a light snack. A proper dinner was still a must. After Sasha brought the children back to Old Town, they went to the supermarket to buy some groceries before returning to their rented apartment. ¡°Sweeties, what do you want to have for dinner?¡± ¡°I want to have spaghetti!¡± ¡°Me too! Ian, Mommy¡¯s spaghetti is the best! Even Uncle Solomon loved it very much.¡± Vivian had a very weing personality. At the mere mention of spaghetti, she couldn¡¯t help but introduce it to Ian on his first official day in their home. However, she identally mentioned Uncle Solomon. Sasha quickly interrupted her. ¡°Alright, we will have spaghetti for dinner then. Matt, take your brother to wash his face. Vivi, turn on the electric stove. I¡¯ll start cooking right now.¡± ¡°Alright, Mommy.¡± ¡°Right away, Mommy.¡± The three kids acknowledged obediently. Only then did Sasha carry the ingredients she bought into the kitchen and started to busy herself. An hourter, the spaghetti was ready. The minute the children smelled the tantalizing aroma during the preparation, they rushed into the kitchen to take an asional peek. Even the usually reserved Ian couldn¡¯t help himself and sneaked in twice with his siblings. Finally, Sasha served a te on the table. ¡°This is for Vivi.¡± ¡°Wow! Thanks Mommy!¡± Vivian was already salivating. Smiling, Sasha then served the boys¡¯ portions. However, as there were only two kids¡¯ tes at home, one of the servings was on an adult te. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is for Ian.¡± Being sensible, Matteo pushed his own kids¡¯ te toward Ian. Sasha¡¯s heart warmed in response to what he did. These are my children, sensible and obedient. What more can I ask for? After quietly ncing at the children while they were eating, she returned to her bedroom. Buzz¡­ Buzz¡­ She suddenly felt nervous the moment the phone rang. After all, she had gone overboard this time. As expected, once the call got through, a thunderous voice raged over the other line. ¡°Sasha Wand! I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Sasha was speechless. Hmph, can you stop threatening to kill me all the time? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s a bad influence on the children? Sasha sighed. ¡°Alright. That¡¯s enough for today. You cane to pick the children up now.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Airborne over clear airspace at that moment, Sebastian who was raging a while ago was suddenly stumped. Pick the children up? Just like that? He lowered his head to nce at the city he was about tond in. When Sasha didn¡¯t hear a response from him for a long time, she began to grow impatient, thinking that he didn¡¯t understand her. ¡°Are youing or not? If not, I¡¯ll let the children spend the night here. But don¡¯t you darein tomorrow that my rental apartment is a bad ce to raise your children.¡± At that moment, there was silence in the helicopter. Rental apartment? She¡¯s letting me pick up the children at this hour? So, that witch didn¡¯t leave Avenport at all and took the children to her ce instead? Before he could say anything, he almost choked on himself. ¡°Mr. Hayes, we are about tond at once. Below us is Clear Hospital and we cannd directly on its rooftop.¡± The bodyguard sitting beside him remarked at that crucial moment. At the same time, Sasha heard it over the phone which caused her eyes to widen. ¡°My goodness, Sebastian, you¡­ you flew all the way to Clear?¡± ¡°Shut up! Sasha, I will definitely not forgive you for this. Just you wait!¡± After that, Sebastian ended the call abruptly. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He was utterly humiliated. Never in his entire life had anyone fooled him to that extent. Sasha became nervous when she felt Sebastian would definitely not forgive her. She had just intended to have some fun at his expense by causing him to worry, so that he would know what it felt like to be tricked. However, she had never imagined that he would actually fly to Clear in search of them. I¡¯m finished! That¡¯s the end of me. She didn¡¯t even dare to sleep. After the children went to bed, she stayed in the living hall, trying her best to fight off her drowsiness while waiting. As expected, by three in the morning, she heard the bang of a car door closing and was instantly woken by it. The figure that arrived looked frightening. With her chin by the window, she could sense the murderous rage being emitted by the figure despite the darkness. As he approached slowly, she noticed the chill that apanied him into the building. She was already quaking in her boots. To avoid disturbing the children¡¯s sleep, Sasha locked their room door and headed to the entrance. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The moment she got there, she was greeted by a pair of bloodshot eyes, causing her to shriek in surprise and freeze. F*ck! This crazy assh*le! She fumed, ¡°Sebastian, are you crazy? It¡¯s the middle of the night. What are you trying to do? Scare everyone to death?¡± Sneering, Sebastian kicked the door open. ¡°Haha, scare you? You should be d that I didn¡¯t kill you right away!¡± Sasha no longer wanted to talk to him. Even the earlier guilt and anxiety she felt dissipated at once. ¡°Where are the children?¡± ¡°Sleeping.¡± ¡°Bring them out!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it yourself? Why must I do it?¡± Sasha refused to cooperate. Plonking her bum on top of the electric heater, she casually picked up the pack of chips beside her and started munching away. Her expression couldn¡¯t be anymore frosty, causing Sebastian to be further infuriated. Given that he had not even eaten or drunk for the whole day, he couldn¡¯t help but gulp when he saw her eating and was tempted by the delicious aroma of the chips. ¡°Mr. Hayes, why don¡¯t we go in and get the children¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch them. Sebastian, let me warn you, my son won¡¯t allow just any stranger to wake him up. If you scare him, I won¡¯t forgive you!¡± Sasha interjected when she heard the bodyguard¡¯s words. With a fearsome re, she was adamant in her refusal to let the bodyguards carry her children. After all, children had an inherent fear of being carried by strangers when they¡¯re asleep. No matter how smart they were, the kids were still only five. Also, it was freezing outside and they would run the risk of catching a cold. The same thoughts naturally crossed Sebastian¡¯s mind as he waved the bodyguards away. ¡°What happened today? Since when you started scheming with them?¡± ¡°Mr. Hayes, can you stop thinking that everyone is that crafty? What do you mean by scheming? My sons just wanted to help me when they saw how you bullied me.¡± Sasha argued with reason and also cleared her children¡¯s name. Unexpectedly, Sebastian scoffed, ¡°They help you? What about the flight tickets? Don¡¯t tell me that they were the ones who bought them?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so strange about it? My son knows all my particrs like the back of his palm and can even generate my ID online. What¡¯s so difficult about booking some flight tickets?¡± Sebastian was speechless. ¡°By the way, Little Ian also participated. He was the one who paid.¡± Sasha bit into another piece of chips and it tasted especially delicious. Amidst his rage, Sebastian could feel a familiar pain that caused the veins of his temple to throb. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 When Sasha noticed the drastic change in Sebastian¡¯s expression, she finally stopped munching on her chips. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you alright?¡± After a while, Sebastian was in so much pain that he felt his stomach churn. Standing there with a pale expression, he quipped, ¡°Move over a little.¡± Sasha was dumbfounded. Looking at him in disbelief, she moved over despite some slight hesitation. Finally, the moment she made some space, Sebastian sat down beside her. When she felt him emitting a mix of frostiness and masculinity, she couldn¡¯t help but freeze. Does he really not mind? Amidst her daze, Sebastian, who had sat down with his eyes closed, barked impatiently, ¡°Have you not seen enough? Go pour me a ss of water.¡± Sasha was stunned on the spot. She was amazed at how Sebastian knew she was looking at him with his eyes still closed. ¡°O¡­ okay.¡± As her face began to flush red, she quickly put down the chips in her hand and poured a ss of water for Sebastian. A few minutester, soothed by the warm water and the electric heater, Sebastian¡¯s gloomy expression finally eased. Noticing the change, Sasha asked with a slight hesitation, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let them sleep through the night. It¡¯s already four and almost daylight. Besides, you look exhausted yourself.¡± A razor-sharp gaze shot toward her, sending a shiver down her spine. Averting her gaze knowingly, Sasha didn¡¯t utter another word. In truth, after spending more time with him, she had a better grasp of his temperament. He was a typical chauvinistic male that refused to admit his mistakes. Therefore, she realized it was better for her not to criticize him nor decide anything for him. Sasha wondered if she should help the children change first so that they wouldn¡¯t catch a cold when they were brought outter. ¡°Is there anything to eat?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± When she heard the sudden question, Sasha thought she had heard wrongly and immediately looked at him. After a long pause, she finally asked, ¡°Wh-what do you want to have?¡± ¡°Anything will do!¡± Sebastian snapped. By then, he was already in great difort as he had not eaten anything for almost the whole day. The difort in him was further exacerbated by the freezing cold weather and the migraine that bugged him constantly. Therefore, feeling exasperated, he didn¡¯t feel like saying another word. After looking at him, Sasha finally got up. Given that it was the middle of the night and cooking would have taken too long, Sasha thought about the leftover spaghetti the moment she entered the kitchen. After ten minutes, Sebastian, who was leaning against the sofa with his eyes closed, caught a whiff of a tantalizing aroma. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else to eat at this ungodly hour other than this spaghetti. The kids and I had it for dinner. So you will have to make do with it.¡± Sasha brought out the spaghetti and ced it in front of Sebastian. Although it was leftover, it still looked like it was prepared with care. After all, there was even an egg fried sunny-side up and some herbs sprinkled on top as garnishing, whetting one¡¯s appetite. Sebastian then picked up the fork beside it. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Sasha was shaken by his action. She realized this was the first time he ate her cooking. Although he had tried her calzone when they were at Frontier Bay, it was still prepared by both Wendy and herself. But now, the entire te of spaghetti was in essence the first time she cooked for him. Lowering her head, Sasha fiddled her hair and pretended not to give the matter any thought. Slurp¡­ A faint slurp was heard. Sebastian who had exemry table manners hardly made a sound when he ate. Nevertheless, it still felt like a sharp shrill in Sasha¡¯s ears. At that moment, she slowed what she was doing and held her breath, waiting for him to m the fork down or push the te away. The reason was that he was someone used to haute cuisine. Therefore, a simple te of spaghetti would definitely not satisfy him. Sitting there, she was surprised to not hear anything from him. When she turned to check, she saw him looking at his phone. Sasha didn¡¯t know what to make of it. Forget it, I¡¯ll just let him be. Ignoring what was going on, Sasha began to rx slightly in thefort of the sofa. Before she knew it, she had already fallen asleep. After all, she was exhausted from staying up the whole night. Finally, Sebastian cleared the te and found the food better than expected. However, when he wanted to ask Sasha to bring out the children, he realized that she was already asleep beside him. He checked the message on his phone: Mr. Hayes? To which he replied: I know. I¡¯ming down. As his men were prepared, he decided to carry the children himself. However, the moment he got up, Sasha seemed to be able to feel the warmth beside her leave, causing her to curl into a ball. Sebastian stopped in his tracks abruptly. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 That moment was the coldest period during dawn. If I ignore her, wouldn¡¯t she freeze to death here? Frowning, he finally decided to carry her. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± In her sleep, Sasha was no longer her feisty self. Snuggled up in his arms, she was both quiet and submissive, just like an obedient little kitten. In fact, when he was carrying her, she seemed to be able to feel the warmth from his body and rubbed her head unconsciously against his chest, as if she was moring for his attention. Sebastian froze in response as he didn¡¯t want to admit that somehow his heart was stirred by it. Damn this woman! Why am I feeling this way? Am I not supposed to feel angry? Given how big of a prank she pulled today? He averted his gaze and carried her into the bedroom. Click! The moment the light was turned on, all he saw was a dpidated room with mottled walls and broken furniture. The surroundings simply looked miserable. Has she been raising the two children all these years under such circumstances? His gaze softened as he recalled that five years ago, she was still a daughter of a rich family and didn¡¯t know how to do anything for herself. Five yearster, she had learned how be independent. Sebastian carried her to the bed and wanted to leave after putting her down. However, as if she was unwilling to lose the warmth he provided when he let go of his hands, she wrapped her arms around his neck instead. ¡°Be good, sweetie. Let Mommy hug you for a while longer.¡± While she murmured in her sleep, she pulled him toward her chest. Sebastian¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Before he could react, he stumbled forward and fell onto the bed together with her. Sasha¡¯s soft lips somehow met with his with extreme precision. With that, they kissed, giving Sebastian a shock. Does she do this when she coaxes the children? Does she think I¡¯m one of them now? This is ridiculous! Sebastian wanted to express his anger, but the soft and moist sensation of her lips felt like a paralyzing poison to him. After getting a taste of it, his mind simply went nk. As his heart started to race, he felt as if an electric shock permeated throughout his brain. The next second, his breathing grew heavier. ¡°Sasha, take a look at who I am,¡± he asked as his eyes darkened. Suddenly, he grew a little irritated and stared at her while she was sleeping. Sasha furrowed her eyebrows in response. As if she could feel the growing anger in her sleep, she mumbled helplessly, ¡°Alright now, don¡¯t be angry. Be a good boy.¡± Her soft and tender lips leaned into him and gave him another kiss. Sebastian was shaken as blood rushed toward his head. When he saw that she wanted to leave after kissing him, he forcefully pulled her in and hugged her tightly by her slender waist. He then squeezed her. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Suddenly, Sasha could feel the pain from her lips and waist. As her long eyshes began to flutter, she opened her eyes. The moment she opened them, she saw his features right smack in front of her face with their lips locked tightly together. Feeling a buzz in her head, all the drowsiness she previously felt disappeared. Good heavens! What the hell happened? How did we end up like this? Have I been hugging him instead of the children? As her eyes widened in shock, she almost fainted on the spot. ¡°Are you awake now? Do you still want to kiss me?¡± When he saw that she had regained her senses, he finally snapped in his raspy voice while still holding her tightly. Sasha¡¯s eyes darted around anxiously. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t know it was you. I thought¡­ it was my son¡­¡± Panicking, the only thought in her mind was to push him away and flee. However, the moment she moved, she felt the hand wrapped around her tighten. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Son?¡± Sebastian lifted her chin with his fingers, forcing her to look into his eyes. Despite the husky and sexy tone, his voice was stillced with a tinge of danger, just like a wolf eyeing its prey. Sasha didn¡¯t dare make another move as she stared at Sebastian with her face flushed red. Her heart raced so furiously that she felt as if it could jump out of her chest anytime. Is he not avoiding me? Doesn¡¯t he hate me? She continued to gawk at him. They were in such close proximity that a minute movement would cause their lips to brush against each other. Buzz¡­ Buzz! Buzz! Luckily, Sebastian¡¯s phone suddenly vibrated, easing the tension of the moment. As if he was suddenly jolted awake, Sebastian loosened his grip on Sasha¡¯s waist, throwing her onto the bed before he quickly stood up. Sasha¡¯s body rolled into her nket. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 After such a massive scare and too tired to bother about anything else, Sasha quickly covered her head with her nket. This is crazy! What have I done! Buried underneath her nket, Sasha was both blushing and in a panic. She felt as if all her energy had been sucked from her to the extent her fingertips were trembling. Lowering his gaze at the bundle in front of him, he was intrigued by her reaction. However, he didn¡¯t say anything further and left awkwardly. The next day. When the children woke up, they were surprised to see that Sasha was still asleep. Therefore, she didn¡¯t prepare their breakfast, and neither did she turn on their heater for them. Strange, what happened to Mommy? Was she exhausted from yesterday? Matteo woke up and got himself changed. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on her. Both of you should wait here.¡± After that, he ambled out of the room. As expected, when he pushed open the door of the room next door, he saw Sasha sleeping soundly with her nket over her head. It was rare for her to be oversleeping. ¡°Mommy still isn¡¯t up yet.¡± For some reason, Ian had also came out to check. He was still in his pajamas and walked barefoot on the freezing cold floor as he followed his brother. Matteo turned around at once. ¡°Why are you up? Why aren¡¯t you wearing your jacket and socks? You will fall sick easily this way. Quick, go back to your room. Concerned about Ian, Matteo quickly dragged him back to the room. He knew it was something to be mindful of. After all, Ian had lived in a life of luxury where everything was done for him. Unlike Matteo, who had learned how to be independent at a young age growing up with his mommy. Therefore, he returned to their room and helped Ian dress properly. Looking at how Matteo was helping him, Ian swore to himself that he would quickly learn how to be independent when he got home. Once they got dressed, the brothers came out of the room. Meanwhile, Vivian was still asleep inside. ¡°Mommy must be exhausted after taking us out for the whole day yesterday. Why don¡¯t we go downstairs and buy breakfast instead, so that Mommy doesn¡¯t need to prepare any? This way, we can let her sleep in. How about that?¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡± Ian nodded in agreement. After taking some money, both of them walked out hand in hand. The ce they stayed was in a good locality. The moment they came down, they were already in Old Town where they could find anything they wanted. This was the reason why Sasha chose this ce as their home. Matteo led Ian to a shop selling breakfast. ¡°Ian, what do you want to eat?¡± Ian stared at the dirty floor. He had never been in such an environment before let alone visit a shop like that. Growing up pampered, it was understandable for him to feel unsettled. Sigh! Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Matteo sighed before entering the shop himself. ¡°Mr. Jacob, give me three raisin buns, a croissant, and some milk please.¡± ¡°Sure, Matt. I see you¡¯re here alone today. Where¡¯s your mommy and your sister?¡± All the shop owners nearby knew who Matteo was. Whenever they saw this cute kid buying breakfast, they would happily chat with him while serving him food. Matteo would usually respond with some small talk. A few minutester, their hands were filled with arge number of items when they left the shop. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ian nodded in agreement. At that moment, a ck MPV suddenly drove in from the end of the street. When the driver saw the brothers, he mmed on the elerator and headed toward them. ¡°Mr. Scott?¡± Ian¡¯s sharp eyes recognized the vehicle immediately. He was right, it was indeed Luke. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 ¡°What are both of you doing here so early in the morning? Where¡¯s your mom?¡± When Luke saw the boys, he alighted from his vehicle and asked what was going on. It was indeed worrying to see two little kids walking the streets in the freezing morning. Matteo exined immediately, ¡°Mr. Scott, Mommy is still sleeping. She was exhausted fromst night.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Luke was speechless. Exhausted fromst night? What does he mean? Is it what I think it is given howte Mr. Hayes came homest night? Luke recalled that the bodyguards had told him in the morning that Sebastian had spent a long time in the buildingst night. Suddenly, he couldn¡¯t help but blush. ¡°I see. So what are you doing downstairs? Buying breakfast?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re buying for Mommy and Vivian.¡± Matteo replied inly as he beamed at Luke who then parked his MPV by the roadside. ¡°Your dad asked me to pick both of you up and send you to school. I¡¯ll go back upstairs with you to inform Mommy about it.¡± Checking his watch, Luke quickly went back up with the boys. However, Matteo was exasperated to hear that they were to be sent to preschool. ¡°No, Mommy hasn¡¯t woken up and we haven¡¯t told her about it. Besides, Vivian isn¡¯t going so we¡¯re not going too, isn¡¯t that right, Ian?¡± He looked toward his brother. Ian nodded without hesitation. ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡± Luke was speechless. No, I am not in the position to decide. Why are they even venting their anger at me? However, just when he was stunned by their response, both brothers held hands and started fleeing with their breakfast. ¡°Hey, Kids! Wait up. Don¡¯t run! Let¡¯s discuss this properly.¡± Luke stamped his feet in frustration. Meanwhile, Sebastian had just arrived in the office when he heard about the incident. He had not slept the whole night. By the time he returned home from the dpidated rental, it was already daylight. All he had was forty winks before heading back to work. When he heard that Luke was unable to pick the children up, his already throbbing head felt like exploding. ¡°Why aren¡¯t they willing toe back?¡± ¡°They said that they wanted their sister toe with them.¡± Luke replied with a trembling voice. Having heard Luke¡¯s answer, Sebastian¡¯s throbbing headache intensified. ¡°Are they in open rebellion? How dare they go against their own daddy? I haven¡¯t even held them ountable for what they did yesterday.¡± When Luke heard Sebastian¡¯s rants, he was at a loss for words. It was difficult to be sandwiched in the middle. Just as he stood there helplessly, a tiny pair of hands reached out. ¡°Give me the phone.¡± ¡°Huh? Give¡­ you?¡± Luke stared nkly at Ian and hesitated for a long while. Finally, when he saw Luke being indecisive, Ian lifted his heels and took the phone from his hands. ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s Ian!¡± ¡°So?¡± Sebastian was used to the voice over the phone switching into one belonging to a kid. ¡°So, I just want to say that you have not been acting like how a man should.¡± After at least five seconds, Sebastian could hear the grinding of his own teeth, ¡°Not acting like a man?¡± Ian¡¯s voice was cold as usual. ¡°Yes, we came home yesterday.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Mommy was the one who asked us to return.¡± ¡°We wanted to go overseas, but Mommy told us that we shouldn¡¯t make you sad. Then, she brought us back. But Daddy, you¡­ keep acting this way. You can¡¯tpare to Mommy!¡± Ian exined frankly. As he seldom had to speak in such length and detail, his exnation came out in bits and pieces, stuttering along the way. Nevertheless, he conveyed his feelings as best as he could. Sebastian was stunned by his son¡¯s words. Just a moment ago, he was ready tounch a tirade at Ian, but suddenly, he became tongue-tied. Did Sasha actually bring them back yesterday? How is that possible? Didn¡¯t she decide against leaving because she was terrified of me? Holding his phone, Sebastian couldn¡¯t believe what he just heard. Especially the part where the reason she brought them back was so that he wouldn¡¯t be sad. He still had a hard time believing it. ¡°Are you trying to coax me into letting your sister go to preschool with you?¡± ¡°Check the surveince cameras at the airport hotel,¡± Ian snapped in an emotionless tone before ending the call. Luke broke out in a cold sweat after witnessing what had unfolded before him. He was on the brink of dropping to his knees in front of Ian. However, after giving it some thought, Ian¡¯s actions did make sense. Against someone like Sebastian, only his son can do something like that to him. After all, only he knows Sebastian¡¯s weakness. As expected, five minutes after ending the call, Luke received a message on his phone: Bring the girl along. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Tsk! Mr. Ian! You¡¯re really something! In the end, Vivian got to go to preschool together with her brothers. Meanwhile, when the brothers brought Luke back upstairs, Sasha had just woken up and was still in a daze. It wasn¡¯t until Vivian had gone with them that she pped her own head staring at the empty house. ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t I not gather enough money for her school fees? Why is she allowed to go all of a sudden?¡± Sasha didn¡¯t understand what was going on. But since Vivian was now allowed to study there, she could use the extra time she had to make more money. Just when Sasha turned on herputer to see if there was anyone looking to hire doctors, Solomon called. ¡°Nancy, are you alright¡­ after what happened yesterday?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Sasha replied inly. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She now felt that she should keep her distance from him because he had crossed her limit yesterday. However, Solomon refused to ept her decision. When he saw that she was willing to take his call, he was a little excited. ¡°That¡¯s good. In that case, are you going for the interview today? I¡¯ve already told my friend about it. He says you can just start work right away.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯ve already found a job at City Hospital.¡± While job searching online, Sasha saw a hospital hiring nurses. To prevent Solomon from bothering her any further, she submitted her resume for the job without giving it any thought. Solomon was lost for words. City Hospital? Solomon was suddenly filled with disappointment. With Sasha¡¯s capabilities, it was easy for her to get into a hospital like that. Solomon couldn¡¯t help but end the call. Why doesn¡¯t she ever listen? Why can¡¯t she just stay by my side? Sasha had just sent her resume without thinking much. She didn¡¯t actually n to work there as she still wanted to return to Clear. Before she went back, she had decided to find a part-time job to pay for Vivian¡¯s school fees. After that, she started searching through the house. ¡°Strange, where is it? Where did it go?¡± After being covered in sweat and having searched through every nook and cranny of both the rooms, she still couldn¡¯t find it. Left without a choice, she gave her uncle a call. ¡°Uncle Jackson, it¡¯s Sasha. I want to ask if you have seen myptop bag when Matt and Vivi were first sent over there?¡± ¡°Laptop bag? Whatptop bag?¡± Over the phone, Jackson didn¡¯t know what she was talking about. Sasha could only describe it to him in detail, ¡°It¡¯s a smallptop bag which I used to keep myptop in. Inside, I have a few USB drives that contain the books that I¡¯ve written before. I have decided to publish one of them.¡± ¡°Oh? Are you finally going to sell your books?¡± Jackson was shocked to hear what she said. His reaction was expected because Sasha used to be popr in the literary world. Although her books were highly sought after by publishing houses, she had never sold any of them. He remembered that a movie productionpany wanted to buy over one of her books titled The Tattoo. But sadly, she didn¡¯t want to sell it so it was just kept in storage. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 However, now that she suggested selling it herself, Jackson wondered if he had heard wrongly. ¡°Are you joking?¡± ¡°No, I want to send Vivi to the same school as her brothers. The school fees are very expensive and I¡¯m a little short. That¡¯s why I have decided to sell one of the books,¡± Sasha exined. When Jackson heard the reason, he fumed, ¡°For that little girl? Why? Is her father dead? Why are you paying for it? Oh, so only the two sons are considered his children while his daughter isn¡¯t?¡± ¡°No, he still doesn¡¯t know Vivi is his daughter. Now that he knows about Matteo, he may take him away from me anytime. How then can I allow him to know of Vivi¡¯s existence too?¡± Close to bing deaf from his roar, Sasha quickly pacified the furious old man. Luckily, he calmed down after listening to her exnation. ¡°However, do you really need to sell your books? After all, you have treasured them for many years and refused to sell them at any price then. Are you alright to sell them now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. They¡¯re just books. I can pen new ones after selling them,¡± Sasha answered while pretending it didn¡¯t matter. In truth, she didn¡¯t want to sell her books at all because they weren¡¯t just her thoughts. They were also her memories and her life. Jackson finally gave her a few leads. Luckily, after being reminded by him, Sashabed her apartment one more time. Finally, she found herptop bag inside a luggage bag underneath her bed. ¡°I have finally found you.¡± Ecstatic, she quickly took out the USB drive and plugged it into theputer. She then looked for The Tattoo. The book was famous on the inte then. It was about the rtionship between a young boy with a serious psychological condition and a girl who found out about his secret. The plot was nothing particrly extraordinary. However, due to the author¡¯s exquisite style and the strong emotions carried by the female character, the story went rival when it was published online. The author was instantly famous for a while. Unfortunately, she suddenly disappeared from the eyes of the public. After opening the file and reading through her work which she painstakinglypleted, she couldn¡¯t help but feel her nose burn. Whatever. For Vivian¡¯s school fees, it¡¯s definitely worth it. Finally, Sasha logged into her publishing website ount that she left dormant for five years and located an old contact. She typed: Hi, I¡¯m back. I¡¯ve decided to sell the rights to my book if you¡¯re still interested. After she sent the message, she waited because she wasn¡¯t sure if the person was still around given that five years had passed. Meanwhile, in the city center at Hayes Corporation. Luke had spent the whole morning investigating Solomon¡¯s background. ¡°Mr. Hayes, I¡¯vepleted my investigations. That man is indeed the chief legal officer. However, he had another identity and is actually the secondrgest shareholder of the samepany.¡± He then ced all the documents on Sebastian¡¯s table. Sebastian raised an eyebrow. ¡°The secondrgest shareholder?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There are five shareholders in thatpany. The secondrgest shareholder has always been a mysterious presence and never revealed himself. Little did I expect that it actually Solomon George.¡± Luke pointed to the documents on the table. It was indeed an unexpected revtion. No one expected a humble-lookingwyer to be the second- largest shareholder of thatpany. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Prime Cloud Corporation, was currently one of the fastest-growingpanies around. Flicking through the documents, Sebastian¡¯s expression darkened. It wasn¡¯t because Solomon was the secondrgest shareholder. Instead, he saw something else. ¡°Is he also based in Clear?¡± ¡°Correct. But he is from here. After he graduated, he went to Erihal to further his studies. Five years ago, he went to Clear and worked as the chief legal officer for Prime Cloud Corporation.¡± ¡°What a coincidence?¡± Sebastian remarked in a snide tone. No matter how one looked at it, Luke realized that the timing was indeed too much of a coincidence. Furthermore, his office was close by to Clear Hospital. ¡°Continue your investigations. There definitely must be more than meets the eye.¡± Sebastian threw the documents back at Luke. Someone as cold as he was usually had sharp insight. Picking up the documents, Luke prepared to leave. ¡°Mr. Scott. The hospital just called a moment ago. They said the doctor that Mr. Hayes was looking for has submitted her resume.¡± ¡°What doctor?¡± ¡°Dr. Nancy from Clear.¡± F*ck! Chapter 135 Chapter 135 His boss sat before him, ring angrily at the resume on hisputer screen. ¡°Oh, before I forget, I need to tell you that one of Solomon¡¯s friends had just opened a clinic. They¡¯re putting out job offerings for doctors right now,¡± Luke said. The tension in the air mounted the moment those words left his lips. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°N-No! I just think that it¡¯s unreasonable for you to charge them a million for the fees¡­ ¡° ¡°Get out!¡± A pen flew over and hit Luke squarely on his nose. The stinging pain made Luke purse his lips and scurry out of the office with his hands over his face. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Am I living under a dictatorship or something? Meanwhile, Sasha finally received a reply from the editor. Isn¡¯t that book already published? They¡¯re going to make it into a TV drama soon. Why are you only asking me about it now? Sasha stared at the words on the screen in confusion. Huh? It¡¯s already published? How could this be? The manuscript is right here! How could it be published already? They¡¯re making it into a TV drama already? That editor must have been joking! She grimaced and replied: Are you sure? I was the author of ¡®The Tattoo¡¯, Iris! The editor replied in just seconds this time. Yeah, isn¡¯t it called ¡®The Tattoo On My Heart¡¯? Attached to the message was a picture of the book, and it made Sasha¡¯s eyes widen in shock. F*ck! Sasha was stunned beyond belief! How could this be? How could my manuscript be published without my knowledge? She put her head in her hands as a million thoughts ran through her mind, and her phone happened to ring at that very moment. She picked up her phone and answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Is this Dr. Nancy?¡± ¡°Yes. And you are?¡± ¡°Oh, greetings, Dr. Nancy! We¡¯re from the City Hospital, and we¡¯ve taken a look at your resume. You seem like a good match, so we¡¯re pleased to invite you for an interview.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Interview? Sasha shook her head and recalled the fact that she had sent her resume to the City Hospital. ¡°When are you free for the interview, Dr. Nancy? Our head is willing to conduct the interview personally.¡± Sasha grinned. This came just at the right time! Looks like God has other ns for me! She was not particrly interested in the job, but she decided to take it up anyway for the sake of her daughter. She needed money desperately, and the issue with the book would have to wait. That afternoon, Sasha made her way to City Hospital for the interview and secured a position as the director of internal medicine department. They even gave her an advance of half a year¡¯s worth of pay, which amounted to exactly six hundred thousand. Sasha smirked as she checked her bank ount bnce on her phone. Now he has no reason to kick my daughter out of her preschool! The first thing she did upon receiving the money was to call Sebastian. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Give me your bank ount number. I¡¯ll return you the money now,¡± she said with much confidence. Sebastian was silent for a moment as he nced at the executives seated around the table in the meeting room they were in. Without warning, he stood up and left the meeting room without another word. The executives could only watch in confusion as the door closed behind him. They were all wondering why the President would be distracted by a random call in the middle of a meeting. Two minutester, the man sank into the sofa in the President¡¯s office with a satisfied smirk on his face. He put his phone on speaker mode as he strode over to the coffee machinezily. ¡°That¡¯s pretty fast of you. Who did you borrow the money from this time?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t borrow from anyone! I earned it on my own! By the way, I¡¯m the director of City Hospital¡¯s internal medicine department now! My annual sry is one million!¡± she boasted. She had indeed gone through a lot to reach that height, considering how she had stepped into society with nothing but a high school diploma. That was something not everyone could aplish, and Sebastian could not help but nod in approval. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 ¡°Hm, not bad. Are you going to give me all of that?¡± ¡°No way! I can only get an advance for six months! I need money to live too, don¡¯t you know? Just give me your bank ount number and I¡¯ll transfer the fee for one semester to you first,¡± Sasha said, her joy from earlier disappearing into thin air. What the hell is he thinking? I can¡¯t give him everything at once? He¡¯d be better off rob the banks if he wants so much money at once! He¡¯s such a sly business man! Luckily for her, that scumbag was feeling rather generous that day. He sent her his bank ount number through text and said, ¡°Oh, remember to pick up the kidster.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going?¡± she asked instinctively. Sebastian swirled the coffee around in his cup and grinned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you their mother?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you their father? Why don¡¯t you go then!¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy!¡± ¡°As though I¡¯m not!¡± Sasha retorted. ¡°Listen up, Sebastian. now that I have a job, we need to split up the work. I¡¯ll pick them up on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and you¡¯ll pick them up on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. That¡¯s it. See you.¡± She hung up before he could say anything in protest. Seething with anger, Sebastian almost threw his cup of coffee onto the ground. Luke watched from afar with a wide grin on his face. That¡¯s what you get for kicking up a fuss over a million when your worth is already well over a hundred billion? Serves you right, Boss! Sasha was not lying when she said that she was busy. Just seconds after she ended the call, several doctors had already surrounded her in a tight circle. ¡°Dr. Nancy! Are you the legendary doctor from Clear? I must be dreaming!¡± ¡°Wee to the internal medicine department, Dr. Nancy!¡± ¡°Do you mind if I consult you on this patient¡¯s condition, Dr. Nancy?¡± The doctors were excited to meet their idol, and none of them were going to leave her alone anytime soon. Sighing, she had no choice but to stay and talk to them. ¡°Sure. I specialize in TCM, though. I¡¯m not sure what I can bring to the table in terms of Western medicine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright! We¡¯re badly in need of TCM practitioners in this hospital anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Dr. Nancy! Many of our patients have actually requested TCM treatment, especially the older and the richer ones.¡± ¡°Like the ones in the nursing home?¡± Someone whispered something about a nursing home in the crowd, and everyone fell silent immediately. Sasha nced at the young nurse who said that. Nursing home? This hospital has a nursing home? She smiled at the nurse. ¡°There¡¯s a nursing home here? Does it belong to us?¡± Sasha had learned to be smart when talking to people after going through hell and back in the past five years. Hence, she addressed the hospital and its staff as ¡®us¡¯ reignited the enthusiasm amongst the crowd. ¡°That¡¯s right. Only the rich ones stay there.¡± ¡°Yeah! By the way, the hospital promised to reward whoever cures them of their ailments handsomely!¡± Sasha¡¯s ears perked up at the sound of that. She would bepletely broke after transferring her savings and the sry the hospital gave her in advance, and nothing sounded more enticing than the promise of a reward. ¡°Oh, really? Can you bring me there tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sure, Dr. Nancy! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to help them!¡± The doctors and nurses cheered in unison, and it brought a smile to Sasha¡¯s face too. Two hourster, the time came to pick the kids up from school. Sebastian nced at his watch and sighed as he got up from his desk and headed towards the carpark. ¡°Are you going to pick up the kids from school, Mr. Hayes?¡± Luke asked as he walked into the office with a huge stack of documents in his arms. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are youing backter?¡± Before the incident with Matteo, Sebastian never appeared at the preschool as four-thirty in the afternoon was too inconvenient a time for him to leave his office. Instead, he would send his bodyguards over to pick the kids up. However, ever since Matteo¡¯s incident and their reconciliation, Sebastian realized that his kids were not invulnerable to the sketchy plots of others. From then on, he took it upon himself to pick up the kids every day, even going as far as using fingerprint recognition to ensure that his kids were safe. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Sebastian said, ncing at his watch again. Pick up the kids at four-thirty, get home by five-thirty,e back here by six¡­ that stupid woman should be home by then! He left the office soon after. He was already factoring in Sasha and the kids¡¯ presence in his life whenever he made decisions, but his mind was too upied to realize that. Chapter 137 Chapter 137 When Sebastian arrived at the preschool, the teachers roaming outside the building started greeting him one by one. ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Hayes!¡± ¡°Your kids are waiting inside, Mr. Hayes. I¡¯ll go and get them.¡± After the previous incident, everyone at the preschool learnt who Ian¡¯s father was, and that was why everyone treated him with a kind of fearful respect. Sebastian simply nced at the teachers and strode into the preschool without a word. ¡°Daddy! Are you here to pick us up?¡± The moment he entered the building, two identical-looking boys strolled out of the room they had been in while holding hands. Beside them was a tiny girl with chubby, pink cheeks, and the sight of her made Sebastian frown. The girl was really pretty, almost like a porcin doll. In particr, herrge, shiny eyes and dimples could make anyone fall for her immediately. However, Sebastian could not help but wonder if she had taken after her father. Is that man really handsome? Is that why she¡¯s so attracted to him? Is that why this little rascal was born? What a disgusting woman! Sebastian felt as though something was stuck in his throat, making him more and more irritated as time passed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Daddy? Let¡¯s go!¡± Matteo said, tugging at his hand. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Sebastian blinked and grabbed his two sons¡¯ hands without hesitation. Confused, Matteo and Ian stared at each other while Vivian¡¯s beautiful eyes turned red in an instant. Looks like Daddy doesn¡¯t like me¡­ why is he only holding Ian and Matt¡¯s hands? Vivi wants Mommy¡­ Vivian pouted and looked around for her mother, and Matteo felt incredibly bad for her. He pulled his hand away from Sebastian¡¯s and said, ¡°Daddy, Vivi¡¯s a girl. You need to hold her hand.¡± Sebastian red at him. ¡°What about both of you?¡± Vivian burst into tears on the spot, and Matteo almost jumped out of his skin in panic. He ran over and hugged Vivian tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Vivi! I¡¯ll hold your hand!¡± Ian met Sebastian¡¯s eyes with his angry gaze. ¡°Daddy! You should hold Vivi¡¯s hand!¡± ¡°You¡¯re my son. I must hold you,¡± Sebastian replied coldly. ¡°She¡¯s a girl!¡± Ian insisted, his neck turning red from the effort. Sebastian fell silent, noticing how a curious crowd was forming around them. He grimaced and walked over to Vivian, stretching out his hand reluctantly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± However, Vivian was not going to ept his hand so readily. She leaned against Matteo and sobbed, ¡°Matt, why doesn¡¯t Daddy like me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, Vivi,¡± Matteo whispered. ¡°Daddy doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re his kid! Let¡¯s not get mad for Mommy¡¯s sake, alright?¡± For Mommy¡¯s sake¡­ Vivian smiled the moment he said that. She followed them out in the end, but she refused to touch or even look at Sebastian even once. Half an hourter, at Royal Court One of Frontier Bay¡­ ¡°Alright, we¡¯re here. Daddy¡¯s still busy, so run along and go home,¡± Sebastian said as he pulled into the carpark. He alighted from the car and walked over to the backseats, only to be met by a scowling Vivian. He tried to reach out and pick her up, only for her to flinch away and leap out of the car without even looking at him. Sebastian watched in disappointment as Vivian walked towards the vi while holding hands with Matteo. ¡°Matt, when are we going home? Can you call Mommy and ask when she¡¯sing over?¡± she asked despite being within earshot of Sebastian. Sebastian sighed. Why can¡¯t she just cooperate with me? ¡°Mommy will be here after work, Vivi,¡± Matteo answered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± ¡°Okay¡­ ¡° Vivian said with tears in her eyes before walking into the vi, ignoring Sebastianpletely. Sebastian grimaced in regret. The truth was, he had been watching the little girl in secret, and he noticed how she would toss him curious nces every so often despite being fearful of him. It was just like how a timid rabbit would peer at the big bad wolf from a bush. He could see the joy on her face whenever he made eye contact with her, as though being able to meet his eyes was the best thing that could ever happen to her. However, that did not seem to be the case any longer. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Sebastian called Sasha after dropping the kids off at the vi to tell her to return immediately, and it made her panic for a moment. When she burst into the vi through the front door, Vivian immediately threw herself into her embrace with tears streaming down her face. ¡°Mommy! Can we go home? I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore¡­ ¡° T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Vivian tugged on her sleeve and tried to drag her outside, as though she did not want to stay in the vi for a second longer. Sasha stared at her in confusion. What the hell happened here? I thought she loved this ce! She moved her gaze to her two sons. ¡°What happened to Vivi?¡± The two little boys exchanged looks in silence and looked down sheepishly. After a few seconds of silence, Ian spoke up first. ¡°It¡¯s an issue with Daddy. Sorry, Mommy, I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± He spoke very little as always, but it was enough for Sasha to understand what he meant. She looked at the sobbing girl in her embrace and almost winced at how pitiful she looked. It¡¯s all my fault¡­ Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have been so selfish? She had the right to let her father know that they¡¯re rted¡­ Why am I making her suffer like this? She picked up her daughter in her arms and wiped her tears away gently. ¡°There, there, Vivi. Daddy doesn¡¯t know that you¡¯re one of his precious babies too. Mommy will tell Daddy about it soon, okay?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Vivian asked, calming down immediately. Matteo and Ian stared at her in disbelief. ¡°Mommy¡­ are you sure you¡¯re going to tell Daddy about it? What about you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll be happy as long as you¡¯re happy,¡± Sasha said, stroking her sons¡¯ heads lovingly. Sebastian knows that Matteo and Ian are his sons and he¡¯s fine with it. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s stopping me from seeing them¡­ There¡¯s no reason for me to keep the truth about Vivian from him! The kids cheered in unison, and Vivian¡¯s smile was as bright as the sun. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll go and take a bath now and put on something pretty to meet Daddyter!¡± ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go, darling.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Matteo and Ian hopped after Sasha as she brought Vivian to the dressing room. Unfortunately for them, Sebastian was held up by a few urgent matters in thepany, and he only returned at around eleven o¡¯clock at night when the kids were already sound asleep. Sebastian walked up the stairs, only to notice that the light in the bedroom at the furthest end of the corridor was still on. When he approached it, the door flew open to reveal a very excited Sasha. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± The soft orange light from the room spilled into the pitch dark corridor, as though someone had set it on fire lighting the cold winter days. Sebastian froze as Sasha approached him slowly. ¡°The kids were waiting for you, but you came back prettyte¡­ they¡¯re asleep now,¡± Sasha stammered nervously. She was well prepared for this moment, but her hands still turned mmy the moment he appeared before her. Should I tell him? Should I tell him now? I¡¯ve already made my promise¡­ I should just do it! As she debated with herself, she could feel her heart thumping against her chest wildly. Sebastian stared at her in confusion. He was used to living in constant solitude and silence, even after his sons came to live with him. Thest thing he expected was to see someone leaving the light on for him when he got home. His usual coldness left him in an instant, and all that was left in his gaze was a tenderness that was never seen before. ¡°I got held up by some urgent matters at the office. Tell them not to wait for me next time.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ and you¡­ ¡° ¡°And you too.¡± Sasha froze, unable to believe what she had just heard. Realization hit her like a truck the very next second, and she could only stare at him with her mouth agape, her prepared speech long forgotten. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Did¡­ did I hear that right? Did he just say ¡®you too¡¯? She could not believe her ears, but she was sure that she was not dreaming. By the time she found her bearings again, the man had already turned around with a slight grimace on his face. She watched as he walked up the stairs in silence. She trembled as something deep within her chest split open and started oozing a thick liquid onto her insides. Why can¡¯t I get this right? She rushed back into her room and buried herself in her sheets as her heart thumped against her chest. I¡¯ll tell him about Vivian tomorrow, I guess¡­ The next day¡­ Vivian was the first to wake up amongst the three kids because of her excitement. Still d in her pink bunny pajamas, she waddled out of her room with her messy bed hair to look for Sasha. Wait¡­ where¡¯s Mommy? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She rubbed her eyes as she stood before the tightly closed door to her mother¡¯s bedroom. Creak¡­ creak¡­ Suddenly, someone descended the stairs, and Vivian whipped around to see who it was. It¡¯s Daddy! She stood rooted to the ground while gripping her mermaid plushie tightly. Sebastian watched her closely in silence. He had an early meeting that day, and he was not expecting to see a little girl blocking his way so early in the morning. He nced at her again and noticed how there was still a hint of fear in her eyes, though she did not flinch away when he came close. She simply stood before him while staring at him hesitantly. ¡°Your mommy is still asleep?¡± he asked gently as he met her eyes. Vivian hugged her plushie close and murmured, ¡°Yeah¡­ ¡° ¡°Go back to your brother¡¯s room. It¡¯s cold outside,¡± he said. ¡°Your mommy will be up soon.¡± The scene from the night before resurfaced in Sebastian¡¯s mind, and he could not help but purse his lips in slight embarrassment. Luckily for him, the little girl was pretty obedient. Holding her plushie to her chest, she headed towards Matteo¡¯s room, shooting him a final nce just before disappearing behind the door. Huh, she¡¯s pretty cute. Sebastian grinned as he walked towards the door. Maybe I should treat her better from now on. Her dad¡¯s dead, and I¡¯ll just take this as an act of charity. After Sebastian left, Sasha finally rose from her slumber and got ready to send the kids to school. ¡°Let¡¯s go, kids! Mommy has to go to work after this!¡± ¡°Work? Where are you going, Mommy?¡± Matteo asked as Sasha set him down on the car seat. ¡°Mommy found a job in a hospital, so I¡¯ll have to go to work everyday from now onwards,¡± Sasha exined. ¡°Be a good kid, alright?¡± The boys fell silent while Vivian raised her chubby hands and gave her mother a round of apuse. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Thank you, sweetie! Give me a kiss?¡± Sasha said with a smile. Mother and daughter shared a resounding kiss, and the two boys sighed out loud to express their disapproval. After she dropped off the kids at their preschool, Sasha made a quick escape and headed towards the hospital. Matteo looked over his shoulder and dragged Ian to a corner to discuss the sudden new developments. ¡°Why is Mommy working in a hospital? Isn¡¯t she supposed to be working at Daddy¡¯spany?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ian said, shrugging. Matteo frowned. ¡°Something smells fishy here. Didn¡¯t Mommy have four hundred thousand when we came back? She doesn¡¯t need to earn more money just to feed and clothe us.¡± Ian was a little taken aback by the fact that Matteo knew just how much Sasha had in her bank ount. He frowned a little and asked, ¡°Shall we investigate?¡± ¡°Sure. Can you dig a little deeper into that hospital¡¯s background? If things don¡¯t look good, I¡¯ll go and take a closer look myself,¡± Matteo said, handing the tablet in his bag to his brother. Chapter 140 Chapter 140 What can we do? It¡¯s up to us to protect our foolish Mommy! The two brothers got to work immediately, while Vivian served as their sentinel, ncing at them asionally out of curiosity. They were a perfect team, and Sasha knew nothing about it. She lost herself in her work the moment she arrived. ¡°Dr. Nancy, can you take a look at our patients?¡± a nurse asked, handing over a file to her. ¡°Sure,¡± she answered. Everyone in the hospital treated her well, despite her being new. Her reputation was nothing tough at, after all. Sasha knew that, and she reciprocated their kindness gratefully. ¡°Hm, everything looks fine. What¡¯s the deal with the nursing home, though?¡± she asked, pointing at a few patients¡¯ names that had special symbols next to them. ¡°They¡¯re patients currently staying in our nursing home for recovery purposes, and they¡¯re under the internal medicine department¡¯s care as well,¡± the nurse that handed the documents to her answered. Sasha nodded. Wow¡­ they even have a fully-furnished nursing home. She flipped through the pages absentmindedly and put the file aside. Suddenly, the nurse turned to her and said, ¡°Would you like to go take a look at them? They¡¯re under conservative therapy right now as the methods used by our hospital weren¡¯t able to cure them of their ailments, and your TCM methods might be a breakthrough.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Sasha hummed, hesitating for a moment. Some TCM methods were indeed more effective than western medicine, but she figured that it would not be appropriate for a newbie like her to go straight to the nursing home. She opened her mouth to turn down the offer, but the nurse was not going to give up so easily. ¡°Dr. Nancy, they have been staying there for a long time. They¡¯ll be eternally grateful to you if you could help them.¡± Sasha fell silent. She did not need recognition or fame, but she needed to stay true to her duty of saving lives. On top of that, she remembered the vow she made years back before she became a doctor. Hence, there was no way she would turn them down. She gave in in the end and followed the nurse to the nursing home. Meanwhile, at the Hayes Corporation¡­ ¡°Mr. Hayes, the nursing home just informed us that Ms. Wand has gone over.¡± ¡°What? She went over?¡± Sebastian looked up from hisputer screen with a start to re at Luke. Luke nodded. ¡°Yeah, she went there in a vehicle belonging to City Hospital. Old Mr. Hayes is there, so¡­ ¡° Sebastian fell silent. Luke was a little confused by Sebastian¡¯s behavior. Strange¡­ he¡¯s never gone silent for so long before¡­ They stared at each other in an ufortable silence. The news came suddenly, but Luke did not expect his boss to be so shocked by it. Couldn¡¯t he have just asked someone to move Old Mr. Hayes away? Why is he just sitting there like a statue? Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. All our ns will be ruined if Old Mr. Hayes met her! We¡¯re so close to settling the matters with her identity! ¡°Mr. Hayes?¡± ¡°Stop her and make sure she doesn¡¯t see him,¡± Sebastian said, the cold expression on his face sent a shiver down Luke¡¯s spine. However, he decided not to question Sebastian¡¯s decision. He simply nodded and ran off to inform the relevant personnel. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Sasha arrived at the nursing home while wondering if the nurse came here often, considering her familiarity with the ce. The moment they alighted from the van, the nurse led her to the innermost building, much to her confusion. ¡°Let¡¯s go there first, Dr. Nancy.¡± ¡°Hm? What about the ones outside?¡± Sasha asked, ncing at the buildings near them in bewilderment. The nurse seemed to panic a little as she exined, ¡°Dr. Nancy, the ones staying in the innermost buildings are the most serious cases. I think you should take a look at them first.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Sasha said as she decided not to probe further. However, she noticed how different the building looked from the others. Besides being impably clean, the furniture there was visibly more luxurious, and the employees there seemed well trained and responsible. Huh, this ce looks pretty unique! She walked into the first ward to check on the patient staying inside, but stopped abruptly when she noticed the nurse that had led her to the nursing home slipping away discreetly. ¡°What are you doing, Ms. Sullivan?¡± she asked. ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ nothing much¡­ I¡¯m just checking on the other patients!¡± the nurse said, hurrying back into the room. Sasha nced at her again, but she did not say anything else. The two of them got to work, and they finished visiting every ward after about an hour. Sasha cleared up the documents in her hands and got up to go to another building. However, the nurse started acting strange the moment they exited the building. She kept fidgeting and looking back, as though she did not want to leave it. What¡¯s going on? ¡°Hey, Ms. Sullivan? Is everything alright?¡± Sasha asked. ¡°Huh?¡± the nurse eximed, whipping her head around to meet her eyes. She shook her head and answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little tired.¡± She¡¯s just a little tired? ¡°Alright then,¡± Sasha said, taking the documents the nurse had been holding on to. ¡°Go back and take a break. I¡¯ll take over from here.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dr. Nancy,¡± the nurse said before disappearing out of the front entrance. Sighing, Sasha had no choice but to get to work. She spent another hour going through the wards and checking on the patients while carrying her equipment and documents along. When she was done, several employees at the nursing home rushed over immediately. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Nancy. Can I get you a cup of tea?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. Thanks for the offer,¡± Sasha said, ncing at her watch. ¡°I have other matters to attend to.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. ¡°Alright then. See you, Dr. Nancy!¡± the employees chorused as they watched her exit the nursing home. The winter skies were bleak and grey, and Sasha wondered if a snowstorm was on its way. When she exited the building, she could not help but shiver violently as the cold wind cut across her skin. ¡°Hm? Where¡¯s the van?¡± she muttered to herself as she stared at the empty driveway in confusion. Suddenly, a white van screeched to a halt in front of the entrance, almost making Sasha jump out of her skin in shock. Before she could react, an old, frail man with a walking stick alighted from the van and met her eyes. It was as though time hade to a stop as they stared at each other in disbelief and shock. Why is he here? Is this a coincidence? Sasha felt as though her head had been split open by a lightning strike, and panic was the only thing left in her mind. Frederick was no better, but he was more shocked than panicked. He just couldn¡¯t believe what he saw. He continued to stare at her with wide eyes as his hands began to tremble. ¡°S-Sasha?¡± Sasha did not answer. Instead, she began to shuffle away at top speed. Frederick called after her and stumbled forward on his walking stick. ¡°Sasha! Wait!¡± ¡°Mr. Hayes, please watch your step!¡± ¡°Tell her toe back! Can¡¯t you tell? She¡¯s my daughter-inw!¡± the old man shouted as a tear escaped his eyes. Sasha could hear his cries from afar, and she slowed to a halt immediately. Why am I running? I¡¯ll have to face him sooner orter. He needs to know that I¡¯m still alive, after all. I can¡¯t just hide from him forever! She turned around to face the old man, who hobbled over to her as quickly as his trembling legs would allow. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Frederick!¡± With that, Sasha started crying. Frederick slowed to a halt and stared at her while panting heavily, his eyes turning red immediately. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re still alive? Why didn¡¯t you¡­ why didn¡¯t you tell me? Don¡¯t you know how depressed I was for the past few years?¡± he asked, his voice shaking uncontrobly. As onlookers watched in much shock and disbelief, Frederick began to sob like a child, despite being over seventy years old. Sasha¡¯s fingers dug into her palms painfully. She looked up to meet his eyes pleadingly. ¡°Yes, Frederick, it¡¯s all my fault. Please don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡± She offered him her hands, as though she was waiting for him to punish her. Frederick simply stared at her wordlessly, the lump in his throat making it hard for him to say anything. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. It reminded him of the older times, where she would stand before him and let him scold her as he wished whenever she made a mistake. He used to be decisive in his punishments, but as he stared at his long-lost daughter-inw crying before him, he found himself hesitating. He let his tears flow freely as he struggled to find words to expressed just how relieved he was to see her again. A few minutester, a nursing home employee appeared by his side and helped him into the building as Sasha followed them in silence. She had spent countless hours pondering over what she should say in the event she met him, and she had been sure that a simple apology would be sufficient. A lot of time had passed since then, and now she had kids to inform him about. I¡¯m going to tell Sebastian that he has a daughter too. Maybe I should juste clean with Frederick too? ¡°When did youe back? Where have you been the past few years? How were things there?¡± Frederick asked after he had a sip of tea to sooth his emotions. Sasha looked up with a start. ¡°I¡¯ve been back for a while, Frederick. I thought you knew everything?¡± ¡°Of course I didn¡¯t! I just found out five minutes ago that you¡¯re still alive! How am I supposed to know where you went or when you came back?¡± Frederick eximed. Sasha fell silent. He didn¡¯t know about my return? Didn¡¯t Sebastian bring me back just to meet him? Why doesn¡¯t he know anything? Something smelled fishy to Sasha, and Frederick¡¯s bewildered expression resurfaced in her mind all of a sudden. He looked like he really didn¡¯t know that I am alive¡­ What did he say? ¡®You¡¯re still alive?¡¯ Did that guy hide the truth from his own father? Why would he do that? Just¡­ why? Her heart sank further into her stomach the more she thought about it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sasha? You don¡¯t have to talk about it if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Frederick said with a wave of his hand upon noticing how ufortable she looked. However, he froze when Sasha¡¯s made eye contact with him all of a sudden. ¡°Frederick¡­ Sebastian brought me back.¡± ¡°What? Sebastian?¡± ¡°Yeah. He found me in Clear, and he told me that he¡¯s going to bring me back to meet you. Didn¡¯t he tell you that, Frederick?¡± Her voice grew softer as she spoke, and Frederick could only stare at her in disbelief. He was indeed kept in the dark by Sebastian, but something seemed off about Sasha, and he decided to tell a white lie. ¡°He did tell me, but I didn¡¯t take him seriously¡­ ¡° ¡°Stop lying, Frederick. You always look to the left and clench your fists whenever you do that. Why didn¡¯t he tell you?¡± Frederick fell silent. His spection as Sebastian¡¯s father was that his son wanted to cut off all the ties Sasha had with the Hayes family before he knew of her return. ¡°Everything¡¯s alright, Sasha. I¡¯ll protect you no matter what happens,¡± Frederick said gently. ¡°Haha!¡± Much to his surprise, Sasha threw her head back and started to chuckle. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 ¡°Frederick, you have misunderstood. I didn¡¯t mean that. I¡¯m just a little surprised that he didn¡¯t tell you about it. But it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s the same now that we saw it. Have some tea.¡± Smilingly, Sasha served a cup of freshly brewed tea for the old man like nothing happened. Frederick was a little startled. Is she really alright? Did I misread her looks just now? He wanted to find clues from her expression. However, it seemed like she was fine when she was calmly serving him the brewed tea. Well, I guess that¡¯s for the best. He finally stopped wondering about it. When he took over the tea, he asked in a more rxed tone, ¡°Alright. Since you came back, when are you nning to go home?¡± He still regarded Hayes Residence as her home. Sasha lowered her gaze at the mists forming out of the teapot and smiled. ¡°Maybe in two days. I¡¯m thinking of bringing your grandson over.¡± ¡°Grandson?¡± The old man was suddenly excited. ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°Yes, we both survived. He hasn¡¯t met you yet, but I believe he would be thrilled to see you.¡± Sasha looked at her father smilingly and spoke with a calm tone as if she was talking about everyday life. How is itmon to suddenly have another grandson? Frederick was astonished. His hands were trembling slightly, and he teared up at once. He tried to say something but only ended up with trembling lips. I have another grandson¡­ Sasha only looked at him quietly. After a while, she felt that it was time for her to go, so she put down the teacup she was holding. ¡°Frederick, if there is nothing else, I¡¯m leaving now.¡± ¡°Huh? Where are you going?¡± ¡°I found a job at the hospital, and I still have to get back to work. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll bring the kid over as soon as possible.¡± Sasha stood up and reassured him. Then, he only felt relieved. Sasha left the nursing home. A few minutester, Luke finally got a phone call after waiting anxiously at Hayes Corporation. ¡°Mr. Scott, Ms. Wand has left.¡± ¡°She-she left?¡± Luke¡¯s words stuck at his throat. ¡°Did she say anything or act weirdly?¡± ¡°No, she only remained calm. She did appear to be panicking and shocked when she saw Old Mr. Hayes, but she looked fine after they entered the room,¡± reported the bodyguard. Nothing happened? Luke couldn¡¯t quite believe it.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. However, despite his further questions, the bodyguard affirmed that Sasha did not show any abnormalities and even told him that she went back to work as usual. Could it be that we took this matter too seriously? Although he hesitated, Luke still went to his boss¡¯ office in the end. ¡°Mr. Hayes, I was told that she has left, and she seemed to be fine. So everything went well.¡± Sebastian didn¡¯t respond. He had been waiting for a long time in his bright and clean office. He was still seated in front of hisrge office desk, and he looked like he was going through the files with his slender fingers. Still, the atmosphere felt rather intense. Moreover, there was an asional crackling of fire sparks. It was from a lit cigarette that was not smoked at that time, but a couple of cigarette butts could be found in the ashtray. Chills ran down Luke¡¯s spine when he saw this. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I-I mean, Ms. Wand wasn¡¯t angered, but she-she seemed to react indifferently toward this matter.¡± Trembling, Luke exined quietly. Hearing that, the man abruptly closed the file and took a deep breath subconsciously. What a relief! However, he got confused the next second. ¡°Why did she react indifferently?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Luke felt exasperated by the man¡¯s question. What do you mean why? Do you want her to go crazy instead? Is this guy masochistic? ¡°But, Mr. Hayes, isn¡¯t it better for her to stay calm instead? Nothing will happen that way.¡± ¡°What do you know? That means she doesn¡¯t care!¡± ¡°Yeah, she doesn¡¯t,¡± added Luke simply. Then, he realized that there was dead silence in the office, and it was more frightening than before. Good grief! What is wrong with this guy? Luke felt that his boss was bing more unpredictable like a woman in menopause. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Fortunately, things died down when the hospital brought news that Sasha continued working as usual, and there was nothing to worry about anymore. Hence, the president resumed his work. Two hourster, preschool was about to end. Before meeting a client, Sebastian told Luke that it was Sasha¡¯s turn to pick the kids up. Thus, Luke called her to remind her about it. ¡°Ma¡¯am, can you pick the kids up today, please? Mr. Hayes is meeting a client.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on my way,¡± she agreed faintly. He smiled in relief after hearing her calm tone. After chatting for a bit, he hung up and got back to work. Since it¡¯s the mother who¡¯s picking the kids up, there¡¯s nothing for me to worry about. Yet that night, Sebastian didn¡¯t see his children as expected even after getting off work, let alone the woman. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t they back yet?¡± ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t Ms. Wand call you about the children staying the night with her? Didn¡¯t you know about it, Mr. Hayes?¡± The confused Wendy hurriedly exined the situation. Did she? Sebastian took out his phone, but neither did he see any missed calls nor a single text message. Then, why did she say that? What is she up to? The man was finally angered. Since it was alreadyte and cold outside, he immediately dialed Sasha¡¯s number with a solemn expression. ¡°The number you have dialed is unavable.¡± The robotic voice traveled through the phone. Beep! What? He stared at his cell phone in unbelief and immediately redialed the number. But what made him blow his top was the same recorded message from the phone. This woman must have a death wish! He finally lost his patience. Hanging up fiercely, he grabbed his keys and headed out again in a murderous manner. ¡°Mr. Hayes? Where are you going, sir?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to kill her!¡± Amidst the cold night, the voice of the man gnashing his teeth in the dark actually sounded a little funny. He looked like an entirely different person from the one working in thepany. During the day, he had a frosty attitude, and he would control himself even though he was scolding someone. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. But now, he had utterly lost his temper, especially when he said the word ¡°kill¡± through gritted teeth. Wendy leaned against the door and sighed, ¡°These two¡­¡± ¡ª Sebastian drove speedily because he was angry and worried about the children. It only took him less than thirty minutes to reach Old Town from Frontier Bay. Soon, he found the building that Sasha was staying in. However, he realized that it was pitch ck upstairs when he arrived. Are they asleep? After he got out of the car and mmed the door shut, he became puzzled. Nevertheless, he was a pragmatic person. Since he already got here, he ignored his thoughts and strode upstairs. A few minutester, he reached the familiar entrance of the rental house. ¡°Sasha¡­¡± ¡°Young man, who are you looking for? The family has moved away. Don¡¯te here anymore.¡± Ady coincidentally came down from upstairs. When she saw Sebastian standing in the dark and knocking on the door, she raised her shlight at him and reminded him. Sebastian was shocked. ¡°Moved away? How is this possible?¡± Thedy replied, ¡°Why not? I just helped with her suitcase this evening. Everyone knows about her and her three children. So why do I have to lie to you?¡± Sebastian fell silent. After hearing that, the man who rushed there in the dark only stared at the door lock quietly with his ears ringing. She¡¯s right. If someone is in there, why is this old-fashioned lock hanging outside? So the reason why this woman didn¡¯t answer was that she ran away with my two children? The tall figure was flummoxed and thunderstruck. His pupils constricted, and he went berserk. The next second, he furiously kicked open the door with a loud bang! Sure enough, it was empty. When he came over the other night, there were still many objects inside, such as the small electric stove, the small but neat couch, and the tiny table he used to eat noodles with¡­ Now, everything was gone just like that, and the house was deserted and lifeless only in a few hours. After only a few hours, the house was deserted and lifeless. His eyes slowly turned bloodshot in a fury. ¡°Sasha Wand!¡± Chapter 145 Chapter 145 When Luke had received the phone call, he had just taken a shower and got into bed. After hearing the news, he abruptly sat up in shock. ¡°Are you kidding? Ms. Wand ran away with the children? How is this possible?¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m kidding right now, Mr. Scott? Hurry up and find them at the airports, stations, piers, everywhere. Just look carefully for every ce that departs from Avenport! Mr. Hayes is going nuts!¡± A bodyguard called Luke and told him about everything that had happened. Luke was dumbstruck. Did she really run away? Good grief, what is that crazy woman doing? Does she have to be so dramatic? He didn¡¯t dare to stay in bed anymore and immediately got off his bed to work. However, what disappointed them the most that night was that they couldn¡¯t find Sasha and the children, notwithstanding all hands on deck from Hayes Corporation. Despite searching at the airports, harbors, train stations, and even the highways, there was no trace of the missing mother and her children. Furthermore, the people who searched within the city couldn¡¯t find them either. Why? Did she just vanish into thin air? In the meantime, Sebastian was waiting at the ckwood family. After waiting until midnight and still no news of them, he got up and immediately strangled Jackson. ¡°I will give you three more seconds. If you don¡¯t tell me where they are, I will kill you right now!¡± He red at Jackson murderously. If Jackson still didn¡¯t speak up at that point, he would definitely be strangled to death. Regardless of that, Jackson was fearless before Sebastian¡¯s threats and scolded instead, ¡°Kill me if you can! Let me tell you something, Sebastian. Even if I knew where she¡¯s at right now, I wouldn¡¯t tell you either, you bas*ard!¡± Crack! ¡°Stop it!¡± Luckily, Sharon was there, and she rushed over to stop Sebastian instantly. ¡°Sebastian, please calm down first. We know nothing about her disappearance nor your history with her! Ever since she was injured and stayed with you, she sounded cheery whenever she contacted us. How would we know that she would suddenly take off with the kids?¡± Sebastian fell silent, and his pursed lips became paler. Sharon continued, ¡°Tell us what¡¯s going on between you two so that we can look at it together. What do you think?¡± She tried to let him exin the cause of this incident. Sebastian sneered silently. Hmph! Do you think I would tell you? Never! Besides, I already knew the reason behind all these. It was because of what happened this afternoon! At first, I thought she wasn¡¯t mad, but she was actually pretending to be okay before delivering the fatal blow. What a ruthless woman! Shepletely disappeared in only a few hours, and I couldn¡¯t find her even if I searched through the entire city. So what is this? She actually vanished into thin air and would never return? At that moment, when he remembered what happened five years ago, he was deep in his thoughts. I¡¯ve been through a lot all these years, but I¡¯ve never felt this powerless before. This is driving me crazy! I can¡¯t even fight it! ¡°Sebastian?¡± Sebastian was lost in thought. ¡°Mr. Hayes, I might have an idea of where she went.¡± Suddenly, someone entered at that moment. When Sharon turned to look, her expression changed drastically. ¡°Xenia? Why are you here? Who asked you toe?¡± It was Xenia ckwood, their daughter. Nheless, Xenia ignored her mother and walked directly toward Sebastian. ¡°Mr. Hayes, my cousin was not an ordinarydy. When she faked her death that year, she managed to pay off my mother¡¯s massive amount of debt. She¡¯s incredible.¡± ¡°Xenia, what on earth are you thering about? Shut up right now!¡± ¡°Am I wrong? Didn¡¯t she give you a lot of money back then? Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t reveal her sponsor¡¯s name. I only want Mr. Hayes to find his son. After all, it¡¯s his blood, and he couldn¡¯t be with other¡­¡± Smack! Without waiting for her to finish, the enraged Sharon stood up and pped her daughter fiercely. She is an embarrassment to the ckwood family! The chaotic living room became quiet once more. But this time, because of Sharon¡¯s words, the atmosphere grew more dangerous with every kind of terror, and even looking at it felt horrifying. ¡°Sebastian, don¡¯t listen to her. She¡¯s just a girl, and¡­¡± ¡°Go on!¡± Chapter 146 Chapter 146 What a terrifying voice! He didn¡¯t look too angry, but there was a sinister look of impending danger in his eyes as if he was a devil from hell. Xenia could not help trembling at that. ¡°We-we didn¡¯t know how she got that five million for us in one night when she went overseas, and she was still with two children¡­¡± Ouch! After hearing this, Sebastian was stabbed in the heart when he least expected it to happen. His growing hatred and disgust made him tore off the armrest of the chair beside him on the spot! ¡°Aahhhhh¡ª!¡± Xenia screamed with horror at the scene. She immediately hugged herself tightly and squatted on the floor. This is way too horrifying! Sharon was also shocked and scared. She quickly rushed over to protect his husband. When she wanted to persuade Sebastian, the man suddenlyughed. Sponsor? Five million? Great, just great. I thought how high and mighty she was, but she doesn¡¯t even have a million and had to work at the hospital and withdraw half a year¡¯s sry in advance. So she lied to me and had sold herself off to another man even with two children with her? Sasha, what a b*tch you are! The man went nuts. He shot a murderous look, loosened his grip on Jackson, and left. ¡°Sebastian, where are you going? Don¡¯t be reckless! Xenia was just talking nonsense¡­¡± Sasha immediately ran after him and tried to stop him. Nevertheless, the man left speedily. When she reached the entrance, she had already seen him getting in his car and disappeared from her sight in no time. Sharon was left speechless. Xenia saw it too, and she stood up and jeered, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t waste your energy. Sasha deserved it all along. She should¡¯ve learned her lesson long ago.¡± When Sharon heard it, she smacked her again. ¡°Do you think you could snatch away her position if you got rid of her? Let me tell you this. Sebastian wouldn¡¯t even want you if every woman in the world died!¡± No one would¡¯ve imagined that Sharon would rub this in her daughter¡¯s face, and Xenia was extremely dumbstruck. As if someone rubbed salt in her wounds, her face turned pale instantly. ¡°What did you say? You¡¯d better shut your mouth, Sharon Goldstein!¡± She screamed angrily in embarrassment and wanted to cover her mother¡¯s mouth at once. That was my secret that I¡¯ve hidden for almost twenty years! Heaven knows it was exposed by my idiotic mother just now¡­ Sasha could leave Avenport without a trace was because of someone¡¯s help indeed. However, this person was not her sponsor, let alone the twisted rtionship that Jackson assumed. They were merely business partners. ¡°Ms. Nancy! I didn¡¯t expect you to call me first! How¡¯s it going? Did you have a pleasant flight?¡± As soon as the helicopternded on the Erihalian territory, the tall and handsome blond man walked over and weed her with open arms when he saw her. She smiled and received his hug without resisting it. ¡°It was lovely. Thank you so much, Mr. Leonard.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. It¡¯s my honor to serve you, Ms. Nancy. But since when do you have another child?¡± He suddenly looked at the children behind her. Ian, who hadn¡¯t spoken since getting on the helicopter, suddenly frowned when he saw the man staring at him because he hated this man. ¡°No, Mr. Leonard. This is my brother, Ian. I have another brother now!¡± Vivian suddenly spoke. When she saw Raymond asking about Ian, she replied while enjoying her fried chicken drumsticks. Raymond was charmed by the adorable little girl. He already knew Vivian and Matteo. When he was in Clear, he went to visit Sasha and even brought them gifts. When he heard that Ian was Vivian¡¯s new brother, the blond man walked toward her. ¡°Oh, really? Vivi has another brother now?¡± Vivian nodded. ¡°Yeah, Daddy hid him away. He was born together with us.¡± Raymond was dumbfounded. Daddy? He carried the girl in his arms and looked at Sasha. ¡°Ms. Nancy, didn¡¯t you say that he was dead?¡± Sasha became awkward. ¡°¡­It was fake. Erm, let¡¯s not talk about it now. The kids didn¡¯t sleep well nor eat anythingst night. Shall we go to the hotel first?¡± She changed the topic. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Raymond quickly agreed, but he disapproved of the idea of them staying in a hotel. ¡°Of course! But how can you stay at a hotel when you came all the way here? You¡¯re wee to stay at my manor. I¡¯ll take you guys there. Let¡¯s go!¡± Then, the blond man carried Vivian in one hand, pulled Sasha¡¯s luggage in another, and headed to the parking lot. Ian didn¡¯t look very happy. Seeing this, Matteo immediately held Ian¡¯s hand. ¡°Mr. Leonard is just a business associate of Mommy¡¯s. Don¡¯t worry. Mommy won¡¯t be with him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± After hearing that, Ian finally looked at his brother feeling a little uneasy. Matteo immediately assured him. ¡°It¡¯s true. Mr. Leonard is a nobleman. Although he¡¯s single, his family would not allow him to marry amoner. Besides, Mommy has her hands full with little troublemakers like us.¡± The little kid actually mocked himself as a troublemaker. Hearing this, Ian was finally relieved. However, when he thought of the current situation, he felt a little frustrated again. ¡°Then, what about Daddy? Mommy really doesn¡¯t want him anymore?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you talk about him anymore! Honestly, Ian. Mommy and I already gave him lots of chances before. But look at what he did? Do you have any idea how Mommy came back yesterday?¡± When Matteo brought this up, his tiny fists tightened with incipient tears swelling in his eyes. Indeed, after the incident yesterday, Sasha only remained calm in front of them. However, no one knew about the p she gave herself when she got into the car aftering out of the nursing home. She even had to stop the car and got out to vomit on the way home. No one knew, except Matteo, who had always ced a tracker on his mother. He didn¡¯t understand why she threw up, but he heard her painful, suffering voice when she was vomiting. In the end, she moaned and wailed bitterly. Matteo would never forget about it. Ian finally fell silent. He lowered his head and pinched his robot with his tiny, pale fingers without saying another word. When Matteo saw it, he was at a loss for words. He only held his brother¡¯s hand and followed after their mother. Twenty minutester. When the mother and children drove by thene filled with sycamore trees on both sides, a magnificent and luxurious Erihalian manor appeared before them. Their eyes lit up at the gorgeous sight. ¡°Is this your house, Mr. Leonard?¡± The sweet Vivian asked excitedly when she saw such a magnificent-looking manor. Raymond nodded. ¡°Yeah. Do you like it, Vivi?¡± ¡°Yeah, I like it. It¡¯s bigger and prettier than Daddy¡¯s house.¡± She mentioned her father once again and evenpared it to his house at Frontier Bay. Ian couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. ¡°No! My house is bigger and prettier!¡± Since the little guy wasn¡¯t good with words and was highly aggrieved, he burst out these few words. When Sasha heard it, she sensed her eldest son¡¯s temper and immediately turned her head. ¡°Little Ian, don¡¯t be angry with Vivi. She¡¯s still young. And that¡¯s right! My sweetie¡¯s house is the biggest.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. She reached out her hand to soothe the tense little guy. Vivi leaned over too. Her round eyes flickered at Ian apologetically. ¡°Ian, are you angry? It¡¯s Vivi¡¯s fault. Vivi won¡¯t say anything like this again. Don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± Ian stayed quiet. He could only swallow his bitterness when Vivian apologized, even if he felt wronged. It was not his fault for experiencing mood swings because he had never left Sebastian before. Besides, his mother found another man as soon as she left his father. Hence, he was worried that he would never be able to see him again. The little boy was heartbroken. Sasha knew that Ian was upset, so she took the boy to a room to be alone with him after they reached the manor. ¡°Little Ian, do you regret leaving with Mommy?¡± ¡°No!¡± The boy denied firmly. Yes, I don¡¯t regret it because Mommy didn¡¯t abandon me this time. Sasha was relieved at her son¡¯s answer. ¡°Then, you just don¡¯t like it here, right? Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re only here temporarily. When Mommy¡¯s friend arranged everything, Mommy will take you back to Clear.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The teary little boy finally broke into a smile, and his eyes lit up. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 ¡°Of course!¡± Sasha squatted in front of her son and took his cold hands into hers to warm them. Ian finally felt better. But he still had questions in his head. Is Mommy never going to let me see Daddy again? Are we not going home ever? In the end, he kept them to himself. I know that Daddy made a big mistake this time. Matteo even said that Mommy pped herself after seeing Grandpa. Who could easily forgive something like that? Ian¡¯s beautiful eyes were again shrouded in sadness¡­ ¡ª That night, Raymond specially held a grand wee dinner for them to celebrate their arrival. ¡°Mr. Leonard, I¡¯m feeling embarrassed that my children and I are giving you trouble. You really don¡¯t have to do all this for us.¡± She felt terrible about the luxurious treatment. Raymond smiled. ¡°Nancy, you deserve my everything. It¡¯s only dinner! I can give you more in the future.¡± This man sure is straightforward! Sasha blushed and fell quiet. After changing into the dress that he had thoughtfully prepared for her, she carefully put on some makeup and went to the banquet hall. ¡°Good heavens! Who is this? She¡¯s gorgeous!¡± ¡°Yeah, she really is charming! Is this your new girlfriend, Mr. Leonard?¡± As soon as Sasha appeared, everyone in the magnificent-looking banquet hall was amazed by her beauty. She immediately became the center of attention and had attracted their gazes. Sasha was a beautiful woman indeed. She wore an haute couture white gown, which showed off her slender figure and graceful curves. Her long hair was carefully braided into a bun by the hairstylist, revealing her beautiful nape. Most of all, her looks were heart-stopping. What a gorgeousdy. Sasha felt bashful when everyone else was gaping at her in awe. ¡°Hello, everyone. My name is Nancy. I am a friend of Mr. Leonard.¡± ¡°Nancy? So you¡¯re Nancy!¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± Unexpectedly, when her identity was revealed, everyone became more excited than before and looked at her even more excitedly. Sasha was perplexed. What¡¯s going on¡­? She looked at the tall, blond man beside her with a puzzled expression. Raymond smiled delightfully. ¡°You see? All my friends know you, and they have heard your name many times, my beautiful Ms. Nancy.¡± He didn¡¯t hide his smugness at all. Sasha blushed even more fiercely. ¡ª Sebastian received a photo that showed that exact scene. The woman who had never shown him her beauty before looked elegant and graceful like a fairy with fair skin. At that moment, a voice called from the blond man¡¯s direction. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sasha Wand!¡± Chapter 149 Chapter 149 ¡°Mr. Hayes, they are there!¡± Luke was very excited as soon as he saw them. Wow, Sasha blew my mind. I¡¯d never expected this woman to be this capable of escaping with the children without getting caught by the top businessman in Astoria. If it weren¡¯t for her idiotic cousin who snitched, I don¡¯t think we can ever find her. Yet, the snitch astonished me once more. We would¡¯ve never expected that the person behind the scenes was actually a powerful family from Yartran. This woman sure is amazing. ¡°Are we going in now, Mr. Hayes?¡± Luke asked timidly when he saw Sebastian¡¯s murderous expression from the rearview mirror. He looks like he¡¯s about to kill someone, and that woman still dares to put on a lovey-dovey show in front of him with another man and Mr. Hayes¡¯s children! I can¡¯t look at this anymore. ¡°Wait here!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Before Luke could react, Sebastian had already got off, mmed the car door, and was nowhere to be seen. Gosh! He¡¯s furious! This doesn¡¯t look good. Should I get a few more bodyguards here? What if they started fighting? Can Mr. Hayes handle Mr. Leonard¡¯s men? ¡ª Meanwhile, Sasha was chatting with Raymond¡¯s friends in the manor. Her stunning appearance had caused many misunderstandings that she was Raymond¡¯s girlfriend, so now she had to rify their rtionship. ¡°Ms. Nancy, are you two not in a rtionship?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re not,¡± exined Sasha smilingly while pouring wine. Raymond suddenly came over. ¡°Why not? Nancy, I¡¯ve always liked you. Can you give me a chance, please?¡± His sudden confession shocked Sasha. ¡°Raymond, wh-what are you talking about? You know that I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nancy. I don¡¯t mind your background and I will love your children like my own.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Then, he put down his wine ss, went on his knee, and took out a giant diamond ring. This guy is out of his mind! Chapter 150 Chapter 150 The banquet hall fell silent. All eyes were on these two people, including the three children who were enjoying the pastries. ¡°See how charming our mommy is!¡± Matteo beamed and gave his mother a thumbs up after seeing this scene, his eyes glowering like stars. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Vivian was beaming proudly too as she was a die-hard fan of her mother. However, Ian became more upset. ¡°Daddy, Mommy is running away.¡± ¡°Well, she can¡¯t!¡± A familiar voice came from behind suddenly. Ian abruptly looked up. Before he figured out what was going on, a familiar hand swooped the boy up and into the man¡¯s arms. Daddy? Is this really Daddy? The little guy was surprised at the sight of the man for a long time, and he just couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Seeing the look on his face, Sebastian rubbed his head. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you dumbstruck? Do you not recognize Daddy anymore?¡± Ian was still in a daze. Hearing his father¡¯s words, teardrops immediately ran down from his beautiful eyes. He immediately plunged into the man¡¯s arms. ¡°Daddy¡­I thought¡­I thought I wouldn¡¯t see you anymore¡­Daddy¡­I¡­I miss you so much¡­¡± He hugged his father¡¯s neck tightly with his tiny arms. At that moment, the strong little boy finally broke into tears. He was just a kid, after all. Besides, he had never left his father¡¯s side, and he was brought up by Sebastian all these years. Sebastian had never seen him this upset before, and he felt a twinge of pain in his heart. He decided not to scold him for being ungrateful, as those words choked at his throat. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t cry. Isn¡¯t Daddy here now?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± The little guy responded in a muffled voice while crying in his father¡¯s chest, feeling a little better. Meanwhile, Sasha and Raymond were the centers of attention in the banquet hall. She still couldn¡¯t believe that her business partner would publicly confess to her out of the blue. ¡°Nancy.¡± She stayed quiet. ¡°Will you be my girlfriend?¡± Raymond asked persistently. At that instant, everyone in the banquet hall cheered for him and urged Sasha to be with him. They also reminded her about this rare opportunity that many women could only dream about. They¡¯re right. Raymond is a son from an influential family who used to be royals. They only became aristocrats when they weren¡¯t as sessful. However, even if they are only aristocrats, they¡¯re still a powerful family in this city. How would they allow amoner like me to be his girlfriend? That¡¯s impossible. At that moment, everyone felt that Sasha had hit the jackpot. Therefore, it disappointed them when the Astorian girl turned him down. ¡°Raymond, don¡¯t mess around. We¡¯re just business partners, and I didn¡¯t think of us otherwise.¡± ¡°But now you can!¡± When Sasha was about to leave, the blond man suddenly grabbed her waist and pulled her toward him. ¡°Raymond, you¡ª¡± Sasha was finally infuriated. Nheless, the tall man lowered his head and stared at her with a longing, fiery gaze. ¡°Nancy, I¡¯m not joking. If you agree, I can give you this manor right now.¡± After saying that, he leaned in and tried to kiss her, but she quickly pulled away from him. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Nevertheless, Raymond stubbornly grabbed her when she struggled to prevent her from escaping. ¡°I¡¯m not drunk! I¡¯m more than sober. Nancy, I don¡¯t mind that you¡¯re a single mother, and I¡¯m more than happy to take care of the children. I really love you.¡± After that, he tried to kiss her again, and she struggled harder than before. What is this crazy man doing? When everyone thought that Sasha could not escape from Raymond, Matteo, who was about to rescue her mother, saw a tall figure walking in. He was wearing a ck coat and seemed to be carrying a child too. Then, a murderous voice was heard before he showed his face. ¡°Get your hands off her!¡± The banquet hall fell silent. As if time had stood still, everyone¡¯s attention turned from Sasha and Raymond to the man, including Raymond. What a terrifying voice indeed. ¡°Who are you? Who let you into my manor? You must have a death wish!¡± Raymond roared furiously. Nevertheless, the man ignored him. When he strode out of the darkness with the child in his arms, everyone could see his slender figure with a dark expression hanging on his face. Moreover, the air of nobility around him had startled everyone. Who is this? Everyone present was mostly wealthy and respectable but they still sensed the mysterious man¡¯s threatening aura. They felt his presence and winced subconsciously. Except Sasha. ¡°I should be the one telling you this instead. How dare you bother my children¡¯s mother? Do you want the Leonard family to be wiped out from the surface of the earth?¡± The man finally spoke in a deep voice with a threatening tone as he carried the child and walked into the light. However, the deeper his voice was, the more frightening it sounded. Raymond¡¯s eyes suddenly widened in shock. His children¡¯s mother? Raymond looked at the woman in his arms. He then realized that she had been ring at the man who suddenly appeared for a while. It looks like they are rted to each other after all. Raymond looked at the child and exuded a murderous vibe too. ¡°So you¡¯re Nancy¡¯s ex-husband? How dare you threaten me now?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ex-husband?¡± Hearing this, Sebastian, who was carrying the child, suddenly smiled. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. We¡¯re not divorced.¡± ¡°What? Not divorced?¡± ¡°Yes. She wanted to make me a widower but failed. So, if you don¡¯t let go of her in three seconds, the Leonard family will be destroyed,¡± he reminded kindly. Sadly, Raymond didn¡¯t believe him. Hmph! Who does this Astorian man think he is? Even the other powerful families can¡¯t touch us! He must be out of his mind. Three secondster, the Astorian man took out his phone in front of Raymond. ¡°Confiscate every property that belonged to the Leonard family and send them to Mr. Eugene¡¯s ce and tell him that I sent him an expensive gift.¡± Everyone in the banquet hall fell silent. Mr. Eugene was the rival of the Leonard family. However, the Leonards wouldn¡¯t dare to fight him because he was a royal family member. If he found their weakness, he could destroy them easily. What? Does he know Mr. Eugene? And even want to confiscate all our family property to send him as a gift? Raymond looked at the man who just hung up. The manor was in chaos, and the housemaids rushed over to inform him about his family members wanting to see him immediately. Finally, he realized things were going downhill. ¡°Who¡­who are you? How do you know Mr. Eugene?¡± ¡°So what if I do? I am the one who gave Mr. Eugene hisnd. Do you still think that¡¯s weird?¡± Sebastian responded indifferently. After saying that, everyone in the hall eximed in shock. Thend that was gifted to Mr. Eugene was situated in the most prosperous area in the country. The news spread widely and had caused an enormous stir. Even the royal family was envious of that. However, no one knew that it was actually gifted by the famous Hayes Corporation from Astoria. So this is the owner of Hayes Corporation? This is too horrifying! No wonder this powerful man could enter with such a domineering and threatening presence. Everyone froze on the spot, and Raymond almost fainted. I actually offended the owner of Hayes Corporation by proposing to his wife! Chapter 152 Chapter 152 ¡°Mr. Leonard, let go of my mother! Do you want to further infuriate my daddy? It won¡¯t go well for you!¡± Matteo warned, in the nick of time. Raymond released his grasp as though he was electrocuted. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know. I thought¡­¡± Raymond stammered. ¡°Mr. Leonard, even if my father isn¡¯t the president of Hayes Corporation, this is still no way to treat a lady, you got that? You went too far,¡± Matteo continued, determined to give Raymond a piece of his mind. After saying that, he stretched out an arm to pull his unsteady mother to her feet. ¡°Mommy, are you all right?¡± Matteo asked concernedly. Sasha was distressed. It was unbelievable that with all the effort she¡¯d made to leave Avenport behind, this man still managed to track her down. It was a frustrating and embarrassing experience to be cornered by her past which she sought so desperately to escape. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Matteo. Mr. Leonard had too much to drink today. Why don¡¯t you bring your sister and we¡¯ll get out of here,¡± Sasha smoothed the front of her skirt and tried to appear calm and dignified. The boys were speechless, as was Sebastian who had just rescued her. He gritted his teeth in irritation at her obstinance. Why couldn¡¯t he keep his hands to himself? Why does he have to trouble himself to be kind to her? After she¡¯d kidnapped his sons, he not only did not teach her a lesson, yet rescued her at the first chance he got. He¡¯s reinforcing the notion that she has nothing to fear from him, is that it? If this is the way she wants to y, so be it. Sebastian¡¯s temper red up again. With a wave of his hand, a guard snapped to attention and marched smartly into the room. ¡°Mr. Hayes,¡± said the guard. ¡°Take the children.¡± Sebastian ordered. ¡°Yes, Mr. Hayes,¡± heplied. ¡°What are you doing, Sebastian? What right do you have to take them away from me?¡± Sasha cried in fear and held them close to her bosom. ¡°Me? Wasn¡¯t that what you were doing?¡± Sebastianughed coldly. ¡°You whisked all three away without a word before. Have some sense of shame.¡± At that, he gestured at his guard to grab the children. Sasha went berserk. Without regard for the scene she was causing, she grabbed her skirt and ran after them, screaming ¡°Sebastian, you monster! You return my kids to me. They are mine, do you hear me?¡± Her heart-wrenching sobs and yells followed Sebastian to his car. Luke, who was at the driver¡¯s seat, nced uneasily at the rearview mirror. He could see the stumbling and deranged figure of Sasha in pursuit. ¡°Mr. Hayes, perhaps there is a better way to handle this. Like it or not, Ms. Wand is still their mother.¡± He meant to say ¡°This is no way to treat ady¡±, but thought the better of it. It was a cold night, and she was in the street in a thin skirt with no coat on. She may even risk freezing to death just to get her children back. However, the powerful and mighty Sebastian was not moved. After an indifferent nce at the rearview mirror, he ordered, ¡°Slow down to 40mph.¡± Luke was perplexed. 40mph? He must have misheard his employer. 40mph outpaces a limping snail, but just barely. But, as soon as he did as instructed, he understood Sebastian¡¯s intention. The figure behind them stopped when she realized that she would not be able to catch up. But the sight of the vehicle slowing down seemed to give her hope, and she started giving chase again with renewed vigor. Luke wasn¡¯t sure to feel amusement or horror at his boss¡¯s sadism. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. After maintaining this ludicrous speed for about twenty minutes, Luke caught sight of Sasha stumbling and toppling over, too cold and exhausted to stand. ¡°Ms. W- ¡° Luke eximed. ¡°Stop the car!¡± Sebastian cut across him sharply. He exited the stationary vehicle into the prating frost of the night. Under the dimly lit streemps shrouded by fog, Luke watched, dumbfounded, as Sebastian bent over and picked up the limp woman with uncharacteristic gentleness. So, this was done on purpose? The unconscious Sasha was ced in the car and the party proceeded with their journey. She, along with her children, was brought to a hotel owned by Sebastian. The hotel bearing his name was second to none in size and decor. Matteo said nothing throughout the entire trip. Being a cheerful and upbeat child, he was looking unusually somber. Even upon checking in, he stood holding his sister whilst ring at his father without a word. The events of the night had greatly angered him. Sebastian easily deduced this. ¡°Matteo, are you mad at me?¡± he asked. Matteo did not answer. He maintained vicious eye contact with his father and clenched his fists. These two children havepletely different attitudes when ites to treating their parents. Before Sebastian arrived at the manor, Ian follows his mother but thinks about his father the most. When Sasha was in trouble, Matteo was the one to defend their mother. It is likely the consequence of being raised by two entirely different adults. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Sebastian understood how Matteo was feeling. He did notpel his son to speak, but knelt down in front of him. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sebastian began. ¡°I admit that I was violent and hot-tempered. But if I did not do what I did, your mother wouldn¡¯t have obeyed me.¡± Matteo shifted his beady little eyes to look his father in his face. ¡°You did all of that for Mommy to follow you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Sebastian answered. ¡°As you can see, your mother is stubborn. If I did not pressure her, she wouldn¡¯t havee with us. Forgive Daddy, will you?¡± He was not lying to his son. That was indeed his motive. Matteo¡¯s unclenched his fists, but he did not throw himself into his father¡¯s arms for a hug as he normally would. Instead, he remained by his sister¡¯s side and kept his distance from Sebastian. ¡°Mommy became like that because you were mean to her. Daddy, if Mommy displeases you so, why won¡¯t you just let her go? Wouldn¡¯t you both be so much happier if you went your separate ways?¡± Matteo¡¯s eyes were tinged red as he choked on the words. Sebastian was startled. The boy was right. Why didn¡¯t he let her go? Since he hated her so much, wouldn¡¯t it solve all of his problems if she were to disappear from his sight? However, for reasons unknown to him, his heart ached at the thought of this woman living her life without him. It was as though something that had belonged to him suddenly had nothing to do with him. It was a deeply unsatisfying idea. Especially during the events in Raymond¡¯s manor. When he arrived at the banquet, all he could think to do was to drag her out of there, and keep her under lock and key. No one else could see her except him. Sebastian felt as though he was losing his mind. He drew himself to full height. ¡°Because I want you brothers to grow up with both your parents. Ian does not want to lose your mother. How about you? Are you willing to lose your father?¡± His words stung Matteo. Of course he wasn¡¯t willing. Though sometimes his father can be despicable, Matteo loves him more than anyone in the world. Except for his mother, of course. How could bear to leave his father behind? Matteo fought back his tears and lowered his head. He allowed himself to be led into the shower and for a fresh change of clothes, as did his sister. Sebastian cared for both children that night. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. In the deep quiet of the night, they held a hushed meeting under cover of the quilt. ¡°Matteo, I wouldn¡¯t want to leave Daddy,¡± Vivian whispered. ¡°Daddy is the only one who would stand up for us. If not for him tonight, Mommy would have been taken advantage of by Mr. Leonard.¡± She was clearly still upset and angry at her mother¡¯s treatment in his hands. Matteo was fuming too at being reminded of that. At the same time, his respect and love for his father increased. ¡°But I think Mommy would definitely not forgive Daddy this time.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Vivian, whose eyes were shining bright with optimism, dimmed in an instant. If it were me, what would I do? Sasha did not manage to sleep at all that night. It could have been because she had over-exerted herself in the pursuit of the car. But she had been mentally on edge for the past two days,pounded with the sleeplessness the night before. Though shey motionless in bed, she remained painfully and exhaustedly awake. When she felt the bright golden rays of the dawn of the following day warming her face, she opened her eyes slowly,shes quivering as she did so. ¡°Finally awake, are you?¡± the dreadfully familiar voice called out. She froze. What is this? Where is she? Why is this scum here? Didn¡¯t he rob me of my childrenst night? Thest thing she remembered is giving chase to the car. Oddly enough, she was actually catching up to it. Sasha¡¯s disoriented mind was still making sense of the fractured events ofst night. Before she had the whole story straightened out, a heavy set of footsteps approached. Turning towards it, a tall and thin shadow dominated her field of vision. ¡°Sebastian!¡± Sasha sat up in a sh. There was no mistaking it. The abductor of her children was standing before her in the flesh. The shock was too much for her. As soon as she cried out, she copsed back into bed. Her brain tried to stay afloat toprehend the insanity of it all. ¡°I¡¯d advise you to remain calm,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°You¡¯d need your strength if you still want to see your children.¡± Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Sasha took several moments topose herself. She turned to address Sebastian through bloodshot eyes. ¡°What have you done with my kids? You monster, return them to me.¡± Her children were her life. Without them, life wasn¡¯t worth living. Even in her current state, all she cared about was their wellbeing. Sebastian brought a chair next to her and sat downfortably, propping his legs up on her bed. ¡°Sasha, let us establish some ground rules. First of all, the kids are mine as well as yours. Secondly, if I really intended for you not to meet them, you will never be able to, make no mistake.¡± She settled down. Eyes remained fixed upon him with distaste and distrust, she nevertheless allowed him to continue. Fear, hopelessness, and grief shed in her eyes. In spite of herself, she was trembling, with tears flowing freely down her cheeks. She was at a loss. Sebastian was disturbed at the effect he produced. Before he could stop himself, he blurted, ¡°I¡¯m just saying. Don¡¯t cry, I still haven¡¯t decided what I will do.¡± Sasha felt a trace of hope at that. Perhaps her children were notpletely lost to her. She feltpletely powerless. To go against him would be akin to an ant struggling in vain to be stomped on. Sasha regained herposure.N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°So¡­ what will you do?¡± She clutched her sheets tightly. ¡°I just want to talk to you, Sasha. Why can¡¯t we coexist in peace?¡± Sebastian said, finally revealed his motive for waiting for her all morning. ¡°The responsibility to raise our children is ours to share. Why can¡¯t we do it together?¡± All this time, they have been fighting each other like cats and dogs, in the name of the children. Watching one¡¯s parents fight like that is not something a child deserves. Is the fighting worth it if it deals irreparable damage to them? Shouldn¡¯t they reflect on it and be ashamed of their behavior? Sebastian observed her thoughtfully. After letting his guard down and disying vulnerability, Sasha¡¯s jeering response was not what he expected. ¡°Coexist? Sebastian, are you toying with me?¡± Sebastian stared at her, at a loss for words. ¡°Am I wrong? You are the high and mighty Mr. Hayes of Hayes Corporation. I am just a lowly ant, subjected to be crushed to death at the merest sign of your displeasure. How will we be able to coexist? What peace is there to be found? My life is delicate in your hands. Do you think it¡¯s fair for you to say that?¡± Sasha did not hold back in her mockery. She was still pale, appearing even more so by the redness in her eyes. But at this moment, her sarcasm was razor-sharp, and it hurt him. Sebastian went from white to crimson in an instant. This b*tch is tired of living! His handsome features contorted in rage. Nobody has ever spoken to him like that. Even worse, nobody has spoken to him like that after he had chosen to speak to them like an equal. It was difficult, but he managed to control his temper. ¡°The thing with my father,¡± Sebastian said, trying to keep his voice even. ¡°I know, I went over the line. But Sasha, it has already happened. There¡¯s no point in pursuing this matter. I am serious about coexisting with you. As a sign of my sincerity, I¡¯ve decided that I will return your million to you.¡± This time, Sasha was the one who was speechless. This scumbag, did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? It¡¯s already a miracle that he had admitted to being wrong. But to loosen his wallet and give her back what was hers? Something¡¯s wrong with him this morning. After his speech, Sebastian stood up. ¡°I will give you a day to consider. My motive for all of this is for our children, whether you¡¯d believe it or not. Do you think it¡¯ll make them happy if you took them away from me? Think about what you went throughst night.¡± He said before departing. Sasha was still stunned. It was not until the ceiling fan stopped rotating that she came to. In a fit of anger, she grabbed the pillow behind her and threw it at the door through which Sebastian left. ¡°What aboutst night? I was having a good time. Men still find me attractive. There are plenty of men who would be willing to raise your kids as their own. Does that thought sicken you?¡± She yelled at the door. On the other side, Luke heard her and froze. He was praying that Sebastian had not heard a word of it, though it was near impossible as he stood right next to him. Strangely enough, Sebastian did not bat an eye, other than at the mention of ¡°men who would be willing to raise your kids as their own¡±, to which he staggered slightly. But otherwise gave no sign that what she said had bothered him. He was getting immune. After all, he had heard this all before. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Sasha finally gave in to return to Avenport together. If not for anything else, it was because she couldn¡¯t bear to be apart from her children. If she was determined to return to Clear, she reasoned with herself, it would be impossible for her to even bring one of her children with her. Therefore, Avenport seemed like her best bet given the current situation. Her children were overjoyed at her consent. They burst through the door and ran up towards her, pleasing her a great deal. ¡°Mommy, will you really return to Avenport with Daddy?¡± Vivian squealed. ¡°This is wonderful! I thought you weren¡¯t going to say yes.¡± She was the first one through the door and in her mother¡¯sp. Sasha was surprised. ¡°You were hoping that I would go back there with your father?¡± ¡°Yes, Mommy,¡± Vivian replied. ¡°I do not like it when the other kids in the kindergarten ask me about my father. Even if I haven¡¯t been properly reunited with Daddy, it still makes me very happy!¡± Vivian was a child with simple pleasures. It didn¡¯t take much to fill her little heart with joy. Sasha felt a lump in her throat. Wordlessly, she pulled her daughter in for a big hug. Matteo came in next. ¡°Mommy, I think that you should go with Daddy too,¡± he informed her solemnly. ¡°We can¡¯t abandon Ian.¡± He grabbed his brother by the hand. Ian did not know what to say. He looked down, not willing to let them see his watery eyes. Sasha¡¯s heart ached with sorrow at the sight of him. She knelt down and pulled him in for a hug as well. ¡°Mommy won¡¯t even think about abandoning any one of you. I¡¯m sorry for being rash. I¡¯m sorry for hurting you, Ian.¡± ¡°Oh, Mommy,¡± Ian threw his arms around her neck. For all the differences that those three had, they were all her kind and loyal babies. Whether it was Matteo and Vivian who was attached to their mother or Ian who was reluctant to forsake their father, they were angels, none of whom Sasha would willingly part with. So it was on the third day, Sasha and her triplets followed Sebastian back to Avenport. At the same time, Xandra, who was abroad, was awaiting this piece of good news. Her Aunt Kelly had eyes everywhere. The news of Sasha escaping with her children was caught by Kelly and immediately ryed to her niece. Xandra was here to reinstate herself as Mrs. Hayes. Upon hearing that Sasha voluntarily disappeared with her children, she was over the moon. ¡°Is she crazy?¡± Xandra eximed. ¡°Dragging along three kids with her.¡± ¡°Who cares?¡± Kelly retorted. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you wanted? You don¡¯t have to lift a finger.¡± She sipped her coffee whilst casting a disapproving eye at Xandra¡¯s drafts on herputer. Xandra followed her aunt¡¯s gaze and panicked. She mmed it shut like she was afraid of being caught with something indecent. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? My contract is already signed for.¡± ¡°Is it, now? Then you¡¯d better make sure you write it well. If the quality is not the same as your previous ones, you¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± Kelly said harshly. Xandra turned pale. She opened her mouth to retort, but thought against it and let the matter be dropped. It is true that this incident had been a thorn in her side. She has had years of experience as a publishing author. Even the bestseller ¡®The Tattoo of my Heart¡¯ was her work. However, her writing was not what it used to be in recent years. Though the publisher made an exception to sign her on the title of her book alone, she has hit the dreaded writer¡¯s block. Xandra turned off herputer resentfully and brewed herself a cup of coffee. ¡°We should discuss our next move,¡± Xandra said. ¡°Sasha Wand took her kids away. Sebastian wouldn¡¯t be very happy about that. I think it¡¯s time for me to return.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Kelly agreed with her niece for once. After an upheaval in his house, a furious man would need a woman¡¯s touch to restore things to order. It did not matter if he pursues his kids. At this moment, he needs a woman by his side. When the kids return, she would have plenty of time to assume a motherly role. And if he doesn¡¯t get them back, even better. She would have him all to herself. It all looked good to Xandra. It was a win-win situation. ¡°But, before I go, I should investigate this woman.¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Kelly was startled. ¡°Investigate her? Are you crazy?¡± ¡°Rx,¡± Xandra soothed. ¡°Of course I won¡¯t make it obvious. If that b*tch is unlucky, we will find her, make her go away, and take the kids back to Sebastian. Isn¡¯t that better?¡± She savored her coffee, delighted with the way her n ising together. Her aunt was right, though. She needs to y this right and not do anything rash. With brains like that, she will help the Hayes family return to their former days of glory. Kelly was pleased. This n might just work out. With that in mind, the two women startedying down the finer details of their n. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 The two of them could not have expected that their arrival was bad news. ¡°Has Sebastian¡¯s brain rotted? Why does he want to bring her back? Is he going to teach her a lesson?¡± Kelly¡¯s first reaction was to be enraged by this news. However, Xandra was different. She thought back to that day at the mall. Sasha had no idea how terrifying Sebastian had been when she left with the man she bought clothes with. He treated Xandra like she did not exist and left the store without another word. He immediately contacted someone to go to the preschool to fetch his son. I¡¯ve never seen him like this. Out of control and childish¡­ Where¡¯s the stoic Mr. Hayes? He acted just like a child throwing a temper tantrum, and his actions were almostughable. Is he really bringing the woman back to teach her a lesson? No, it can¡¯t be. He might be bringing her back to keep her securely by his side. Click. Xandra had squeezed her cup so tightly that he snapped. Fresh blood flowed from her palm. The hatred in her eyes had reached its boiling point and had transformed into murderous outrage. Go to hell, Sasha! Sasha finally returned to Avenport. The moment she alighted from the helicopter, she led the two children away instead of climbing into Sebastian¡¯s car. Although she had agreed toe back, it did not signify that she had resolved her issues with him. We¡¯re nothing more than strangers who happen to share children. Ian, who was standing at the back and holding his father¡¯s hand, was upset by the sight. ¡°Daddy, Mommy left¡­¡± Sebastian did not know how to reply. He had expended arge amount of effort to get her back. It was impossible for him to expect her to obediently go along with him. He tugged his son into his embrace and said, ¡°Let her leave. It¡¯s not like you can¡¯t see her again. Your mother will fetch you from school tomorrow.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sebastian¡¯s reply made the child happy. His eyes lit up as he looked up at his father. This ungrateful little imp. Sebastian led Ian into the car. As for Sasha, when she returned to their old neighborhood, she found that their previous house had been rented out. She had no choice but to search for a new house along with her two children. ¡°Where are we going to live, Mommy? Can we live somewhere nicer this time?¡± When Vivian heard that they were going to look for a new house, she thought back to the previous dpidated rented house. She could not help but voice out her request meekly. Frankly, both children were rather sensible. Whether it was back in Clear, or this old neighborhood, they followed Sasha with noints. However, this time the little girl wanted to stay in a beautiful house. Perhaps it was because it was too cold, or because they had lived in their father¡¯s house for some time. At the end of the day, they were both just children. Sasha squatted down in front of them. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s get a pretty house this time.¡± Vivian cheered. ¡°That¡¯s great! Thank you, Mommy¡± Two hourster, the three of them finally settled on a small condo that was decently high-end. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Matt, hurry up. Let¡¯s go and choose our rooms. I want the prettier one!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Matteo was also delighted. The two children went to see the rooms. Sasha smiled at their figures as she started to unpack their luggage. She wanted to organize the rooms before the sun sets so she could cook dinner for the children. Ding. She suddenly received a message. She opened the message and saw that she had just received one million. One million? Sasha scoffed coldly. She logged into her online banking ount and tried to return the money. After that, she immediately called the bank to freeze the card. She left to finish her chores. Throughout, her expression was one of indifference. I never said that I wanted this one million. I might be back, but it has nothing to do with him. The mother and two children spent a peaceful night in their new house. The next day. ¡°Matt, Vivi, time to wake up. You have to go to preschool today.¡± ¡°Okay, Mommy.¡± The lethargic child-like voices came from the pile of nkets. Shortly after, the small humans were carried out by their mother and they started to wash up. Naturally, Matteo dressed himself. A few minutester, both children were neatly dressed and standing in the living room. ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll make it for you,¡± asked Sasha. Matt was about to reply, but his smartwatch started to ring. He picked up the call. ¡°Hello? Ian?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡± No one expected Ian to say those words. Sasha was stunned. What does he mean? He¡¯s here? While Sasha was still in a state of confusion, Matt had dashed to the balcony. Chapter 157 Chapter 157 ¡°You really came, Ian.¡± Sasha was incredibly shocked. She followed Matt and saw a small human at the bottom of their condo. He was apanied by a man wearing dark sunsses and an all-ck attire. They stood unmovingly at the entrance. This child¡­ Sasha panicked and dashed back into the house to open the door and head down. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± When she arrived downstairs, she immediately saw the child standing at the building¡¯s entrance. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Despite being dressed in a thick down jacket, a hat, and mittens, the extremely cold weather had turned his cheeks red. Even his snot had frozen. ¡°What are you doing? Why did you bring him here when it¡¯s so cold?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Wand. We had no choice. Ian was making a fuss abouting here. He¡¯s insisting on going to preschool with Matt.¡± The bodyguard who was holding an umbre rushed to exin. Sasha was left with no other option but to carry her son in. Once her other two children were done eating, she took them to the preschool. At Hayes Corporation in the center of the city. Sebastian, who had just arrived at the office, switched off his phone after he received the photo from the bodyguard showing that the three children had entered the preschool. He picked up hisptop and went into his office. Luke walked in to announce that day¡¯s schedule. ¡°Mr. Hayes, tasks had piled up since you were absent from the office for two days. You might want to read the email from Ms. Green first.¡± ¡°Xandra?¡± Sebastian, who had just taken his seat, was initially in a good mood. However, his two shapely eyebrows were now furrowed. ¡°What email?¡± Luke immediately brought out hisptop and opened the email from Xandra. To be honest, it was rather contemptuous. Even though Xandra had known Sebastian for many years, she still could not send him emails. Sebastian¡¯s inbox had a spam filter. Other thanpany matters, no one else could send him emails. This included Xandra. Sebastian scanned the email and realized it was a draft. ¡°Mr. Hayes, Ms. Green says that this is the draft she had just finished writing. She¡¯s about to hand it over to the editors, but she wanted you to look it over first. If there¡¯s nothing wrong, she¡¯ll send it to the editors,¡± exined Luke. Whenever Xandra wrote a new book, she would ask Sebastian to read the final draft. He would always provide her with a satisfactory answer in the shortest amount of time. However, after Sebastian scanned thistest draft, Luke caught sight of annoyance shing past his eyes. ¡°Set it aside first. Bring the other tasks over.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Hayes.¡± Luke closed theptop and handed the schedule over. Less than ten minutester, Sebastian was done looking through the schedule. He walked into the meeting room with the documents andptop in hand. For the rest of the day, there was not even a moment¡¯s rest. However, he could not have expected that on this day, the unimaginable would ur. ¡°Mr. Hayes, there¡¯s been a problem. Mr. Hayes Sr. suddenly went to the preschool and took the two boys out.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Sebastian was so shocked that the pen in his hand fell and ttered onto the table. What is this old man doing? Why is he pulling such a stunt all of a sudden? Doesn¡¯t he know that I just managed to bring the two children back to the country? What if that woman is pissed off by this? What if she disappears again? Sebastian¡¯s expression shiftedpletely. He sprang to his feet and dashed out of the meeting room with no regard for the ongoing meeting. The people left in the room shared dazed looks. Mr. Hayes¡¯s behavior is bing more erratic¡­ A few minutester, a ck Bentley sped out of the car park. Sebastian stepped on the gas pedal as he called his father on Bluetooth. Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Ring¡­ ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°What are you doing, Dad? Why did you suddenly take the two children out of preschool? Did you ask me for permission first?¡± When he heard his father¡¯s voice, Sebastian exploded with anger. Before he could finish speaking, his father roared back, ¡°You piece of shit. How dare you talk to me like that? You knew full well that I have two grandchildren, and my granddaughter-inw was still alive. But you kept it from me!¡± For a long time, his ear buzzed. ¡°Dad, I have my reasons for not telling you.¡± ¡°As if. Do you really think I don¡¯t know what goes on in that mind of yours? Sasha is innocent. If it was any other woman, she wouldn¡¯t have let you off.¡± The old man continued to berate Sebastian. Sebastian¡¯s veins throbbed as he listened to his father, and he constantly wanted to rebuke him. Innocent? How about I rip her open to show you her true colors? Why don¡¯t you see for yourself what she did the past two days? Sebastian gnashed his teeth together. As he drove, he willed himself to stay calm. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 ¡°Dad, calm down and listen to me. If she finds out that you pulled the two children out of school like that, she¡¯ll be angry too. Can you let us know before you take them?¡± ¡°Sasha said that she was going to bring the children to see me. I waited two days but they didn¡¯t show up. You had to have been causing trouble.¡± Frederick hung up the phone. Sebastian almost popped a vein. In Dad¡¯s eyes, that woman can do no wrong. It¡¯s always my fault. No matter what she does, she¡¯s seen as innocent. Sebastian suppressed his rage as he sped towards the Hayes residence. He had a reason for being so strongly opposed to this. Firstly, he had just had a big fight with Sasha, and it took a lot of effort to convince her to bring the children back. He was afraid that if something set her off, she would nevere back again. Who knows what she¡¯ll do at that time? There was also the matter of Matteo. Matteo had never seen his grandfather or been to the Hayes residence. Sebastian was afraid that Matteo would be ufortable and traumatized if he was suddenly dragged there. He was only a five-year-old child, after all. Sebastian pressed down on the gas pedal again. Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Hayes residence. Vivian had said that Raymond¡¯s mountain vi was huge, but Ian had said that the Hayes Residence was evenrger. Not even ten of Raymond¡¯s mountain vis couldpare. Actually, he was referring to the Hayes Residence instead of the Frontier Bay. The Hayes Residence had stood since ancient times. It was truly an ancestral home, and it had an estimated market value of a billion. There was no other house in Avenport that couldpare in value. Ian and Matteo were suddenly dragged there. When they saw the opulent and exquisitely decorated mansion, Ian was fine since he had grown up there, but Matteo was suddenly unwilling to go in. He was slightly afraid. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t you going in, my darling grandson? This is your home. Let¡¯s go in, okay?¡± Frederick tried to coax his motionless grandson. However, Matteo did not take a step further. Ian¡¯s heart went out for Matteo. He took his brother¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± He led Matteo in. ¡°He¡¯s here. Our other grandson is finally here!¡± ¡°Really? Let me see.¡± ¡°Me too¡­¡± They swarmed around Matteo the moment he stepped through the entrance. They fawned over him like he was a precious gem, each dying to get a look at him. It was inevitable. This was too shocking! No one expected that another one of the triplets had survived. He was already so grown. They stared at the child. Their eyes were like headlights, unblinking and bright. Matteo was silent. Am I a monkey? Must they gawk at me like this? Frederick was chuckling at the side. ¡°Darling grandson, these are your uncles and aunties. A few of them are your grand-uncles. They heard you wereing and came especially to see you.¡± Fredrick was afraid his grandson would be terrified and he rushed to do the introductions. Matteo scanned the room and met the staring eyes. He became even more overwhelmed. When some of the people realized how much he resembled Ian, they could not help but pinch his handsome face. ¡°It¡¯s real! He¡¯s real!¡± He rubbed his aching face. Suddenly, his fox-like eyes curved as he smiled. ¡°Of course I¡¯m real. After pinching an adorable nephew like me, are you going to give me a present, Auntie? I¡¯m more than wee to it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The woman who had pinched him was taken aback by his cheeky and innocent words. ¡°Of¡­ Of course. I¡¯ll give you a present.¡± She was stupefied. Ian would never have said anything like that. Rather, he would not speak at all. Matteo was delighted to hear that he would receive a present. ¡°Great! You¡¯re so pretty, Auntie.¡± ¡°Hahahaha¡­¡± The yard-full of people dissolved intoughter. None of them expected that this new child would be completely different from his brother. ¡°He says such cute things. Uncle, who raised him? Why is hepletely different from Little Ian?¡± ¡°Yes. I love him. If they didn¡¯t share the same face, I wouldn¡¯t believe that they¡¯re brothers.¡± ¡°Exactly! He¡¯s adorable!¡± All of them were surprised by Matteo. They surrounded him as they tried to hug him. Matteo was not scared anymore. He allowed them to hug him and even greeted each of them in a sweet voice. They became even more entranced by him. Soon, his arms were overflowing with presents.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Ian raised his eyebrow. ¡°Why are you epting these? Daddy has all of them!¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m just joking with them. I¡¯ll give them all to Grandpa soon. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Matteo patted his brother¡¯s shoulder and assured him that he was just acting. He was not actually going to ept their presents. Ian was happy to hear that. Although they had no intention of epting the presents, they were shocked to see one of the great- uncles carry an embroidered box over. ¡°Fredrick, I did not expect that our family would have another heir. I¡¯m going to give your grandson the gold pendant you gave me.¡± With tears in his eyes, he handed Matteo the embroidered box. Matteo was confused. What¡¯s happening? Why did they suddenly give me this? Ian nodded. ¡°I have one too.¡± Matteo was stunned. Is that so? Matteo did not know that because of the Hayes family¡¯s immense wealth, they had always been conscious of heritage. Their heir could only be someone of the purest bloodline. Anyone else did not stand a chance. Frederick¡¯s bloodline was pure. Thus, Sebastian was the one who inherited Hayes Corporation. It was a pity that although Sebastian had Ian, Ian¡¯s physical condition had always been weak. There had been no motion for Sebastian to get remarried. Hence, Frederick had given one of the gold pendants to his brother. However, there was Matt now¡­ Frederick nodded. ¡°Matt, you should ept it. It¡¯s rightfully yours.¡± Without hesitation, he told Matteo to ept this gift he had personally given away. Matteo was only a child. He did not overthink things. Since his grandfather told him to ept it, Matteo did just that. Matteo happily slipped the gold pendant around his neck. The brothers went with their grandfather into the dining room for lunch. As for the great-uncle, he continued to smile while everyone else was still present. When they all left and the area was quiet, the smilepletely dissipated. The smile was reced with an absolutely devious expression. How persistent. There¡¯s even a healthy one now! By the time Sebastian rushed to the Hayes residence, a noisy meal was ongoing. The room was full of people. Sebastian wondered if his father did it on purpose. He invited every member of the Hayes family and even some of his friends over. It looks like a banquet. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Sebastian walked in and his eyes nced past the two children who were feasting next to their grandfather. He yelled at Fredrick, who was seated at the head of the table. Frederick lifted his head. As per Sebastian¡¯s expectation, Frederick did not seem happy to see his son. ¡°Finally here? Have lunch with us.¡± Sebastian did not want to start a row with his father here. Hence, he nodded and sat next to his two sons. ¡°You¡¯re here, Daddy. Did Mommye with you?¡± Matteo was overjoyed to see his father. But after he looked around and realized that his mother had note, his smile turned upside down. Sebastian noticed this. He pursed his lips and rationalized a reason for him. ¡°Your Mommy is at work. They¡¯ll dock her sry if she asks for leave.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Matteo did not ask anymore. This was a serious problem. His mother was raising him and his sister on her own. It would be bad if her sry was docked.¡± The two boys went back to eating. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ten minutester, the banquet¡¯s atmosphere became solemn. It might have been due to Sebastian¡¯s arrival. Shortly after, a few people excused themselves after taking a few more bites. Sebastian had an intimidating aura in this house. It increased after he inherited power. After everyone left, Sebastian checked his wristwatch. He intended on taking the two children back. ¡°Dad, since they¡¯ve seen all the family and friends, I¡¯ll be taking them back.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Their mother isn¡¯t even here yet.¡± The old man tossed out the statement casually. Sebastian¡¯s eyes narrowed. What does he mean? Did he let that woman know? His expression changed. Anger shed across his face. His tone became extremely unpleasant. ¡°What are you trying to do, Dad? Do you just do whatever you want now? Are you never going to discuss anything with me anymore?¡± ¡°What a joke. I¡¯m your elder. Why should I discuss anything with you?¡± Frederick had no intention of backing down. Sebastian was so angry that he started to chuckle. ¡°What do you think? I¡¯m the head of the Hayes family now. I have the right to make the final decision about everything. Did you ever stop to think about the consequences of your actions?¡± ¡°Think about the consequences? Why do I need to do that? Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯ve been cleaning up after you all these years?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what I mean? How about you ask their mother to give you another household register? This way, you¡¯ll be officially divorced. What¡¯s the point of ying all these sneaky games? Are you even a man?¡± Frederick told someone to take the children elsewhere so he could re and chastise his son freely. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Sebastian¡¯s expression changed. His nerve had been touched. He had been so self-righteous and determined. But now, he had lost his voice. His handsome face was an amalgamation of red and white. ¡°You¡¯re lucky Sasha is well-mannered. She doesn¡¯t hold it against you. Do you think you¡¯ll be standing here still if it was any other woman?¡± A few secondster, the strained Sebastian murmured, ¡°I wanted topensate her. She didn¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°Compensate? How much did you give her? Two hundred billion? Three hundred billion?¡± Frederick¡¯s tone still carried a hint of rage. Given the Hayes family¡¯s wealth, Sasha deserved much more as the two children¡¯s mother. Sebastian kept his mouth shut. He could not tell Frederick that he had only returned the one million to Sasha. If he did, Frederick would be even more livid. Why should I give her so much money anyway? All I did was lie, and I apologized. The matter is done. Why should we blow it out of proportion? ¡°Can¡¯t speak? You jerk. I knew it! Fine, I¡¯ll decide this for you. When Sashaes, you bring out her identity. The two of you will go to the civil affairs office to get divorced today!¡± ¡°What did you say? Divorce?¡± Sebastian finally reacted. He stared at Frederick. He looked more astonished than he had ever been. Frederick red at him. ¡°Yes, divorce! I told you before. Since I¡¯m the one who convinced her to marry you, now that you want her to return to the Wand family, she has to walk out of our family with her head held high. A piece of shit like you can¡¯t be allowed to do as he pleases!¡± Sebastian was silent. His mind was nk. Before he could think about what he was saying, he uttered, ¡°Who says I want to divorce her?¡± Frederick was appalled. ¡°You don¡¯t want to divorce her? Then why are using such despicable methods? You even want to strike off her name from our household register. How is this not trying to sever ties with her?¡± Sebastian had been rendered speechless. It was as though something had gotten caught in his throat. He wanted to protest but he could not get a word out. It was true that he had had this thought before he went through with it. Whether it was five years ago, or five yearster, Sebastian never wanted to see Sasha. She was stupid, greedy, and shameless. Just the mention of her name repulsed him. Thus, when he found her in Clear, he had immediately instructed Luke to do it. He did want to sever ties with her. But now that divorce was on the table, he realized that he was not as happy as he thought. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I just¡­¡± ¡°Frederick, you misunderstood. It¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t want to divorce me. He just doesn¡¯t want to make a big deal out of it. He¡¯s the president of Hayes Corporation. He¡¯s currently linked to Ms. Green. If news gets out that he has an undivorced ex-wife, it¡¯ll hurt his reputation.¡± Just as Sebastian was about to cobble together an excuse, a voice interrupted him. After she spoke, the two men fell silent and looked her way. They were surprised to see a young girl wearing a khaki-colored jacket with jeans and white sneakers. Perhaps it was because she had been hurriedly called away during work, but she was dressed exceptionally casually. Her hair was tied in a simple ponytail. However, there was radiance in her simplicity. Her face was small and herplexion was clean. Her face looked like exquisite jade poised atop her high-cored wool jacket. Her bright eyes seemed cold, but they were full of light. She was so brilliant that no one could tear their eyes away from her. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Sasha? She really came? Sebastian took a double take. This woman is really different from Xandra. Xandra preferred branded goods. Everything she wore came from luxury stores. Whenever she went out, her makeup had to be perfect. It was as though she was afraid that people would be unable to recognize her as the future wife of the president of Hayes Corporation. However, this woman was different. She gravitated towards a natural style and dressed simply as though she did not care for superficial things. She looked extremely casual. However, Sebastian could not help but feel that she looked good. In his eyes, she looked unblemished. Something is wrong! ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Sasha. Come in quickly. Have you eaten? Shall I ask the housemaid to make you something?¡± Mr. Hayes also saw Sasha. He was delighted and hastily ordered a housemaid to prepare food for her. Sasha waved her hand dismissively. ¡°No thank you, Frederick. I¡¯ve already eaten. I still need to work later. Did you ask me here because of the matter you just mentioned?¡± Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Sasha even cut to the chase and asked for the reason she was called here. Frederick nodded and answered honestly, ¡°Sasha, I¡¯ve given this matter some thought. I thought I had made the right decision when I arranged for you to marry into our family years ago, but now I¡¯vee to regret it. So, if you want to, I can have that reversed immediately.¡± Sebastian fell silent. ¡°Sure,¡± the woman, who had just walked in, replied sinctly without any hesitation. She had not even taken a side nce at Sebastian the whole time. Sebastian clenched his fists but could not control the veins in his temples from popping violently. ¡°Alright, since that¡¯s what you wish, I¡¯ll get the household register right now. Once we have your identity restored at the registration office, you and Sebastian can get your divorce certificate right after.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Frederick was about to instruct someone to retrieve their household register when Sasha spoke, ¡°Thanks, Frederick. But I think we should keep a low profile, just in case it damages thepany¡¯s reputation.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Sebastian and I can just settle the matter at the civil affairs office at any time. But if he¡¯s not willing to, you may still have toe with me,¡± Sasha suggested. Once again, the old man was touched by the thoughtfulness of this woman who would soon cease to be his daughter-inw and was prepared to agree to her suggestion. Before Frederick could speak, his son beat him to it as he gritted the words through his teeth, ¡°You¡¯re not seriously asking my father to go to the civil affairs office with you? It sounds like it¡¯s him you¡¯re divorcing!¡± The atmosphere in the living room immediately turned frosty. The tension was so tangible in the air one could almost smell the explosives. Frederick¡¯s eyes widened in intense fury; his fists balled up as he was about to teach his son some manners. It was Sasha who maintained herposure and spoke matter-of-factly, ¡°I don¡¯t me you if you understood it that way since that was how we got married in the first ce anyway.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Sebastian was so ovee with anger he was fumbling for more insults to hurl at the woman. Being the president of the Hayes Corporation had not prevented Sebastian from being hit in the sore spot the second time in the same day. The man was beside himself. ¡°Sasha Wand! Do you have a death wish?¡± This woman is not taking me seriously at all! ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you are so worked up, Sebastian. I thought you have always wanted my name to be taken off your household register so that you can rece it with your new partner¡¯s name. I think you should be thanking me for this.¡± Seeing Sebastian standing motionless, Sasha raised her voice and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know what is it that you¡¯re nning in your head against me, but let me be clear on one thing. Although you didn¡¯t wish to marry me in the first ce, I¡¯ve still given you two sons. So, if you insist on being a jack*ss about this and don¡¯t mind things getting ugly, I¡¯ll just see you in court!¡± Sasha finally fixed her gaze on Sebastian. Her re was not only cold but also piercing sharp. Each of her words was filled with anger and hatred. That must be why he¡¯s refusing to sign the divorce papers now. Before this, he was more than willing to pull out all the stops to get away from me. But now, he¡¯s changed his mind because Frederick is giving me an easy way out and he¡¯s worried that Xandra¡¯s reputation will be harmed if our divorce gets publicized. How cruel and selfish can this person be! Sasha was still ring at Sebastian; the corner of her eyes reddened, and her body was trembling from trying to suppress the numbing pain in her body. There was a hint of regret on top of resentment in her emotional eyes. Sebastian was momentarily dumbstruck. Am I seeing regret in her eyes? What¡¯s she regretting? Marrying me, or having met me in the beginning? The intense hatred in Sasha¡¯s eyes had struck him hard. As the man¡¯s thin lips pursed together into a line, he wondered why he felt panicky and lost at the same time. These unfamiliar feelings scared him because, for the first time, Sebastian was losing control of his usualposure. ¡°Sasha Wand, have you gone crazy? I¡¯ve never said that I didn¡¯t want to be divorced from you, so stop barking like a mad dog! Wait here, and I¡¯ll get somebody to prepare the divorce documents right now!¡± With great self-restraint, Sebastian hurled the most hurtful words he could think of at her and grabbed his car key before he stormed out of the living room. Sasha stood still as she watched the fast-moving figure disappear from the corner of her eyes. Suddenly, she felt like thest ounce of energy had left her body as she slumped into the chair behind her. ¡°Sasha, are you okay?¡± Frederick was silent the whole time the couple exchanged curses. Her abrupt fall into the chair startled him. Sasha opened her mouth in an attempt to say something, only to realize that she was too exhausted to utter another word. Fatigue had ovee her. Chapter 162 Chapter 162 It was as though she was finally freed from the shackles of her past. The feeling of being liberated was so overwhelming that her whole body was trembling. I¡¯m finally free. She would no longer allow herself to harbor the faint hope of reuniting with Sebastian and find excuses for him every time he hurt her, telling herself that he did those things for a good reason. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Who am I kidding? I was my own prisoner, but I no longer am. I¡¯m going to have a new life after this. While Sasha sat on that chair, tears started to roll down her cheeks. Clutching her chest, she wanted to cry her heart out. But as she took a deep breath, she realized that her aching heart did not allow her to do so. She felt as though her heart had been pierced through with a dagger. ¡­ Sasha remained at the Hayes residence the whole afternoon. Since Sebastian had indicated that he would have the divorce papers sent over, she wanted to be there when the documents arrived. But hours had passed, and there was still no sign of Sebastian. After a while, Sasha grew drowsy from getting too worked up earlier on and fell asleep in the house. When Matteo and Ian came over for their mother, they saw a sleeping Sasha. They then scuttled to their grandfather. ¡°Grandpa, is Mommy sleeping?¡± Frederick was looking intently at a booklet in his hand when a child¡¯s voice broke his daze. He quickly put down the booklet and replied, ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s asleep. What are you guys doing here? I thought you were spending time with your uncle?¡± ¡°We did. But we¡¯ve got to go back now,¡± said Matteo smilingly after checking the time on his smartwatch. It¡¯s about time to pick Vivian up from her preschool, or the crybaby will surely kick up a fuss if we¡¯re late. After hearing that Matteo intended to go home, a hint of hesitation crept up the old man¡¯s face as he looked at his grandson and asked tentatively, ¡°Well, I was thinking¡­ maybe you could sleep here tonight and spend some time with me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Frederick¡¯s unexpected suggestion startled the boys. Ian did not resist that idea as he had spent a lot of time here growing up. Matteo, on the other hand, was instantly filled with reluctance. He was not used to sleeping in a strange ce without his parents. ¡°But Mommy said that we need to go back home so that we won¡¯t bete for our preschool tomorrow. Grandpa, why don¡¯t wee back to visit you on the weekend?¡± Matteo had cleverly turned his rejection into a visit in his sweetest voice possible. However, Matteo¡¯s suggestion only made the old man¡¯s heart grow heavier. Unbeknownst to the boys, the booklet their grandfather was holding onto was the Hayes family¡¯s household register. Frederick was just thinking about the custody of Matteo as they barged into his room. Matteo is a Hayes, so it is without question that he will have to return to the Hayes family. Moments before Matteo walked in, Frederick had tried to put himself in Sasha¡¯s shoes while considering who should get custody of the child. After all, the Hayes family owed her that much. Nevertheless, the moment he saw the boys walk in together, he was reminded of what a sweet and cheerful little person Matteo waspared to his frail twin brother. The old man now had second thoughts about letting him go. ¡°Oh, that won¡¯t be a problem. I can take you guys to school, and I promise that I won¡¯t bete. What do you think?¡± Frederick was insistent. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get the butler to show you to your room. I¡¯ve re-decorated the room, and I think you¡¯ll like it.¡± Without waiting for a reply, Frederick beckoned his butler over and instructed him to bring the boys to their room. Ian¡¯s face darkened in an instant before he shouted, ¡°I¡¯m not going!¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Frederick was once again stumped by his elder grandson. Sensing the rising tension in the room, Matteo was quick to defuse the situation. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Grandpa. It takes time with Ian. Let me talk to him.¡± With that, Matteo pulled his brother out of the room before Frederick could stop them. After they reached a deserted courtyard a few minutester, Matteo asked his brother, ¡°Ian, you did that on purpose just now, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Ian admitted while lowering his head in embarrassment, the back of his ears turning pink. With a big grin on his face, Matteo patted his brother¡¯s shoulder to indicate a job well done. He then attempted to analyze the situation. ¡°Something must have happened between Daddy and Mommy. Otherwise, Grandpa wouldn¡¯t be acting this way.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ian frowned in agreement. ¡°We can¡¯t both stay here. We¡¯ve got to find out what¡¯s going on between the two of them. Didn¡¯t you see what Grandpa was trying to do just now? He was trying to keep me here. Me!¡± Ian was rendered speechless by his brother¡¯s reasoning. Matteo¡¯s voice turned solemn when he continued, ¡°If Grandpa is really nning to fight with Mommy over me, things will definitely turn ugly. He¡¯s way more powerful than Daddy, and there¡¯s not much we can do to help Mommy in this matter.¡± Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Ian was still lost for words, but the Transformers figurine in his hand was clutched more firmly as he listened to his brother¡¯s analysis. No, they can¡¯t do this to Mommy. It¡¯s our mommy, and no one can hurt her! For the first time, the boys balled up their fists together, their eyes staring out with unswerving determination. ¡­ Sasha was awakened by the kids. ¡°Mommy, wake up. We need to get Vivian. It¡¯s almost 4 o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°What?¡± Sasha sat up straight from the futon, well alert in an instant. ¡°It¡¯s almost 4 o¡¯clock? Alright, let¡¯s go get your sister now,¡± she said while hurriedly getting ready to leave. Matteo quickly brought over Sasha¡¯s scarf and handbag as she was putting on her shoes. When Sasha was all set, Matteo naturally slid his little hand into his mother¡¯s palm. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Enveloping her son¡¯s hand in her own, Sasha¡¯s eyes searched one round for Ian but to no avail. ¡°Where¡¯s Ian?¡± ¡°Ian is staying here. Daddy wille to fetch him tonight,¡± Matteo exined delightfully. Is that so¡­ Sasha did not say more. After all, the boys had been living separately since their births; one with her while the other with their father. Sasha and Matteo had just stepped outside the guest room when they bumped into Frederick, who was holding onto his walking cane. ¡°Sasha, I suppose you¡¯re heading back now. There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to give you.¡± Sasha and Matteo stopped in their tracks as the old man walked toward them. Despite what Sebastian had done to her, Sasha still felt grateful toward Frederick, especially for helping her today. He had chosen to protect her and set her free rather than siding with his own son. ¡°Frederick, it¡¯s cold out here. You should¡¯ve just gotten one of the housemaids to pass on your message to me,¡± Sasha said politely. ¡°This is too important for them to handle. Here, I want you to have this,¡± the old man said while handing her a red booklet. Sasha looked down at the booklet and was startled when she saw the words ¡°household register¡± on the cover. ¡°Frederick, this is¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry that you¡¯ve wasted the whole afternoon. I¡¯ve checked with the office. Apparently, someone important showed up, and Sebastian had to meet with them. As such, I¡¯ve decided to give you this. Once your identity is restored, you can apply for a divorce with this,¡± Frederick said apologetically while still holding out the booklet. Sasha was still in shock. No way¡­ Did I hear him right? is he seriously giving me their household register? Staring at the booklet with her gaping mouth, Sasha was still in disbelief. Seeing as the woman was stunned, Frederick stuffed the booklet into Matteo¡¯s hand while reminding him, ¡°Keep this for your mommy. This is very important, so you have to take good care of it, okay?¡± ¡°I understand, Grandpa.¡± Matteo took over the booklet happily. He then carefully slid it into his pocket. So Mommy and Daddy are getting a divorce! Oh, just as well. Problem solved! With that thought, Matteo left happily with Sasha. That night, as Sasha was giving Vivian a bath, Matteo called Ian, who was now back at Frontier Bay. ¡°Ian, I know what¡¯s going on with Mommy and Daddy.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It turns out they¡¯re getting divorced!¡± Matteo eximed in exasperation. He was disgruntled at their fruitless effort in carrying out all the ns in hopes that their parents would reconcile. Now that their parents were getting a divorce, aplete family seemed like a farther dream to them. Ian¡¯s face darkened on the other end of the line. ¡°Is it Daddy¡¯s fault again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But more importantly, I need to ask you this. Do you want them to be separated?¡± Matteo asked over the phone. Ian was taken aback by his twin brother¡¯s unexpected question. What does Matteo think about this then? He must be thinking that Mommy and Daddy should separate, or he wouldn¡¯t have asked me such a question. Standing inside his bedroom, tears welled up in Ian¡¯s eyes the next instant, and the blood drained from his already pale face. Without any warning, he cast his smartwatch aside and dashed into the cupboard. ¡°Ian? Ian?¡± Matteo called out in panic. There was no response from Ian, and Matteo grew anxious as he could hear loud thuds from the phone. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Ian! Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Matteo was inplete shock. Immediately, he rushed into the bathroom, where Sasha was giving Vivian a bath. ¡°Mommy! Mommy! Something¡¯s happened over at Ian¡¯s. Can you please check on him?¡± ¡°What?¡± Sasha sprung to her feet. ¡°What happened to Ian?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. We were on the phone just then, but he went quiet all of a sudden, and then there were loud noises¡­ Mommy, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Matteo¡¯s eyes reddened as he was in full-blown panic mode. Sashaforted him by saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not your fault. Maybe something else was going on over there. I will go over right now, and you¡¯re gonna stay home to look after Vivi, okay?¡± After taking Vivian out of the shower and dressing her up, Sasha hurried out the door. What¡¯s happening to Little Ian? He still seemed fine at Frederick¡¯s today. How can he be in trouble so soon after? In her frantic moments, Sasha had entertained the brief idea of calling Sebastian to ask him, but the thought of what had urred at Frederick¡¯s earlier that day stopped her promptly. I¡¯d better not alert him to this. Since we¡¯re getting divorced, what if he decides to stop me from seeing Ian? Sasha put down her phone, but her mind was still unsettled. Luckily, it was an off-peak hour, so traffic was considerably smooth. She arrived at Frontier Bay after about half an hour. ¡°Ms. Wand? What are you doing here sote?¡± The security guard at Royal Court One recognized Sasha but was still surprised to see her visitingte at night. Sasha, on the other hand, was so flustered she had no time to exin to him. ¡°I¡¯m here for Ian. What¡¯s happened to him?¡± The guard was puzzled by the woman¡¯s question. ¡°Ian? He¡¯s fine. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ignoring his bewilderment, Sasha pushed open the heavy gate and walked straight in. A few minutester, Sasha arrived at the vi. However, once she stepped into the living room, she was met with dead silence. The cold winter night coupled with the absolute silence made the vi seem haunted. Why is it so quiet around here? I thought something has happened to Ian? While Sasha stood in the living room in a daze, a voice came from behind her. ¡°Ms. Wand? When did you get here? You should have let me know that you wereing.¡± The voice belonged to Wendy. She thought she heard something and came out of the kitchen to check. There was finally someone Sasha could talk to in the vi. ¡°Wendy, where¡¯s little Ian? Is he okay?¡± ¡°Ian? He¡¯s fine. I sent him off to bed after giving him a bath just now.¡± Like the security guard, Wendy also seemed confused about Sasha¡¯ste visit tonight. Saying no more, Sasha stole a quick nce at the second floor and started striding toward Ian¡¯s room. Matt will never lie to me. Since he said that something has happened to Ian, then something must be wrong. The housemaids and guard may not have noticed it yet. In no time, Sasha arrived outside Ian¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Little Ian?¡± she called out her son¡¯s name while trying to push open the door. Her heart sank when she realized the door was locked from the inside. What¡¯s going on with this kid? Why is he doing this again all of a sudden? Wendy, who had followed closely behind Sasha, saw what happened and hurried downstairs to retrieve the bedroom key. This was no joking matter. Everyone in Royal Court One knew that Ian was not allowed to lock his bedroom door. Given his fragile body and unpredictable emotional state, there was no telling what would happen if he locked his bedroom door. Therefore, Sebastian had dered that his son¡¯s bedroom door was not allowed to be locked from the inside. And all this while, Ian had been obeying his father in this regard. But now, he had locked it again. Wendy rushed back with the key in her hand. ¡°Ms. Wand, here you go. The key.¡± Sasha grabbed the key and swiftly opened the bedroom door. ¡°Little Ian, what¡ª¡± Sasha¡¯s jaw dropped as soon as she dashed inside the room. When she was told that something had happened to Ian, she thought that maybe he had fallen ill again. But when she was inside Ian¡¯s room, she was taken by surprise; the room was aplete mess! What¡¯s going on here? What happened to my little Ian? Sasha¡¯s face turned pale as she surveyed the room; there were over-turned furniture, broken toys, and smashed items on the floor. Panic-stricken, she started searching for her son in the room. ¡°Little Ian? Little Ian, where are you?¡± ¡°Ian? Ian, please tell us where you are,¡± Wendy called out while checking every corner of the room. The two adults looked as though they were living their worst nightmare. They had searched every spot in the room, but there was no sign of Ian. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 It¡¯s like the kid had vanished into thin air! ¡°How did this happen? Where did he go?¡± Panic-stricken, Wendy was about to summon the security guards to search for the kid. Sasha was no better off. However, she didn¡¯t believe that her child would run away from home. He is only five and will definitely leave some clues behind even if he runs away. Sasha suppressed the fear in her heart and continued searching the room. In the end, what got her to breathe a sigh of relief was hearing the soft breathing that came from the huge closet. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Little Ian!¡± Sasha opened the closet immediately. As suspected, a small, curled-up figure appeared before the two adults. The pale-faced boy with pallid lips was only half-conscious at that moment. ¡°Little Ian¡­¡± ¡­ Sebastian was in a club when he received the call from home. After he got home that afternoon, Leslie showed up and informed Sebastian that the club Hayes Corporation invested in had opened its doors. He was then invited to go check things out as well as rx in the new club. That was why he went over. The cocktail had just been served, and it hadn¡¯t even rolled down Sebastian¡¯s throat when his phone rang. ¡°Sebastian Hayes, what the hell are you doing? Why aren¡¯t you home at this hour? Don¡¯t you know that something terrible happened?¡± The sudden angry howl was like dynamite blowing off right beside his ear, which stunned the man and forced him to move his phone away. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Who is it?¡± asked Leslie, who was sitting at the side. He was curious. This is Sebastian Hayes! Who on Earth is crazy enough to yell at him as soon as the call is picked up? Life, however, always had a way of surprising a person. Sebastian merely paused for a moment after being reprimanded that badly. After that, he ced his phone by his ear again andined, ¡°Sasha Wand, have you gone nuts? How dare you butt into my business?¡± ¡°Are you insane? Who the hell cares about you? I¡¯m only calling to ask you toe back because something happened to your son. He has to go to the hospital immediately. As his father, aren¡¯t you being a little too irresponsible?¡± What followed next was another series of furious howls. Sebastian was rendered speechless. Leslie blurted, ¡°Holy moly, who is that fearless woman? I have got to meet her.¡± Those words made Sebastian¡¯s expression turn even uglier. Surprisingly, he wasn¡¯t actually angry. On the contrary, receiving that call and being yelled at made Sebastian feel pretty good. I wonder if that is how other wives react. Will they call their husbands up and reprimand them like this whenever the men went homete? Sebastian put his drink aside. ¡°Got it.¡± Without saying another word, Sasha hung up the call immediately. That got Leslie utterly stupefied. I swear, I need to ask this gutsy woman where she found the courage to go up against this tyrant. And the dude doesn¡¯t even seem angry! When Leslie walked over and saw that Sebastian was leaving, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± This man is acting out of the norm today. Besides staying here for the entire afternoon, he also looks unusually grim. Even though Sebastian never said a word, Leslie, who had known him for over a decade, could still tell that something was amiss. The problem was that he had no idea what was troubling Sebastian. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Ian¡¯s just sick.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± blurted Leslie, who was genuinely worried upon hearing that. ¡°Are you sure that everything is alright? Do you need me to go with you?¡± Leslie knew that Ian had always been in poor health. Hence, hearing about the news got him worried, and he truly wanted to pay a visit. Unfortunately, the man standing in front of him outright rejected his kind gesture. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Just make sure that business is running smoothly here.¡± Leslie was dumbfounded. ¡°By the way, Sabrina said that she would be dropping by today. Remember to go wee herter,¡± reminded Sebastian before grabbing his car keys and leaving. Leslie felt like he was just struck by lightning. Sabrina? D*mn it, there goes my good days. At the People¡¯s Hospital located in the city center. Sasha worked in that hospital, so everyone recognized her when she rushed over with her son in her arms. ¡°Nancy, the boy¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s my son,¡± replied Sasha without hesitation. She has a son? The doctors on-site hurried over upon hearing that. What truly surprised them, however, was that the boy looked simr to a certain someone¡­ ¡°What is everyone standing around for? Examine the boy now!¡± The head physician scolded the other medical staff when he saw everyone gathering around. With that, everyone dispersed and got to work immediately. On the other hand, Sasha remainedposed while standing at the side. The kid had always been in poor health, and he practically grew up in the hospital. Hence, it was only natural that the medical staff knew about his condition. A few minutester, the ER doctor finally finished examining the boy. ¡°How is he, Dr. Woods? Is he going to be alright?¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine. His condition was likely caused by emotional distress. Did something upset him greatly?¡± asked the doctor. Upset him? However, Sasha was clueless about what happened to the kid too. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 That being said, Sasha was aware of how easily Ian¡¯s physical health got affected by emotional turmoil. That was why she didn¡¯t use her acupuncture techniques on him and took him to the hospital instead. From her experience, the most suitable treatment for him in such circumstances would be sedatives. And he¡¯ll also need psychotherapy. As Sasha stared at the boy on the bed whose eyes remained shut, she felt guilt-stricken. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He was already hiding in the closet when I arrived, all curled up like a ball. It¡¯s likely that something horrified him.¡± Sasha spected. She was at a loss as she honestly had no idea what had happened to her son, and the kid refused to talk even after he woke up. He simply kept his eyes closed without moving a muscle. That got Sasha extremely worried. Dr. Woods nodded and agreed, ¡°Yes, that is most likely what happened. Let him rest for a while. We¡¯ll ask him about it after he wakes up. Maybe he¡¯ll open up then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sasha breathed a sigh of relief after hearing that. After getting the prescription from the doctor, she went to pay the bill and retrieve the medicine. Sebastian made it to the hospital before Sasha returned from the pharmacy. Upon entering the room, he saw a tiny figure lying on the bed. ¡°Ian?¡± Sebastian was much calmer when dealing with his son¡¯s illness. After all, he had brought the child to the hospital countless times. Despite that, watching the tiny figure under those white sheets still gripped Sebastian¡¯s heart. He walked over to check how his boy was doing. Unfortunately, the moment he approached the bed, he saw the tiny thing inching away under the sheets. Ian still had his eyes closed, so he didn¡¯t catch a glimpse of Sebastian but only detected his scent. Yet, that was enough to make the kid keep his guard up, refusing to get close to his dad. Sebastian was at a loss for words upon seeing that. ¡°Here¡¯s the medicine, miss. Please administer it to my son,¡± said Sasha who had just returned at that moment before handing the medicine for the boy to the nurse. Hearing that from the side of the hospital bed, Sebastian retracted his long fingers that were clutching onto the edge of the sheets. When Sasha walked over with the nurse, she realized that Sebastian was there too and abruptly paused in her tracks, almost causing the nurse to crash into her. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Dr. Nancy?¡± ¡°Sorry, let¡¯s go over there.¡± Sasha quickly averted her gaze and followed the nurse to her son¡¯s bedside with a needle. At first, Sebastian had some doubts, but when he saw that thedy seemed professional, he swallowed his words, and with his hands in his pockets, he strode to the seat beside the window. He seems so freaking rxed. Sasha checked the kid¡¯s temperature after attaching a saline bag to him. Sheter red at the man icily and informed, ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡± Sebastian was swiping on his phone with his legs crossed at that moment. He appeared rxed and nonchnt, exuding the aura of a powerful man. Hearing Sasha say that she would leave the matter to him simply made him look up with an indifferent expression. ¡°Before you leave, shouldn¡¯t you tell me what happened?¡± The hell? He¡¯s only asking about this right now? Was his fatherly love just an act this entire time? Sasha¡¯s beautiful face turned hostile instantly as she growled, ¡°You¡¯re asking me? How would I know? He was already hiding in the closet when I reached the vi. He was all alone like¡­ like an abandoned pet! If you were home, you could¡¯ve prevented that from happening!¡± Sasha¡¯s eyes reddened as she spoke. Upon recalling how pitiful the child looked inside the closet, tears welled up in her eyes. Every time she thought about his crouching figure, her heart would wrench in pain. Sebastian was stunned as he didn¡¯t expect her to be so emotional all of a sudden. She¡¯s even crying¡­ Sebastian stiffly retracted his gaze. For the first time, he didn¡¯t reprimand her for losing her temper with him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since hest acted this way. When he was younger, he stayed in the Hayes residence for some time. That was when he became reclusive and resisted social interactions. After I brought him to my ce, he stopped having meltdowns like this.¡± Sasha was speechless. Her bloodshot eyes were still wet with tears when she stared nkly at the man in front of her. What is that supposed to mean? Is he trying to say that Little Ian is autistic? If that is the case, then everything makes sense since it¡¯s normal for autistic kids tock a sense of security. In fact, that is precisely the cause of the disorder. As his mother, it is my fault for not giving him the sense of security he needs! Sasha recalled how the boy always looked sorrowful and reluctant whenever he heard her saying that she was leaving. Now she finally understood the reason behind it. Her heart ached the second she made sense of everything, and she could no longer stop her tears from rolling down her cheeks. Sebastian was speechless. What is wrong with her? She¡¯s crying regardless of whether I speak up! ¡°Then I won¡¯t go back tonight. I¡¯ll stay and take care of him.¡± Sebastian was utterly baffled. ¡°Oh, Matt and Vivi are still in the apartment. Get someone to take care of them after you go back. Wendy will do. It¡¯s not safe for two kids to be alone at home.¡± Sasha then took out a set of keys from her purse. Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Sebastian was stunned once again. He did not expect any of that to happen. When he shared that story, he was just trying to let Sasha know why Ian was sick. Why are things spiraling this way? No one knew what was on his mind as he sat there quietly with his dark brown eyes fixated on those keys. That gaze¡­ Sasha thought that Sebastian was going to reject her request, so she turned grouchy and demanded, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving? Have you forgotten that Matt is your son too?¡± Upon hearing that, the man raised his brows. He then got up from the chair and grabbed the keys on the way out. What the hell is wrong with him? ¡­ That night, Sasha stayed in the hospital with her eldest son. Meanwhile, Sebastian left with the keys to the apartment. Sasha thought that he would do as she instructed and get someone else to take care of the kids in the apartment after he returned home. She didn¡¯t realize that the man went to her ce immediately after he left the hospital. Mommy? Matteo was in his room when Sebastian reached the apartment. The kid had not been able to sleep because he was worried about Ian. Abruptly, he heard the door being opened. His tiny head popped out from under the sheets instantly. ¡°Ian¡­¡± Vivian, on the other hand, was snoring lightly like a cute piglet. Sensing her brother moving about, she got upset that the cold air had invaded her warm nket and grumbled in her adorable voice. Her chubby arms hugged her brother even tighter. He was about to pry his baby sister¡¯s arm away when he heard a series of heavy footsteps and the sound of something being tossed onto the table. He could tell that the person was heading directly to their bedroom. ¡°Mom¡­ Daddy? What brought you here?¡± When the little boy saw the tall figure standing by the door, he was so surprised that his big, round eyes bulged. Sebastian was a little surprised as well. It was likely that he didn¡¯t expect the little one to be awake at that hour. ¡°Were you waiting for your mommy?¡± Sebastian walked to the kids¡¯ bed and sat beside them. Stroking the boy¡¯s head, he gestured for him to lie back down so that he won¡¯t catch a cold. Matteoy back down obediently. Still, he was happy to see his daddy there. His eyes shone as brightly as the stars in the sky. ¡°By the way, Mommy went to check on Ian. Daddy, is Ian alright? Is he sick? Also, why are you here? D-did youe just to see us?¡± asked Matteo, who was especially careful when he said thest sentence. Unlike Ian, Matteo wasn¡¯t raised by Sebastian, so their interaction was a little stiff, and they couldn¡¯t chat freely like how Ian did with Sebastian. Being the intelligent person he was, Sebastian could guess what the kid was thinking. He sat down by the bedside and tucked Matteo in. ¡°Ian got a fright,¡± answered Sebastian. ¡°Your mommy is staying in the hospital, so I came to see how you guys are doing.¡± ¡°Really?¡± As suspected, the little one was ecstatic to hear that answer. Daddy really came over for us! As his father gazed at him lovingly, Matteo¡¯s cute face lit up with a bright smile. The boy then asked, ¡°Is Ian¡¯s illness serious, though? I was talking to him over the phone at that time, but he suddenly stopped talking.¡± ¡°You were talking to him?¡± blurted Sebastian in mild astonishment. ¡°What were the two of you talking about?¡± ¡°We¡­ uh¡­¡± Instantly, the little guy lying on the bed was lost for words. He couldn¡¯t exactly tell his father that he and his brother were talking about their parents¡¯ divorce. Daddy will definitely be angry if he learns the truth. He will think that we¡¯re bad kids for eavesdropping. ¡°I-It¡¯s nothing. We were just talking about the games we y.¡± ¡°I see. Ian¡¯s fine, and he will be in good shape again by tomorrow. It¡¯ste, so be good and go to bed.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Sebastian didn¡¯t press on after hearing that reply. He simply stroked the little guy¡¯s head before telling him to go to bed. Matteo grinned at his daddy and said, ¡°Okay, but where will you sleep tonight, Daddy? Are you going to sleep here with us? We don¡¯t have that many rooms here, and the only other room is Mommy¡¯s.¡± This kiddo is teasing his daddy¡­ Sebastian pinched Matteo¡¯s button nose before exiting the nursery. It was not possible for Sebastian to sleep in their nursery because there was only a kid¡¯s bed. There was definitely not enough space for an adult, especially with two kids already sleeping there. Sebastian ended up going to Sasha¡¯s bedroom. When he opened the door, he saw a small but clean room. Given Sasha¡¯s financial capabilities, it was normal that she couldn¡¯t afford a luxurious ce. That being said, she kept her room clean, regardless of where she stayed. Even the shabby house in Old Town seemed weing after she decorated it. When Sebastian entered the room, he noted that the room was illuminated by warm lighting with a tidy bed in the middle of it. On the bed was a neatly folded light blue nket. The room was simple but not