《Two Times The Charm Novel (Clara and Emmett)》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 The driver opened the suite¡¯s door for her, bowing politely ra Calloway stood at the entrance, looking at the darkness inside the room. Every fiber of her screamed to turn around and bolt! But the check that was clenched in her fist made her straighten up, she forced herself to walk in. The door was closed behind her, blocking out thest shred of light! ra, like a frightened bird, frantically searched for a light switch, only to find there were none in the room. Suddenly¡­ She felt someone approaching from behind! Just as ra was about to scream, a pair ofrge hands suddenly covered her mouth! ¡°Quiet. I don¡¯t like noisy women.¡± The voice was deep and frightening,ced with a hint of annoyance. The next moment, she was abruptly lifted and roughly thrown onto the soft bed! ¡°Hold on!¡± ra pressed against his chest with her voice trembling. ¡°I want to know. Why me?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know why.¡± She wanted to ask more, but his lips had already silenced her¡­. Even now, ra still remembered that man¡¯s icy voice, his cold hands, and his rough, seemingly endless actions, until she lost consciousness. Ten monthster, outside a vi in a suburb overseas, a dozen ck Bentleys were waiting at the gate. They were waiting for the birth of the youngest offspring of the Melendez family. Inside the vi, ra was in a battle with death! ¡°Push, don¡¯t give up! We can see the baby¡¯s head!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I¡¯m all out of strength!¡± ra¡¯s forehead was soaked, her face pale as a ghost from the pain! Thank God, the bed rail in her hands was made of iron, otherwise, it could have been crushed! ¡°I can¡¯t do it, I¡¯m really out of strength!¡± ¡°Ms. Calloway, thedy has specifically insisted on a natural birth, and without the use of any painkillers. It¡¯s better for the baby¡¯s growth! Just hang in there, and follow my lead. 1, 2, 3. Push!¡± ¡°Ah! It hurts too much! It really hurts¡± She couldn¡¯t tell if the moisture on her cheek was tears or sweat. At that moment, she wished she could just die, not having to give birth anymore! The doctor was in a bind. On one hand she saw theboring mother exhausted, on the other hand, she was afraid of the Melendez family. She didn¡¯t dare to decide lightly. ¡°Childbirth is always painful. If you don¡¯t push, the baby might die in your womb!¡± The doctor¡¯s words seemed to have an effect. ra suddenly mustered all her strength, and gave birth to a baby boy in one go! ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± The cries of a newborn filled the room. ¡°It¡¯s a boy! The little one has a heart¨Cshaped birthmark on his back!¡± Hearing the baby¡¯s cry, the half¨Cunconscious ra weakly lifted her hand, ¡°Give it to me¡­ I want to see him¡­¡± The doctor held the baby, hesitated for a moment, and then said, ¡°I suggest you don¡¯t look I¡¯m a mother too, so I know looking will only make it more painful.¡± With that, she handed the baby to two men in ck suits standing outside the door. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°No, dont, I. I want to see him just once!¡± But the men in ck had already left with the baby. She could hear the sound of the car engine starting. The doctor looked at her expression and sighed. Just as she was about to disinfect ra, ra suddenly clutched her stomach and groaned. ¡°It hurts. It¡¯s starting to hurt again!¡± ¡°Still hurting?¡± The doctor was taken aback, immediately checked her. ¡°Oh my God, there¡¯s another baby in your belly¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 ra clung tightly to the doctor¡¯s hand. Her reddened eyes staring at her, ¡°I¡¯m begging you¡­ please keep my secret!¡± ¡°This¡­.¡± They don¡¯t need to know¡­.I beg you! Otherwise, I¡¯ll really die¡­.¡± Five yearster, in a city. ra was up early. She prepared her son Alex¡¯s favorite breakfast, sandwiches and soya milk. She pushed open the door of the second bedroom, and gently patted her son¡¯s little burt, ¡°The sun is up! It¡¯s the first day of school. We can¡¯t bete!¡± ¡°Mom¡­ Alex groggily got up, acting spoiled. He wrapped his arms around ra¡¯s neck, and kissed her cheek, ¡°Can I sleep for another ten minutes?¡± ¡°No way!¡± ra helplessly and humorously patted her son¡¯s face, ¡°Did you forget what mom told you yesterday?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­I need to go to kindergarten, and mommy needs to work, to pay for my kindergarten fees! But you¡¯ve promised to take me to the amusement park so many times.¡± Alex scrunched his small face, ¡°Why don¡¯t you adults keep your promises!¡± ¡°Be good. Mom will take you next week.¡± ¡°Humph, that¡¯s what you saidst time!¡± ¡°Mom you¡¯re always tricking me! You used to say dad was dead, but I clearly saw him on TV!¡± ra felt heartbroken, ¡°Alex. The man on TV can¡¯t possibly be your dad. When you grow up, mom will tell you everything.¡± ¡°Then why can¡¯t you tell me now? I want mom and dad to take me to the amusement park together!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alex¡­.¡± ¡°Hmph! I already guessed it, mom is just worried that dad will take me to the amusement park, so Despite the dissatisfaction on Alex¡¯s face, he obediently got up, dressed, and washed up. However, when he was packing his school bag, he deliberately put his little piggy bank in it, along with a few candies from under his pillow. At the same time, a ck Bentley on the street drove by, attracting the envious eyes of many drivers. Inside the car, Matt respectfully handed over the documents in his hand, saying, ¡°Sir, this is the bidding document for this project. Thesepanies are strong and all within our consideration.¡± The man sitting in the back seat didn¡¯t reach out to take the documents. His thin lips slightly pursed. He just swept a nce with his intense eyes, and waved his hand ¡°You handle it.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Go home.¡± After the man finished speaking, he turned his gaze to the window. At this moment, his perfect side profile could be seen clearly in the car¡¯s rear¨Cview mirror. He had deep contours and perfectly proportionate features. Peach¨Ccolored thin lips that looked like they were painted with lipstick, looking very enticing. He was the widely known business prodigy Emmett Melendez. The only heir of the Melendez family, who has been voted the most eligible bachelor in the magazine annual surveys for six consecutive years. He was rumored to dislike women and had serious germophobia! In addition, he had a child with an unknown birth mother. This was announced by the Melendez family three years ago, which had sparked many discussions and spections. ¡®Is Aiden still refusing to eat?¡± Emmett suddenly spoke Mart paused before replying, ¡°Yes, Aiden said if he doesn¡¯t get to see his mother, he will continue to refuse food.¡± ¡°He knows how to threaten people at such a young age.¡± He sneered coldly, his handsome face full of coldness and displeasure, ¡°Then let him starve.¡± ¡°But sir¡­¡± ¡°Stop talking: I hate noise¡± ¡°Okay¡± As soon as Matt¡¯s voice fell, Emmett¡¯s phone rang. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. He nced down. It was a call from his mother Sophia. As soon as he picked up, he heard her sobbing. ¡°Emmett, disaster struck! I lost Aiden¡®¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 After dropping Alex off at the daycare, ra hopped in a cab and headed straight to the Melendez skyscraper After paying the taxi fare, she got out of the cab, looked up at the towering building and couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit jittery- She had to nail this job interview! Melendez Corporation was a big deal in the industry, and anyone associated with it was considered top¨Cnotch. Taking a deep breath, ra strutted into the building Before she could even reach the front desk, a man rushed out, muttering: ¡°Mr. Melendez¡¯s kid is missing? Got it, I¡¯ll round up a search party right away!¡± Hearing this, ra raised an eyebrow, a strange pang in her heart. ¡°Hello, who are you looking for?¡± If it weren¡¯t for the receptionist interrupting her thoughts, she would have just stood there dumbfounded. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m here for an interview. For position of the General Manager¡¯s Secretary¡± ¡°Alright, follow me!¡± ra followed the receptionist, stealing a nce at the direction the man had rushed off to ra aced the interview. Out of the ten candidates, she was the only one who made the cut. After giving her a review, the manager nodded in approval, ¡°You can start tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± ¡°Great, wear a nice dress and drop off a document at the headquarters for me.¡± The manager grinned, ¡°You¡¯ll be representing our entirepany at the headquarters on your first day. You¡¯ll get to meet Melendez¡¯s CEO, so make sure to make the most of this opportunity!¡± ra didn¡¯t think twice, simply smiling in response, ¡°Thank you for your acknowledgement, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± As soon as she exited the interview room, she was eager to share the good news. But when she took out her phone, she realized she had nobody to share it with. Her excitement vanished in an instant. Just as she was about to put her phone away, an iing call from Alex¡¯s teacher lit up the screen. ra¡¯s first thought was that her son was in trouble again. ¡°Hello, this is Alex¡¯s mom speaking.¡± ¡°Is this Alex¡¯s parent? He snuck out of school!¡± ¡°He he what?¡± ¡°Yes. We noticed Alex was missing and checked the surveince footage. He slipped out during lunch break!¡± ra couldn¡¯t hear the rest of the teacher¡¯s words. All she could think about was that Alex was missing. Her phone slipped from her hand and ttered onto the ground Suddenly, she remembered what her son had said that morning. The amusement park! Alex must have gone to the amusement park! ¡°Alex, mommy is so sorry¡­ This is all my fault! Please, I hope nothing bad has happened to you!¡± What was the point of living without her son? Even though it was a weekday, the amusement park was packed with people. This was a Melendez¨Cfunded amusement park, with top¨Cranked attractions from around the world.. ra hailed a cab straight to the park. She jumped out in such a hurry she even forgot to pay the fare! ¡°Alex1 Alex!¡± ¡°Alex, where are you!¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. She wished she had eight eyes as she scanned the park for a glimpse of her son. Then, all of a sudden- She spotted a familiar, skinny little figure making his way through the crowd! ra quickened her pace, rushing over to scoop him up. ¡°Alex! Do you have any idea how scared mom was? I can¡¯t live without you! I promise I¡¯ll never leave you ever again!¡± Mom? Aiden froze, staring at the weeping stranger in front of him, who bore an uncanny resemnce to him¡­. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Her embrace was warm, tight, and intense. Was this what it felt like to be held by a mother?¨C ra held Alex for a moment, feeling his body stiffen in her arms. She let go, looking at the child before her There was no mistaking it. That was Alex¡¯s face But¡­ ¡°Alex, where did you get this outfit?¡± she asked, noticing his change of clothes. She remembered dressing him in white shorts and a tee in the morning How did it turn into a ck tee? ¡°¡­¡± Aiden started, hesitated for a few seconds, and then said, ¡°I like this outfit, and I swapped with some other kids.¡± ¡°So you like ck clothes! I¡¯ve been so busy with work, I didn¡¯t notice your preferences. I¡¯m sorry, can you forgive me?¡± ra squatted down, looking at her son sincerely, ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll take you to the amusement park every week and spend more time ying with you.¡± Aiden nodded somewhat woodenly. To him, maternal love was foreign, yet fascinating. He¡­ wanted to experience this feeling. As for the cold father from the Melendez family, he hoped to never see him again. ¡°Come with me, I¡¯ll take you to Burger King! How about it?¡± ra squeezed her son¡¯s hand tightly, wanting to give him everything. ¡°Burgers are junk food¡± Aiden frowned, his expression somewhat resembling Emmett¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s okay! Haven¡¯t you always wanted to try it? I¡¯ll take you to stuff your face! I just got a job today, let¡¯s go celebrate¡± ¡°..Okay¡± Aiden didn¡¯t dare to say much. He was afraid of being recognized, he wanted to enjoy life with a mother more. At the Melendez mansion, Sophia had a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. Emmett silently sat in the hospital room, his lips pressed into a thin line. ¡°Emmett, you need to reflect on yourself! You¡¯ve been too harsh on Aiden! Why else would he run away from home? Emmett¡¯s father, Patrick Melendez, reprimanded, ¡°Even though it was your mother and I who decided to bring Aiden into this world, he is still your son!¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Weren¡¯t you always the ones making decisions about disciplining him?¡± ¡°We¡¯re old. How much longer can we manage him! Aiden needs to rely on you in the future!¡± Emmett was about to speak when Matt knocked on the door and walked in. ¡°Gentlemen! We just got word from the amusement park, they found Aiden!¡± Hearing this, Emmett stood up, his tall figure casting a shadow on the hospital bed. ¡°TI bring him back.¡± ¡°Good, you two need to bond! I¡¯ll be here taking care of your mother.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Emmett left the room, went downstairs, and got into the car His face expressionless Matt nced at his employer through the rearview mirror, said nothing, and kept driving towards the amusement park. The drive took about ten minutes. As soon as they arrived, Emmett opened the car door, and before he could say anything, a small figure rushed into his arms. ¡°I finally found you! Your name is Em something, right?¡± Alex was as excited as if he¡¯d discovered a treasure. He didn¡¯t expect to actually meet this handsome man! Emmett stared at the child in front of him, his eyebrows furrowed ¡°It¡¯s Emmett, not Em something! And, did youe here looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes¡°¡± Alex shoved his tiny hand into Emmett¡¯s, squinting his eyes with a grin, ¡°I want a good dad, who can y with me, and take me to eat yummy food. Will you be him?¡± To be a good dad¡­ Emmett was moved by these words. Indeed, he had to admit that over the years, he hadn¡¯t given his son enough love, even¡­ Emmett looked at the tender little hand in his. This was the first real contact as father and son! ¡°Alright, I promise you. I¡¯ll try my best to be a good dad¡± He bent down and picked up his son. It was time for him to step up and be a good father! Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Alex was over the moon, ¡°Really? You agreed just like that? Then my mom-¡± Once Emmett heard that, his face tumed stem and he cut off Alex¡¯s words, ¡®You don¡¯t have a mom. You only have me! Come home with me¡± Alex was taken aback and hustled into the car. He headed back to the Melendez family mansion with Emmett. ¡°Aiden, you¡¯re finally back!¡± As soon as they got out of the car, the butler Henry spotted him and was so thrilled he was on the verge of tears Ever since Aiden joined the Melendez family, it was Henry who watched him grow up, he treated Aiden as if he was his own child. ¡°Alden? My name¡¯s not Aiden, it¡¯s Alex!¡± ¡°Sweetie, you are Aiden, you¡¯re our precious Melendez family member! Don¡¯t be angry, and don¡¯t run away from home anymore! Don¡¯t be mad at your dad, he loves you!¡± Run away from home? Alex got more and more baffled as he listened, until his gazended on a photo hanging on the living room wall! N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Wasn¡¯t that him? But he didn¡¯t own the clothes in the photo, and he didn¡¯t remember taking that picture! Could it be¡­ they all mistook him for someone else. Was this why they brought him here? Alex¡¯s eyes darted around and he pointed at the photo, ¡°Um¡­ is that me?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s you!¡± Henry grabbed his small hand, ¡°Who else could it be? Come, let¡¯s go have some ice cream sundae and check out the full set of Transformers toys your grandparents got for you!¡± Alex¡¯s eyes lit up at that, ¡°Ice cream sundae? A full set of Transformers? Are those mine?¡± ¡°There you go. Aiden. Finally a smile!¡± His usual quiet demeanor was just like Emmett¡¯s. This sudden burst of energy was a pleasant surprise for Henry Before they left, Alex stuck his tongue out at the Aiden in the photo, and mumbled, ¡°I really want to y with the Transformers and eat ice cream sundae, so I¡¯ll borrow your name. I am ¡°Aiden¡± for now! You won¡¯t mind, right?¡± The next morning, as usual, Emmett finished his morning workout and was about to head to the office. Normally, he would just leave, but today, he made a detour to his son¡¯s room. He quietly opened the door, and the little guy was still sleeping! His whole body was sprawled on the pillow. His sleeping position was a sight to see, yet it was so adorable it tugged at Emmett¡¯s heartstrings! He smiled slightly, closed the door behind him, turned around and said, ¡°Matt, cancel the afternoon meeting. I¡¯m taking him to the amusement park¡± Matt was taken aback, but quickly nodded, ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Emmett and Matt got into the car and drove towards the office. On the way, Emmett routinely opened hisptop to check on some documents Suddenly, a sudden brake made hisptop fall to the car floor! Emmett frowned, about to say something, when suddenly there was frantic knocking on the car window. He looked over to see a woman with a bloody face appearing in his view! ¡°Help me, please!¡± Her voice sounded weak, and her body was swaying unsteadily. Upon seeing this, Matt quickly said, ¡°Sorry, sir. I¡¯ll go shoo her away right now!¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± Emmett was staring at the girl outside the window. He was surprised because he didn¡¯t feel the usual repulsion towards her For many years, he lived alone, not because he was aloof, but because he had a condition. Whenever he saw a woman get close to him, he would uncontrobly want to escape, bing agitated and even irrational. But now, looking at the woman outside the window, he didn¡¯t feel that way. It was like¡­ like that woman back then, he didn¡¯t feel disgusted but rather attracted, unable to resist her allure all night. ¡°Let her in¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Heaning Emmett¡¯s words, Matt almost thought he was hearing things. ¡°Sir, are you¡­ are you really bringing her home?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow. ¡°Got a problem with that?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯ll get right to it!¡± Driving out in the suburbs, down a winding forest path, a vi suddenly came into view. Matt parked the car in the courtyard and hurriedly got out to open the back door, ¡°Sir, do need me to get a doctor for thisdy?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Emmett nodded slightly, ncing at the woman who was still unconscious The blood on her forehead had turned a deep red and mixed in with her hair. She was in bad shape! There were bruises and injuries all over her body, she had clearly been beaten up by more than one person! But none of that was of interest to him, he just wanted to know why he didn¡¯t feel repulsed by this woman! Emmett furrowed his brows, his gaze shifting towards her chest¡­ This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Could it be, she was actually a transgender? ¡°Sir!¡± Matt¡¯s voice brought him back to reality. ¡°The doctor is on his way.¡± ¡°Bring her in.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Emmett got out of the car first and walked into the vi. A man in ck bowed respectfully to him, ¡°Wee back.¡± ¡°Any news?¡± Emmett strode into the study. He grabbed a bottle of wine from the shelf, poured himself a ss and took a small sip. ¡°Sir, ording to your description, I¡¯ve found four women who match the features! They¡¯ve all had children, lived abroad for some time and their heights are all around 5 4 feet He handed over the photos he had in his hand. Emmett nced at them with a frown. He felt repulsed by them, so these definitely weren¡¯t who he was looking for. ¡°Keep looking.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The man turned and left while Emmett put down the wine ss he was holding with slender fingers. He had never thought about finding that woman before, because she was the pain of his life! But recently his son had been wanting to see his mom. Although he had always sternly refused, he could see the longing in his son¡¯s eyes! After all, the kid hasn¡¯t done anything wrong, he just wanted to see his own mother! So he decided to find that woman to fulfill his son¡¯s wish. Soon after, Matt came over, ¡°Sir, thedy has been mumbling the name Taylor. Do you want to go see her?¡± ¡°Taylor?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow His first thought was Taylor Atwood ¨C thepetitor of Melendez Company, the CEO of AW Corporation. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard her several times, it¡¯s definitely Taylor! Also, this is the ID we found on her.¡± Matt handed over the ID card. ¡°ra..¡± he muttered the name on the card unconsciously. What a gentle feminine name! He wondered, could this woman he picked up be one of Taylor¡¯s lovers? If so, that would be interesting Emmett got up and went to the guest room of the vi, where the woman on the bed was mumbling. The doctor had already treated her wounds and bandaged her up. Looking at her face now¡­ she was quite delicate and pretty. Not the type that would take your breath away at first sight, but her features were pleasing to the eye, and there was a sense of familiarity! Emmett thought to himself, have I seen her before? Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¡°Taylor¡­ Taylor, no, it¡¯s not what you think. Let me exin!¡± ra suddenly furrowed her brows, gripping Emmett¡¯s sleeve lightly, and then her eyes flew open! This man¡¯s eyes¡­ they were so simr to that pair she saw that night! ¡°Who are you?¡± Years of caution drove ra to throw a punch his way before even getting an answer Emmett took the punch, frozen in ce. Who would have thought that he, the CEO of Melendez Company and the only heir of the Melendez family, would get punched by a woman he¡¯d never met before! ¡°Sir, are you alright?¡± Matt hurried over, pushing ra aside and checking Emmett¡¯s condition, ¡°This woman is ungrateful! Our boss saved her and she dares to hit him!¡± Realizing that she¡¯d punched the wrong person, ra hurriedly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was unintentional! I¡¯ll take responsibility if you¡¯re hurt!¡± ¡°Can you really afford to? This gentleman is the CEO of Melendez! Can youpensate for any work he might miss because of this?¡± The CEO of Melendez?! ra¡¯s eyes widened in shock. That meant¡­ he was the big boss of her new company. The one who would be signing her paycheck! ¡°Matt¡± Emmett spoke in low voice, ¡°Leave us.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, sir.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Though reluctant, Matt didn¡¯t dare to defy Emmett¡¯s order! He wondered what got into Emmett today! It was surprising enough that he helped this woman, and now he was taking a beating from her without retaliation! After Matt left, only ra and Emmett remained in the room. Feeling the awkward atmosphere, ra hurriedly apologized again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Melendez! I really didn¡¯t expect this. I was beaten up by a bunch of debt collectors, and when I opened my eyes and saw you, I thought you were¡­ ¡°Debt collectors?¡± Emmett arched an eyebrow, intrigued. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re after my father¡¯s gambling debt. They couldn¡¯t find him, so they came after me.¡± ra bit her lip, feeling a bit embarrassed, ¡°It¡¯s my first day at Melendez, and I was supposed to deliver some documents to the head office¡­. ¡°You know Taylor Emmett interrupted her, making a statement. He wasn¡¯t a hundred percent sure, but he wanted to see her reaction. Just as he expected, a flicker of panic in her eyes confirmed that the man she had been bbering about was Taylor, the CEO of AW Company. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know who he is!¡± Emmett kept his eyes on her, not missing a single change in her gaze, ¡°You¡¯re Taylor¡¯s woman.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m really not!¡± ra quickly waved her hands. She was in no position to have any connection with Taylor! Taylor was now a high¨Cflying CEO, a top bachelor amongst the elite, while she was just a humble single mother struggling to make ends meet! ¡°Then have you seen me before?¡± Emmett found himself slightly hopeful. Could she be that woman from that night? He didn¡¯t see her face that night, but he remembered her eyes, clear as ss, unforgettable! ¡°No.¡± ra shook her head firmly, ¡®Mr. Melendez, I¡¯m really just a newly hired secretary at the Melendez Company! I¡¯m here to deliver documents. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can show you!¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 She jumped out of bed, intending to go find her documents, but then the memory suddenly hit her! When she was surrounded by those guys, she remembered swinging her purse at them, and then it slipped from her hand¡­ ¡°Oh, no! My documents¡± ra thought and immediately rushed out. Emmett frowned in waming. ¡°If you go back now, those guys might still be there¡± ¡°But I have to find my documents! This is my first job, I can¡¯t just screw it up! My son is waiting for me to earn money to take him to an amusement park!¡± She couldn¡¯t lose this job! Son? Emmett was slightly surprised. ¡°You¡­ you have a kid?¡± ¡°Yes! I have a son named Alex, he¡¯s five years old!¡± Then she wasn¡¯t that woman, because Aiden was also five, and born in the summer, she couldn¡¯t have given birth to two children in one year Snapping out of his daze, Emmett realized that the woman had disappeared. He was frowning; he felt he had already interfered enough and shouldn¡¯t let this woman he just met influence his thoughts! But thinking about the danger she might face going back, he couldn¡¯t help but worry. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. After hesitating for a few seconds, Emmett decided to say, ¡°Matt, go find that woman.¡± ra hurried to find her documents, but they were nowhere to be found. She searched everywhere, even rummaged through the nearby trash cans! What to do¡­ was she going to lose her job right off the bat? She had promised Alex to take him to the amusement park, buy him new clothes and toys! She couldn¡¯t lose her job! As ra reached for another trash can, she suddenly heard the voices of a few men. ¡°Look, the woman is back!¡± ¡°She¡¯s got some nervel¡± One of them walked up and shoved ra, ¡°Are you here to repay us?¡± Caught off guard, ra stumbled back a few steps. ¡°TII definitely pay you back. Can you give me some time?¡± ¡°No way! How are we supposed to live if we give you time?¡± The leader of the group threw away his toothpick, looked at ra, and smirked, ¡°You have one other option¡­e with me! Be my woman, and I¡¯ll let you payter.¡± ra shook her head immediately, holding her chest, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m a woman with a child. I¡¯m not good enough for you! Can¡¯t you give me a little more time?¡± The man walked up, grabbed ra¡¯s hair. The pain made her wince! ¡°Why should I give you time? You think my money grows on trees? I¡¯m giving you the chance to be my woman because I think you¡¯re worth it. Don¡¯t be ungrateful!¡± The man raised his hand to hit ra again, she had closed her eyes, waiting for the impending p¡­.. But, the p never came! Suddenly, the man screamed in pain, letting go of ra¡¯s hair. ¡°Ah¨CFuck! Who, who dares touch me?!¡± Matt sneered. He single¨Chandedly subdued the man with ease and forced him to kneel before Emmett! ¡°Behave!* The man looked up to see Emmett, his face paled in an instant. He started to stutter. *Si¡­ sir, Mr. Melendez! What what are you doing here?¡± ¡°She owes you money?¡± Emmett arched an eyebrow, asking calmly. ¡°Yes! Her father owes me a lot of money! I had no choice but to do this! I really didn¡¯t know she was your friend! If I knew I wouldn¡¯t dare touch your friend¡­¡­¡­.¡± ¡°How much does she owe?¡± Upon hearing Emrt¡¯s question, ra was taken aback! Was he nning¡­ to help her pay off the debt? Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°¡­¡± How on earth could a man ask Emmett for money? Isn¡¯t that just asking for trouble? ¡°Speak.¡± Emmett nced at the woman next to him out of theer of his eye. She looked thunderstruck Tll pay you back today, he said. ¡°But don¡¯t let me catch you slimng up trouble again.¡± ¡°Got it! I won¡¯t never do that again!¡± ¡°Matt, pay him.¡± Matt nodded obediently ¡°Yes, sir¡± Before ra could react, Emmett had pulled her into the car! It wasn¡¯t until the car door closed that she snapped back to reality. ¡°Thanks¡­ really, thanks for today! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll pay you back for the money you paid for me!¡± ¡°No need ¡°Emmett poured himself a ss of red wine with his slender hand, sipping it delicately. ¡°We won¡¯t be seeing each other again. Matt, let her out at the ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Upon hearing this, ra frowned. ¡°This isn¡¯t a small amount of money, and I¡¯m nobody to you. How can I ept your money? How about you give me your bank ount number. I¡¯ll repay you monthly, with interest!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a bank card¡± Matt, who was driving, whispered, ¡°The bank is owned by the Melendez family.¡± ra swallowed hard, flustered by the sudden disy of wealth. After a few seconds of silence, she dered, ¡°I have principles. I can¡¯t just ept things from others! Even if you¡¯re loaded, I can¡¯t just¨Cmmph!¡± Her words were cut off as two thin lips sealed hers! ra was shocked. He¡­ he¡¯s kissing me! Emmett is kissing me! This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. She could smell a faint fragrance on him, not like the sweat stench of other men. That handsome face was right in front of her, making her forget she should push him away! After a while, Emmett was the first to release her lips, saying coldly, ¡°Consider this kiss a purchase¡± He wanted to see if he only felt no aversion toward this woman. The car quickly stopped at a corner ra didn¡¯t say a word until after she got out and watched the car drive away. The car was out of sight when she finally blinked, weakly touching her lips. She wanted to ask, Mister Emmett. Can you buy a few more kisses? This was probably the most valuable kiss she ever had! When ra got home, Aiden was studying at the table. Upon hearing her, he immediately stood up, saluting, ¡°Hello, mother¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± ra raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re actually studying on your own? And¡­ You¡¯re being polite? Alex, if it wasn¡¯t for your face, I would have thought I mixed up my kid¡°¡± Aiden swallowed hard, he was still a child after all, and his expression was a bit stiff. As ra walked into the room, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alex. I might need to find another job. Melendez will definitely fire me this time.¡± Melendez? Aiden looked surprised instantly. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I messed up at work today. I borrowed a lot of money from Emmett without understanding the situation. Things might get harder for us, and I¡¯ll need to save up to repay Emmett.¡± ¡°¡­My dad has a lot of money¡± ra froze. ¡°What did you say?¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡°Uh¡­ I mean¡­ I wish he was my dad¡­¡± ra walked over, grabbed her son¡¯s arm, and said seriously, ¡°Remember, son! Even if they¡¯re loaded, they shouldn¡¯t spend a dime on us! That money isn¡¯t ours! Got it?¡± ¡°Mm¨Chm!¡± ¡°Good boy! Now go read some more. I¡¯ll whip up some grub¡± But Aiden followed her. Because within ra, there was a motherly love that attracted him¡­ It was an experience he had never had before! He couldn¡¯t help but want to get closer. ¡°What¡¯s up? Alex, you seem off today?¡± ra turned her head and looked at her own son, raised her hand and touched his forehead, ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever! You seem a bit down!¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°So¡­ what should I do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you usually make a mess at home every day, refuse to take baths and study?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ so can I not bathe today?¡± ra sighed, ¡°Of course not! After dinner. I¡¯ll take you to bathel¡± Aiden was stunned, ¡°You? Take me to bathe?¡± ¡°Yeah! Who else?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m a boy!¡± ra rubbed her son¡¯s hair andughed, ¡°What, you just started kindergarten and you already know about gender differences?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know before?¡± Aiden was helpless. What exactly was the original Alex like! ¡°You should have known this before! Besides, how would I know if you knew or not! I¡¯m not you!¡± ra laughed awkwardly. She had really never paid attention to this issue before, so she quickly changed the subject, ¡°So, what do you feel like eating? Is steak burger okay?¡± Aiden obediently nodded, ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll check in the fridge to see if we still have the steaks we bought from the supermarketst time?¡± Aiden frowned, but eventually swallowed his doubts. He can¡¯t ask too many questions. It¡¯ll raise suspicion! But¡­ constantly eating frozen food wasn¡¯t good either! Even though he craved that motherly feeling from her, he didn¡¯t want to always eat junk food! ¡°By the way! You mentioned Emmett from the Melendez Groupst time and said he¡¯d be a good match for me. Can you believe we actually met! Son, did the God of Luck kiss your mouth or something?¡± ra was making the burger and muttering to herself. Aiden stiffened when he heard his father¡¯s name. ¡°I don¡¯t think you guys are a good match now.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ra paused, ¡°Why the sudden change of heart? Last time, someone was insisting I go on a date with Emmett, and now you¡¯re saying it¡¯s not a good idea!¡± ¡°He has a bad temper. Anyway, it¡¯s not a good match.¡± Aiden had a serious look on his face, unable to say anything praiseworthy about Emmett. In his eyes, this father, whether present or not, made no difference! ¡°Haha, let¡¯s change the topic! It¡¯s like I could really have a good tale to tell with Emmett!¡± re reached out and pinched her son¡¯s cheek, ¡°Alex, for you, I won¡¯t go on dates, nor will I find a stepfather for you! Having you as my son is enough in this lifetime.¡± In the Melendez family¡¯s mansion. The previous Aiden was hard to please. He was always cold as ice, just like Mr. Emmett, so the servants were all scared of Aiden! But now, Aiden was all smiles to every servant! ¡°Miss, I want to y hide and seek, will you y with me?¡± Alex tugged at a maid¡¯s dress, squinting his eyes and giving a sweet smile. Before the maid could respond, a voice suddenly cut in- ¡°No ying! Why do you seem like a different person than before?¡± Alex looked up and saw the person scolding him was Emmett Chapter 11 Chapter 11 He said a bit nervously, ¡°I don¡¯t like reading!¡± ¡°Too much gaming will mess you up¡± Sophia suddenly showed up to defend her son, ¡°Emmett, Alex is finally bing cheerful. Why are you still so harsh on him! He¡¯s just a kid, it¡¯s normal for him to love ying!¡± Emmett frowned and walked away. Alex carefully looked at his grandma, pouting, ¡°Did I make dad upset?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him! Look at you; you¡¯re so happy today. I¡¯ve never seen you this cheerful since I¡¯ve known you!¡± It¡¯s like he became a different person! ¡°Do you prefer the happy me or the old me, grandma?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s the current you! Good boy, grandma always worries that my love is not enough and that it might stress you out. You¡¯ve grown up without your parents, that¡¯s my fault.¡± Upon seeing Sophia¡¯s teary eyes, Alex quickly reached out to hold her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, grandma! So what if I didn¡¯t grow up with my parents? You can just bring my mom here, right? Then we can all be together!¡± ¡°You¡¯re still little. There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t understand!¡± Sophia sighed, ¡°Back then¡­it was all my fault! I messed up!¡± Emmett returned to his study. There were a lot of documents to process, but when he saw them, all he could think of was that woman. Who was she? Who was the woman he saved? What was the connection he felt? Why wasn¡¯t he repulsed by them? The more he thought, the more painful his headache he got. He stood up and randomly threw his tie onto the bed. Suddenly¡­his phone rang! Emmett walked over to see. It was an unfamiliar number. He hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡°Hello.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Hello, is this Mr. Emmett?¡± With just one sentence, Emmett recognized the voice! It was the woman he had saved! ¡°How did you get my number?* ¡°Ask the Mr. Matt beside you.¡± ra¡¯s voice was a bit noisy, ¡°I¡¯m on my way to the Melendez Group now. Can I meet you?¡± ¡°You want to see me?¡± ¡°Yes! I think it¡¯s better to discuss face to face about how to pay you back!¡± Emmett softly said, ¡°No need.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work! I can¡¯t just take your money for no reason! You saved me, and I¡¯m already very grateful! I must repay you. It¡¯s just that it will take a long time. I might need to pay you in installments! So I wanted to discuss with you how to do the installment.¡± Huh, seemed like a determined woman. Emmett¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly. ¡°Eighth floor,e straight up.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After hanging up, he looked at his phone screen, and suddenly felt that he had been a bit off recently! Every time he faced this woman, he acted out of character! ¡°ra, ra¡­¡± Emmett¡¯s lips moved slightly, just then Matt knocked on the door from outside. ¡°Sir! Taylor wants to see you¡± Taylor? Emmett squinted his eyes. His fingers habitually twirled his si ring. ¡°Have him wait for me in the founge Perfect! ra was alsoing over today! He really wanted to know what the rtionship was between ra and Taylor! Chapter 12 Chapter 12 He said a bit nervously, ¡°I don¡¯t like reading!¡± ¡°Too much gaming will mess you up¡± Sophia suddenly showed up to defend her son, ¡°Emmett, Alex is finally bing cheerful. Why are you still so harsh on him! He¡¯s just a kid, it¡¯s normal for him to love ying!¡± Emmett frowned and walked away. Alex carefully looked at his grandma, pouting, ¡°Did I make dad upset?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him! Look at you; you¡¯re so happy today. I¡¯ve never seen you this cheerful since I¡¯ve known you!¡± It¡¯s like he became a different person! ¡°Do you prefer the happy me or the old me, grandma?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s the current you! Good boy, grandma always worries that my love is not enough and that it might stress you out. You¡¯ve grown up without your parents, that¡¯s my fault.¡± Upon seeing Sophia¡¯s teary eyes, Alex quickly reached out to hold her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, grandma! So what if I didn¡¯t grow up with my parents? You can just bring my mom here, right? Then we can all be together!¡± ¡°You¡¯re still little. There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t understand!¡± Sophia sighed, ¡°Back then¡­it was all my fault! I messed up!¡± Emmett returned to his study. There were a lot of documents to process, but when he saw them, all he could think of was that woman. Who was she? Who was the woman he saved? What was the connection he felt? Why wasn¡¯t he repulsed by them? The more he thought, the more painful his headache he got. He stood up and randomly threw his tie onto the bed. Suddenly¡­his phone rang! This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Emmett walked over to see. It was an unfamiliar number. He hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello, is this Mr. Emmett?¡± With just one sentence, Emmett recognized the voice! It was the woman he had saved! ¡°How did you get my number?* ¡°Ask the Mr. Matt beside you.¡± ra¡¯s voice was a bit noisy, ¡°I¡¯m on my way to the Melendez Group now. Can I meet you?¡± ¡°You want to see me?¡± ¡°Yes! I think it¡¯s better to discuss face to face about how to pay you back!¡± Emmett softly said, ¡°No need.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work! I can¡¯t just take your money for no reason! You saved me, and I¡¯m already very grateful! I must repay you. It¡¯s just that it will take a long time. I might need to pay you in installments! So I wanted to discuss with you how to do the installment.¡± Huh, seemed like a determined woman. Emmett¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly. ¡°Eighth floor,e straight up.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After hanging up, he looked at his phone screen, and suddenly felt that he had been a bit off recently! Every time he faced this woman, he acted out of character! ¡°ra, ra¡­¡± Emmett¡¯s lips moved slightly, just then Matt knocked on the door from outside. ¡°Sir! Taylor wants to see you¡± Taylor? Emmett squinted his eyes. His fingers habitually twirled his si ring. ¡°Have him wait for me in the founge Perfect! ra was alsoing over today! He really wanted to know what the rtionship was between ra and Taylor! Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°There are loads of jobs out there that can put grub on the table for your kids and pay off your debts, you know. Like AW! Even if you lose the gig at Melendez, you¡¯ve always got that. So don¡¯t go pinning your hopes on me.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Emmett¡¯s fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk with a meaningful look in his eyes ¡°AW, huh¡­¡± ra¡¯s eyes flickered with panic for a moment, but she quickly regained her awkward smile. ¡°But I really wanna work here, at Melendez¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Um¡­ it¡¯s pretty simple!¡± ra lightly touched her forehead, her mind spinning. ¡°You¡¯re my debtor right now. Seeing you every day would constantly remind me of the money I owe you, giving me more motivation to earn money!¡± ¡°You wanna see me every day?¡± Emmett asked with a meaningful tone. ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t get it twisted. I want to see you every day only to remind myself that I still owe you money. I need to work hard to pay off my debt.¡± ra raised her finger earnestly in promise. Anyway, she would never work at AW, never face Taylor¡­ and she actually thought the Melendez Group was better. Getting into the Melendez Group was her goal after much effort, she couldn¡¯t give up on this job. Seeing Emmett still not agreeing, ra started to get anxious. ¡°Mr. Melendez, trust me. I can bring unforeseen profits to Melendez, there¡¯s definitely room for me to shine¡­ If you think I can¡¯t, you can fire me on the spot once I¡¯ve paid off your debt! At that time¡­.¡± Anyway, she would stay as long as she could. ¡°Deal.¡± She hadn¡¯t finished speaking when she heard Emmett¡¯s low voice. ¡°You mean¡­ deal?¡± ra couldn¡¯t believe her ears, wondering if she heard wrong. ¡°My personal secretary¡± ¡°Personal¡­ secretary?¡± ra looked puzzled, ¡°But¡­ but I applied for the position of secretary to the branch manager¡­ ¡°This is the only position you can hold at Melendez. You have ten seconds to consider.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t n to exin much to her. He kept this woman just to let the outside rumors fade away on their own. He raised his wrist to check the time for a moment, he spoke in a low voice, Time¡¯s up. You can leave now.¡± ¡°No!¡± ra quickly exined, ¡°I agree!¡± She lowered her eyes. It didn¡¯t matter who she worked for as a secretary anyway. She just didn¡¯t expect Emmett to directly propose that she work as his personal secretary. It was a shock, not a rejection. ¡°Tomorrow morning at nine, report here.¡± Emmett¡¯s deep gaze lifted to look at her, his tone still indifferent. ¡°No problem.¡± ra answered decisively. As long as she wasn¡¯t fired, she would definitely cherish this job opportunity. Ha, she was already feeling excited about her repayment n. What a great idea, killing two birds with one stone. ¡°I don¡¯t liketeness, nor do I like my secretary being tied up with personal matters.¡± Emmett added expressionlessly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. President. I always put my work first. Unless it¡¯s about my son, nothing else is more important than my work. I promise.¡± ¡°You can leave now!¡± Emmett just turned his chair around, leaving her with an unresponsive silhouette. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 The next day, ra not only arrived at thepany half an hour early, but she also followed the manager¡¯s advice during the interview and wore a very elegant. skirt and light makeup. The skirt was white, both elegant and professional, simple yet tasteful. The moment the exclusive elevator doors opened for CEO Emmett, he saw the silhouette waiting in front of his office. A sight that made him space out for a few seconds. ¡°Come in.¡± The voice came from ra¡¯s side. Upon lifting her gaze, she saw the shadow that had opened the office door. She nodded politely, ¡°Morning, Mr. Melendez, I¡¯m here to report.¡± She was calm and professional, without any excessive attempts to ingratiate herself. ¡°Come in first.¡± Although Emmett¡¯s tone was as cold as usual, he knew very well that he didn¡¯t have any hatred toward ra. After ra followed him into the office, Emmett handed her some documents, then personally took her to her own office. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Melendez, I appreciate you personally walking me here.¡± ra nodded politely at him, then ced the documents that she had just received from Emmett on the bookshelf one by one. With a tter, a blue folder fell to the ground. ra bent down to pick it up and frowned when she saw the document that had fallen out, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the piece ofnd in the south of the city ¡°Do you know about the project there?¡± Emmett frowned, his eyes fixed on her profile as he heard her murmur. ¡°Oh!¡± Only then did rae back to her senses. She hurriedly picked up the document, put it on the table, and then smiled, I once went there for a survey. I know a bit about the ce.¡± ¡°Is there a problem with the document?¡± ¡°Ah? The document¡­.¡± ra hesitated a bit. The document should have been made by the Melendez Group¡¯s professional team. ¡°Just spit it out.¡± ¡°The location is intended for a lot of tourist activity. Although construction hasn¡¯t started construction yet, if the Melendez Group wants to develop, I think the design should¡­.¡± ra said a lot. She was initially hesitant, but as she spoke, she couldn¡¯t stop and even opened up the previous document and directly drew her ideas on it. Watching her talk, Emmett¡¯s eyes shed with something unusual, he seemed to¡­ have underestimated this woman. ¡°Mr. Melendez, did I¡­ talk too much? I¡¯m just bbering. I¡¯m definitely not as professional as the Melendez Group¡¯s design team¡­ ¡°Good job.¡± Emmett unexpectedly not only didn¡¯t get angry but praised her, ra was dumbfounded for a moment. Emmett nced at her drawings again, then put his hands in his pockets and calmly said, ¡°Modify it ording to your design, and show me after you¡¯ve made the changes.¡± Until the end of that day, ra couldn¡¯t believe that the CEO of the Melendez Group had actually praised her design and asked her to draw a design diagram. Thinking about how everything had gone so smoothly that day made her very happy. The moment she opened the door to her home, her beloved little one was already waiting for her on the sofa. ¡°Alex, mom missed you! Come here and let mom give you a kiss!¡± ra took off her shoes and rushed towards her child. She hugged him in her arms, and passionately kissed his slightly stiff little face. Aiden frowned, obviously struggling to adjust to such enthusiasm. ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t kiss my face randomly next time.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ter Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¡°Huh? Why? Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t like mommy¡¯s kisses anymore?¡± ra looked at her son with a puzzled expression, feeling that he had been acting a bit strangetely. Remembering his serious face when she entered the room just now, ra chuckled and took his little hand, ¡°Kiddo, Mommy had a greal first day at work. Let¡¯s celebrate at Domino¡¯s ¡± ¡°Pizza?¡± Aiden¡¯s brows furrowed slightly So yesterday was Burger King, and today is Domino¡¯s. Does Mommy like fast food or is it this kid called Alex who likes it? ¡°Yep!¡± ra thought her son was surprised and quickly reassured him with a smile, ¡°Alright, I know I always kept you away from this stuff before, but after you ran away from homest time, Mommy realized what¡¯s important. As long as you¡¯re safe by my side, whatever you want to eat, Mommy will take you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best¡­.¡± Aiden said tly, but he felt warmth in his heart. He didn¡¯t actually like eating so much fast food, but he had always craved this kind of motherly love from ra ¡°C¡¯mon, son. Let¡¯s hit the road.¡± Hearing her son¡¯s praise, ra¡¯s mood lifted even more. She took Aiden¡¯s little hand, helped him into his clothes and headed out. Aiden didn¡¯t resist, letting ra lead him. Normally he could dress himself at home, but when ra helped him button up and tie his shoces, he cherished the feeling. Now and then, Aiden would look up at the beautiful woman beside him. She really was like a mother¡­. ra ordered a bunch of pizzas for Aiden, all Alex¡¯s favorites. But Aiden just stared at the greasy food, somewhat at a loss. For the entire meal, he only ate a little¡­. Meanwhile, Alex, who was living in the Melendez mansion in Aiden¡¯s ce, wasn¡¯t feeling so great. ¡°I¡¯ve already said I don¡¯t want to read. Why do you guys keep shoving books in my face?¡± He sat there looking irritated, arms crossed, and clearly unhappy. Living with the Melendez family was great, except for the studying part and the difficult knowledge he had to learn. He thought even middle schoolers would have struggled with it. Who made a kid read books about CEO skills? ¡°Aiden,¡± the tutor tried to appease him while awkwardlyughing, ¡°Aren¡¯t these the books you and Mr. Emmett asked for? Don¡¯t you usually love reading these?¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°I usually love these?¡± Alex thought the kid called Aiden was nuts. He was trying to emte his CEO Dad at such a young age! No wonder he looked so serious in photos, just like his dad Emmett ¡°Yes, Aiden¡­.¡± ¡°Humph, whatever.¡± Alex waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Go to the kitchen and find me some snacks. I¡¯m going to get some fresh air in the yard.¡± He sent the tutor away and went to the yard alone, lowering his head. He began to miss his mom. Yes, Mom! It seemed like it was time to go back! He suddenly perked up, and ran to the gate ready to go find his mom. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¡°Hey kiddo, the boss told ya, you can¡¯t just waltz out of this door yourself,e on back with me¡­..¡± Just as Alex was about to take a stride out of the door, the servant who¡¯d just gone off for some snacks had already grabbed his hand. ¡°I can¡¯t stand being here anymore.¡± Alex shook off the servant¡¯s hand, his eyes full of rebelliousness. ¡°Oh boy, you can¡¯t go on talking like that. Your old man would blow his top if he knew!¡± ¡°Hmph, he¡¯s a lousy dad! Always bossing me around and won¡¯t even hang out with me!¡± Alex crossed his arms in discontent, snorted and then stubbornly headed back into the house. These servants couldn¡¯t possibly keep an eye on him all the timel At night, in the darkness, the small figure on the bed squirmed restlessly. He slipped out from under the covers and took a peek at the servant who was fast asleep. Alex decided to give it another shot, he quietly opened the door and snuck out¡­. Meanwhile, at ra¡¯s apartment. ra closed the storybook and nted a loving kiss on Aiden¡¯s forehead. ¡°Goodnight.¡± Watching the child asleep on the bed, a content smile spread across ra¡¯s face. Thinking about how she worked tirelessly for him every day and how she was greeted with his smiling face when she came home, she felt truly blessed. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Softly closing the bedroom door, ra stretched her arms, there was still a lot of work to be done. ¡°Go get ¡®em!¡± ra mustered up her courage and pushed open the door to her study, flicking on herputer. ¡°Emmett¡­¡± As she was sorting out Emmett¡¯s schedule, his name unconsciously slipped out of her mouth. ra furrowed her brows, why did Emmett¡¯s face seem so familiar? ¡°Alex?¡± No, no, no. She quickly shook her head to dispel the absurd thought that had entered her mind. Her son couldn¡¯t possibly resemble that cold¨Chearted big shot. Alex was clearly a lively kid! Besides, Emmett¡¯s personality was nothing like Alex¡¯s, there was no way they could be rted! What was wrong with her recently? Why did she keep thinking about Emmett! Hearing the sound of typing from the study, Aiden, who was just put to sleep, slowly opened his eyes and sat up on the bed. His big brown eyes darted around in the darkness, feeling a bit reluctant. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry, I have to go¡­. His small figure slowly made its way to the study door, whispering softly where ra couldn¡¯t see. Aiden was really reluctant to leave ra, but he felt that he had been eating too much greasy food recently, and his grandmother must have been really worried about him! There had to be a limit to being willful, and he thought it was time to go home. Even if he was mad at his father, he still had his grandparents! They must have been worried! He was being too willful and selfish. ra waspletely engrossed in her work, oblivious to the child at the door and the sound of the door opening. She just sneezed, rubbed her nose and continued working. Aiden took out his savings, hailed a cab and arrived at the entrance of the Melendez family mansion. Just as he was about to walk in, he heard a slight noise from the side and instinctively looked over it was a kid who looked exactly like him! The two kids stared at each other, both taken aback. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 However, Aiden quickly snapped back to reality. He realized this must be Alex, the person his mother used to mention. But he didn¡¯t expect Alex to show up at the doorstep of his home. ¡°Wow, you really look like me! No wonder everyone in your house mistook me for you!¡± Alex was staring at Aiden with his curious wide eyes. Even though he knew he had a half¨Cbrother after arriving here, he was still shocked to see a face exactly like his ¡°We¡¯re identical twins, so of course we look alike.¡± In contrast, Aiden seemed very calm, his slightly wrinkled face was just like Emmett¡¯s. ¡°Huh? How do you know we¡¯re identical twins?¡± Alex still blinked his big eyes curiously. ¡°Did you sneak out from my house?¡± Aiden, seeing Alex wearing pajamas, nced at the mansion but didn¡¯t answer his question. ¡°Yes!¡± Alex nodded dumbly. ¡°So, are you nning for us to just stand here and talk?¡± ¡°Then where should we go?¡± Alex pouted his lips, grabbed Aiden¡¯s hand, and walked towards a side path. ¡°Can we talk here? You haven¡¯t answered my question yet. When did you know we were identical twins?¡± ¡°Whenever you found out was when I did.¡± Alex gave him a sidelong nce, feeling a bit unhappy. What kind of answer was that? ¡°Why are you as cold as your dad?¡± He pouted, clearly dissatisfied. ¡°Do you dislike him too?¡± Aiden asked calmly. ¡°Him,¡± of course, referred to Emmett. He calmly looked at Alex and said, ¡°You and your mom look alike.¡± Both were very lively. Standing beside this identical twin brother who suddenly emerged, Aiden didn¡¯t feel any disgust. ¡°Have you seen my mom?¡± Alex¡¯s little eyes were filled with curiosity, and his longing for his mom deepened. ¡°Mm¨Chmm.¡± ¡°My mom is the best, unlike your dad who always forces me to study and doesn¡¯t let me eat anything! Who would like him?¡± Alex crossed his little arms, stubbornly tilting his head. ¡°My mom is the best!¡± ¡°She is indeed very good¡­.¡± Aiden¡¯s face was still calm, but he had a sense of appreciation towards ra in his heart. ¡°It would be even better if she didn¡¯t feed me so much junk food!¡± He rubbed his little belly, feeling a little ufortable. ¡°Who do you think is the older brother?¡± Alex suddenly blinked his big eyes curiously. ¡°I¡¯m the older one.¡± Aiden was very serious and very firm. ¡°How do you know? Maybe I¡¯m older!¡± Alex pouted, not wanting to be outdone. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not discuss this today. We both sneaked out, and if we don¡¯t go back soon, we¡¯ll definitely be found out. Here¡¯s my phone number! Memorize it, and we¡¯ll get in touch after we get back.¡± Aiden¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he changed the subject. He wasn¡¯t sure who the older brother was, but if they were indeed twins, he thought his intelligence would make him the older one. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give you my number too, but. Alex¡¯s face suddenly became serious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m too far from home, there doesn¡¯t seem to be any transportation to take me home, and I don¡¯t have any money¡­ Mum didn¡¯t give me any pocket money.¡± Alex lowered his head, looking a bit depressed. His longing for ra made him feel a bit emotional. ¡°Here you go.¡± Aiden took a hundred¨Cdor bill from his pocket and handed it to him. I¡¯ll call a cab for you. When you get home, remember to sneak in. Mom should still be working in the study at this time and may not have noticed that I¡¯m gone. Let me know when you get home.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. He gave Alex a lot of instructions, like an older brother. ¡°Okay, I got it. Thank you, temporary big brother¡­.¡± Alex gave a slight smile and nced at the money in his hand. After all, he was in a strange environment and had to ept help. What was the harm in calling him big brother! At the Melendez family¡¯s mansion. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 The servant suddenly found that Aiden wasn¡¯t in bed. He quickly opened the door to search for him and was met with a face very simr to Emmett¡¯s ¡°Aiden, where the hell have you been? You gave me a scare! Why aren¡¯t you in your mom at this ungodly hour?¡± The servant patted his chest with an anxious expression If Aiden managed to sneak out under his watch again, he¡¯d be in deep water. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Aiden, with a poker face, responded nonchntly, ¡°I went for a walk.¡± ¡°A walk? At this hour? The servant looked outside, a hint of confusion painted on his face. ¡°What you got a problem with that?¡± Aiden shot back, his face stem, aware that the servant was questioning his actions. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m sorry, Aiden!¡± The servant gave an awkwardugh. As long as Aiden was fine, he could go wherever and whenever he pleased! Aiden went back to his room but didn¡¯t sleep, anxiously waiting for a message from Alex on his phone, He was curious about the situation there. Half an hourter, his phone screen lit up with Alex¡¯s number. ¡°Are you home yet?¡± Aiden asked, sounding like an adult. ¡°Yeah, Mom¡¯s still in the study, I didn¡¯t get caught¡­.¡± Alex¡¯s voice was hushed, carefully not wanting to disturb ra. ¡°Good, go to sleep.¡± ¡°Hold on, big bro¡­.¡± Alex stopped him, worried he¡¯d hang up. He had a lot of questions, nced at the door, and then asked hesitantly, ¡°Do you know why Mom and Dad split up? How did they choose us, why did Dad not want me, and Mom not want you?¡± He felt lost. Although he never regretted following his mom, he wanted to know why Emmett left him and his mom. Aiden pondered for a moment, then replied calmly. ¡°I think Dad doesn¡¯t know about you. As for why they split, I don¡¯t know¡­.¡± He¡¯d never heard Grandma or Dad mention Alex. Their personalities werepletely different, and if Dad knew they were twins, he would¡¯ve noticed something during these past few days. Actually, Aiden wanted to know why his mom never looked for him even though she knew about him! Did she not miss him at all? ¡°Bro, do you like Mom? Do you want to live with her?¡± Hearing Aiden¡¯s words, a cloud seemed to lift from Alex¡¯s heart. ¡°I thought she was okay, but Mom seems a bit scared of Dad¡­ and she doesn¡¯t seem to know that Emmett is our dad.¡± ¡°Then¡­ then we could try bringing Mom and Dad back together! That way, we could have both Mom and Dad, and we could live together!¡± Alex was somewhat excited and hopeful at the thought of him and Aiden working together. ¡°It¡¯ste, go to sleep. We¡¯ll talk about this tomorrow.¡± Aiden said with a tone of a schoolteacher. To be honest, he was also looking forward to Alex¡¯s proposition, butpared to Alex, he was more afraid of ra knowing about him and not epting him. But as the older brother, he didn¡¯t share these thoughts with Alex. He wanted to investigate everything first. What if there was a misunderstanding between his parents? The next day, ra woke upte and hastily pulled Alex out of bed. She dressed him up and took him to kindergarten. ¡°Mom, did you forget to kiss me? You have to kiss me, then I can leave!¡± Alex pointed at his cheek, his face lit up with a bright smile. ¡°Kiss you?¡± ra stammered, then affectionately rubbed his little nose, ¡°You little pumkin, you¡¯re full of surprises. Weren¡¯t you the one acting all grown up yesterday. not wanting Mom¡¯s kisses?¡± ¡°No kisses allowed?¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Alex snickered inwardly, thinking his big bro was cold as ice! But considering his personality, it wasn¡¯t too surprising. ¡°Mom, yesterday and today are different. I just miss you so much right now, I don¡¯t wanna leave you, and mally want a kiss from you!¡± Alex leaned his head onto ra¡¯s chest, nuzzling affectionately, showing how much he¡¯d missed her these past few days. Being by his mom¡¯s side felt so good¡­. ¡°Alright, alright, here¡¯s your kiss!¡± ra kissed her son¡¯s little face, and Alex enthusiastically returned the favor by cupping her face and giving her a kiss back. Watching her son walk into the kindergarten, ra felt today¡¯s Alex was particrly sweet, just like¡­he had juste back! At thepany This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ra hadn¡¯t been called in by Emmett all afternoon, but the workload his assistant dumped on her was mountainous. She was so busy she hadn¡¯t even noticed it had started to rain heavily outside. As Emmett was about to leave the office, he noticed ra¡¯s light was still on, so he went over to her door to check. ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± A frosty voice sounded above her head, ra looked up to see Emmett with one hand in his pocket, his dark eyes staring at her. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my work yet!¡± ra responded instinctively, then suddenly realized something and hurriedly checked the time on her phone. Her face filled with urgency, ¡°Oh no!¡± She frowned, it was past the time for kindergarten to end, and she had forgotten to pick up Alex. Emmett stood at the doorway watching her expression change from calm to anxious. Just as he was about to ask what was going on, he saw ra quickly turn off herputer. She grabbed the folders on her desk and rushed to the door, ¡®Mr. Melendez, I¡¯m runningte. I need to pick up my son. I¡¯ll finish the rest of the work at home.¡± Just as she finished speaking, she nodded at Emmett and dashed out. ¡°Wait!¡± Emmett grabbed her arm, ra looked startled, she turned around only to hear Emmett say in a deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s raining outside, I¡¯ll give you a lift¡± ¡°No need, I can¡­. ¡°It¡¯s pouring outside! Get in the car!¡± Emmett cut her off, his eyes swept over her and saw her white dress and high heels, with no umbre. If she went out now, she would definitely get wet, and it could bete by the time she picked up her child. ra looked at her clothes and the heavy rain outside¡­ if she didn¡¯t go now, Alex would definitely be worried She hesitated for a moment, pursed her lips and said, ¡°Well, then¡­ if it¡¯s not too much trouble, Mr. Melendez.¡± Having the CEO personally drive her made her feel a bit awkward. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t say anything, he just walked over to her side, apanied her to the CEO¡¯s private elevator, and then opened the door to get in. The elevator was spacious, but the atmosphere became a bit weird when the two of them stood side by side. Emmett¡¯s tall figure stood straight. His face was expressionless and silent, making ra feel like the air was suffocating. She wanted to break the ice, but couldn¡¯t think of anything to say Suddenly, there was a squeaky noise in the elevator, and the lights dimmed. ¡°Aah!¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ra screamed instinctively, her face and heart filled with fear. Emmett reached out his broad arm to pull her in, his voice deep and calming. ¡°Chill out, it¡¯s probably just the weather messing with the circuit.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ra nodded, still a bit uneasy inside but felt a bit better with Emmett by her side. Ever since that night, she had developed a fear of the dark¡­ Now, she always left her bedsidemp on, never turning it off. The sudden darkness in the elevator reminded her of that night. Momentster, the lights in the elevator came back and everything returned to normal, except ra was still in Emmett¡¯s arms, trembling slightly. ¡°All good¡± Emmett looked down at her, his voice was soothing. It took ra a moment to realize that her head was still resting on Emmett¡¯s shoulder. She quickly pulled away from him and apologized, ¡°Mr. Melendez, I¡¯m sorry. It happened so suddenly and I¡¯m kinda scared of the dark.. ¡°Mm¡± Emmett simply responded, his face expressionless and voice emotionless. As the elevator descended, ra consciously stepped back to lean against the elevator wall. She was still a bit scared, but she couldn¡¯t rely on Emmett anymore and had to rely on the elevator for support. Without turning around, Emmett saw ra¡¯s posture and pale face through the elevator door. ¡°Are you really scared of the dark?¡± He was curious. ra didn¡¯t seem like the type to be easily scared. As for why he, who normally didn¡¯t care, would suddenly ask such a question, he was also not sure. ¡°Huh?¡± It took ra a while to realize that Emmett was asking her. ¡°I¡­ it was just too sudden!¡± She lowered her head, unsure how to exin. Seeing that ra was hesitant and unwilling to speak, Emmett didn¡¯t press further. Just then, the elevator door opened and he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± before walking out first Watching his retreating figure and feeling his strong aura, ra felt a sense of familiarity¡­ She quickly shook her head, thinking it was the darkness reminding her of the past. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. In the car. ra leaned against the window, watching the heavy rain outside and feeling a bit anxious. It had been almost two hours since the kindergarten ended¡­ The traffic was jammed and she was worried about the kids. She nced at Emmett from time to time but never urged him, knowing it wouldn¡¯t help. No matter how much they were in a hurry, they couldn¡¯t fly over the traffic. Just as she was thinking this, ra saw Emmett make a turn at the intersection and drive in another direction, speeding up. ¡°Mr. Melendez, you¡­.¡± She wanted to say that this was not the way to the kindergarten. ¡°In a hurry, aren¡¯t we?¡± Emmett simply voiced her thoughts. ra closed her lips and remained silent. From Emmett¡¯s words, she should have guessed that he was nning to take a different route. On the rest of the journey, Emmett drove very fast, running who knows how many red lights. Despite ra¡¯s attempts to persuade him to slow down, he only told her to sit tight and stay quiet. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 The kindergarten was just in sight, the rain outside had lightened up, and the road conditions had improved a lot Emmett gradually slowed down his car Emmett asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the kid¡¯s father?¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Huh?¡± The question caught ra by surprise she was at a loss for words. ¡°I mean, why is the kid with you? Why cant his father pick him up?¡± Emmett nced at her noticing her rigid expression, and decided to rephrase his question in a gentler way. ¡°Hera was a bit evasive her voice slightly heavy ¡°He hes passed away ra made up an excuse. She couldn¡¯t tell Emmett that she had no idea who the child¡¯s father was She didn¡¯t want to arouse suspicion about herself or Alex. She could bear everything, but the child was innocent Emmett responded, ¡°Did he really pass away or are you hiding something?¡± ra sand Really really he¡¯s gone!¡± ¡°apologize for bringing up your pain¡± Emmett apologized softly, and ra answered awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s okay It was okay After all, she was making it up! The child¡¯s father to her, was as good as dead anyway! The car stopped at the kindergarten gate Emmett got out of the car with her ra panicked and quickly stepped in front of Emmett, ¡°Mr Melendez, it¡¯s gettingte. You should go back I can go in myself¡± She saw that Emmett seemed to want to go in with her, which made her a bit nervous Apart from her two closest friends, she didn¡¯t want anyone to see Alex She worried that Emmett might know the rtives of that man. If so, she could lose everything ¡°it¡¯s still raining¡± Emmett furrowed his brows with sympathy in his eyes. He felt that after he had asked about her and her child¡¯s situation, he should give them a nde home. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s okay, my son loves rainy days. After I pick him up, we can take a walk around. He especially loves sshing in puddles ra came up with another excuse with a smile ¡°You don¡¯t have an umbre¡°¡± ¡°I do, seeing the cloudy weather this morning, I brought an umbre for my son. It¡¯s enough for both of us. Mr. Melendez, you should go back to your family¡± Seeing that Emmett had moved forward a few steps, ra quickly stepped in front of him with a smile. Emmett stared at her, didn¡¯t say anything but felt suspicious about what she had just said and did. Ding ding¨C He was about to say something else but his phone suddenly rang in his pocket. He checked the message and put the phone back in his pocket, saying, ¡°I have some things to deal with, you go ahead. Take this umbre Emmett handed his umbre to ra, then turned around and got back in the car. Clearly, he didn¡¯t completely believe ra¡¯s im that she had an umbre¡°. ra watched Emmett¡¯s retreating figure, her facial expression still a bit stiff So, was her lie just found out? Was her lie really that awful? Chapter 22 Chapter 22 She was a bit worried inside Would Emmett suspect that she was ying hard to get? But after all, the twin brothers look exactly the same If Emmett had ever seen Alex¡¯s brother her situation with Ales would be at risk! She couldn¡¯t take this chance At night, in the Melendez family¡¯s vi Aiden sat by the window in his room, watching the thin rain outside, and missing ts a bit It was already veryte but his father hadn¡¯te back yet Suddenly he felt that it was better over at his mothers ce His mother liked to stick around him, she liked to be with him taking him to eat all kinds of delicacies. She was always very enthusiastic about him, always had a full face of smiles every day unlike his father who was so gloomy Other than scolding him, there was no other care Aiden received Thinking about the quietly sent Alex a text message Call me back when Mom isn¡¯t around] Less than a minute after the text message was sent, Alex¡¯s call came through. ¡°Temporary big brothe His voice was still very low, and Aiden knew right away that his mother was also at home What a weird title ¡°Where¡¯s Mom?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but ask with concern Alex said glumly ¡°Mom is in the study It seems like she¡¯s being squeezed dry by your dad, she has a lot of work to do¡± Mentioning Emmett, Alex was clearly a bit dissatisfied, especially since his mother hadn¡¯t finished her work today and had to workte. He felt that Emmett was deliberately bullying his motherl Before now, she was able to coax him to sleep and tell him stories! Aiden stated. Anyway, he¡¯s still your dad¡± He knew his father¡¯s workaholic nature very well, so he didn¡¯t doubt that Emmett pushed his employees. But work was work. He felt that Alex should still respect his father regardless. Alex retorted. ¡°Hmph, if I wasn¡¯t constantly told that I don¡¯t have a dad, I wouldn¡¯t have gone to find that Emmetti fl let you in on a secret, there¡¯s more than one person who wants to be my dad!¡± Alex was clearly reluctant. Having lived in the Melendez family¡¯s vi for two days, plus the stress his mother felt, Alex¡¯s impression of Emmett was getting worse by the day Aiden reacted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before that you wanted Mom and Dad to be together?¡± Aiden was a bit headachy about his little brother¡¯sints, but when he heard him say that others said he was a child without a father, a trace of pity shed through his heart for Alex He understood that feeling well. Since childhood, people at home looked at him was pity, because he was a child without a mother. Everyone was very sympathetic,passionate and friendly to him. He had never been told that he didn¡¯t have a mother, but his heart was still apprehensive about the topic, let alone his brother who was told he didn¡¯t have a father ¡°Yes, I do want Mom and Dad to be together, but, I have conditions¡± Alex suddenly intensified his tone ¡°What conditions?¡± On the other side of the phone Aiden¡¯s face was a bit heavy N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. This little brother of his seemed a bit difficult to deal with. Alex exined, ¡°I need to be clear about whether Dad is a good person or a bad person and know why he left me and Mom in the first ce. If he¡¯s not good to Morn, I will absolutely not let Mom suffer!¡± Aler was very serious, this was his bottom line Chapter 23 Chapter 23 ra had always been mining Alex alone She treated him like a treasure, and didel even want to date Emmett couldn¡¯t treat her sincerely he definitely won¡¯t watch his mum suffer ¡°Of course.¡± He wouldn¡¯t agree if it would hurt her Alex asked ¡°But, Aiden. Is there any way you can let dad know I exist? Or let mom and dad know that they ate our parents?¡± Alex has been thinking about this for a long time. Aiden said, ¡°Well I havent figured that out yet¡± Because it could be tricky trying to let his father know without him finding out it was nned ¡°Let¡¯s do it this wa Alex suddenly had a new inspiration, ¡°We can go to the amusement park together on the weekends. You ask dad to take you, and I¡¯ll ask mom to take me. This way we can pretend to meet unexpectedly without raising their suspicions, and let them know about each other¡¯s existence¡± Alex¡¯s face was full of trumph, thinking he was really clever. He couldn¡¯t help butugh happily under the nket. ¡°Amusement park?¡± Aiden asked in a puzzled low voice ¡°Yeah, is there a problem?¡± Alex tilted his head, thinking there was nothing strange about going to the amusement park Aiden, don¡¯t you go to amusement parks? It¡¯s fun there He suddenly opened his mouth in surprise. ¡°Does that strict dad of yours not even let you go to the amusement park. Aiden frowned. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to go¡± He thought amusement parks were childish. He thought about it seriously and then said, ¡°And, do you think someone like Emmett would have time to take me to an amusement park?¡± 4 From childhood to adulthood, it was always his Grandma and nanny who took him to such ces Because those were the Melendez family¡¯s businesses, he knew that ¡°But. ¡°Alex tilted his head, thinking his brother made sense and he felt a bit down, ¡°So what can we do?¡± Aiden was silent for a few seconds. ¡°Let¡¯s do as you said. I¡¯ll ask dad when hees back and see if he agrees: ¡°Okay, let¡¯s talk about thister ¡°Mm¡± After hanging up the phone. Aideny on the bed thinking Beep- The car horn sounded in the mansion, Aiden jumped off the bed, ran to the window and looked out, and sure enough, it was Emmett¡¯s car. He quickly opened the door and ran down the stairs. ¡°Dad, good evening As soon as Emmett walked in the door, he was tackled into a hug He obviously froze for a moment, then bent down to pick Aiden up from the floor, ¡°Mm¡± Facing his son¡¯s spontaneous action, he felt a little ufortable for a moment. If he didn¡¯t know he only had one son, he would¡¯ve suspected that his son had been switched ¡°Dad, did you just get off work? is work busy?¡± Aiden asked tilting his head and imitating a yful voice. Although he was a little ufortable, he still put his little hand around Emmett¡¯s neck. ¡°Mmm¡± Although Emmett answered, his tone was still somewhat cold Holding his son in his arms, he didnt know what to say at first, so he thought of a topic and asked, ¡°Have you finished today¡¯s homework?¡± There wasn¡¯t any annoyance on Aiden¡¯s little face as he said, ¡°Yes, its all done!¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 There was actually no real homework in kindergarten it was all extra stuff that Emmett arranged for him to learn after school Since he was a tot he had already learned so much that other kindergartners couldn¡¯t even scratch the surface on. He had even touched upon some business rted work. ¡°Hmm, not bad Emmett gave him a rarepliment ¡°Dad¡± Aiden looked at hum expectantly ¡°If I get a perfect score on this test, can you grant me a wish?¡± Emmett was taken aback ¡°What do you want?¡± This was the first time his son asked him for something ¡°I want you to take me to the amusement park on the weekend!¡± Emmetts face darkened slightly. He wasnt a fan of such ces. He spoke in a deep voice, ¡°I thought you found such ces childish?¡± He himsel had found such ces childish when he was a kid ¡°But i see other kids dads taking them i want you to take me just once This kind of whining made Aiden feel so embarassing today Thank God he was at home if they were out in public, he would have be aughingstock. He was way too clingy. That was his self¨Cassessment for the night ¡°You can go with Grandma¡± Emmett put him down and sat on the sofa signaling he didn¡¯t have time, but in reality, he just found such ces too loud and chaotic Aidens face tell, but for the sake of his and his little brother¡¯s n, he insisted. ¡°But Grandma is too old, she can¡¯t join me on many rides!¡± ¡°We have a nanny at homel ¡°I don¡¯t want to go with the nanny! I want my dad toe with me!¡± ¡°Dont be stubborn¡± Emmett¡¯s face hardened ¡°Am i the stubbom one?¡± Aiden¡¯s face turned red with anger, ¡°Dad, is work all you care about? Is work more important than your own son? Why can¡¯t you even grant me such a simple with?¡± He looked at Emmett with disappointment, like a pint¨Csized adult holding court. If it were Mom, she would definitely agree to take him to the amusement park and so would other kids¡± dads. Only his dad seemed to think he wasn¡¯t important Emmett¡¯s gaze flickered, but he soon felt a pang of guilt. He remembered the time his son ran away from home and the resolution he made to be a better father. He softened Aiden was about to storm off upstairs in a huff when Emmett called him back, ¡°Stop!¡± Aiden stood his ground not locking back, still furning This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Emmett walked over, scooped Aiden up and muttered in his ear, ¡°Alright, I promise¡± ¡°Really?¡± Aiden¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He didn¡¯t expect Emmett to cave in ¡°Hmm, you also promised me you¡¯d get a perfect score¡± ¡°That¡¯s a piece of cake¡± Aiden was totally cool about it. Kindergarten homework was a breeze for him Once back in his room, he couldn¡¯t wait to share the news with Alex. Alex also told him that he and Mom made the same arrangement. Both kids started looking forward to their ¡°coincidental encounter¡± on the weekend! Chapter 25 Chapter 25 First thing in the morning. ra spotted Emmett already in the office and humed over to report her itinerary Emmett listened silently making ra feel like she was talking to herself ¡°Oh, by the way you¡¯re going on a business trip this weekend do you need me to pack your bags in advance?¡± ¡°This weekend¡°¡± Emmett furrowed his brows, suddenly recalling his ns to go to the amusement park with Alden. ¡°Um, yes¡± ra nodded. ¡°Mr Melendez, any changes?¡± ¡°Cancel it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going out¡± ra pouted, feeling a bit miffed, but kept her smile on. ¡°Alright, Mr. Melendez¡± Just as the was about to turn away Emmett suddenly spoke, ¡°You free this weekend?¡± ¡°Me? What can I do for you. M: Melendez?¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking my son to the amusement park this weekend¡± So what? ¡°Come with us At AW Corporation¡¯s conference room As soon as Taylor stepped out of the room, his secretary hurriedly stopped him ¡°Mr Atwood, I have some leads on the person you¡¯re looking for Hearing this Taylor immediately stopped, ¡°What leads? Did you find out who she is?¡± The secretary quickly handed him a document with several photos, ¡°Not exactly, but I found her image from surveince footage of several stores Taylor looked down at the woman in the photos, so familiar yet he couldn¡¯t recall_ ¡°She¡¯s been frequently seen around Liberty Avenue. All these shops are on Liberty Avenue¡± ¡°Liberty Avenue?¡± Taylor raised an eyebrow, ¡°So, she might work at the Melendez Group?¡± Liberty Avenue wasn¡¯t a dining or shopping area it was filled with variouspanies, with thergest one being Melendez¡¯s building *Statistically speaking, that seems likely Taylor gripped the documents, ¡°I see you can go now¡± ¡°Alright, Mr. Atwood ¡°Oh, and cancel all my meetings this afternoon I have to go out. Let the vice president handle those that can¡¯t be canceled.¡± ¡°Where is Mr. Atwood going?¡± ¡°To find this woman¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. After a full day of work, ra didn¡¯t even have time to catch her breath as she ran to pick up her son from kindergarten. Thankfully, the teachers knew her situation¡± and kept Alex upied with a slide, so she wasn¡¯t thest parent to arrive. Once home, ra gave her son a bath, hurriedly tidied up the house, then sat down at theputer to work. As soon as she sat down, a message came from an unfamiliar ount on thepany¡¯s internal chat Software ra quickly opened it and it turned out to be from the ount of the CEO! Wasn¡¯t that Emmett¡¯s father? [You¡¯re Emmett¡¯s secretary, right?] [Yes] [Can we meet tomorrow?) ra stared at the screen, doubting whether the ount had been hacked. He actually suggested meeting in person? Although she was hesitant, she still replied politely [l be in my office during working hours. Please feel free to drop by anytime] See you tomorrow then rabit her lip, unable to stop her imagination from running wild Could the CEO have some special ¡°ideas about her? She immediately shook her head. ¡°What am I thinking? All will be revealed when we meet tomorrow¡± After all, she didn¡¯t have an outstanding figure nor a pretty face, she was perfectly safe There was nothing to worry about. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Inside Alex¡¯s mom, he wasn¡¯t sleeping at all Ever since he got in buch with Aiden it was like he had unlocked a whole new world. ¡°Aiden, I still crave the food your chef made its so damn good¡± Alex said Aden paused on the other end sounding helpless ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to ask me for help with your homework?¡± ¡°Yeah! But, cant we have a little chat?¡± Ales pouted, ¡°Sure, studying is important, but a full stomach matters more¡± ¡°Dont forget our n!¡± ¡°How could I forget? And if all else fails, I¡¯ll just introduce some other guy to my mom! Men are a dime a dozen, right?¡± ¡°You!¡± Aiden said angrily. ¡°How can you just change your mind so nonchntly?¡± Im just saying just in case Alex chuckled. ¡°Your dad is still my top choice! ¡°It should be our dad!¡± ¡°Alright sight. Our dad?¡± Alex sighed. His brother was great in every other way He was just too senous! He couldn¡¯t even take a joke, just like their stone faced father ¡°Open your book, to the fourth page from the end Alex sighed, reluctantly pulling out his book. He suddenly wished his mom could just stay single. At least he wouldn¡¯t have to studyte at night! Emmett got home and headed straight for the study. After several video conferences with the head of the overseas branch, he suddenly saw a small figure at the stair turn It was Alden. He was on his phone saying something, flipping through a book with one hand, like a mini teacher. As Emmett approached, Aiden heard him, quickly closing his book and hanging up the phone ¡°Good evening¡± Aiden said, awkwardly. ¡°Father¡° ¡°What are you doing ¡°Tutoring a ssmate¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow. ¡°Your ssmates need tutoring?¡± Aiden attended a prestigious school where all the students came from wealthy families. There was no reason they couldn¡¯t afford a tutor Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Um, hes not from our school¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time on useless people Emmett said seriously, then got up to leave Aiden suddenly spoke from behind him. ¡°Haven¡¯t you forgotten your promise to me, father?¡± My memory isn¡¯t that bad¡± Just as he was about to disappear into the staircase, Aiden¡¯s voice came ¡°In your eyes, am also a useless person? Since you¡¯re unwilling to waste your time on me¡± Emmett stayed silent. ¡°Is it because of my mom?¡± Aiden caught up, looking into his father¡¯s eyes. ¡°Did she do something wrong back then that upset you?¡± Emmett hadn¡¯t thought about how to exin his mother to him, he was at a loss for words. ¡°Then why did you keep me and not let me leave with my mom? Why did mom leave? Was it because she cheated?¡± Emmett frowned. ¡°You¡¯re so young for these words to being out of your mouth! What are your teachers teaching you?¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with my teachers¡® Alden stood firm in front of Emmett, ¡°I want to know what my mom did wrong¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a mom¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a mom. I was picked up from the trash I was wen in a lottery. I was found on the side of the road. You don¡¯t have to tell me these lies, Dad! fve read a biology book¡± Emmett said, ¡°You how do you know everything?¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 ¡°1 bear a striking resemnce to you, therefore I undoubtedly must be your legitimate offspring! Moreover, my grandmother showers me with excessive affection, thus negating any possibility of me being adopted! But why am I unable to reside with my mother?¡± Aiden lowered his head in contemtion ¡°All my schoolmates have mothers, so why do I not?¡± ¡°Your mother has passed away¡± ¡°No way!¡± Emmett suddenly turned his gaze towards him, furrowing his brows ¡°How can you be so sure? Have you seen her?¡± ¡°No, I have not its just that i don¡¯t believe she is deceased, I suspect you¡¯re lying to me ¡°When you mature you shall naturallye to know the truth! Now, hasten to bed! Otherwise, you can forget about visiting the amusement park this weekend¡± With that, Emmett turned and left, his departing figure appearing somewhat flustered The following moming, ra apanied Alex to the nursery, then proceeded to take a taxi to her workce. Upon entering the premises, she initially intended to greet the receptionist, but her attention was drawn to two individuals engaged in hushed conversation nearby It was not her intention to eavesdrop, but the volume of their voices was simply too conspicuous ¡°This is the sole woman in the CEO¡¯s vicinity, Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed She appears rather ordinary. How could the CEO allow her to remain by his side?¡± ¡°Perhaps she possesses some means to captivate the CEO¡¯s favor ra sighed helplessly. What tricks could she have? It was Emmett who asked her to be his personal secretary! ra walked straight past them and took the elevator. Just as she got to the boss¡¯s office a pair of ck leather shoes appeared in front of her. ra was startled and locked up- The man in front of her somewhat resembled Emmett, but he was clearly much older! This must be his father ¡°Hello¡± ra quickly bowed her head Patrick nodded slightly, ¡°Are you ra?¡± ¡°Yes, I am ra¡± ¡°Come to the lounge with me¡± After saying this, Patrick walked ahead ra hesitated for a moment, but had no choice but to follow If he tries anything, she¡¯ll just scream! Once they entered the lounge Patrick poured himself a cup of water and then gave ra a once¨Cover ra felt ufortable under his gaze. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so nervous, I called you here because I have something to tell you¡± ¡°Go ahead!¡± ¡°My son has always disliked contact with women, he keeps his distance from all females, even his own mother! But you.. you¡¯re the exception¡± ra gently rubbed her forehead ¡°Um I really haven¡¯t done anything with your son! Im just an ordinary secretary!¡± ¡°You are not ordinary Patrick cleared his throat and spoke solemnly ¡°Let¡¯s not beat around the bush. I assume you haven¡¯t been married, correct?¡± No. I haven¡¯t¡± ¡°Then many my son!¡± Ah? ra could barely resist the urge to cover her ears, thinking she must have misheard! ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so surprised. I said, marry Emmett, my son!¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, there truly is nothing between him and me! He once saved my life, and I merely wish to repay him! As for anything else, I genuinely have no further thoughts!¡± Patrick furrowed his brow slightly ¡°Whether or not you have other thoughts is not important. What matters is that you have not been rejected by my son¡± ¡°The Melendez family cannot continue without a young mistress His mother and I have been troubled by this issue for a long time. Emmett has always been reluctant to engage with women, but you are the only Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. exception Chapter 28 Chapter 28 ra was actually pretty baffled too. She had no idea Emmett had such a particr habit But he really didn¡¯t seem to interact with women much Even during business negotiations, if there wem women present he¡¯d always keep his distance. But that¡¯s not a mason for her to marry Emmett ¡°Mr. Melendez, there must be a reason for this. Maybe he¡¯s got a specialdy he¡¯s into Marrying him wouldn¡¯t be right in just a secretary. I¡¯m no match for a big family like the Melendez family¡± She never thought shed be Patrick¡¯s daughter¨Cinw and she didn¡¯t dare to think about it ¡°Are you reacting met Patrick raised an eyebrow Tm not rejecting just think this is unreasonable¡± ¡°If I say it¡¯s reasonable, it is¡± ra was left speechless, so she dropped a bomb ¡°Mr Melendez, I have a son¡± At this Patrick¡¯s brows furrowed ¡°You have a child at such a young age?¡± ¡°Yes, so I really can¡¯t marry your son I appreciate your kind intentions¡± ra added, ¡°I think your son is a very outstanding man. He should find a more suitable partner You might want to have more private talks with him Patrick sighed, ¡°I wish he would just talk to me. But never mind, let¡¯s forget this conversation ever happened. If you¡¯re not interested in beng with my son, I hope you¡¯ll stay away and avoid causing any scandals for the Melendez family. It would damage the reputation of our entire family¡± ra quickly nodded, showing her understanding ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I get it As Patrick walked away, ra felt a wave of relief wash over her. She had been worried that Patrick wouldn¡¯t ept the fact that she already had a child. And she hadn¡¯t even thought about marriage get. Even if she did want to find a partner someday she wouldn¡¯t choose someone from a wealthy family She didn¡¯t want the media prying into her personal life. If her son¡¯s identity was revealed, she might even risk losing custody of him, as per their previous agreement ra let out another sigh, relieved that her fears had been unfounded. When she returned to the office. Emmett was already there He was unbuttoning his shirt, and his deep voice rang out, ¡°Where were you?* I was making copies.¡± My father was here ra really wanted to roll her eyes He knew all along, so why did he ask her? N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°What did he say to you?¡± Emmett suddenly looked up at her. ra hesitated. ¡°Your father came to check on you.¡± ¡°Did he ask you to get women close to me?¡± ra immediately shook her head. ¡°No!¡± ¡°So what was it? You¡¯re not going to marry me, are you?¡± ra opened her mouth, but no words came out Emmett raised his eyebrows, ¡°Did I guess right?¡± ¡°No, no! Your father was just worried about you! He said you were too tired and asked me to remind you to rest more!¡± ra breathed a sigh of relie Emmett calmly handed her a document, ¡°Make ten copies of this and take them to the conference room¡± ¡°Okay¡± ra took it, and saw There was Taylor¡¯s name on it Chapter 29 Chapter 29 She didn¡¯t hesitate for a second, grabbed her fites, and spun around to leave She never noticed Emmett behind het, his eyes fixated on her retreating figure Emmett was actually trying to swallow up Taylor¡¯spany! ra carefully examined the document in the recording studio The document outlined a detailed n even listing the expected time of acquisition AW was Taylor¡¯s life¡¯s work if it really got bought out by the Melendez family, wouldn¡¯t all his efforts go down the drain? ra¡¯s fingers hesitated over the document her lower hip caught between her teeth If she wamed Taylor he should be able to brace himself, right? He wouldn¡¯t get bought out then! But would this be considered leaking trade secrets? ra stared at the document, lost in thought This might be the most torn she¡¯d ever been in her life In the Melendez Corporation¡¯s conference room. All the shareholders sat silently in their seats, waiting for Emmett Soon enough, he walked in with ra Everyone stood to greet him, ¡°Mr. Melendez¡® Emmett nodded slightly. ¡°Hmm. Lassume you have all reviewed today¡¯s meeting agenda? ¡°We have all gone through it Emmett nced at ra, and she immediately pulled out a chair for him ¡°As for the acquisition of AW Company does anyone have any opinions?¡± ¡°I believe AW Company is currently one of the fewpetitors that can be considered a challenge for Melendez. If we can acquire it, it would not only reduce ourpetitive pressure but also showcase our strength to otherpanies.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Emmett nodded slightly, intermittently jotting down some notes on the paper ra, on the other hand, was biting her lip. She didn¡¯t have a say in this meeting, but what would happen to Taylor if AW really got acquired? She was lost in her thoughts, oblivious to the meeting¡¯s end Until Emmett stood up and cleared his throat, ¡°What are you thinking about during working hours?¡± ¡°Nothing, nothing at all¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°I noticed earlier that you had insightful thoughts on business analysis. What do you think about my acquisition of AW Company? is it possible for it to seed?¡± ra lowered her head and hesitantly replied, ¡°I think acquiring apetitor is not necessarily a good thing Newpetitors may emerge. If we keep AW Company, it can also help Melendez fend off some powerful adversaries Because AW Company has its fair share of enemies, and if it is acquired, those enemies might transfer their focus to Melendez Emmett arched his eyebrow ¡°Are you genuinely considering Melendez¡¯s interests, or are you considering this for Taylor¡¯s sake?¡± ra was taken aback and quickly responded, ¡°Mr. Melendez I have no rtionship with Taylor ¡°Is that so?¡± Emmett suddenly approachedering her in a corner of the conference room. They were so close that ra could even feel his breath on her face dont like it when people lie to me.¡± ¡°Mr Melendez. Im just a secretary, and you know very well that my financial situation is not good! If I had any rtionship with Taylor, how could I be in such a predicament? Besides. Taylor couldn¡¯t possibly know someone like me, right?¡± Emmett narrowed his eyes slightly ¡°ra, you know your lying face is quite unappealing¡± ¡°I dont care about your rtionship with Taylor you better understand your position! You work for Melendez¡¯spany, not AW! nfy your role¡± Chapter 30 Chapter 30 ra kept nodding ¡°Gotcha, Mi Melendez¡± Emmett gave her a quick nce and then turned around to leave Only then did ra let out a sigh of relief The day went by in a sh, and ra malized it was already time to leave the office Just as she was about to make her way out, she unexpectedly ran into Emmett ¡°Remember tomorrow is the weekend¡± ra nodded in acknowledgment ¡°Yes. Im aware up with work, and I dont want him to feel neglected but Mr Melendez, I might not be able to apany your son. You see, my own son wants to go out and y too. Tve already promised him! I¡¯ve been so caught hope you understand, Mr. Melendez Emmett¡¯s brow furrowed in concern, in that case, bring your son along. We can all go out together tomorrow¡± ra hurriedly exmed, ¡°My son is quite shy and gets scared around strangers! I apologize Mr Melendez Thope you understand.¡± ¡°Oh Emmett didn¡¯t give her a hard time, he just gave a slight nod and motioned, ¡°You can go¡± Watching ra¡¯s retreating figure Emmett¡¯s brows furrowed It wasnt that he insisted on having ra around, it¡¯s just that he felt somewhat at a loss dealing with his son alone! From childhood to adulthood, his son had never spent alone time with him, let alone had much conversation They probably didn¡¯t even meet five times in the past year! Now he was to take his son out alone to bond and he didn¡¯t know how to go about it He had hoped that ra could join and ease the awkwardness a bit, but she had her own son to take care of Emmett took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. When Emmett¡¯s car pulled up at the house, his father Patrick came out to greet him Emmett ¡°What¡¯s up, Dad?¡± ¡°What do you think? Patrick looked at his son, helplessly frowning. ¡°What else could it be? It¡¯s always about your marriage! You¡¯re not young anymore, Alden is at an age where he needs a mother, haven¡¯t you thought about settling down?¡± ¡°Im not interested in women ¡°What kind of excuse is that? I¡¯ve never heard such a thing in my entire lifel Can¡¯t you control yourself? Or perhaps if you interact more, you might just get over it!¡± Emmett calmly replied, ¡°I can¡¯t control it¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hire a female secretary? Aren¡¯t you guys getting along?¡± Emmett locked at his father for a moment, suddenly recalling ra¡¯s words. ¡°Dad, did you hire ra to be my wife?¡± ¡°That was indeed my original intention¡± Patrick didnt intend to hide it, ¡°But I just found out she already has a son and doesn¡¯t seem to have any ns to marry you! I thought she would happily agree, but she kindly rejected me Emmett, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time for some self reflection? Why haven¡¯t you had a woman by your side all these years? If it wasn¡¯t for your mom and me insisting on you having Aiden, we probably wouldn¡¯t even have a grandchild by now!¡± Every time this topic came up. Emmett seemed somewhat impatient ¡°I already have a grandson, why do you still insist on me getting married?¡± ¡°You cant stay single forever! Haven¡¯t you heard the rumors outside? I¡¯ve heard them! Patrick studied his son for a moment, his eyes suddenly bulging, ¡°Could it be you really are.¡± Emmett, feeling exasperated, said. ¡°When Aiden was born, it wasn¡¯t by means of IVF in the end¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ¡°That just proves I¡¯m straight¡± ¡°Why are you like this, though? Do you want to look for that woman from before Patrick Melendez asked. ¡°I feel like you didn¡¯t really have a problem with her back then, right?¡± Emmett remained silent ¡°This can be easily sorted! I can go find her for you! Your mom was in touch with this woman, she should still be able to track her down.¡± ¡°No need Emmett rejected the offer outright I don¡¯t have time to think about this stuff now. All you need to know is that I¡¯m perfectly normal. And Alden is very healthy Whether I get married or not is irrelevant! If you have time for this, you¡¯d better go on a trip with mom¡± ¡°Does that have anything to do with it? Are you nning to stay single forever?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be with other women, no one can change that Emmett said ¡°I can¡¯t help it either¡± Patrick frowned. ¡°Then you have two choices Either I go find the woman who gave birth to your child, or you marry your secretary! I feel like you don¡¯t have an issue with her¡® ¡°I reject both options.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about my business. I have my own ns¡± 4 Having said that, Emmett turned and left Patrick mmed the table in anger. ¡°You really have grown up, not even listening to your own father anymore!¡± On a weekend morning ra Calloway woke up early to tackle the house chores, including theundry. She was relieved that Alex had enough clothes; otherwise, he would have had nothing to wear. With work waiting for her when she returned home and the added task of organizing Emmett¡¯s work, ra simply couldn¡¯t afford to spend time on housework ¡°Mommy!¡± Alex emerged from his bedroom, rubbing his sleepy eyes T¡¯m going to bete for school. Why didn¡¯t you wake me up. ra gently tapped Alex¡¯s nose and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? Today is the weekend! Although your test scores weren¡¯t great this time, you¡¯ve been working hard, so mommy still wants to reward you!¡± Hearing this, Alex¡¯s eyes instantly lit up ¡°Mommy! You¡¯re the best! Can I mally go to the amusement park?¡± ¡°Mommy will be with you all day today! We¡¯ll go have some fun and then enjoy your favorite burgers.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Awesome!¡± Alex began to smile. He was thinking about calling Aidenter to check on him. However Alex was so excited that he forgot to call. They had already gotten to the entrance of the amusement park when he remembered! ra went to buy the tickets, Alex hurriedly tried to sneak a call to Aiden using his phone, but He forgot to bring his phone too! Oh no Alex couldn¡¯t help but pout. He wasn¡¯t afraid of anything now it¡¯s just that he knew Aiden would scold him, and he felt a little nervous as if he had done something wrong. ¡°Alex what are you doing?¡± ra held the tickets and looked at her son. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything I¡¯m just waiting here for you!¡± ¡°What a good boy!¡± ra handed the mask and hat in her hand to her son, ¡°We should follow our usual practice, we need to wear these in crowded public ces¡± Alex looked at the hat and mask, this time he hesitated a bit, ¡°Mom, can I not wear these? Why do I always have to wear these? I see other kids don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Do you want to leave mommy?¡± Alex shook his head vigorously. ¡°No¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ra bent down and caressed her son¡¯s cheek. ¡°Sweetheart, without you, Mommy wouldn¡¯t be able to go on! So you have to be good and listen to me, okay? I won¡¯t let anyone take you away!¡± Alex didn¡¯t fully understand and asked, ¡°Mommy who wants to take me away? Is it Daddy?¡± ¡°The adult world is veryplicated. You¡¯re still young and don¡¯t need to understand these things! You just need to remember that Mormy will always love you Do you know? If someone finds out about you, then you¡¯ll have to leave Mammy forever!¡± Upon hearing this. Alex immediately grabbed a face mask I wear i Mommy don¡¯t worry, Ill always be by your side! ra stroked her son¡¯s hair, feeling somewhat guilty as she lowered her head Sometimes she didn¡¯t know if what she was doing was right Alex and herself hadn¡¯t lived a prosperous life And her other child would be separated from his brother! ra had considered sending Alex away. But she couldn¡¯t do it! She couldn¡¯t! For so many years, Alex had been her sole reason for persevering and continuing to live. Meanwhile, in a ck Bentley, Aiden was staring at his phone No texts, no calls Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. What the heck is Alex up to! ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be hanging out with me? And you¡¯re just staring at your phone? Emmett notices his son¡¯s odd behavior and asks. Aiden nced at his father, pockets his phone, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for a call¡± ¡°From a ssmate? ¡°A friend¡± ¡°Keeping secrets so young¡± Emmett chuckled, ¡°But you keep asking me to hang out with you and then you just stare at your phone, not even looking up when you talk to me That¡¯s just in rude.¡± Aiden said, ¡°Sorry, dad.¡± ¡°This is the first time we¡¯re out together, just the two of us. If there¡¯s anything you want, just tell me.¡± After all, this amusement park was owned by the Melendez family, whatever Aiden wanted, he just needed to tell Emmett. Aiden nodded obediently, but his attention remained on his phone Why hasn¡¯t he received a call yet¡­. Suddenly, he spoke up, ¡°Dad, I need to go to the restroom.¡± Emmett furrowed his brow, ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes! I cant hold it anymore¡± ¡°Pull over.¡± Emmett nced at the restaurant outside. ¡°I¡¯ll take you.¡± ¡°I can go by myself!¡± Aiden quickly got out of the car, phone in hand, and entered the restaurant. The server was surprised to see only a young child. ¡°Hello, what can I get you? A ss of lemonade?¡± Aiden smiled and sat down, then immediately called Alex This guy is so unreliable! First time.. no answer. Second time still no answer! Aiden started to feel anxious. He sent a message to Alex¡¯s phone, but there was no response at all! ¡°Did he change his mind?¡± ¡°Here¡¯s your lemonade.¡± Aiden thanked him and paid the bill, but he didn¡¯t drink the lemonade. He leftright after. When he got back in the car, Emmett looked at him, ¡°That was quick.¡± ¡°I just just. Alden wasn¡¯t used to being close to his dad, so he stuttered a bit. ¡°Can we leave now?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Aiden took a deep breath Looks like trusting that guy named Alex was a mistake! Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Alex was totally lost in the fun of ying in the amusement park! ra was lugging around a bag full of toys and snacks she bought for Alex. It was a rare day to spend with her kid she wanted to give Alex as muchpany and care as possible While on the carousel, Alex said, ¡°Mommy, I want to take a picture!¡± ra immediately pulled out her phone- But just as she¡¯s about to snap a photo, a call from Emmett popped up on her screen! Why on earth is he calling her at this time? ra answered right away, ¡°Mr. Melendez, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°Im with my kide ¡°Where exactly?¡± ra almost spilled that they are at Melendez Amusement Park, but stopped herself at thest second. ¡°I¡¯m at a park in the suburbs ¡± ¡°Come to Melendez Amusement Park Emmett¡¯s voice was stern. But ra wasn¡¯t about to take that risk, ¡°My son loves it here, sorry, Mr. Melendez Today¡¯s my day off.¡± ¡°ra, don¡¯t forget you¡¯re my secretary!¡± ¡°Apologies, Mr. Melendez¡± ra said, ncing at her son¡¯s joyful expression. I really need to be with my kid today! I hope you have a wonderful weekend too!¡± With that, ra ended the call, feeling anxious about Emmett¡¯s potential response. As she hung up, she couldn¡¯t shake off the worry on her face. Observing the troubled expression, Alex, her son, inquired, ¡°What¡¯s wrong. Mommy? You don¡¯t look well!¡± ra reassured him, ¡°It s nothing, sweetheart. Maybe Mommy just got a little too excited about finally getting to y with you!¡± ¡°Mommy, can we do this every day then?¡± Alex asked excitedly. ra smiled affectionately, ¡°No, my love. Mommy still needs to work! Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have a ce to live!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Alex¡¯s enthusiasm caused him topletely forget about his previous ns with Aiden. Meanwhile, Aiden felt awkward about his first outing with his father being to an amusement park. As soon as they get out of the car, Emmett murmured, ¡°Go y whatever you want.¡± Aiden looked around, ¡°I want a lemonade.¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°Just a lemonade?¡± ¡°For now¡­ I just want a lemonade.¡± ¡°Are you messing with me?¡± Emmett red at his son, ¡°Can¡¯t you have lemonade at home? Did you have toe here for it? We came to the amusement park to y!¡± Not wanting to see him angry, Arden plucked up the courage to say, ¡°Then let¡¯s go on the carousel¡± ¡°Alright, you go ahead Emmett waved his hand dismissively, showing no intention of joining him, To Emmett, bringing a kid to an amusement park meant letting the kid y by himself. The security here was top¨Cnotch, so he¡¯s not worned about Aiden getting lost. Aiden didn¡¯t insist. He nodded and headed towards the carousel. Maybe Alex and his mom were already here, just forgot to bring their phones. He looked around, hoping to spot a familiar figure¡­. That¡¯s the onlyforting thought he can cling to at the moment. Lost in thought, he¡¯s suddenly heard a park worker saying. ¡°You sure change fast!¡± Aiden was stunned, then quickly reacted, ¡°Have you seen me before?¡± ¡°Yeah! Didn¡¯t you just leave? ¡°Did I just ride the carousel?¡± The worker nodded, seeming confused by his questions, ¡°Yeah¡­ Have you forgotten already?¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 ¡°Which way should i go?¡± Aiden asked ¡°That way the attendant pointed in a direction Aiden expressed his gratitude and quickly ran towards that direction It seems like Alex has reallye! He probably just forgot to contact me! Thank goodness As long as I find him, everything will be fine! Aiden searched everywhere, not leaving any corner unexplored. But the amusement park was crowded with people! His vision was starting to blur, yet he couldn¡¯t find the familiar figure ¡°Aiden, what are you looking for?¡± Suddenly, he heard Emmett¡¯s voice. ¡°1. Aiden blurted out that he was looking for his mommy. However, seeing Emmett s expression, he swallowed his words. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a fun attraction¡± Emmett nced at his watch ¡°I have a meeting Do you want to continue ying here by yourself or come back with me?¡± Upon hearing that, Alden immediately said, ¡°But you promised to apany me today! Why do you have something else. ¡°It¡¯s an impromptu meeting¡± Emmett nced at him ¡°Ill make it up to you when I have time.¡± Aiden grew anxious and quickly grabbed his arm. ¡°Dad, can you stay with me a little longer? Just for a while!¡± His sudden action puzzled Emmett ¡°What do you have in mind¡± Speak up! I don¡¯t like children who lie¡± Aiden lowered his head. I. I just want a mommy¡­¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°All you need to do is focus on your studies. Don¡¯t meddle in adult affairs! If you don¡¯t behave, I won¡¯t take you out anymore.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dad.¡± ¡°I have to go, are youing back with me?¡± Aiden nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± After saying this, Emmett walked ahead. Aiden looked around¡­ What a bummer, today¡¯s n was a bust! Aiden thought ¡°Next time I see Alex, I¡¯m going to give him a piece of my mind! It was his idea toe up with all these ns, and now he¡¯s nowhere to be found!¡± ra spent a long time with her son at the amusement park. They only headed home in the afternoon after grabbing some burgers. But she was on edge the entire ride back, afraid of running into Emmett! In the car, Alex couldn¡¯t help reminiscing about the fun they had, ¡°Mummy, thedy at the carousel said I have beautiful eyes! She thought I was a girl.¡± ¡°You¡¯re indeed very pretty. If you had long hair, you¡¯d definitely pass for a girl!¡± ¡°So when she asked me to take off my mask for a closer look, I did ra was startled, ¡°Didn¡¯t Mummy tell you not to take off your mask in crowded ces?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I only let her take a quick peek before putting it back on!¡± Alex stuck out his tongue, ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Mummy. I know to take care of myself. I don¡¯t want to be separated from you¡± ra reached over to pat her son¡¯s head, sighing in resignation, ¡°Alex, do you resent Mummy? Do you me me for not giving you aplete family?¡± Innocent Alex blinked, ¡°Why do I have to have aplete family? I already have a lot of restrictions with only you taking care of me. If I had a dad too, wouldn¡¯t I be even more restricted?¡± ra was at a loss. What kind of logic is this? ¡°I heard on TV that it¡¯s pretty miserable for women to grow old without a man. That¡¯s why I suggested you get a boyfriend!¡± ¡°Where did you hear all this..¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ¡°That¡¯s what the TV host said I think he¡¯s pretty spot on Wouldn¡¯t it be great if you had a boyfriend to keep youpany?¡± ¡°Get rid of that thought as soon as possible! ra wanted to roll her eyes ¡°And stop watching that show too. It¡¯s bullshit?¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Alex said, ¡®Mommy, you¡¯ll always be my favorite mommy!¡± ra suddenlyughed Everything she did for her son was worth it! Seeing his smiling face, ra no longer doubted whether her decision years ago was right or not. The next day, ra arrived at Melendez¡¯spany early in the morning. She was worned that Emmett Melendez would be angry with her for rejecting him yesterday. So she had prepared the itinerary in advance and made all the necessary arrangements At half past eight, Emmett walked into the office. He nced at ra standing next to the desk and furrowed his brow. ¡°What are you standing here for?¡± ¡°Sorry, Mr. Melendez Yesterday¡­¡± ¡°Report the schedule¡± ra nodded quickly and began reporting the meetings he would attend today Just as the report was about to end, she finally felt relieved. Then, suddenly, Emmett spoke up. ¡°Would you marry me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ra was taken aback. ¡°I mean a contractual marriage. We won¡¯t have an actual husband¨Cwife rtionship.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t look at her, he continued to look at the contract and said, ¡°My father is pressuring me to get married. He might have approached you too. I don¡¯t want to get married, so I thought of finding a contract bride.¡± ra instinctively wanted to refuse ¡°You don¡¯t have to decide in a hurry. I¡¯ll give you time to consider. And if you agree, I¡¯ll write off the debt I owe you. Additionally, I¡¯ll give you a sum of money and a property ra admitted that this condition tempted her. After all, she had no ns of finding a boyfriend for the time being. And it¡¯s just fake, all for the sake of appeasing Emmett¡¯s father But¡­ this matter certainly wouldn¡¯t be easy ¡°Mr. Melendez How long do I need to be a contract bride?¡± ¡°Why? Do you have ns to get married in the near future? Or do you have a boyfriend?¡± ra waved her hand. ¡°No. But I¡¯m not good at lying, not very skilled at it. I¡¯m afraid someone will discover the truth¡± ¡°That¡¯s not illegal. Even if the truth is uncovered, it¡¯ll just be my father scolding me a bit more ¡°Alright¡­¡± ¡°Do you have any other concerns?¡± ra looked at Emmett¡¯s face and said, ¡°Why do you have to choose me? I think thedies who wanted to go on a date with you before were all beautiful!¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to. Are you satisfied with that answer?¡± ¡°Agree or disagree?¡± Seeing his seriousness, ra immediately said. ¡°I will definitely help with this favor! After all, Mr. Melendez saved me before. I still owe you money! Even if you don¡¯t give me any additional compensation, I will ept it!¡± Although she didn¡¯t have any special abilities, she disliked being indebted to others. If given the opportunity, she would naturally repay the favor. ¡°In that case, please bring your identification tomorrow, and we will register for marriage¡± ra asked in surprise, ¡®Register for marriage directly?¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 ¡°What¡¯s the problem with that?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow ¡°No, no problem at all! ra hastily shook her head ¡°Im just a bit taken aback, that¡¯s all!¡± After all, the Melendez n is quite the bigwig She had assumed they would throw a massive wedding bash! That was one of her worries- she didn¡¯t want anyone to recognize Alex at the wedding! She didn¡¯t expect them to skip the wedding altogether. ¡°Tll tell my folks that we¡¯re too swamped at work to n a wedding¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with whatever Mr. Melendez says!¡± Emmett looked up at ra. For a secretary, she¡¯s rarely this cooperative! He hoped having a contract bride would get him off his dad¡¯s endless nagging He¡¯s been pretty fed up these years. During break time, Alex secretly went to the restroom and took out his phone to check it. There were missed calls from Aiden. He thought about replying but then gave up. If he made a call, Aiden would definitely reprimand him! With Aiden¡¯s stern face in mind, Alex quickly put away his phone. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything, I didn¡¯t see anything My phone is broken¡± he said as he was interrupted by the sudden ringing of his phone. It seemed like the twins had a connection, as expected, it was Alden calling! Alex hesitated for a moment but eventually answered. ¡°Aiden¡­¡± ¡°You finally answered the phone! I thought you went missing!¡± ¡°I forgot to bring my phone yesterday! And I was afraid of getting caught by Mom, so I didn¡¯t go back to get it.¡± ¡°How can you forget everything? All our preparations would have been for nothing!¡± Alex pouted, ¡°Alden, I¡¯ve made up my mind. I don¡¯t want to share mom with you anymore!¡± Alden asked, ¡°Why?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°I want a mom all to myself! What if she likes you better because you do better in school and I don¡¯t? If both dad and mom like you, wouldn¡¯t I be the kid nobody likes?¡± Aiden helplessly said, ¡°Where are these thoughtsing from?¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not going along with our n anymore!¡± Alexughed, ¡°But you¡¯re still my brother!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want us to live together as a family?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Aiden seemed to try to convince him, ¡°Mom and dad won¡¯t treat you like that. They would be more concerned about you! Because I do well, they don¡¯t need to spend too much time on me. If you¡¯re not doing well, they would pay more attention to you!¡± ¡°But their attention means disciplining me! I don¡¯t want that kind of attention.¡± Alex hung his head, a bit down, ¡°I¡¯m not as smart as you. They will be more and more disappointed in me ¡°Whatever, I won¡¯t force you! Gotta hang up now.¡± Aiden ended the call, Alex stared at the nk screen of his phone. ¡°I could introduce mom to a boyfriend who really likes me. Preferably someone who¡¯s not doing so well at school. That way, he could understand me!¡± The more Alex thought about it, the more sense it made, he couldn¡¯t help feeling proud. ¡°I¡¯m so smart! Not like Aiden, he¡¯s just a goody¨Ctwo¨Cshoes nerd!¡± Not long after Aiden hung up, he sneezed! A maid immediately asked, ¡°Aiden, are you catching a cold?¡± Aiden waved her off. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¦§ Chapter 37 Chapter 37 ¡°Alex is so unreliable! But I still want my mom What should I do?¡± Aiden nced at his phone and then at the butler Suddenly, he waved his hand and called the butler over. ¡°Go tell my dad that I¡¯m sick, really seriously sick!¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. The butler was somewhat shocked ¡°But didn¡¯t you just say everything was fine? ¡°Just do as I say! Go now!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Emmett spent the morning in a meeting By the time he stepped out of the conference room, it was nearly one o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Returning to his office, ra had already set the meal on the table in the lounge. ¡°Mr. Melendez, please have your meal.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten either, right? Let¡¯s eat together¡± ¡°No need You¡¯re the CEO, and I¡¯m the secretary. If other employees see us eating together, there will be rumors.¡± Emmett nced at her and said, ¡°Once we¡¯re married, it won¡¯t be something we can hide.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t need to worry about that¡± After Emmett finished speaking, he headed towards the lounge, with ra following behind. ¡°Mr. Melendez, our current cooperation with Luminate Co. seems to be going well. However, we have some issues with the new architectural designs for the real estate development.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about work during the meal.¡± ra quickly swallowed the rest of her words. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll go out first¡± ¡°I told you to eat with me Emmett repeated. ra sensed a hint of impatience in his tone. ¡°Mr. Melendez, L. ¡°I¡¯m asking you to eat.¡± ra hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly put down the files in her hands and went to wash her hands. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Melendez.¡± It was probably the most nervous meal ra had ever had. ¡°After tomorrow, we¡¯ll be husband and wife. Even though it¡¯s fake, only you and I will know. Everyone else will think we¡¯re a real couple! So, you¡¯ll have to get used to having a husband¡± But there¡¯s no one else right now, is there? Could it be¡­ Could it be that Emmett actually likes me? But he¡¯s never had the courage to say it. Is this fake marriage also intentional on his part? ra couldn¡¯t help but mock herself. Maybe she hadn¡¯t been sleeping well recently, which was clouding her mind! How could Emmett possibly like her! There were so many women who wanted to marry Emmett. Those tall and perfectly beautiful women made ra¡¯s heart flutter, but Emmett heartlessly turned them away! ¡°Have you figured out how to deal with my father yet?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about that,¡± it was a sudden piece of news for her. ¡°Well, if my father asks about your child, just say the child¡¯s father has passed away.¡± ra nodded. ¡°Alright, I understand ¡°Additionally, this is the list of additionalpensations I¡¯m giving you.¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Emmett suddenly handed her a contract and a detailed chart. The chart read A hug for ten grand, attending a party as a couple for ten grand, a kiss for fifty grand, and a sleepover for a hundred grand Emmett said, ¡°Sleepover doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll actually be sleeping together¡± ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Mr. Melendez, I got the picture ¡°Il crash on the bed, you on the carpet + Thepany¡¯s aftemoon workload was heavy as hell, so much so that ra barely had time to wet her whistle. Summer wasing and loads of construction projects were about to kick off. The floor ns and design drawings needed to be squared away in advance Emmett couldn¡¯t be bothered with these things, so it was up to her to get them serted, and then let Emmett rubber¨Cstamp them By the time she was done, it was seven in the evening. Of course, she hadn¡¯t picked up Alex yet. The kid who should¡¯ve been waiting at the kindergarten for his mom showed up at the doorstep of Melendez¡¯spany! ¡°I remember Mommy said she works here¡± Alex looked up. The towering building made his head spin He couldn¡¯t help but marvel, ¡°If this was my home, that¡¯d be sick! I could set up a slide on it, and it¡¯d be so much fun!¡± ¡°Hey kiddo, who are you looking for?¡± The security guard spotted Alex and briskly walked over Alex opened his mouth, wanting to say his mom¡¯s name, but then he shook his head, ¡°Mister, can I go in and take a look?¡± ¡°Kid, this ain¡¯t a yground! Where are your parents?¡± ¡°My Mom and Dad both work here, I want to surprise them¡± Alex said with a grin, ¡°They¡¯re so busy they forgot to pick me up. See how good I am, making it nere all by myself!¡± ¡°So what are your Mom and Dad¡¯s names? I can look them up and have theme down to get you!¡± ¡°I forgot my mom and dad¡¯s names!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a pickle. I can¡¯t just let you go in.¡± The security guard hesitated, ¡°You wait here. I¡¯ll have the receptionist take you in to look for your folks, okay?¡± Alex nodded hurriedly. ¡°Okay! Thank you!¡± As soon as the guard turned his back, Alex sneaked in after him. This little thing was no biggie for him! As soon as he entered, he was blown away by the grandeur of thepany lobby! This ce was off the chain! It was like a freaking pce Alex, with his little backpack, was so engrossed in his surroundings he almost forgot he was here to find his mom! As he was looking around, he suddenly heard someone speaking behind him. ¡°Mr. Melendez, the CEO of Luminate Co. is waiting for you! The revisions have also beenpleted, please review¡± ¡°Hand it to ra¡± ¡°Sure thing. Mr. Melendez¡± Alex spotted the familiar man. Emmett Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Wasn¡¯t that Aiden¡¯s dad? Alex decided to find a ce to hide, pronto If he got spotted, would he have to keep pretending to be Aiden and get taken home? As he was about to make a run for it, he heard Emmett¡¯s voice behind him- ¡°Freeze¡± Alex stiffened. Emmett, expressionless, walked over, ¡°Aiden? What are you doing here at thepany?¡± ¡°I uh well. I was bored and¡­ and¡­ Alex was too nervous to form a full sentence. Emmett looked at the boy in front of him, frowning ¡°Hold on! You¡¯re not Aiden.¡± This was a statement, not a question What he was wearing was clearly not Aiden¡¯s clothes but a regr kindergarten uniform! Could it be, he had another son in this world?! Chapter 39 Chapter 39 This realization made Emmett, who is usually very calm, feel a sense of unease. There was a child who looked exactly like Aident He looked at that face, and he didn¡¯t need to doubt for a moment whether this was his own child It was impossible for stic surgery to achieve such an uncanny resemnce! ¡°L.. I am Aiden, Dad¡± Alex was momentarily flustered and turned to run! Emmett was about to reach out and grab him but was bumped by a security guard from behind. ¡°Quick! A child just slipped int Find out where he went! The security guard turned back to look, startled to see Emmett. He spoke hesitantly ¡°CEO. ¡°Step aside Emmett¡¯s face was stemm Tm leaving now!¡± As Emmett turned around again, the little boy from earlier had vanished! If it weren¡¯t for the chaos around him, he would have thought it was all just a dream! Was that little boy a twin of Aiden? Emmett furrowed his brow and took out his phone to call his father. ¡°Dad, I need to know who that woman was back then¡± Finally, ra looked up from her busy work- It was already eight o¡¯clock! Damn, Alex She immediately got up and grabbed her bag, ready to bolt. Just as she was about to get on the elevator, Emmett happened to walk out! ¡°Mr. Melendez.¡± ¡°Why are you in such a hurry¡± Emmett nced at her, frowning ¡°I forgot to pick up my son from school. He¡¯s probably still at school! I have to go now, sorry Mr. Melendez ra rushed out, only for Emmett to call out to her from behind ¡°ra, did your sone to thepany?¡± ra was taken aback, quickly shaking her head, ¡°No way, my son is timid. He wouldn¡¯te to the company! He must be waiting for me at the kindergarten¡± ¡°Then you go ahead¡± The kid from earlier certainly didn¡¯t seem timidi ra nodded, hastily getting on the elevator to go downstairs. At thepany¡¯s entrance, she frantically hailed a cab. Just as she was about to get in, she felt a hand tug at her clothes! ra turned around- ¡°Alex? How did you get here?¡± ¡°Mom, you forgot to pick me up. So, I came myself!¡± Alex seemed to remember something, pushing ra into the car and then following her in, ¡°Mom, get in the car first,This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. let¡¯s talkter!¡± Once in the car, ra suddenly remembered what Emmett had said to her¡­ ¡®Did Emmett see you?¡± Alex lowered his head, remaining silent. ¡°I¡¯m asking you, did Emmett see you? The man from the magazine you showed me before!¡± ra inquired, her voice filled with concern. Alex nervously bit his lip and nodded guiltily. I¡¯m sorry, Mom. I wanted to surprise you, so I came here. But he didn¡¯t catch me! I cleverly managed to escape!¡± ra¡¯s frown deepened as she looked at her son. ¡°Alex, why would you do that? Haven¡¯t I warned you numerous times? Don¡¯te to my workce, don¡¯t interact with wealthy people, and don¡¯t let too many people see your face! Why don¡¯t you ever listen to me?¡± The thought of someone recognizing Alex¡¯s face from years ago terrified ra. She couldn¡¯t bear the idea of losing him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom¡­ I promise I won¡¯t do it again¡­ Alex replied remorsefully. ¡°Alex, this is not a joke. If you are ever discovered, we might be separated forever I can¡¯t even begin to imagine such a day¡± Chapter 40 Chapter 40 She doesn¡¯t even know how tall her other child is All she can do is imagine that kid by looking at Alex That kid might look a lot like Alex¡­ Every time she thinks about this, ra feels like her heart is being torn apart! This is too cruel for her! ¡°Mama, I¡¯m sorry¡± ra hugged her son, unable to hold back her tears, ¡°Marna can¡¯t lose you again. You have to promise Mama you won¡¯t run around on your own and don¡¯t talk to strangers, okay?¡± Alex nodded vigorously. He wanted to tell Mama about Aiden. But seeing Mama like this, he didn¡¯t dare to speak up. Seeing Mama so sad, he thought he might have really done something wrong! He doesn¡¯t understand the adult world that well. It¡¯s better for him to behave The Melendez family In the spacious living room. ¡°What? There¡¯s another child!¡± ¡°Yes, I saw it with my own eyes,¡± Emmett frowned. ¡°They must be twins, that woman kept one for herself! Sophia Melendez quickly covered her chest, almost having a heart attack. ¡°This is ridiculous! Our contract with that woman clearly stated that if there were multiples, they would all be ours! We would pay her double.¡± ¡°I will not let my child be lost out there. So I need to know who that woman is.¡± Patrick sat on the sofa without a word. ¡°Honey¡­what do you think we should do about this?¡± Sophia sat next to her husband, nudging him. ¡°How am I supposed to deal with this? Find that woman.¡± ¡°But so many years have passed, how do we find her? Plus, we wanted to cut tiespletely to avoid any residual issues. We didn¡¯t even leave a contact method! We didn¡¯t keep her ID, we don¡¯t even know her name¡­¡± Patrick frowned, ¡°We have to find her anyway! If that woman is still alive, and that child is really Emmett¡¯s son, we must find them! ¡°Of course! How can a descendant of the Melendez family be a bastard out there!¡± Emmett said. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this. Since you guys can¡¯t find that woman, I¡¯ll find her myself.¡± With that, he turned to leave. Patrick quickly said. ¡°Are you ming us?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°You clearly are!¡± Patrick frowned, stood up and walked over to him. ¡°You haven¡¯t had a woman by your side for so many years. We want you to get married, but you always have a lot of excuses. Now you¡¯re ming us for our decision back then! This child was unknown to your mother and me. You should me that woman for being so bold¡± Emmett didn¡¯t say a word. He didn¡¯t have anything to say to his father! Suddenly, Sophia, who was standing by the side, gasped. Emmett and Patrick both looked at her. Sophia quickly walked over and pped her hands, ¡°Although I can¡¯t find that woman, I can find the doctor from back then! I specifically took down the doctor¡¯s phone number and ID information! I just wanted to stay informed about my grandson¡¯s condition in the womb!* This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Hurry up! Find that doctor!¡± Patrick also seemed eager, this news was undoubtedly thrilling Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Sophia whirled around to head upstairs. ¡°Hold on a sec, you guys! Ill go check it out! ¡°Be quick about it I¡¯m gonna get in touch with that agent we had before Patrick pulled out his phone and walked out to the balcony to make a call. Emmelt had never thought a woman could be so bold! Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. When they got home, ra bought Alex¡¯s favorite pizza to cheer him up Watching Alex happily chowing down on his pizza, ra couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile. It¡¯s so easy to make a kid happy! If only Alex could always stay this simple and easy to please. After Alex finished eating, he washed his hands and announced he had to go study ra nodded and patted his head, ¡°Good boy! That¡¯s my son¡®¡± Alex dashed back to his room Just as ra was about to start working on herputer, her phone rang! For some reason, her heart started racing! She got up to answer it and it was Emmett Why was he calling her thiste? ¡°What can I do for you, Mr. Melendez?¡± ¡°There was a little boy at thepany today, I want to know who he is.¡± Ive sent you his picture, go dig up some info for me¡± ra quickly nced at herputer screen. It was a picture of Alex! Crap! Alex had caught someone¡¯s attention! ¡°Mr Melendez why do you suddenly want to investigate a little boy?¡± ra asked nervously. She knew she shouldn¡¯t be asking this, it would only arouse Emmett¡¯s suspicion, but she had to know his intentions. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, just find out for me.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, is there any other information about this little boy? Just a picture?¡± ¡°His parents work at Melendez¡¯spany¡± Great, Alex had gotten himself into trouble! Emmett frowned, ¡°You¡¯re asking a lot of questions, do you know this boy?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t! How could I possibly know him!¡± ¡°Good You better not.¡± Emmett hung up But ra was far from relieved. She paced around her room. Suddenly, as if making up her mind, ra picked up her phone and dialed a number- ¡°Hello I¡¯m sorry, could you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Do you have any idea what time it is here?¡± a groggy male voice came from the other end, ¡°It¡¯s 4 a.m.!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really in trouble! I need your help!¡± The man sighed, ¡°What happened now?¡± ¡°Could I send Alex to stay with you for a while? Alex¡¯s identity has been exposed here in the country. I¡¯m afraid people will find him!¡± ra nervously bit her lower lip. ¡°I know this is a lot to ask. But I really don¡¯t have other options! You¡¯re the only one who can fully protect Alex now!¡± ¡°So now you remember me? When I proposed to you, why were you so quick to reject me!¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send someone to pick up Alex. Be ready!¡± Hearing his agreement, ra breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank you, thank you so much!¡± Chapter 42 Chapter 42 ¡°You really have no shame, woman! I¡¯m hanging up now, don¡¯t disturb my sleep with stuff like this again! After the call ended, ra looked towards Alex¡¯s room, her eyes filled with tears. She and Alex were about to part ways Alex had never left her side in all these years Now, they were to be separated, and it was unbearable for her But the reality was something she could not change. To keep Alex from being taken away, this was the only path she could take. The next morning. ra got up and made breakfast for Alex. It was when the breakfast was served that Alex gol up ¡°Mama wow, today¡¯s breakfast is really fancy!¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it, ra smiled, ¡°You don¡¯t have to go to school today.¡± Alex was surprised, ¡°Why mama? is the kindergarten closed today?¡± ¡°No, a friend of mama¡¯s has invited you over for a while!¡± ¡°Is it Mr Milburn?¡± ra nodded, ¡°Yes. You need to behave yourself when you¡¯re there. Don¡¯t cause him any trouble, okay?¡± ¡°Can I refuse?¡± Alex didn¡¯t ept the invitation right away. ¡°I want to stay here with you! If I go to Mr. Milburn¡¯s, I won¡¯t see you for a long time!¡± ra bent down to meet Alex¡¯s gaze ¡°Good boy, there¡¯s some issue with mama right now and I can¡¯t take care of you properly! You go to Mr. Milburn¡¯s first. Mama promises toe get you soon, okay?¡± ¡°Will you be lonely without me around, mama?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll be lonely! That¡¯s why I promise toe get you soon!¡± Alex said, ¡°But I don¡¯t want to leave you, mama. Hearing this, ra could no longer hold back her tears. She hugged her son tightly, saying ¡°I¡¯m sorry Alex, it¡¯s mama¡¯s fault¡­ I can¡¯t solve the problem, so I have to part with you for now! Can you forgive mama?¡± ¡°Mama, don¡¯t cry!¡± Alex hurriedly wiped ra¡¯s tears, ¡°I love going to Mr. Milburn¡¯s. I won¡¯t miss mama at all! Mama, don¡¯t cry! Mr. Milburn is very nice to me and buys me toys. So, mama, don¡¯t worry!¡± The usually naughty Alex suddenly became well¨Cbehaved and understanding, making ra feel even more guilty. She would rather have him throw a tantrum right now, maybe that would make her feel a little better. ¡°Mama, does Mr. Milburn like you?¡± The topic suddenly changed, and ra was caught off guard. ¡°I think Mr. Milburn is so nice to me because he likes you, mama! Right?¡± ra said, ¡°You¡¯re leaving me speechless! Mama is not a fairy!¡± ¡°In my eyes, you¡¯re a fairy, the most beautiful person in the world!¡± ¡°You¡¯re so sweet!¡± Only after arranging everything for Alex did ra go to work She had nned to take a leave, but today was the day she was supposed to register her marriage with Emmett, and she couldn¡¯t back out! She was also worried that Emmett would suspect something at this time. Once ra arrived at the office, Emmett called her into his office. ¡°Mr. Melendez.¡± ¡°You werete today¡± Emmett looked at her and said, ¡°You¡¯re usually neverte.¡± ¡°There was a bit of traffic today!¡± ¡°The roads were clear today, there was no traffic.¡± ra pursed her lips, but before she could say anything, Emmett mmed his hand on the desk. ¡°ra¡® How long do you n on keeping this from me?!¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 ra felt overwhelmed and unsure of how to respond She was taken aback by Emmett¡¯s words and the mention of Taylor ¡°So. Taylor Alwood showed up outside Melendez¡¯spany today, and you were with him, causing you to bete, right? Ernmett questioned. Taylor? ra¡¯s mind raced with a multitude of excuses, but they seemed futile now. So. Emmett was upset because of Taylor, not Alex? ¡°I didn¡¯t see Taylor¡± ra denied Emmett¡¯s expression turned cold, his voice stern. ¡°You know better. Just remember, you¡¯re with Melendez now. Once we officially register our marriage, you¡¯ll be a married woman. We may not be a real couple, but your actions reflect on Melendez Don¡¯t underestimate the consequences. Especially when ites to Taylor, you cannot meet him ra hesitated for a moment and then nodded, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Prepare the car,¡± Emmettmanded. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°To register our marriage!¡± ¡°Ok ra turned around and left the office He really freaked her out! She almost thought Emmett was forcing her to hand over Alex! But now it¡¯s clear that Emmett probably knows that family. He might have even met her other child¡® Every time she thought about that son, ra felt heartbroken! For so many years, to avoid suspicion and not to lose Alex, she dared not tantly look for that child, let alone find out information about that child and that family! She was afraid that the child would hate her. And she was afraid to meet that child. He might not acknowledge her. After ss, Aiden was trying to contact Alex on his phone. He had no idea what happened on his end but he couldn¡¯t be reached! His phone was off. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The teacher noticed Aiden¡¯s unusual behavior. He rarely was so engrossed in his phone. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for a friend¡¯s call.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Oh, I see! Do you need my help with anything?¡± ¡°No.¡± Aiden thought for a moment and said, ¡°Teacher, can I take the afternoon off? Don¡¯t tell my dad or grandma.¡± The teacher was stunned, she couldn¡¯t take that responsibility ¡°That¡¯s not possible With your special status, if you go missing¡­ the teacher would be in big trouble.¡± ¡°I have some important things to handle.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Seeing the teacher was in a dilemma, Aiden said, ¡®Don¡¯t worry, teacher. I¡¯ll go back to ss.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Alden got up to go back to the ssroom, but that didn¡¯t mean he gave up on finding Alex. There was a PE ss in the afternoon! He could excuse himself to go to the bathroom and sneak out. That should be easy. Sure enough, during the PE ss, Aiden easily slipped out of school under the pretext of going to the bathroom On the way, Aiden kept trying to contact Alex But his phone was still off When he arrived at ra and Alex¡¯s ce, he found no one there. Had Alex already gone to school? Aiden checked his previous chat records with Alex and found the kindergarten Alex was at. Just as he was about to walk into the kindergarten, he heard a woman asking, ¡°Are you Alex? Is Alex in ss?¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 ¡°Didn¡¯t your mom tell you that you¡¯re leaving school? The teacher bent down to him and said, ¡®Are you sad to leave?¡± ¡°My mom said I¡¯m leaving school?¡± The teacher nodded, ¡°Yep! Your mom said you¡¯re going to a far ce and can¡¯te to kindergarten anymore! But we¡¯ll miss you If you ever get the chance toe back, remember to visit us!¡± Aiden was shocked He had no clue what was going on! Alex was leaving? There must be something big going on. Otherwise, his mom wouldn¡¯t let Alex drop out! Oh my God, Alex wasn¡¯t sick, was he? Thinking about this, Aiden turned and ran Behind him, the teacher shouted, ¡°Alex be careful! Don¡¯t run around by yourself! Go find your mom!¡± I got it thanks, teacher¡± Aiden said, hastily hailing a car. ¡°Driver, I need to go to Melendez¡¯spany¡± ¡°Melendez¡¯spany?¡± The driver nced at him in the backseat and nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± ra was still feeling like she was dreaming while looking at the marriage certificate! Whether it was real or fake, she legally had a husband ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Emmett nced at her. ra lowered her head and said, ¡°Nothing¡­ ¡± ¡®Remember our agreement. Be careful with your words and actions from now on. I don¡¯t want any trouble from you for thepany.¡± ra nodded, ¡°I understand! Anyways, thanks for saving me, Mr. Melendez. You also paid off my debts so I don¡¯t have to hide from debt collectors all the time. I won¡¯t cause you any trouble¡± ra was grateful! If it wasn¡¯t for Emmett that day, she didn¡¯t want to imagine what would have happened! Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Emmett nced at her and said, ¡°As long as you understand.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Melendez¡® ra bowed her head. Emmett said, ¡°Stop calling me Mr. Melendez.¡± ¡°Call me Emmett, or Em¡± ra looked panicked, ¡°That¡¯s not appropriate¡°¡± ¡°Just do as I say!¡± ra couldn¡¯t say a word ¡°Is it that hard to call me by my name? You seem pretty cozy with Taylor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so different? Do you and Taylor have something special?¡± ra quickly said, ¡°Nothing!¡± Her phone rang just as she finished her sentence. ¡°I need to take a call!¡± ra turned and walked to a corner before she dared to pick up. ¡°Hello, Elio Milburn have you settled Alex?¡± Elio sounded a bit helpless, ¡°I¡¯m here, Alex will definitely be safe! What are you worrying about!¡± ¡°Alex has never left me in all these years, how could I not worry? I¡¯m worried he¡¯ll cry. I¡¯m worried he won¡¯t adapt to the new environment! ¡°Do you want me to video call you?¡± ra looked at Ermmett not far away and refused, ¡®Never mind! It¡¯s not convenient right now! I¡¯ll video call you when I get home from work.¡± Chapter 45 Chapter 45 ¡°You¡¯re off work and I¡¯m just about to hit the hay. We¡¯ve had a rough day, and you¡¯re still bugging unt ra suddenly heard Alex¡¯s voice from the other end, ¡°Mr. Milburn, done with your chitchat? I want ice cream!¡± ¡°Alright! Gotta cut this short. I¡¯m off to get Alex some goodies! ¡°Don¡¯t spoil him too much! Don¡¯t get him everything he asks for, youll spoil him rotten! Before ra could finish, Elio had already hung up She looked at her phone screen andughed. Deep down. ra knew Alex was just putting on a show to put her at easel That kid always looking carefree and indifferent on the outside, but he¡¯s actually very sensitive! Tucking her phone away. ra walked back to Emmett He asked. ¡°Who was that?¡± ¡°Just a friend¡± ¡°A guy?¡± ra nced at him, then to avoid any suspicions she replied, ¡°A female friend¡± Emmett didn¡¯t ask any more, ¡®Let¡¯s head back to the office.¡± ¡°Sure! Aiden searched high and low to no avail and finally had to head back to school. His disappearance had caused a major panic among the teachers at school. They were all about to go out and search for him! ¡°Aiden, where have you been!¡± ¡°I just had to take care of something!¡± The teachers looked like they were about to cry. ¡°Do you know how worried we were! We almost notified the Melendez family!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t, did you?¡± ¡°Not yet!¡± They were also afraid to alert the Melendez family. Aiden finally breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine! There¡¯s no need to tell my father.¡± He walked back to his seat, feeling a little down, his mind full of thoughts about Alex. He had no idea what had happened to Alex He just up and left so suddenly! His mom had nned to settle down here with Alex, why did they suddenly leave? While he was deep in thought, his phone buzzed! A text message! Aiden quickly opened it, it was from an unknown number, but as soon as he read the tone of the message, he knew it was from Alex! [Aiden, I¡¯m leaving for a while! I¡¯lle to find you when I get back! Don¡¯t fight with me over mom during this time!] Aiden sighed Even at a time like this, he was still thinking about fighting over their mom! His immediate response was, [Mom didn¡¯t go with you?] [Yeah, she said she had some stuff to do, she¡¯lle and get meter! Don¡¯t show up when I leave! I¡¯ve thought about it for a long time and I don¡¯t want to share my mom with anyone! You have everything in the Melendez family, but all I have is mom! Bro, leave me someone, will ya!] This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Looking at the asional mistakes in the message, Aiden knew it was something Alex would do! But To be honest, Aiden could understand Alex¡¯s feelings! To others, he undoubtedly was a child born into a wealthy family, and the Melendez family was arge n. But they didn¡¯t know that he toe, was yearning for a mother¡¯s love. On the way back to the office. Elio sent her some photos, but ra didn¡¯t dare to look at them until she was sure that Emmett had gone into the meeting room. The kid in the photos looked happy enough But ra could tell from his expression that he was pretending to be happy At that moment,/ra¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Right now, she just wished she could disappear, just like that, and leave with Alex! But if she suddenly left too, it would definitely draw attention! Especially from Emmett, he¡¯d dig into her past in a heartbeat! Then her past would be hand to hide from Emmett ¡®Alex Mommy is doing all this for your own good! Don¡¯t me mommy!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she suckkenly felt someone behind her ra quickly put away her phone and turned around it was Emmett What the heck was he doing here! ¡°What are you up to? Emmett looked into her eyes. ¡°Have you been crying?¡± ra hastily wiped her eyes with her sleeve. ¡°Nothing! Just got something in my eye ¡°What ame excuse¡± Emmett didn¡¯t press the issue, ¡°My parents want to meet you tonight¡± ra was taken aback, hurriedly nodding. ¡°Okay!¡± T|| have someone send over some clothes, try them on!¡± ra quickly nodded in response ¡°Also go pick up some toys that kids like! Apart from my parents, you¡¯ll be meeting my son today as well.¡± The CEO¡¯s son? ra was stunned, it took her a while to snap back to reality, ¡°Alright! Got it! I¡¯ll go buy themter!¡± ¡°Also, I need to exin something about my family to you¡® Emmett said solemnly. My son is pretty introverted, he doesn¡¯t really like socializing, so don¡¯t worry about his attitude¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know my ce, I won¡¯t give a damn about your son¡¯s attitude! Besides, he¡¯s just a kid, it¡¯s normal for him to reject a stepmother! I¡¯m prepared for it.¡± ¡°He¡¯s never met his mother since he was born, so he¡¯s more aloof than you think!¡± ra was taken aback. He¡¯s never seen his mother since he was born? Poor kid! ra sneakily nced at Emmett It seemed like another tragedy in a wealthy family, and a child was left to bear the brunt. The child must be so upset! But then again, she was also tempted by money back in the day After all, in this world, you can¡¯t survive without money! ra was quickly taken to the fitting room. When she saw the magnificent dress, she felt like she was dreaming! ¡°Miss, you can try it on now! I¡¯ll wait outside for you, if anything doesn¡¯t fit, just let us know!¡± ¡°Okay Thank you.¡± ra took the dress into the fitting room, the magnificent dress seemed out of ce on her in the mirror. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. She hadn¡¯t worn such nice clothes in years! After trying on the clothes, ra rushed back to work in the office. She didn¡¯t know what was wrong with her, she was actually a bit nervous! She was restless, as if something was about to happen! Finally, it was time to get off work, ra just got up and saw Emmett already standing at the office door! She quickly walked over, ¡°Mr. Melendez ¡± ¡°Just call me Emmett ¡± ra awkwardly began, ¡®Emmett¡­) ¡®Let¡¯s go, my parents are waiting for you¡± ra nodded, following behind him. In the car, ra¡¯snds were nervously twisting together. Emmett seemed to have noticed her nervousness, and spoke in a deep voice, ¡°My parents won¡¯t eat you¡± *But I¡¯m afraid I might bber! I¡¯m not good at lying¡± ¡°Then keep your mouth shut ra quickly nodded, ¡°Okay!¡± The car arrived at the Melendez residence, From the style of the gate, you could tell it was a rich family¡¯s house. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 After getting out of the car, Emmett saw ra hesitating, and he just reached out and grabbed her wrist, ¡°Let¡¯s go re looked up at his eyes! For some reason, he always leht somewhat familiar to her. Walking in with Emmell, Patrick was already waiting at the door! ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Emmett nodded, ncing at ra beside him, ¡°This is r Patrick nodded, ¡°I know¡± rs kept her head down, not daring to look around, ¡®Hello, Mr Melendez ¡°You¡¯re still addressing me so formally? Aren¡¯t you already married to Emmett?¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Emmett interrupted ¡®Don¡¯t make it hard for her, she¡¯s nervous Patrick chuckled softly, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside then¡® Your mother is helping Aiden with his homework, they¡¯ll be out when it¡¯s done!¡± Alden¡± That must be Emmett¡¯s son ra followed Emmett inside, and the Melendez family¡¯s servants were all lined up to wee her! The feeling was terrifying¡® People who haven¡¯t experienced it have no idea what it feels like! Because only she and Emmett knew she was aplete fraud! ¡°Ms Calloway, didn¡¯t you say before that you didn¡¯t want to marry Emmett? Patrick sipped his water, then looked at ra sitting on the sofa ra quickly responded, ¡°Well I was moved by Emmett afterwards.¡± ¡°My son managed to move you?¡± Patrick chuckled, ¡°I thought he was too icy to chase girls.¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°You guys talked about this before?¡± He had no idea! ¡°Just a bit briefly ¡°What was your answer then?¡± ¡°Ms Calloway said she wasn¡¯t interested in you¡± Emmett looked at ra! She felt even more embarrassed at this point! She suddenly felt that she shouldn¡¯t havee today! ¡°Um, Im suddenly feeling a little unwell, can I go to the restroom?¡± ra just wanted to find a ce to cool down a bit. Emmett stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll take you ¡°No need¡® Just tell me where it is, I can go by myself¡± ¡°Go straight, turn right.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ra hurried off, but she didn¡¯t actually go to the restroom. Instead, she found that this road led straight to a small garden. She sighed ¡°I just chill here for a bit!¡± Otherwise, she would have to confront their interrogation upon her return! Those two individuals were extremely intimidating! She had no clue about the nature of their uing inquiries! Any question posed to her might inadvertently expose her true identity. ra entered the garden and had just settled down when she overheard a conversation amongst a few servants behind her ¡°Aiden seems to be in a rather foul mood today¡± ¡°Yes, he has been quite lethargic since his return. Perhaps it¡¯s because¡­ Mr Melendez recently got married! To Aiden, that¡¯s like having a stepmother!¡± Another servant let out a sigh. ¡°Aiden is such an adorable child Inever expected him to endure such hardships! Rumor has it that he has never evenid eyes on his biological mother! He was taken away immediately after birth!¡± ¡°Really? The Melendez family can be so merciless!¡± ¡°Shh! Keep your voice down, you want to lose your job?!¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry. ra turned to look at the two of them, suddenly feeling a bit strange. The youngest of the Melendez family has never seen his biological mother, and was taken away right after he was born, isn¡¯t this simr to the fate of her own other son? So there¡¯s another poor child in the world whose life is so simr to her son¡¯s ra sighed, stood up to go back, after all, she couldn¡¯t stay here too long. Suddenly, she heard a somewhat childish voice from behind. Very familiar Hold up, who¡¯re ya?¡± ra froze, turning around¡­ Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Hold up, who¡¯re ya?¡± ra froze, turning around¡­ For a split second she felt like her soul was about to jump out of her body! The boy standing before her looked exactly like Alex! Exactly the same! When Aiden saw ra there, he was also taken aback. ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡°You. You¡¯re Emmett¡¯s son?¡± ra was stumped, she felt like she was about to lose her mind. Aiden nodded his head, seeing a servant approaching, he quickly pulled ra into a room nearby, ¡°Mommy, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was brought here by Emmett¡­¡± ra paused, suddenly asking, ¡°What did you just call me, mommy? You. You know who I am¡­¡± ¡°Of course I do! I¡¯ll exin everythingter! Mommy, can you tell me why Alex was sent away? I¡¯ve been looking for him, but I can¡¯t find him!¡± So¡­ Alex and Aiden had already me!! They knew everything! ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Alex, Alex went to Europe, he had some business to take care of.¡± ¡°You¡¯re afraid of being found out by my dad, aren¡¯t ya?¡± Aiden looked around and then whispered into ra¡¯s ear, ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t know what happened between you and dad, but right now it¡¯s not safe for us to be together for too long So, every night when my grandmother goes to sleep at around half past eight, I¡¯ll sneak out and call you, youe pick me up, okay?¡± ra nodded nkly. Aiden reached out his small hand, ¡°Mommy, give me your phone.¡± ra quickly handed it over. ¡°This is my number, now I have yours too, I¡¯ll contact you before I head out! Youe pick me up around the Melendez family estate¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Aiden gave a small smile and turned to leave. ra instinctively grabbed her son¡¯s hand. They stared at each other for a few seconds¡­ Soon, tears welled up in ra¡¯s eyes, and they began streaming down her face. ¡°All these years, I¡¯m so sorry, kiddo¡­¡± she uttered, her voice filled with remorse ¡°I know you had your reasons, mommy I don¡¯t me you her son replied, disying a remarkable understanding. ra bit her lip forcefully, determined to conceal her tears. She didn¡¯t want her son to witness her crying during their first meeting. She had envisioned this moment countless times, wondering whether he would me her, hold resentment towards her, or perhaps even curse her. She had prepared herself to endure all of that, as she believed it was the retribution she deserved. However, she never anticipated that he wouldn¡¯t harbor any resentment towards her. This realization only intensified ra¡¯s feelings of guilt. ¡°Mommy, if I stay away for too long, grandma will start searching for me! I have to go,¡± Aiden gently reassured ra, patting her hand. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again tonight, I promise.¡± ra nodded fervently, her gaze fixed on Aiden as he vanished from her sight. In that moment, it felt as if she were caught in a dream. The man from her past turned out to be Emmett The confusion within her mind was overwhelming, leaving her unable to sort out her thoughts. Suddenly- She felt someone tap her from behind! N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Turning around, she saw Emmett. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Uh I thought the view here was pretty nice, so I wanted to enjoy it. Emmett nced at his own garden, ¡°If you like it, you could move in here.¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 ra instinctively wanted to refuse, but then she thought of Alden¡­. Her son! If she moved in, she could see Aiden every day Seeing ra hesitate, Emmett was quite surprised After all, Emmett thought ra would refuse immediately ¡°Can can I live here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my wife now, of course you can live here. ¡°Emmett looked at her, ¡°But¡­ are you broke again?¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°Why would you ask that?¡± ¡°I think you can¡¯t afford to rent a ce, that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t refuse the idea of moving into the Melendez family house.¡± ra didn¡¯t expect Emmett to give her such a good excuse! She was thinking if she agreed right away, would he suspect something But.. if she moved into the Melendez family¡¯s, wouldn¡¯t the past be revealed instantly! Then she¡¯d be kicked out and Alex would be taken away by force. ra hurriedly shook her head, ¡°I¡¯d better not live here, I¡¯m not good at lying. I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t end well! I can rent a ce close to here.¡± Emmett was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly pulled out a key. ¡°This is my vi nearby, you can live there.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay rent.¡± ra didn¡¯t reach out to take it. Emmett firmly pressed the key into ra¡¯s hand. ¡°Now that you¡¯re my wife, it¡¯s crucial to y this role convincingly. Remember your status and believe it yourself before you can deceive others.¡± ra gazed up at his handsome face, her voice filled with nervousness. ¡°Mr. Melendez, L. I¡¯m really anxious!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Emmett raised an eyebrow in response. ¡°You¡¯re still addressing me as Mr. Melendez?¡± ¡°Emmett¡­¡± Taking a deep breath, Emmett reached out and held her hand directly. The touch sent a wave of familiarity through ra Since seeing Aiden and discovering the truth, she realized she had experienced this touch before¨Cit felt so familiar. ¡°Now, do you feel like my wife? Emmett questioned, their hands still entwined. ra gazed at their joined hands, lost for words. Suddenly, Emmett leaned down and kissed her lips¨Ca moment that consumed ra¡¯s thoughts. After a brief pause, Emmett stepped back slightly. ¡°And now?¡± Shocked, ra quickly covered her mouth, her eyes fixed on Emmett. He chuckled. ¡°Do I need to kiss you every day for you to grasp the feeling?¡± ra quickly shook her head, ¡°No, no need¡­¡± ¡®Let¡¯s go then! My mother should be here already, and my son.¡± Son! As soon as ra heard she could see Aiden, she quickly nodded, ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s go!¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°Why are you in such a hurry all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I want to see what Mr. Melendez¡¯s son looks like! I¡¯m curious!¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t look much like me.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Emmett looked at her, ¡°He does look a lot like you, though.¡± Hearing this, ra felt even more anxious! ¡°Like me? How is that possible!¡± ¡°You just look a bit pfmr¡± Emmett took her hand again, ¡°Let¡¯s go, don¡¯t make them wait too long¡± ¡°Okay¡± ra looked at Emmett¡¯s back and took a deep breath. Why did she feel like she couldn¡¯t keep this secret for long! Now she was basically in enemy territory, she felt danger everywhere! Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Back in the living room, ra felt a bit guilty and hid behind Emmett When Sophia came out with Aiden, she immediately spotted ra! For some reason, she found herself really liking this girl! ¡°Mom, this is ra Emmett promptly pulled ra out from behind him and pushed her towards his mother. ra quickly greeted, ¡°Hello, Mrs Melendez¡® ¡°No need to be so formal! We¡¯re all family now!¡± Sophia smiled, then tugged at Aiden next to her, ¡®Aiden, say hello to ra!¡± Aiden nced at ra, pretending as if it was his first time seeing her, and refused to speak. Sophia felt a little embarrassed and scolded, ¡°Aiden! Where are your manners?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay!¡± ra quickly intervened ¡®It¡¯s normal for kids to be afraid of strangers¡°¡± Sophia chuckled and reassured them, ¡°You¡¯ll get to know each other better over time! And when are you moving in? I can clean up a room for you in advance! Emmett¡¯s room is a bit small. Now that you¡¯re married, you should have a master bedroom! i¡¯ll clear out the entire third floor for you! Emmett waved his hand to decline the offer. ¡°No need, we¡¯ll be living in my vi up front.¡± Sophia paused for a moment, then nodded. ¡°That works too! You young people don¡¯t like living with your parents, I get it! It¡¯s fine.¡± As long as Emmett could get married and interact with women, they had nothing to ask for! Emmett knew what his mother was thinking, and felt a bit helpless. But his parents left a good impression on ra! After all, in her mind, Emmett¡¯s parents were part of a wealthy family and they would definitely have a condescending attitude! But today, they were exceptionally warm and friendly ¡°Let¡¯s eat! Everything¡¯s ready in the kitchen.¡± Emmett nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ra smiled and whispered, ¡°Can I get to know your son a bit?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°You want to get to know him?¡± ¡°Yeah! Didn¡¯t you say I should interact with him more? I also want to make a good impression on him, is that okay?¡± Emmett paused, then nodded, ¡°Go ahead! He¡¯s used to being introverted, just don¡¯t be upset.¡± ¡°No way, no way!¡± How could she be upset with her own son? After the meal, Emmett was going to drive ra home. Reluctantly, ra cast one final nce at Aiden before reluctantly trailing behind Emmett. They settled into the car. ¡°So, any progress on the investigation I assigned you?¡± Emmett inquired, his tone expectant ra was taken aback by the question and shook her head ¡°No, I haven¡¯t found any leads yet.¡± ¡°Try harder! I need to know as soon as possible, Emmett urged, emphasizing the importance of the matter. ¡°Alright,¡± ra replied, determined to put in more effort. Observing her tense and uneasy demeanor, Emmett became aware of her difort. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Did my parents say something to you. privately? ra hastily shook her head. ¡°No! Your parents have been very kind to me. They treat me well¡± ¡°Then why the troubled expression?¡± Emmett pressed for an answer. ¡°Maybe I got up too early today and I¡¯ve been nervous all day, so I¡¯m a bit tired now.¡± ra rubbed her forehead, ¡°I want to go home and rest early today, so it doesn¡¯t affect work tomorrow.¡± ¡°I have a cocktail party tonight, we¡¯re going together¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Can I not go?¡± As soon as ra thought of her promise to her son, she immediately spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m really¡­ very tired!¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 ¡°Maybe I should get a doctor to check you out.¡± ¡°No, no need!¡± ra quickly responded, Tm just feeling super wiped out, a good night¡¯s sleep will do the trick! I probably won¡¯t be able to make it to the cocktail party tonight, I¡¯m really sorry, Mr. Melendez!¡± ¡°Just call me Emmett!¡± ¡°Huh? But it¡¯s just us here!¡± ¡°From now on, you have to call me Emmett, no matter who¡¯s around, or if it¡¯s just the two of us.¡± ra was a bit confused by what he meant, but she just nodded anyway. *Ok.. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Tll take you home, you should get some rest.¡± ra nodded vigorously, ¡°Alright! Thanks¡­ Mr. Melendez Emmett felt a little helpless. This woman¡­. He didn¡¯t even know what to make of her anymore! Once ra got home, she started waiting for Aiden¡¯s call while clutching her phone on the couch. Suddenly, her phone rang! ra was startled, it was Elio who called¡­ And here she thought it was Aiden. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Mummy!¡± Alex¡¯s sweet voice came through, ¡°Mummy! I miss you so much, I can¡¯t sleep.¡± ra felt a pang of sadness, ¡°Alex, mummy misses you too! I¡¯ll be there soon!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry mummy, Mr. Milburn and I are getting along really well! Mr. Milburn bought me lots of yummy things, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to go on a diet when I get back! ra responded helplessly, ¡°Don¡¯t be too mischievous, Mr. Milburn has work to do, you have to learn to y by yourself! If you¡¯re really bored, just give me a call.¡± ¡°Alright! Don¡¯t worry, mummy!¡± ra wanted to tell Alex about Aiden, but she didn¡¯t know how to bring it up, so she just decided not to say anything. She¡¯ll just wait and see! She was afraid that Alex might not be able to handle it, and she wasn¡¯t there tofort him. If Alex started to cry, it would just cause trouble for Elio. Suddenly, Elio¡¯s voice came through from the other end ¡°When are you gonna agree to be my girlfriend? Alex justplimented me, saying I¡¯m the best candidate to be his daddy!¡± Elio, don¡¯t joke about this in front of the kid!¡± ¡°Do I sound like I¡¯m joking right now?¡± ¡°Yes, you do!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just ignoring my feelings for you!¡± Elio said, ¡°What did I do to deserve knowing such a heartless woman like you!¡± ra gave a helpless smile, ¡°Once this is all over, I¡¯ll definitely treat you to a meal!¡± ¡°A meal? You think treating me to a meal is enough to repay me?¡± So what do you want?¡± ¡°You also have to do me a favor!¡± Elio chuckled ¡°Can you pretend to be my girlfriend? My parents keep pressuring me to get married, and it¡¯s driving me crazy! So I told them I already have a girlfriend, and it¡¯s you! They¡¯ve even met you and are quite satisfied with you! So, you have to help me with this acting¡± Pretend to be his girlfriend again?! ¡°Can you stop making things up without my consent? You went ahead and told your parents without consulting me! How can I face them the next time I see them?¡± Then I¡¯ll try to make you my real girlfriend by the next meeting.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re not saying anything. I¡¯ll take it as your agreement! That settles it! I¡¯m going to put Alex to bed now. Goodnight!¡± After speaking, Elio hung up the phone without any further discussion! ra looked at her phone, helplessly furrowing her brow How did ite to the point where they¡¯re both asking her to pretend to be their girlfriend? She hadn¡¯t even finished ying the role of Emmett¡¯s wife herself, and now Elio also wants her to pretend to be his girlfriend! Chapter 52 Chapter 52 ra got up and poured herself a ss of water, then walked to the window and looked outside. At this moment, she felt like she was in a dream She was filled with fear and helplessness as she remembered the past. During her ten months of pregnancy, she would often burst into tears at the thought of having to part with her child once he was born! Luckily, the doctorter told her she was having twins, and she begged him to keep it a secret. That doctor was Elio, who was on shift that day. That was when they first met! Over the years, ra always felt like she owed Ello a favor, but she never had anything to repay him with. Sighing. ra turned back to pick up her phone. She wanted to call Aiden. She couldn¡¯t contain her desire to see her son any longer, but¡­ But she was afraid she would cause trouble for Aiden! He disyed a level of maturity and understanding simr to Emmett, which tugged at ra¡¯s heartstrings. Letting out another sigh, she set her phone down. Aiden had instructed her to wait, implying that there must be a reason for the dy. ra knew she should exercise patience and give it a little more time. However, despite her intentions, her eyes kept ncing at her phone. She had never yearned so desperately for it to ring. Suddenly¡­ The sound of her phone¡¯s ringtone pierced through the stillness of the night. ra swiftly picked up her phone and answered eagerly, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 1. me. Mommy! It¡¯s Aiden, came the voice on the other end. ¡°I know! Are you ready? I¡¯ming over right now!¡± ra replied with urgency ¡°In about half an hour, meet me at the back door of the Melendez family¡¯s house!¡± Aiden instructed. ra bit her lower lip, attempting to steady her trembling voice. ¡°Okay! I¡¯m on my way, wait a minute!¡± After hanging up, ra rushed out of the house, forgetting to even change out of her slippers! She was already at the door when she turned back to quickly put on a pair of sneakers and headed for the Melendez family¡¯s house! Meanwhile, at the Melendez¡¯spany. Since the banquet ended early today, Emmett drove to thepany to finish going through the documents he hadn¡¯t finished reading during the day Just as he opened hisputer, he heard a knock on the door He got up and walked over, ¡°Ricardo? You haven¡¯t finished work yet?¡± Ricardo was his secretary at the Melendez Group. ¡°Yes, Mr. Melendez, I have found some details about the child you asked me to investigate¡± Emmett immediately said, ¡°Tell me everything.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°I found that this kid has been seen at these few restaurants! The surveince shows him entering and leaving.¡± Emmett took a look¡­ Why were they all fast food ces like McDonald¡¯s! ¡°Any other information?¡± ¡°Not for now! As soon as I found this out, I rushed to tell you. Also¡­ Ricardo hesitated. Emmett frowned, ¡°Spit it out.¡± ¡°Also¡­ I think someone tr¨¢s been deliberately erasing this child¡¯s information! If he has appeared in this city, there should be more than just this bit of video surveince! Someone must have deleted it through the inte!¡± ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± ¡°1¡­ I¡¯m not sure yet! It¡¯s just a guess¡± Emmett said, ¡°Keep investigating! We must get to the bottom of this!¡± Ricardo quickly nodded, ¡°Yes, Mr. Melendez, don¡¯t worry ¡°Get back to work¡± After Ricardo left, Emmett stood alone in his office. His thoughts were messed up, and it didn¡¯t seem like a good time to work. Emmett nced at his watch, took out his phone, and dialed ra¡¯s number. But after a few rings, she didn¡¯t answer! An image of her possibly fainting or even copsing suddenly shed in Emmett¡¯s mind! Isn¡¯t that dangerous if she¡¯s alone at home? Emmett paused, picked up his coat, and headed out of the office! Chapter 53 Chapter 53 ra, afraid of being discovered, had already put her phone on silent. Anyway, no one was gonna hit her up at night! She quietly snuck to the back door of the Melendez family¡¯s house, spotting Aiden¡¯s tiny figure under the streetlight from afar! ¡°Mummy!¡± Upon seeing ra, Aiden ran straight towards her! ra scooped up her son into her arms, hugging him tightly! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Aiden my good boy I finally found you! I never thought I¡¯d see you again in my life!¡± Aiden, squeezed a bit too tightly, couldn¡¯t help but cough a few times, ¡°Mum. Mummy¡­¡± ¡°Aiden, I never thought you would call me mummy again! I owe you so much!¡± Aiden gently patted ra¡¯s back, ¡°Mummy, don¡¯t be like this! I never med you, I know you had reasons for leaving me!¡± ¡°Back then¡­.I didn¡¯t even get a chance to look at you before the Melendez family took you away. I¡¯m powerless, I could only watch you being taken away¡± ra¡¯s tears began to fall uncontrobly, ¡°It was all my fault, but you had to bear it!¡± ¡°Mummy, actually actually we¡¯ve met before today!¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Aiden lowered his head, a bit embarrassed, ¡°Actually Alex and I switched ces for a while! The time he suddenly didn¡¯t like fast food, that was because it wasn¡¯t him, it was me!¡± It was you?!¡± Aiden nodded, ¡°Yes it was me!¡± ra was so shocked she didn¡¯t know what to say! ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mummy, I lied to you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­I don¡¯t me you at all! It¡¯s all my fault, it has nothing to do with you!¡± ra hugged her son as if she was dreaming! Emmett rushed to ra¡¯s neighborhood. He didn¡¯t know where exactly ra lived, her resume didn¡¯t specify her address. He tried calling ra but she didn¡¯t pick up! She missed all his calls! For some reason, he had a sh of ra meeting Taylor! He suddenly felt angry! This woman was a real pain! While he was frustrated, his phone rang. It was ra! So she finally decided to call back! ¡°Where are you? Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?¡± As soon as he answered the phone, Emmett asked directly. ¡°I felt a bit hungry tonight, so I went out to grab a bite!¡± ¡°You¡¯re out?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Because she was afraid of giving herself away, afraid that he would hear she¡¯s not at home, ra simply said she was out. ¡°Where are you? I¡¯lle pick you up.¡± ¡°No need! I¡¯m just out for a walk!¡± ¡°Well, I have something! I need to see you now!¡± ¡°Emmett, it¡¯ste! Can we talk tomorrow?¡± ¡°No, I need to see you now!¡± ¡°I¡¯m really tired today, I want to sleep!¡± ¡°Who are you with?¡± Emmett asked, ¡°Did you go out to see Taylor?!¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°What are you talking about! Why would I go see Taylor?¡± Then where are you?¡± I¡¯m near the office¡± Emmett¡¯s face hardened, ¡°Send me your location, I¡¯ming now¡± ¡°Do you really have toe?¡± ¡°ra! If you¡¯re not up to no good, why are you scared of meing?¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 I¡¯m not scared of seeing you, it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m dressed super casual for thete night and didn¡¯t expect to see you thiste, so 1 don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s meet at thepany entrance!¡± After saying that, Emmelt hung up the phone and hopped in his car to head to thepany Left with no choice, ra had to bid her son a reluctant farewell. ¡°Aiden, mommy wille visit you again!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can sneak out to see you! Grandma said you¡¯re already married to dad, right? So doesn¡¯t that mean I can see you everyday?¡± ra paused, and then sighed, ¡°Mommy and your daddy didn¡¯t really get married! Although exining this¡­ is a bit awkward, your daddy doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m your mommy yet! I can¡¯t let him know for now, so can you keep it a secret for me?¡± Aiden stared at ra, hesitated for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll listen to you, mommy!¡± ¡°Good boy. Mommy has a request, can I give you a kiss?¡± She¡¯s been wanting to do this for years! Aiden hesitated for a few seconds, since he had never been so close to anyone before, this was a first¡­ But in the end, he nodded. ¡°Okay!¡± ra quickly kissed his cheek, then hugged him tightly. ¡°Mommy has to go now! Don¡¯t worry, mommy will definitelye back to find you! We¡¯ll keep in touch over the phone!¡± ¡°Okay! Be careful, mommy!¡± Emmett waited for a while at thepany entrance before he saw ra rushing over. This woman wore a dress and a pair of sneakers! You could tell it was a super casual outfit! N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Mr. Melendez!¡± ¡°Where did youe from?¡± Emmett nced at the direction she came from. Seems like she came from the direction of the Melendez family¡­ ¡°Just the restaurant over there!¡± ra pointed to the food in her hand, chuckled, ¡°I really like this ce, so I went to get some!¡± ¡°You said you were too tired to apany me to the banquet, but you deliberately avoid going to the banquet with me?¡± ran to get this?¡± Emmett pointed at the food in her hand, frowned, ¡°ra, did you ra quickly waved her hands, ¡°No, no, not at all! I wasying in bed, suddenly thought of the food here, even though I¡¯m really tired, but I was hungry. 50¡­¡± The food from this restaurant is that good?¡± Emmett looked skeptically at the bag of food. It looked very cheap. ¡°It¡¯s really good! I can treat you tomorrow, Mr. Melendez.¡± ¡°Just call me Emmett.¡± ¡°Emmett¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it today.¡± ra paused, ¡°Huh?¡± 1 said, let¡¯s do it today.¡± ¡°What about today?¡± Emmett arched an eyebrow, challenging her statement. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to treat me? I suggested doing it today¡± ra was taken aback. ¡°Now? It¡¯s already sote. Isn¡¯t it a bit inappropriate?¡± ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate about it? We¡¯re legally married, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with us having a meal together at this hour. What are you afraid of?¡± Emmelt retorted. ra fell into a brief silence. What was she afraid of? Of course, it was him! ¡°Get in the car I¡¯ll drive you home,¡± Emmett said, already opening the car door. However, he noticed that ra was not following. ¡°What are you thinking? Get in the car!¡± he urged. ¡°Mr. Melendez, I think¡­ it would be best to treat you during the day tomorrow. It¡¯s not suitable at this time,¡± ra suggested, hoping to find a ¡°If say it¡¯s suitable now, then it is!¡± Emmett dered, his tone firm. Knowing she couldn¡¯t win the argument with Emmett, ra reluctantly got into the car. She had nned to video call Alex or send a message to Alden- after reaching home, or maybe even make a discreet phone call. However, it seemed that today she wouldn¡¯t be able to do any of those things¡­ Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Emmett showed up at ra¡¯s ce, his presence in the tiny room seeming to shrink the space even more. ¡°When are you moving to my ce?¡± In a few days, I guess!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Tomorrow¡± ra frowned, ¡°I need some time to pack! I still have time on my lease here and I¡¯ve already paid the rent!¡± Emmett plopped down on the sofa, picking up a finance book from the coffee table, ¡°You into this stuff?¡± Tm not really into it, I¡¯m just trying to learn something I mean, how else am I supposed to be a good secretary if I don¡¯t know anything?¡± Emmett smirked and responded, ¡°If you¡¯re interested in finance, I could teach you myself¡± ra quickly declined, ¡°No, not I can manage on my own! I wouldn¡¯t want to waste your time! Emmett insisted, ¡°You¡¯re my wife, I should be doing this.¡± He suddenly got up and headed for the bathroom, and ra hurriedly followed. She felt anxious, fearing he might find traces of Alex that she hadn¡¯t yet managed to erase. After all, Emmett¡¯s visit was out of the blue! She was totally unprepared! Trying to change the subject, Emmett asked, ¡°Do you live here alone?¡°, ra nodded and replied, ¡°Yeah!¡± Emmett continued, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a son?¡± ra¡¯s face saddened as she responded, ¡°He was taken away by my ex husband¡¯s family¡± Hearing her mention her ex, Emmett frowned and said, ¡°We should bring your son back at some point. I¡¯d like to meet him¡± ¡°Oh¡­ okay. ra could only nod reluctantly. This was proving to be a real ordeal for her. Every second with Emmett felt like a scene out of a disaster movie! ¡°Let¡¯s eat. After a quick once¨Cover of the ce, satisfied that ra was indeed living alone, he rxed, Tll have Ricardo help you move tomorrow¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± ra agreed, thinking she¡¯d be closer to her son, she nodded. But she¡¯d have to be extra careful when video chatting with Alex from now on! She dumped the contents of her shopping bag onto tes in the kitchen. Honestly, it didn¡¯t look appetizing at all! She had bought it in a hurry, afraid her lie would be exposed! As for whether it was actually tasty, she had no ideal When she brought the tes over, Emmett frowned, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good! Give it a try! It¡¯s spaghetti bolognese!¡± Emmett scowled but didn¡¯t move his fork, ¡°You say this is good?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s really good!¡± ra quickly tasted it. The next second¡­ she almost threw up! Did she forget to add salt to this bolognese?! It was tasteless! Emmett looked at her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing! I just¡­ got too excited tasting such delicious bolognese!¡± Emmett eyed her suspiciously, then picked up his fork and had a taste¡­. ra watched his brow furrow! ¡°You enjoy eating this?¡± ra nodded vigorously, ¡°Yeah! Don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°¡­You find this tasty? ¡°Yes! It¡¯s absolutely delicious!¡± Emmett put down his fork and stood up. Then enjoy, I¡¯m off to bed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± ra hurriedly stood up. T¡¯ll walk you out!¡± Emmett said, ¡°It¡¯ste, I¡¯ll just sleep here.¡± ¡°What sleep here?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Emmett looked at her as if this was the most natural thing in the world. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 ra was at a loss for how to refuse. ¡°Um¡­ my ce is pretty cramped, and there¡¯s only one room! If Mi Melendez stayed here, it¡¯d be a real drag for you!¡± 11 take your room, you can bunk with your son¡± ¡°Night, ¡°Emmett said, getting up and heading straight for ra¡¯s room, shutting the door behind him. ra felt a sense of unease. If she continued to interact closely with Emmett, it felt like it was only a matter of time before he discovered her past! Aiden returned to his room, intending to read for a bit before going to sleep, only to be surprised by Sophia! ¡°Aiden, are you asleep?¡± Aiden quickly got up to open the door, ¡°Granny, what¡¯s up?¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Sophia smiled and walked in, ¡°Aiden, tell granny, do you like thedy from today?¡± The one dad brought home?¡± ¡°Yep! You¡¯ve been nagging for a mom, right? Your dad wants her to be your mom. How do you feel about that?¡± Sophia was curious to know her grandson¡¯s thoughts. After all, he¡¯s just a kid! If he was resistant to ra, things wouldn¡¯t be peaceful at home in the future. ¡°Um¡­ I think¡­ she seems pretty cool!¡± Aiden broke out in a grin, ¡°Granny, is she gonna live with us from now on?* ¡°Do you want her to?¡± Aiden thought about and nodded, ¡°Yeah! Then I can tell others I have a mom too! And they won¡¯t make fun of me anymore!¡± Sophia patted his head, smiling, ¡°Then I¡¯ll talk to your dad about it! Also¡­ there¡¯s something else I need to tell you!¡± Aiden felt uneasy seeing his granny looking so serious. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It seems your new mom has a son too! You¡¯ll meet him sooner orter. Can you promise to get along with your new brother?¡± ¡°Have you met him, granny?¡± Sophia shook her head, ¡°Not yet! But I¡¯m sure I will at some point. We¡¯re bound to cross paths.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll do as you say, granny! Don¡¯t worry; I won¡¯t bully my little brother.¡± ¡°Good boy! I knew my Aiden is the sweetest, most understanding child!¡± Aiden beamed, ¡°Granny, I¡¯ll be a kid with a mom too from now on!¡± ¡°Yes, you will! You¡¯ll have a mom, and Alex will too.¡± Sophia sighed inwardly after saying this. She felt guilty towards this grandson! If she hadn¡¯t insisted on having a child for the Melendez family first back then, Aiden wouldn¡¯t have such a sad story. He had never even met his biological mother! It¡¯s just too cruel for a child. That night, ra barely slept a wink. She couldn¡¯t fall asleep, so she covertly texted Alex and Aiden from under her nket. Alex didn¡¯t respond, he must be out having fun with Elio! Aiden texted back after a while. [Mom, are you still awake?), [I miss you, I can¡¯t sleep! You¡¯re not asleep yet?) [Yeah! I¡¯m reading] Seeing the text, ra pictured Aiden¡¯s well¨Cbehaved and understanding demeanour. She felt relieved. She had been worried that without a mother¡¯s love, the child might develop personality issues. But now it seemed her worries were unnecessary. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Hit the hay early! Mommy can¡¯t stop thinking about you] [Mommy, when can you move in with Alex? I want to see you and Alex all the time | ¡°When..¡± ra let out a sigh. She didn¡¯t know the answer! Maybe, that day would nevere! If Emmett knew that she was the woman who took his child away years ago, would he be furious and take Alex away, and kick her out? Then she wouldn¡¯t have a single child¡­ ra dared not to think about it. [Sweetie, Mommy wants that too! But Mommy is dealing with a lot right now, you must understand! But I want you to know that you¡¯re always in my heart! Both you and Alex are my children] All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. [Mommy, I never thought aboutpeting with Alex! Even though he¡¯s always had a mommy, he never had a daddy! Just like I¡¯ve always had a daddy, but no mommy! We¡¯re both the same] Seeing Alden being so understanding, ra felt a pang of sadness again. Just as she was about to reply to Aiden, she suddenly heard a noise from the living room. ra quickly got up to find Emmett about to knock on her door. ¡°Mr Melendez, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°Nothing: I just want to discuss some business with you¡± ¡°Could you wait a moment? I need to change. When ra emerged from her room, she found Ricardo in her house! In his hands¡­ were a man¡¯s pajamas! ¡°You can leave now.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr Melendez¡± After smiling at ra, Ricardo turned to leave ra was stunned! Emmett had no ns to leave, he even had his pajamas delivered! ¡°I¡¯ll change and then we can talk. Saying this, Emmett went back to his room. He acted so naturally, as if¡­ they were a real couple! Taking the chance, ra quickly sent a message to Aiden [Mommy has something to do, can¡¯t chat now! Go to sleep early! Goodnight¡®] Just as she put down her phone, Emmett came out. ¡°Who were you texting?¡± ¡°A friend!¡± ¡°A guy?¡± ra shook her head, ¡°No, a girl!¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying¡± It was a statement, not a question! ¡°I¡¯m not lying¡± ¡°Then show me.¡± ra didn¡¯t show him, Mr Melendez, that¡¯s my privacy, right? if I say it won¡¯t cause any scandal for you, I¡¯ll make sure of it! Don¡¯t worry.¡± Emmett nced at her but didn¡¯t say anything. ra breathed a sigh of relief If Emmett saw her chatting with Alex, she didn¡¯t know how she would exin! She was on the verge of being exposed, ra was about to copsel Night fell Everything outside was pitch ck. After freshening up. Sophia lounged on the bed and nced at her husband, ¡°Patrick, do you think Emmett is really in love with that secretary?¡± Patrick, who was reading, paused and looked at his wife, ¡°What do you think? Emmett is pretty fickle, I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°But feel like Emmett¡¯s attitude towards that secretary is really different!¡± Sophia sighed, ¡°And¡­ we still haven¡¯t found that woman from years ago, this situation probably won¡¯t change, right! What if that woman insists on marrying into our family with her child? My other grandson has been with his mother for so long. If we suddenly bring him back, he definitely won¡¯t ept it!¡± Chapter 58 Chapter 58 When it came to the stuff from the past, Patrick couldn¡¯t help but sigh I¡¯m at my wits end about this whole thing! You¡¯ve seen the state our son¡¯s in right now, he¡¯s finally agreed to marry his secretary! But who knows if they¡¯re actually serious or just pulling our leg¡± ¡°What if what if I go and have a chat with the secretary tomorrow?¡± ¡°No need¡± Patrick said, ¡°if he¡¯s really trying to pull a fast one on us with a sham marriage, he¡¯s just trying to pull the wool over our eyes! Even if we find out, what will we do about it?¡± ¡°At least we can save our son from forcing himself to do this!¡± ¡°And then what? He still won¡¯t get married, won¡¯t find a woman! At least there won¡¯t be any rumors going around that Emmett is a broken man¡± Sophia made a face, ¡°Alright! I thought the secretary seemed pretty nice when I saw her today!* ¡°You just want our son to get hitched pronto, so you¡¯re seeing the good in everyone!¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who went to thepany to find the secretary before?¡± ¡°That was before I knew she had a kid! If our son wasn¡¯t in this state right now, we Melendez family couldn¡¯t ept a divorce! It¡¯s not that I¡¯m prejudiced, it¡¯s just people will talk! Patrick said, ¡°We¡¯re getting on in years! We should let the younger generation handle their affairs! As long as we see Aiden grow up safe and sound, and our son¡¯s career goes smoothly, we don¡¯t need to make trouble for ourselves¡± Sophia nodded, lying next to her husband, ¡°I feel the same¡± But after she turned off the light, she couldn¡¯t help but keep thinking about it! After all, who knew how this whole thing will turn out? And when will her other grandchild be able to come back to her¡­? The next morning, ra woke up early. Since Emmett was staying here, she couldn¡¯t very well not make breakfast for him She was worried that Emmett wouldn¡¯t be used to her cooking, so she went out and bought breakfast. When she got back, Emmett was already awake, standing in his pajamas in the living room. ¡°Where did you go?¡± ¡°To get you breakfast!¡± ra held up her bag. I didn¡¯t know what you like, so I just grabbed something¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°I already asked Ricardo to bring some¡± All ra could do was smile and put the breakfast in the kitchen, ¡°Well, then you can wait for Ricardo¡¯s delivery!¡± She looked at Emmett, standing there in the living room, and he seemed to have a sort of master¨Cof¨C the¨Chouse vibe. ra quickly shook her head, trying to dispel these strange thoughts from her mind. Emmett could never be the master of this house! ¡°In the future, you don¡¯t need to go out and buy breakfast, I¡¯ll have Ricardo do it.¡± ra nodded, then suddenly realized something was off and looked at Emmett in surprise, ¡°Future?¡± ¡°To not arouse my parents¡® suspicion, I may need to stay here until you move to my ce. If you¡¯re not comfortable, then move to my ce sooner.¡± He wasn¡¯t keen on staying in such a small house either. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Emmett just forcing her into this!? ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Mr Melendez, I think¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Emmett!¡± ¡°Emmett!¡± ra quickly corrected herself, ¡°Um, Emmett¡­ I think since we have a marriage of convenience, our marriage is fake! It¡¯s not normal for us to be together all the time!¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Emmett nced at her and said, ¡°Are you resisting being with me because you have someone you like?¡± ra quickly retorted. ¡°That¡¯s not it! But after this agreement is over, I still have to live my life! If that¡¯s the case, there will be a lot of gossip about me¡± They would say that she¡¯s loose, messing with the boss and all! And that would be hard to exin. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. We still have a long way to go before the agreement ends, don¡¯t worry about the future.¡± Before Emmett could finish speaking, Ricardo was already knocking on the door. ra quickly went to open it. Upon seeing him, Ricardo immediately said, ¡°Ms Calloway, good morning!¡± At this address, ra could onlyugh, ¡°Morning¡°¡± This is Mr Melendez¡¯s breakfast, and the car is ready! I¡¯ll wait for you outside. ¡°You¡¯re here, why don¡¯t youe in and eat something?¡± Ricardo quickly said, ¡°No need! I¡¯ve already eaten!¡± Emmett walked out of the living room, still in his pajamas, and put his arm around ra¡¯s waist. He then spoke to Ricardo, ¡°Prepare all the materials for today¡¯s meeting! I¡¯ll need them soon.¡± Ricardo nodded, ¡°Okay! I got it, Mr Melendez¡± After saying that, he quickly turned around and went back to the car. ra couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Now she really didn¡¯t know how to exin! How was she going to exin that she and Emmett were fake married!? ¡°Why are you so bothered? Don¡¯t want people to see us together?¡± ¡°I just feel. I don¡¯t know how to face my colleagues in the future.¡± They definitely wouldn¡¯t say anything on the surface, but she didn¡¯t know what they¡¯d say behind her back! ¡°You¡¯re the boss¡¯s wife, whoever annoys you, you have the right to fire them.¡± Emmett looked at ra, ¡°Without my permission.¡± Emmett turned and went to the kitchen, leaving ra standing there dumbfounded. What did he mean? He had given her the power to fire anyone from Melendezpany?! You know, this kind of privilege¡­ she had never dared to dream of it! It was the kind of power only a real boss¡¯s wife would have. After breakfast, ra and Emmett got in the car together and headed for the office. The atmosphere in the car was a bit off, with Ricardo there, ra felt awkward. Suddenly, her phone beeped. ra looked down. It was a goodnight message from Alex. Emmett noticed her and then asked, ¡°Your son?¡± ra nodded and quickly put her phone away, ¡°It¡¯s a message from him.¡± Emmett paused, then pulled out a check, casually wrote a series of numbers on it, and handed it to ra. ra was taken aback, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°This is a gift for your son¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to!¡± ra quickly pushed it back, ¡°He¡¯s still young, he doesn¡¯t need money!¡± ¡°This is what I should do as a stepfather.¡± ra didn¡¯t say a word Stepfather¡­ She let out a heavy sigh If Emmett knew that he was Alex¡¯s biological father, what would the scene be like? Would he just kill her on the spot? Chapter 60 Chapter 60 ra Calloway¡¯s car pulled up at thepany entrance and she hopped out, striding toward the building Just before she entered, a familiar voice echoed from behind ¡°ra¡°¡± Emmett Melendez, standing beside her, also turned to look¡­ The voice belonged to Taylor Atwood. What on earth was he doing here? Upon seeing Taylor, ra¡¯s first instinct was to book it! Taylor made to chase after her but was stopped by Emmett ¡°Mr Atwood, this is the Melendezpany, not a ce you can walk into¡± ¡°I need to see ra¡°¡± ¡°Who you want to see is none of my business, but if you don¡¯t work for Melendez, you can¡¯te in.¡± Taylor frowned at him, ¡°Emmett, what are you ying at? All I want to do is exin things to ra. Why are you stopping me?¡± 1 don¡¯t care about your personal affairs, but you can¡¯te in.¡± With that, Emmett turned and went into the building. Taylor tried to follow but was stopped by Ricardo. ¡°Mr Atwood, I suggest you stay out here.¡± ¡°You¨CTaylor was angry, ¡°Fine, fine! If you won¡¯t let me in, then I¡¯ll just wait for her out here!¡± He didn¡¯t believe he couldn¡¯t wait ra out ra sprinted to her office, only rxing slightly when she saw no one was following her. Not long after, Emmett walked in ¡°Why did you run?¡± ¡°No, no reason¡± Emmett looked at her flustered face, ¡°And you say you have nothing to do with Taylor?¡± ¡°You bolt at the sight of him. Did you con him out of his money?¡± ra gave an awkwardugh, ¡°No, I just felt there was nothing to talk about with ¡°You two used to date.¡± This wasn¡¯t a question, but a statement. ¡°No! Taylor¡¯s way out of my league, how could I possibly¡­¡± ¡°But you¡¯re married to me now, aren¡¯t you?¡± ra was speechless. ¡°Better figure things out with Taylor and let me know the deal. I can protect you now, but I can¡¯t do that forever!¡± ¡°Really, there¡¯s nothing to say about him. We were just¡­ friends back then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s really it!¡± ¡°But you used to have feelings for Taylor.¡± He wasn¡¯t blind He could tell. Sure enough, ra lowered her head. Her reaction didn¡¯t sit well with Emmett! ¡°Print out all the documents needed for today and bring them to the meeting room!¡± ¡°Okay, got it!¡± ¡°Also, ry tomorrow¡¯s tasks personally to every department.¡± As ra watched him leave, she was taken aback. With this much work, there was no way she was leaving the office today. Back in his office, Emmett was also feeling edgy today. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. He had a hunch that this Taylor would be a big headache in the future, for both his work and¡­ ra. Mr Melendez, Mr Atwood is still waiting for you outside. Ricardo knocked on the door to remind him. Emmett waved him off, ¡°Let him be. If he wants to wait, let him wait.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± After Ricardo left, Emmett looked at the files in his hands, but his mind was elsewhere. He couldn¡¯t concentrate. He got up and walked to the door of ra¡¯s office. Watching her busy figure, he felt an unusual sense of calm¡­. What kind of charm did this woman possess that made her stand out so much? Over the years, many women had tried to curry favor with him, but only she¡­ caught his attention! From the moment he first saw her, he felt that she was special,pletely different from other women. Emmett gave a slight smile and strode into the office. * Chapter 61 Chapter 61 ra caught sight of him, quickly stopped what she was doing, stood up, and said. ¡°Mr Melendez You can call me by my name?¡± ant that inappropriate? We¡¯re at work ra was a bit embarrassed She still hadn¡¯t adjusted to being his wife ¡°If I say it¡¯s okay, then it is¡± ¡°Hmm..¡± Taylor is waiting outside, are you sure you don¡¯t want to see him?¡± ra was taken aback and quickly shook her head, ¡°No, I¡¯m not going! I don¡¯t think I should see him, and I won¡¯t have anything to say if I do! Besides, I¡¯m swamped with work today, I don¡¯t have time to sea him.¡± ¡°ra, tell me the truth, is your kid Taylor¡¯s?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Their interactions gave him reason to suspect ra was stunned and nearly burst intoughter ¡°Mi Melendez what are you thinking? Taylor and How could we possibly have a child!?¡± ¡°Taylor is so insistent on seeing you, and you¡¯re telling me you¡¯re just Iriends, should I believe that?¡± ¡°But we¡¯re really just acquaintances¡± Otherwise, Taylor wouldn¡¯t have left so decisively back then if he hadn¡¯t left, she wouldn¡¯t have agreed to have a child for the Melendez family ¡°You should know about the business rivalry between Taylor and me. Now that you¡¯re my wife, I don¡¯t want any scandal involving you and him¡± ra hurriedly nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t¡± ¡°Thats for the best¡± Over in Europe, at Elio Milburn¡¯s vi. Alex had just woken up and sleepily climbed onto Elio¡¯s bed, ¡°Mr Milburn.¡± Elio, who was asleep, was startled and nearly jumped out of bed ¡°Who?! What are you doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me1 Alex¡± Elio rubbed his head and took a moment to recognize him, ¡°Oh man, you scared the life out of me! What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I have something to tell you¡± Alex stuck out his tongue. ¡°Go on Elio yawned and nced at the time on his phone. It was only a little past seven in the moming Looking after a kid was no walk in the park Usually, he¡¯d just be getting home from the bar at this time. But now, he had to stay at home to take care of this kid. ¡°Mr Milburn, do you really like my mom?¡± Elio was taken aback, ¡°You little rascal, why are you asking this?¡± ¡°Because I think Mr Milburn likes my mom?¡± ¡°Look, even a kid like you knows, and your mom is still clueless! I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s genuinely oblivious or just ying dumb Elio sighed, ¡°That goof, falling for her is like a cosmic joke.¡± There were so many women around him, but he wanted to marry her. ¡®Should I tell Mom?¡± ¡°Nah, your mom probably won¡¯t take your words senously Elio rubbed his forehead, ¡°I need to go to the hospital for surgery this afternoon, wait for me at home, okay? I¡¯ll take you out tonight¡± Alex nodded, ¡°Okay Mr Milburn, have you decided to pursue my mom?¡± ¡°No! Not at air ¡°Then then ¡°Alex¡¯s eyes twinkled, and he grinned, ¡°If you¡¯ll buy me a full set of the new Transformers toys, then I consider helping you chase my mom ¡°¡°Only God knew how much Elio wanted to record this conversation and let ra hear it! Her own son was selling her out, just for a set of Transformers toys. The point is Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Elo picked his eyebrows, conveniently picked up the cup on the table, ¡°that¡¯s easy! But you have to let me know what your n is first! Let me see if this deal with you is far ¡°My n is perfect I gave it a name, the nce is cooked¨Cwhat¡¯s done can¡¯t be undone ¡°Pool ¡°, who was drinking water gushed out directly! You whem did you hear this sentence? ¡°On TV¡± Alex smiled. ¡°As long as the raw nice is cooked she will definitely be your wife!¡± Cofet helpless and funny, you should watch less that kind of romance! I can buy you this Transformers, but this n. Forget itt i prefer her decision ¡± For what?¡± Elio got up. I¡¯m off to freshen up, and you better get changed too, pal. I¡¯m taking you to some tasty grub¡°. ¡°Alight¡± Alex grinned dashing out of his room Watching Alex¡¯s retreating figure. Elio sighed deeply If he got hitched to ra, would he have a cozy little family? He came from a medical dynasty, but he was not the uptight type! Before ra, marriage wasn¡¯t even in his dictionary, let alone the idea of sticking to one girl. And suddenly, he was head over heels for ra, a woman with no apparentments Elio sighed again. This must be karma, karmar ra had been working the whole day, and if it wasnt for Ricardo bringing lunch, she would have forgotten to eat Finally, after sending thest email, she breathed a sigh of relief Lifting her head, she found it was already dark outside! Taylor must have left, right? ra packed up, ready to go home. Just as she left the office, she heard that familiar, deep voice overhead ¡°Done with work? ra blinked, then saw Emmett ¡°Uh, yeah, I¡¯m all done! ¡°Then let¡¯s get going¡± Emmett strode ahead. ra halted, not following He¡¯s not going to crash at my ce again, is he? Emmett sensed ra¡¯s hesitation and paused at the elevator ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± ¡°Uh, Mr Melendez Are you, are you staying over at my ce again?¡± ¡°Not today¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ra let out a sigh of relief But Emmett¡¯s next words were I¡¯m notfy at your ce, so I¡¯m moving your stuff to my vi tonight. You¡¯ll be staying there from now on.¡± ¡°Huh? Today? Right now?¡± ¡°Any objections? ra was at a loss for words, she simply nodded reluctantly ¡°Okay, got it¡± ¡°Taylor¡¯s car is still out front, wanna see him?¡± ra was taken aback. ¡°Taylor hasn¡¯t left?¡± ¡°He really wants to see you¡± Emmett watched her observing her reaction ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to see each other. There¡¯s a back door in the office, right? I can use that!¡± ¡°Did you do something to avoid Taylor?¡± ¡°No¡± ra wasnt sure how to exin, ¡°I just think it¡¯d be awkward, I wouldn¡¯t know what to say. So, I¡¯d rather not see him. We¡¯re not close. I think Taylor probably just wants to chat, nothing senous. ¡° Emmett doubted she even believed her own words But he was satisfied with her attitude, so he didn¡¯t push further. ¡°Let¡¯s go ¡°Through the back door?¡± ¡°No need, we can go straight to the underground parking¡± ra quickly nodded, ¡°Okay thanks Mr Melender¡± ¡°Call me Emmett¡± ¡°Oh.. sorry Emmett Every time she addressed turn like this, she felt ufortable Chapter 63 Chapter 63 It¡¯s nine o¡¯clock at night Taylor was nearly frozen stiff outside, but there was still no sign of the familiar figure he was waiting for He began to pace impatiently ¡°Mr Atwood, let¡¯s head back¡± ¡°I need to see her today ¡°But they might have left already Melendez¡¯spany has a back door! If she doesn¡¯t want to see you, you wont find her ¡°Then you better get someone to wait at Melendez¡¯s back door! I need to see ra¡± The mystery of her identity intrigued Taylor more and more. The moment he saw her, his heart rate spiked It was as if they had a very intimate past ¡°Mr Atwood, it¡¯s alreadyte! How about wee back tomorrow? His secretary was helpless It was clear that Melendez¡¯s offices were empty, but Mr. Atwood insisted on waiting ¡°No. I wait here today¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one in there! Look, the lights are off! The olddy has called you home many times, let¡¯s go back Mr. Atwood! The olddy is going to worry about you again!¡± Taylor frowned, his tone softening slightly ¡°Fine! Tomorrow, send more people here. We need eyes on both the front and back doors! I need to see ra, to find out who she really is¡± ¡°Understood. Mr. Atwood Don¡¯t worry¡± After Taylor got in the car, his mother called ¡°Are you back yet?¡± ¡°Um, on the way¡± ¡°I heard you went looking for ra. Why do you want to find her? Teresa¡¯s voice was filled with displeasure, ¡®Didn¡¯t I tell you? You and ra are just acquaintances, why don¡¯t you believe me?¡± Taylor nced out the car window, ¡°Even though I lost my memory, I still have some feelings! i feel that my rtionship with ra is not just an acquaintance, but we must have spent some time together. night?¡± ¡°Or I was pursuing her, but she didn¡¯t agree! Anyway, I have a special feeling for her¡± Teresa quickly said, ¡°What special feeling! You¡¯re overthinking! ra already has a child, how could she possibly be rted to you?¡± ¡°She has a child?¡± ¡°Thats right! I checked and there¡¯s a little boy by her side, always calling her mom! Taylor, don¡¯t be fooled by others!¡± Taylor was taken aback, then suddenly asked, ¡°is is the child mine?¡± ¡°How could it be yours! Taylor, stop thinking about nonsense! Since fate doesn¡¯t want you to remember her why force yourself?¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°I just feel when I look at her photo, I feel a sense of familiarity! As if I¡¯ve been with her before¡± A hint of disappointment shed in Taylor¡¯s eyes So she already had a child No wonder she was avoiding him! After hanging up the phone. Taylor told his secretary, ¡°From tomorrow on, there¡¯s no need to look for her if she doesn¡¯t want me to disturb her, then I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Alright, Mr Atwood Taylor felt a sudden intense pain in his heart, as if something had been brutally ripped out It was an abrupt, suffocating pain. ra was practically shoved into the car, all her belongings quickly packed up by Ricardo. In just two hours, the room she was renting was empty. ra had to admit, Ricardo had some senous skills to have worked for Emmett for so long! His efficiency was truly admirable! Chapter 64 Chapter 64 ¡°But could you not be so efficient at a time like this? ¡°Uh¡­ Mi Melendez would it be convenient if we lived fogether?¡± ¡°it would be.¡± Emmett nced at her ¡°And it would be very convenient for work¡± ¡°But there should be boundanes between men and women¡± The most important thing was, her freedorn will be limited How could she keep in touch with Alex? All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. She felt like she could be found out at any moment! I¡¯m not afraid of you trying any funny business on me Emmett¡¯s thin lips moved slightly. ra felt helpless Yet she was afroid that Emmett would do something to hert This guy, he¡¯s got a dangerous vibe all over him, right? ¡°You¡¯re particrly chatty today¡± Emmett said and then shifted his focus back to the documents in his hand ra had no choice but to ept the situation! What else could she do at this point? She quickly put her phone on silent, fearing that Alex would video call her any minute! When they arrived at Emmett¡¯s private vi, she saw a few luxury cars from a distance This was what real wealth looked like. ra was stunned In her entire life, she had probably never seen so many top of the line sports cars ¡°Do you like them? Emmett saw her gaze fixed on the cars. Which one do you want? I can gift it to you¡± ra quickly refused. Thank you Mr Melendez, but I don¡¯t want it! I can¡¯t drive! And wouldn¡¯t the maintenance cost for these cars be high?¡± Her sry probably wouldn¡¯t even cover the car maintenance! Emmett smiled slightly. ¡°It I gift you a car, would I still make you pay for the maintenance? You¡¯re my wife, having a good car is necessary¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t need it Im temble at driving and would just waste these sports cars! By the way, you usually drive me to work so I don¡¯t really need a car of ¡°This one, it suits you¡± Emmett pointed at a ck car decisively, then gave Ricardo a lock Ricardo immediately nodded, ¡°Understood Mr Melendez, I¡¯ll have it serviced and delivered to Ms Calloway tomorrow!¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t need it! 1 * ¡°Do you want us to keep standing here discussing this?¡± Feeling helpless. ra had no choice but to follow Emmett into the vi my own!¡± ¡°Mr Milburn, why isnt my mom answering her phone?¡± Alex had tried calling ra several times but she wasn¡¯t answering which got him worried ¡°There¡¯s probably nothing wrong, she¡¯s probably busy at work¡± Elio patted Alex¡¯s little shoulder. Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll call you back when she sees it!¡± Alex pouted, ¡°I¡¯m worried that my mom might have run into some bad people ¡°That¡¯s impossible! How could your mom run into any bad guys?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand¡± Alex was mainly worried about Emmett He was afraid that Emmett might bully his mom ¡°Okay okay you still haven¡¯t eaten the hamburger I bought for you today! Go eat it! I¡¯ll have the nanny take you out to yter, okay? And as soon as your mom calls back, I¡¯lle get you¡± Only then did Alex nod, ¡°Okay fine! Make sure you keep me updated! My mom is a bit naive and easily bullied¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know your mom¡¯s character very well I¡¯ll keep calling her until she picks up¡± ¡°Alright Once Alex was led away by the nanny. Elio¡¯s face became more serious. Stanng at ra¡¯s number on his phone screen, he hesitated for a moment then quickly sent her a text [Whats going on with you? Reply to me, Alex is very worried about you] ra finally finished sorting out all her stuff. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Thankfully Emmett didn¡¯t insist on her living with him under the same roof, which meant ra still had some level of freedom. After showering and changing into her pajamas, ra immediately took out her phone The first message she saw was from Elio She quickly hid in the bathroom and called him back. ¡°Hey, where have you been? I thought you got kidnapped or something?¡± ¡°How could I be kidnapped? I¡¯m broke and not exactly a looker, ra sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just buned in work. So busy I didn¡¯t even have time to check my phone!¡± ¡°Alex is really worried about you¡± Elio hesitated, then added, ¡°I¡¯m also worried about you¡± ra sighed again, ¡°You? Worried about me? You really expect me to believe that?¡± Is it wrong for me to worry about you? Jeez, you¡¯re such a piece of work! You don¡¯t appreciate anything! From now on, I won¡¯t worry about you anymore You can do whatever you want! I¡¯m hanging up Cara quickly said, ¡°Wait! I¡¯m sorry! Put Alex on the phone, I want to talk to him.¡± You only care about your son, and not about me!¡± Despite hisints, Elio passed the phone to Alex Heanng his mother¡¯s voice, Alex was thrilled. ¡°Mom! Why didnt you answer your phone? I was so womed¡± ¡°Buddy, mom¡¯s fine! I¡¯m just trying to make some extra bucks to buy you burgers, okay?¡± ¡°Mom, you¡¯re the best! But Mom, you dont have to work so hard! You could just marry Mr Milbum! He¡¯s loaded, he can buy me burgers every day!¡± Just as ra went speechless. Elio burst intoughter on the other side of the phone, ¡°Alex, I knew those burgers I bought you weren¡¯t for nothing¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m serious! Mr. Milburn bought me lots of burgers, and his house is huge, he¡¯s definitely wealthy ¡°You cheeky kid ra had to say, ¡°Elio, could you stop spoiling him?¡± Elio defended himself, ¡°He came up with it!¡± ¡°Yeah, Mom! You should just be with Mr Milburn, I¡¯m happiest when you two are together ra rubbed her temples. ¡°Alex, stop talking nonsense! Behave at Mr Milburn¡¯s ce, mom wille pick you up soon.¡± Alex pouted, ¡°Alright¡± Elio took the phone back, his voice sounding serious, ¡°ra, are you really not considering me?¡± ¡°Can you stoo messing around? Alex will take it senously!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not messing around. Can I not be honest? ra, I¡¯m senous about pursuing you¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you! I¡¯m busy with work, I have to hang up now, please take care of Alex for me, 111 repay you somehow!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ra ended the call, her gaze fell on her phone screen, her brows slightly furrowed She was not blind to Elio¡¯s feelings towards her But considering her current situation, where did she have the time or energy to date? When she initially agreed to have a baby for someone else, she decided that she would not have any rtionship with any man¡® She didn¡¯t want to be a burden to anyone, nor did she want to disrupt anyone¡¯s life! Elios family was wealthy and he was quite handsome: If he were to be with her, it would really be unfair to him. He deserved better. ra walked out of the bathroom Just as she stepped out, she heard someone knocking at the door! ra quickly walked over to open the door, there stood Emmett He was wearing ck pajamas, which surprisingly looked quite appealing. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Why are you opening the door sote?¡± 1 didn¡¯t hear ra said with an awkwardugh, ¡°Does Mr Melendez need anything?¡± How many times have I told you to call me Emmett? Or Em¡°¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ra pulled a face. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m still not used to it! I always feel that this nickname should be called by your real wife.¡± She, ake wife, even felt quilty calling him that! ¡°ra, so do you want to be my real wife?¡± Emmett arched an eyebrow, staring at her face. ra quickly denied, ¡°No, no! Mr Melendez, oh no, Emmett, don¡¯t over think! I know you¡¯ve been helping me, giving me a lot of help. I¡¯m already very satisfied! And I have a son, I¡¯m not good enough for you!¡± ¡°Are you trying to make me chase you?¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± ra shook her head repeatedly. Emmett smirked, ¡°Why are you so eager to exin? I didn¡¯t say you can¡¯t be my real wife.¡± ra was taken aback¡­ ¡°If you¡¯re willing. I can try to date you, for real.¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Emmett frowned, ¡®Is this a rejection?¡± ra felt awkward, unsure how to respond. Saying yes would be wrong, saying no would be wrong too. ¡°Mr Melendez, I don¡¯t mean that. I just feel I¡¯m not good enough for you! And I¡¯ve never nned to get married or have a boyfriend in my life¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t your child want a father?¡± ra shook her head, ¡°No, he¡¯s used to it.¡± Emmett felt annoyed. ¡°Go to sleep. He turned and left. ra finally breathed a sigh of relief. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as she was about to close the door, she heard Emmett suddenly say, ¡°Starting tomorrow, my son will be staying with us for a few days. Do you mind?¡± Upon hearing this, ra was so excited that she replied immediately! ¡°Not at all, I really like Aiden!¡± ¡°Good, if you feel that you¡¯re not getting along with Aiden, you can tell me directly, I can keep you two apart.¡± ra quickly waved her hands, ¡°Absolutely not! I really like Aiden.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll have my mother bring him over tomorrow.¡± ¡°Great!¡± ra watched as Emmett disappeared from her sight, her mood suddenly lifted from a day of gloom! She can now openly be with Aiden, just thinking about it made her excited! She quickly ran back to her bed, picked up her phone and sent a message to Aiden. [Your dad said you¡¯re going to live with me starting tomorrow!] [Yes, Mom Grandma told me about it.] [That¡¯s great!] ra waited for while, and finally, Aiden¡¯s message came, [Mom, actually Alex is very worried, he¡¯s afraid I¡¯ll take you away! Initially, we nned to get you and Dad back together, but Alex changed his mind halfway through, he¡¯s afraid I¡¯ll monopolize you, and then he won¡¯t have a ce in your heart!] ra¡¯s mood suddenly became a bit heavy¡­. So, even Alex, this child, had such worries! [This is all my fault] [It has nothing to do with you, Mom. I mentioned this just to let you know, it¡¯s best not to tell Alex about you and me meeting for now! I¡¯m afraid Alex won¡¯t be able to rest easy] ra sighed silently How did she have such understanding children? Aident And Alex, he¡¯s always loved her! That pure love and reliance had been the driving force for her to survive all this time! Chapter 67 Chapter 67 ¡°Mom¡¯s got it, don¡¯t worry! Once I¡¯ve sorted out your dad, I¡¯ll tell Alex about this!¡± ¡°Okay! But¡­ Mom, are you really not gonna spill the beans to Dad? You gonna keep him in the dark forever?¡± ¡°Aiden, Mom¡¯s stuck between a rock and a hard ce! I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Mom, you brought me into this world, there¡¯s nothing to apologize for. Plus, I¡¯m well¨Cfed and taken care of, dad hasn¡¯t treated me badly either! But¡­ Mom, I really wish we could all live together as a family.¡± ra looked at the text, tears streaming down her face. How much she wished that could be the case? But right now, she was scared that one wrong move would ruin everything! If she lost both of her children or even just one, she didn¡¯t know how she¡¯d carry on! Taylor returned home, feeling down in the dumps. Even though his mom had tried to cheer him up for a while, he still couldn¡¯t let go of his desire to find ra. However, when he found out ra had a child, he began to have second thoughts, even feeling a bit disappointed. ¡°Son, you¡¯re the CEO of AW Corporation now, you can have any woman you want. Why are you hung up on one woman? ra was never good enough for you from the start! You rejected her before, didn¡¯t you?¡± Taylor was taken aback, looking at his mom, ¡°I rejected ra?¡± ¡°Yes! You had a girlfriend then, Ms Amerson! You guys were going steady, so ra was jealous and tried to meddle. I warned you then, and you saw her true colors and rejected ra, but she wouldn¡¯t let go! Then you lost your memory, and you lost touch with each other!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Taylor found this exnation strange, but he did recall rejecting ra. Was it really like that? Were his impressions of ra really¡­ that she was maniptive, and he was mistaken about her? ¡°Son, you¡¯re my flesh and blood, how could I possibly harm you? You¡¯re my only child, I want nothing more than for you to be happy! If ra was really right for you, why would I tear you two apart? Right?¡± Teresa patted his shoulder, saying earnestly, ¡°You are my life!¡± Taylor lowered his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom! I misunderstood you before. I thought you wanted to split me and ra, so you deliberately told me those things¡­¡± ¡°Silly boy! ra is actually a cunning woman! You should let her go! Even if you¡¯re not with Ms. Amerson, you shouldn¡¯t keep entangled with ra.¡± Taylor nodded, ¡°Yeah, Mom, you should go rest early! I¡¯m gonna take a shower and then hit the sack.¡± ¡°Okay! Don¡¯t work toote.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Taylor watched his mom leave, frowning. Was it really like that? Why did he always have this weird feeling? But when he tried to understand this feeling, he couldn¡¯t put it into words. He just felt empty inside, like something was missing. ra had a restless night, tossing and turning in bed. Perhaps it was due to the new environment, or because of Emmett being nearby. She was always worried that Emmett would discover something. By morning, she was up and about, getting ready for work. As soon as she stepped out, she saw Emmett in the living room. He raised an eyebrow when he saw ra, ¡°Where¡¯re you off to?¡± Chapter 68 Chapter 68 *Off to work.¡± ¡°No need for work today, Aiden will be here soon. ra froze, ¡°Is heing this early?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± Thinking of seeing her son soon, ra easily pushed aside her work. ¡°Cool! Can I use your kitchen? I want to cook something special for Aiden.¡± Emmett nced at her, somewhat surprised, ¡°You get this excited just mentioning Aiden?¡± In all the time they¡¯ve known each other, she never once offered to cook for him, N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Because¡­ I adore kids! And Aiden is so cute, I can¡¯t resist!¡± ¡°I should warn you, Aiden is quite introverted. If he acts a bit aloof or indifferent towards you, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ra nodded immediately. ¡°No worries, Mr. Melendez I won¡¯t mind.¡± She believed Aiden wouldn¡¯t be cold towards her! ¡°Then¡­.save a portion of whatever you¡¯re making for me, too.¡± ¡°Any problem?¡± ra shook her head immediately. ¡°No! I¡¯ll start cooking now.¡± Watching her cheerful departure, Emmett furrowed his brow. Was he jealous of his own son? When was thest time ra was this happy to see him? Emmett lifted his hand, massaging his temples, trying to shake off these strange thoughts She was just a contract bride he used to appease his parents, why was he treating her as if she was his real wife? Emmett took a deep breath. Perhaps theck of female presence in his life for so long had led to these stray thoughts about ra. Yes, that must be it In Europe, it was already night. Alex, clutching his teddy bear and watching cartoons, immediately dropped it and ran over when the doorbell rang. ¡°Mr Milburn! You¡¯re back from the hospital!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Elio hung up his coat and lifted Alex from the ground, ¡°Miss me?¡± Alex grinned, ¡®Of course!¡± ¡°You cheeky little thing, making it impossible not to love you!¡± Elio gave him a peck on the cheek before carrying him to his bedroom. Alex quicklyid his head on Elio¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Mr Milburn, can I call you dad from now on?¡± Elio was stunned, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I want to call you dad! I want you to be my dad!¡± Alex grinned, ¡°No one else is good enough, only you would be the perfect dad! I think you and mom, are a great match!¡± ¡°Really?¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Elio smirked, ¡°But your mom¡¯s been giving me the cold shoulder, she doesn¡¯t ept me!¡± Alexughed. Then you have to win me over, I¡¯m her son, I have a say! I can help you get her to marry you!¡± Elio raised an eyebrow, ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure! Just trust me! I¡¯ve grown up with my mom, I know best what kind of man she likes!¡± Elio couldn¡¯t help but poke his forehead, ¡°You little devil! You¡¯re even willing to sell out your own mom!¡± ¡°That sounds awful, I¡¯m just trying to find happiness for my mom!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re always right! Then Mr Milburn¡¯s happiness for the rest of his life is all up to you!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! As long as you keep the burgersing, I¡¯ll definitely help you win my mom over!¡± Elio chuckled, he really liked this little guy, Alex! Although he wasn¡¯t his biological child, he was still a kid he watched grow up. If he could truly marry ra in the future, they would make aplete family! Chapter 69 Chapter 69 ra was still busy making desserts when Sophia Melendez showed up with Aiden. Seeing Alden, ra quickly wiped her hands and came out, greeting him with a gentle smile, ¡°Aiden, I made some yummy stuff. Come taste it. Aiden nced at Sophia, who gave a slight nod, and he went over to ra. The two of them went into the kitchen together. Watching their backs, Sophia sighed, ¡°ra really seems to have a thing for Aiden. I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s genuine or just putting on a show.¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°She can¡¯t act for nuts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then! After all, you found her, so I can only trust your judgment.¡± Sop chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t have many wishes in my life. I just hope Aiden can grow up safe and sound. After all, he¡¯s grown up with me. Even if you have more kidster, I might not love them as much as I do him.¡± ¡°You already have Aiden and you still want me to have more kids?¡± Emmett frowned. Sophia pointed at the kitchen with her chin, ¡°Aren¡¯t you and ra nning to have a kid? How long can your marriagest if you don¡¯t even have a kid?¡± ¡°The point of marriage isn¡¯t to keep it going as long as possible! You wouldn¡¯t understand, so don¡¯t butt in ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t meddle! I brought Aiden over, so I¡¯ll head back now. Your dad¡¯s not feeling well today, I need to apany him to the hospital¡± Emmett nodded, ¡°Do you need me to send someone with you?¡± *No need. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything serious. Your dad¡¯s getting old, his health isn¡¯t what it used to be. Now that you¡¯re married, he can rest easy. Your dad and I can enjoy our twilight years. Emmett frowned, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary. Better keep an eye on the kitchen. I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m still worried ra might do something to Aiden. After all, she¡¯s his stepmother¡± ¡°ra won¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Better safe than sorry! You go check, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Sophia shoved Emmett back towards the kitchen before leaving with ease.. Emmett, helpless, walked into the kitchen and saw the two of them happily chatting.. He had never seen Aidenugh so happily before. When Aiden noticed Emmett, his smile vanished instantly and he stood there, expressionless. ra was taken aback, instinctively pulling Aiden behind her, ¡°Mr Melendez, would you like to taste some?¡± ¡®No, you guys seem to be having fun. I¡¯ll get back to work, you stay with Aiden.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± ra nodded. Emmett looked at his son, asking, ¡°Do you like her as your mom?¡± Aiden stared at Emmett for a while before nodding slowly, ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Good, you guys have fun here, I¡¯ll get back to work.¡± Emmett turned around and left while ra watched his retreating figure until he was out of sight. Then she turned to Aiden and asked cautiously, ¡°Are you scared of your father? You seem reluctant to talk every time you see him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like him.¡± Aiden lowered his head, ¡°He never really seems to consider me as his son.¡± ¡°¡­Emmett doesn¡¯t like you?¡± Then why did he insist on having a child with me? Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he likes me, but he rarely has time to be with me. I only see him a few times a year. I spend most of my time with grandma.¡± ra¡¯s heart ached. She bent down and hugged her son, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault! It¡¯s all my responsibility! I¡¯m sorry for making you grow up in such an environment¡± ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t need to me everything on yourself, I know you¡¯re scared of dad too.¡± Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Aiden knew full well that the Melendez family had a lot of pull. The other kids at school wouldn¡¯t dare to cross them. ¡°Oh, honey, don¡¯t you worry, Mommy will never leave you again! I¡¯ll find a way to take you away from the Melendez family¡± ¡°So¡­ I can live with Alex then?¡± ¡°Absolutely! We¡¯ll leave together and be together always.¡± Hope sparkled in Aiden¡¯s eyes but soon enough, he looked somewhat downcast ¡°What about.. Grandma and Grandpa? They won¡¯t be able to see me anymore, right?¡± ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t bear to leave them. If they find me gone, they¡¯ll be so sad! I think I should stay¡± ra gently stroked her son¡¯s hair, saying softly, ¡°Aiden, you¡¯re such a good boy, it warms Mommy¡¯s heart! Don¡¯t worry, Mommy will respect your decision! I can still see you in the future!¡± As long as Emmett didn¡¯t find out, everything can still go on. Upstairs, in the study. After Emmett started a video conference, Ricardo called him out of the blue. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Mr Melendez, we found the doctor who was there when Aiden was born!¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Can she call youter?¡± ¡°Sure¡± Not long after hanging up, Emmett¡¯s phone rang. Frowning deeply, he answered, ¡°Hello, this is Emmett.¡± ¡°Mr Melendez! I¡¯m Jessica, the one who supposedly delivered your son. L.I¡¯m guilty, I¡¯ve wronged you! Please forgive me!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°My son was sick that year, so I didn¡¯t go. In the end, our dean found a recement! I didn¡¯t personally deliver your son! So¡­I don¡¯t know what happened!¡± ¡°¡­You found a recement?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m sorry Mr Melendez, my son was really sick, I had no choice but to- Emmett cut her off, ¡°I need to know, who reced you¡± ¡°I think it was our dean¡¯s son, named¡­Elio!¡± After ra and Aiden finished their snacks, she read to him. At noon, Aiden¡¯s internal clock reminded him it was nap time. This was ra¡¯s first time putting Aiden to bed, she savored this mother¨Cson moment. She remembered when Alex was little, he was difficult to put to sleep. The second she left his side, he¡¯d wake up! So when Alex was just born, she held him every second of every day, even when eating. Back then Aiden was just born, who¡­ who was he depending on then? Thinking about this, tears involuntarily slid down ra¡¯s face. A dropnded on Aiden¡¯s band. He sleepily opened his eyes, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ra quickly wiped her tears. ¡°Nothing, nothing!¡± ¡°Can Mom sleep with me?¡± Aiden shuffled over, ¡°I¡¯d like to sleep with Mom.¡± ra nodded vigorously, lying down next to Aiden, one arm wrapped around his little body. In this moment She felt her life was more than fulfilled! The dream she¡¯d held onto for so many years was finally within reach! Aiden curled up in ra¡¯s arms, grinning, ¡°Mom, your embrace is so warm¡± ¡°Then Mom will put you to bed every night, okay?¡± ¡°Uh huh! Okay!¡± ¡°Alright, go to sleep now! Mom will be right here. ra gently stroked his hair, softly starting to sing a luby. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 After handling his work, Emmett found out ra and Aiden were nowhere to be found. He scoured the kitchen, living room, and dining room but still, no sign of them. Just as he was about to hit up ra on her cell, it dawned on him that it was midday and they could be snoozing. So, he headed towards ra¡¯s room. He gingerly pushed open the door to find ra and Aiden fast asleep. A small smile crept onto Emmett¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t expect ra to hit it off with Aiden so quickly. He had thought that if he ever tied the knot, Aiden would be against it since they were both cut from the same cloth ¨C not the easiest people to get along with Sneaking out of the room, he was just about to step out when Sophia called. ¡°Emmett, it¡¯s nap time for Aiden!¡± ¡°Yeah, ra¡¯s already put him to bed.¡± ¡°Is he cool with her? Be careful, you know. Aiden¡¯s just a kid. If something¡¯s up, he might not say anything. As a father, you gotta keep an eye out.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. Aiden and ra seem to get along better than he does with me.¡± Emmett shot a nce at ra¡¯s door, ¡°You can stop worrying. Once Alden wakes up, I¡¯ll set up a video call for you.¡± ¡°Alright, just be careful. ra might just be putting up a front. Not saying she¡¯s bad or anything, but I don¡¯t want my grandson to be the test subject here.¡± ¡°Well, you agreed to let Aiden stay here. So, stop second¨Cguessing everything. Aiden¡¯s doing great here. Sure ra¡¯s his stepmom, but I¡¯m his real father.¡± ¡°Alright, I feel better hearing you say that.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ra had a sound sleep. With Aiden snug as a bug in her arms, it was their first mother¨Cson sleepover, their first intimate contact. This feeling was so sweet that a just¨Cawake ra didn¡¯t want to open her eyes! It wasn¡¯t until Emmett knocked on the door, saying Aiden had a horse riding lesson, that she finally got up. ¡°Sorry, Mr Melendez, I overslept!¡± ¡°No worries, you two seem to be getting along well.¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°Aiden seems to be quite taken with you.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s fate?¡± ra gave an awkward chuckle. Emmett, however, read between the lines. ¡°ra, you seem¡­ well cut out to be Aiden¡¯s mother.¡± ¡°..¡°It wasn¡¯t about being cut out or not, she was Aiden¡¯s mother, alright? ¡°I could consider¡­ making you the real one¡­¡± ¡°Mr Melendez! I, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m good enough for you!¡± ra quickly cut him off, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll go help Aiden freshen up and get changed, then I¡¯ll drop him off at his horse riding lesson!¡± With that, she bolted out of the room. Emmett furrowed his brows. This woman¡­ just turned him down again! Was he really that bad that she kept rejecting him, time and time again, without any hesitation? At first, he thought ra was ying hard to get, but if that was the case, this was dragging on way too long, right? He was already putting himself out there¡­ Could it be that ra had someone else she was into? The thought sent a pang of uneasiness through Emmett. Could it be¡­ he was really falling for this woman? Chapter 72 Chapter 72 At AW Corporation. After wrapping up a meeting, Taylor retreated to his office, intending to quietly pore over some documents. But all he could think about was ra¡¯s face and figure. He had no clue what was happening! It was like he was bewitched, his mind filled with ra, and he couldn¡¯t get her out of his head. Unable to concentrate on his work, he got up, walked over to the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window in his office, and absent¨Cmindedly lit up a cigarette. The doctor had warned him to cut down on smoking after he was discharged from the hospital, and he¡¯d been good about it, but this time¡­. he just couldn¡¯t keep his mind at ease. ¡°Mr. Atwood!¡± His secretary knocked on the door from outside. ¡°The folks in the conference room said they¡¯ve sent over the quarterly summary. Do you want to have a look?¡± Taylor waved his hand, ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not in the mood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking the day off. Don¡¯t bother me unless it¡¯s something important. I need to step out.¡± With that, Taylor grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and headed straight out of the office. The secretary stood there stunned, watching his retreating figure, wondering what he was up to.. Could it be¡­ he was off to see ra again? After a moment¡¯s thought, she found a corner and quickly dialled Teresa, Yo, olddy¡­ Mr Atwood¡¯s out again! Looks like he might be going to see Miss ra!¡± ¡°You need to stop him! Don¡¯t let him go after ra! That woman is nothing but trouble for my son, she¡¯s no good for him!¡± ¡°But Mr Atwood¡­ he doesn¡¯t listen to me!¡± ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll call him myself!¡± Teresa hung up, leaving the secretary to sigh and start worrying again. Now¡­ Mr Atwood would know she¡¯d ratted him out, he¡¯d definitely give her a dressing down! She pped her forehead in self¨Creproach. ¡°God, how could I be so dumb! How did I not see thating!¡± ra had just dropped Aiden off at his horse¨Criding ss and was leaving when she got a call from Elio. It would have been evening where he was, so when his call came, she had a sinking feeling. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°ra, Alex fell off the balcony. He¡¯s in the hospital now! I tried calling you, but you didn¡¯t pick up!¡± ¡°What?! Is it serious? How¡¯s Alex?¡± The doctor said he¡¯s got some fractures. He¡¯ll need to rest for a while!¡± Elio¡¯s voice hardened, ¡°ra, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so urgent that you¡¯re always unreachable, but how am I supposed to get in touch with you if something happens? What about Alex? He¡¯s been crying for you!¡± ra¡¯s heart ached as if it was being torn apart. She bit her lip hard to hold back the tears. I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s all my fault¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± ¡°Alex just had some painkillers and fell asleep. I have to say, you¡¯re not giving him the attention he needs! He misses you terribly, and you¡¯ve even stopped the daily video calls!¡± ¡°I promise I¡¯ll video call him every day from now on! I won¡¯t go back on my word!¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°I hope you keep your promise!¡± With that, Elio hung up. ra stood there, not knowing what to do next! She wished she could clone herself and take care of both kids at the same time! She didn¡¯t even remember how she got home. She even forgot to hail a cab and just walked home, one step at a time. As soon as she walked in, Emmett looked at her bewildered face and raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± Chapter 73 Chapter 73 I¡¯m fine¡­ ¡°Judging by your face, you¡¯re anything but fine. What¡¯s wrong? I can help¡± ¡°You can¡¯t help me!¡± ra suddenly raised her voice, ¡°This is my problem, not yours.¡± With that, she went straight back to her room. Leaving Emmett standing there, looking utterly confused¡­ Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. This was the first time ra had ever spoken to him in this tone! Normally, she was either careful and polite, or submissive and obedient. Was she¡­. angry today? Emmett pondered for a moment, then took out his cell phone, Ricardo, can you find out what happened on ra¡¯s way to drop off Aiden at his horse¨Criding lesson?¡± ¡°Sure thing, Mr Melendez.¡± After hanging up. Emmett nced at ra¡¯s bedroom door, hesitated for a while, decided not to disturb her, and headed to the study upstairs. It seemed she was having some kind of trouble. What worried him more was¡­ whether it was those debt collectors again. ra was lying on her bed, sobbing uncontrobly. She covered her head with a nket, muffling her sobs! It was not until she heard her phone vibrating beneath her pillow that she stopped crying An unknown number¡­ ¡°Hello¡­¡± ¡°Is this ra?¡± ¡­ra recognized the voice but didn¡¯t answer. She knew that voice too well! How many times had it appeared in her dreams, and how many times had she dreamt of hearing him say, ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you, right? ra,e out, I need to talk to you!¡± ¡°Mr. Atwood, I have nothing to discuss with you. Why are you still looking for me?¡± ¡°Are you crying?¡± Taylor sounded worried. ¡°What happened? Did Emmett do something to you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of Mr. Atwood¡¯s business¡± ¡°Why are you so cold to me? I¡¯m not going to hurt you, I just want to ask about the past years¡­¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t have anything special going on those years! We were¡­ just normal friends! You lost your memory, didn¡¯t you? It¡¯s better this way. We can just be strangers. Taylor seemed to sigh, ¡°ra, I think you¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°You¡¯re funny When I tell you the truth, you say I¡¯m lying. So tell me, what is¡­ our rtionship?¡± ra was lying on her bed, looking up at the ceiling, tears streaming down her face. ¡°At least¡­ we were more than just normal friends, right? Were we¡­ together before?¡± ¡°No, I have never been with you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying, there¡¯s something off about your tone!¡± ¡°Mr. Atwood, you¡¯re a sessful businessman, and I¡¯m just an ordinary person. I ask you to stop looking for me. I¡¯m married now, I don¡¯t want to be disturbed.¡± ¡°Did you marry Emmett because you love him? Don¡¯t you know he¡¯s bad news?¡± ra slowly closed her eyes, ¡°Mr. Atwood, you¡¯re being a little too nosy! There¡¯s nothing to discuss between us, and I don¡¯t want to be interrogated like a suspect! That¡¯s it, I hope you won¡¯t bother me anymore.¡± After that, ra hung up the phone and blocked his number. Her life was chaotic enough as it was, she didn¡¯t have the energy to delve into her past with Taylor! On the other side, Taylor looked at his phone and frustratedly mmed it against the steering wheel. He came to Melendez¡¯spany again, hoping to see ra. No matter what, he wanted to exin the past to ra in person. Perhaps¡­ perhaps seeing her in person would trigger some memories of their past! Chapter 74 Chapter 74 But now, it seemed like ra was quite disappointed in herself, even sounding impatient on the call Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Was it really as Teresa said? Was ra with Emmett just for the money like she¡¯s always been? Taylor scrunched up his face when Teresa¡¯s call came in. ¡°Where are you, son?¡± ¡°Outside.¡± ¡°Did you go see ra again? Didn¡¯t I tell you not to? Why did you still go?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t go see her, I¡¯m just driving around to clear my head, feeling a bit down.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good! I¡¯m just worried you¡¯ll be fooled by ra again! She¡¯s not a good woman, remember that!¡± Sitting in the car, Taylor was all pent up with no outlet. He brushed her off and hung up. Then he called his secretary. ¡°You¡¯re fired, take your pay and leave!¡± ¡°Mr. Atwood, give me a chance to exin! I know I messed up, I shouldn¡¯t have done it, but it was the olddy¡¯s doing, I had no choice! I can¡¯t afford to offend either side!¡± ¡°So you sold me out, and I should keep you around to keep tabs on me? Since you agreed to be my mother¡¯s mole, go work for her!¡± ¡°Mr Atwood, you can¡¯t do me like this! I really know I messed up!¡± Taylor was so irritated, he didn¡¯t have the patience to listen to her and hung up. He didn¡¯t need apdog like this around! Even if it was arranged by his mother, he didn¡¯t need it! In the evening, Aiden was picked up by Ricardo. The first thing he did when he came in was to look for ra! ¡°Dad, where¡¯s¡­ Ms Calloway?¡± ¡°In her room.¡± Emmett nced in that direction, ¡°She was feeling a bit down this afternoon, you go do your homework first.¡± ¡°Feeling down? I¡¯ll gofort her, she¡¯ll feel better! I¡¯ve already done my homework at school.¡± Emmett thought about how much ra liked Aiden, maybe Aiden could really cheer her up, so he nodded, ¡°Alright! Gofort her.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Aiden quickly ran to ra¡¯s room and gently pushed open the door. ra looked over when she heard the noise, ¡°Aiden? I¡¯m sorry, I forgot to pick you up!¡± That¡¯s okay! Mom, what¡¯s wrong? Dad said you¡¯re feeling down.¡± ¡®Alex fell! It¡¯s a bit serious.¡± ¡°What? I want to see him! Can I video call him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also waiting for his video call.¡± ra sat on the edge of the bed, looking down guiltily, ¡°Aiden, I don¡¯t know what to do! I feel like¡­ I can¡¯t take care of you and Alex well at the same time, I¡¯ve never thought about it before!¡± ¡°Alex is injured now, we should avoid video chatting with him together! How about this, you wait here for me, I will distract my Dad and make sure he doesn¡¯t find out, okay?¡± Aiden gently patted her like comforting her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alex is so cute, he will be fine!¡± ¡°Thank you for being so considerate.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my mom, you gave birth to me, I should be the one thanking you, how can I let you always thank me?¡± Aiden smiled, his small figure walked over and hugged ra, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alex will definitely be fine! You wait for me here, I¡¯ll go find my dad, he won¡¯t disturb your video call with Alex.¡± ra nodded, ¡°Okay, thank you!* After Emmett took a shower, he was about to check on ra when he suddenly saw Aiden. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 ¡°Dad, can I ask you a question?¡± Emmett was taken aback, it took him a few seconds to nod This was a first Aiden never usually initiated questions. But it felt good ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go to the study.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Emmett entered the study, and Aiden immediately ced his homework on the table. It was aplex problem. It would be hard for an average kid to understand, but Aiden never got bogged down by such questions. Emmett nced at him, ¡°You don¡¯t understand this?¡± ¡°Indeed, I really don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Okay, let me exin it to you¡± Emmett didn¡¯t think twice, he walked him through it. Knowing that ra was short on time, Aiden pretended not to understand, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m still a bit confused.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll exin it in another way.¡± Aiden nodded, then suddenly said, ¡°Dad, I feel really happy right now.¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because now I have a dad and a mom! I can be like other kids, ask my dad questions, and sleep with my mom! When Ie home from school, I can see both of you at home, not just grandma and grandpa like before.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t give you enough love before¡± ¡°Then can you give me more attention from now on?¡± ¡°Sure¡± Emmett thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, ¡°Aiden, would you mind if you had a brother?¡± Aiden was taken aback, ¡°I have a brother?¡± ¡°Just answer the question.¡± ¡°Are you and Ms. Calloway going to have another baby?¡± Emmett shook his head, ¡°No, what if you already have a brother, a twin brother, would you ept that?¡± Aiden pursed his lips. He felt like his dad was testing him, but also not. Even if his dad knew about Alex¡¯s existence, he shouldn¡¯t know that he had seen Alex. So he simply shook his head, ¡°Dad, I haven¡¯t thought about this! ¡°I see¡± This was indeed a question most people wouldn¡¯t consider. Emmett smiled, ¡°Then let¡¯s continue with your question.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Aiden smiled at him, ¡°Dad, can you smile more in the future? I hardly see you smile. I think you look most handsome when you smile¡± Hearing Aiden¡¯spliment for the first time, Emmett was stunned, then couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll smile more at you¡± Finally, Elio made a video call, and ra immediately answered. In the video, Alex¡¯s eyes were red, and he was pouting ¡°Mom, it hurts.¡± ¡°Good boy, you need to be strong! You¡¯re a man!¡± ¡°But it really hurts, even men feel pain.¡± Alex started crying, ¡°I want mom by my side, can youe?* At that moment, ra wished she could fly to Alex¡¯s side. ¡°Mom, I miss you¡± That sentence shattered all of ra¡¯s reservations. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll take a day off tomorrow, thene to see you, how about that?¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯reing to see me?¡± ¡°Yes¡± She couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, she missed him so much, almost to the point of going crazy! Elio on the other end asked, ¡°Have you sorted things out on your end?¡± That¡¯s not important, given his condition, I have to be with him!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! Once you¡¯re here, I won¡¯t feel pain anymore! Come quickly!¡± ¡°Okay, wait for me! But on one condition, you have to listen to Me UAN He nodded vigorously, ¡°I know! I¡¯ll be good.¡± It wasn¡¯t until the video call ended that ra left her room. She knew she couldn¡¯t keep Aiden waiting too long, he must be stalling Emmett. ¡°Knock knock-¡± ra knocked on the door of Emmett¡¯s study. Soon, Emmett came to open the door, ¡°I thought you¡¯d gone to bed.¡± I¡¯m sorry, I had something to deal with.¡± ra nced at the small figure in the study, whispering, ¡°I have something to discuss with you. Emmett paused for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go to my room.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 ra walked into the room, feeling a bit lost, not knowing how to break the ice. But she spilt the beans to Emmett anyway. ¡­ I need to take some time off. Time off?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s up? Is it something to do with Aiden?¡± ¡°No, no! My son got a bit banged up. I¡¯ve got to sort it out!¡± Emmett looked at her, eyed her for a while, then offered. Want me to tag along?¡± ¡°No need, no need! It might get a bit awkward if you drop in..¡± I¡¯m bound to meet your son sooner orter, as his stepdad, maybe the sooner the better for him to ept me¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°Aren¡¯t we just a couple in name? I don¡¯t think meeting is necessary! He¡¯s still a kid, he won¡¯t understand all this stuff! When he finds out the truth, he might have a hard time dealing with it.¡± ¡°Why do you keep bringing up the marriage in name?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t we agreed to forget about the marriage in¨Cname thing?¡± Emmett closed in on her, ¡°Are you trying to draw a line between us now?¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, you¡­ don¡¯t get too close! It makes me ufortable.¡± ra, cornered, blurted out. But Emmett just lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. ¡°ra, are you really clueless, or just pretending to be? Why do I get the feeling that you¡¯re ying dumb?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, I don¡¯t get it! I just want to take a leave to see my son! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back. But my son is hurt, pretty badly. I have to go!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Do you think I would pull a stunt like this? I don¡¯t have time for that! I just want to see my kid, Mr Melendez, it¡¯s a normal thing!¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°You can go, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really not convenient! My son is afraid of strangers! And I don¡¯t know how to introduce you! We are going to his biological father¡¯s ce, it¡¯s really not appropriate to bring you along! I¡¯ll only be gone for a few days, it won¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°ra, why are you scared to face me?¡± Emmett narrowed his eyes, ¡°I get the feeling you¡¯re hiding something from me.¡± ra immediately shook off his hand and dashed to the door, ¡®Mr. Melendez, you, you¡¯re overthinking! How could I possibly have something to hide from you? Even though we¡¯re contractually married, I did marry you, but¡­ I still need my own space! I need to see my son.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stopping you¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t take you with me! I¡¯m sorry, Mr Melendez.¡± Emmett took a deep breath, giving up on the insistence. After a few minutes of silence, Emmett said, ¡°You can only be away for five days at most, otherwise there¡¯s no one to handle thepany¡¯s affairs.¡± ¡°Alright! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back as soon as possible. As soon as my son¡¯s condition stabilizes, I¡¯ll return.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Emmett ended the conversation and walked away. That¡¯s when ra let out a sigh of relief. She was really spooked! She thought Emmett had found something out. Luckily¡­ Europe, the Milburn family Fresh from the hospital, Alex was already thinking about how to y cupid for Elio and his mom. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Alex mulled over it for a moment, his eyes darting around before he said, ¡°My mom¡¯s gonna be here any minute, we gotta have a game n! Best case scenario, shees and you two get hitched.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? You think marriage is child¡¯s y? We need to prepare, it takes time! And your mom, with her personality. I don¡¯t see her saying yes to me anytime soon.¡± Elio sighed, I can¡¯t get a read on her, she doesn¡¯t think like normal people.¡± Alex rolled his eyes, ¡°Look at you, already chickening out before you¡¯ve even started! How are you gonna win my mom over like this?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I got your back! I think you¡¯d make a good dad, way better than anyone else! I only have one condition, when you be my dad, you gotta keep loving me like you do now, buy me toys, and no criticizing!¡± Elio yfully flicked him on the forehead, ¡°Alreadyying down thew, huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I need to? Otherwise, why would I help you woo my mom?¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll agree to anything you say!¡± Elio thought to himself, how silly he was. Who¡¯d have thought he¡¯d be relying on a kid for something like this. ¡°Also¡­ I want steak tonight!¡± Alex stuck out his tongue, ¡°And can we skip changing my bandages today? It hurts too much! ¡°We can have steak, but no negotiating on changing your bandages! Do you wanna be stuck in bed forever?¡± Alex quickly shook his head, ¡°No, no, no, I wanna get up! I don¡¯t wanna be paralyzed!¡± ¡°Then you gotta listen to the doctor! Otherwise, you might end up bedridden for life, and you¡¯d be screwed!¡± ¡°Well, guess I¡¯ll change the bandages then!¡± Alex sighed, ¡°But it¡­ really hurts¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re a tough guy, remember?¡± ¡°Even tough guys are afraid of pain!¡± Afraid of falling behind on work, ra came to the office early the next day to get things in order. Her flight was in the afternoon, so she still had some free time. When she woke up this morning, Emmett and Aiden were both gone! ¡°Ah, Emmett is such a hard guy to figure out!¡± As ra walked into the office, she felt something was off! The security room was eerily quiet with no sounds of morning training. Even the usual front desk staff were gone. Something¡¯s not right! ra had a bad feeling, something was definitely off. She quickly headed towards her office. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ra had barely taken a few steps- Suddenly, a pungent scent hit her nostrils and a figure appeared in front of her, acting aggressively. Before she could react, suddenly- Smack! A crisp sound echoed. A pnded hard on ra¡¯s face. Her cheek stung, and then she quickly recognized who was standing before her! Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Isn¡¯t this¡­ the same Ms. Parrott she bumped into outside Emmett¡¯s officest time, only to be shooed away by him? Back then she was still wondering what her rtionship with Emmett really was! ¡°ra, right? I¡¯ve been waiting a long time to p you! You should know why I¡¯m doing this, right?¡± Molly Parrott looked at her proudly, a hint of fierceness showing through her haughty face. Her heavy makeup made her look a bit scary. Clora touched her stinging cheek, ¡°What am I supposed to understand?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still ying dumb! What did you tell mest time? That there¡¯s nothing between you and Emmett, that you¡¯re just a secretary and he¡¯s your boss! Now you two are married and you¡¯re still saying there¡¯s nothing?¡± ra was at a loss for words. She hadpletely forgotten about this woman! But this woman was really stubborn,ing all the way here just to p her as a warning? ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Emmett can only be mine! He¡¯s only with you to try something new!¡± ra frowned. She suddenly realized that this p was all because of Emmett! Even if she cried out in pain, it wouldn¡¯t help. If she didn¡¯t¡­ it really hurt! Emmett was just a troublemaker! Otherwise, why would she be pped like this? And she couldn¡¯t even fight back now! She knew nothing about this woman¡¯s background. If she came from a powerful family, ra would really be in big trouble! ra gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger, ¡°Ms Parrott, I can overlook this p, and I don¡¯t dare to make a fuss about it! But if you keep this up,! won¡¯t let it slide! I¡¯m a secretary, Emmett¡¯s secretary, not yours! If I¡¯m not doing a good job, it¡¯s Emmett who should criticize me, not you!¡± But as a woman, she felt a bit sorry for Molly Parrott. She might never have gotten any attention from Emmett. So she chose to bear this p. ¡°Ha! Are you warning me? You¡¯re the one who did wrong, and I¡¯m just helping my future husband discipline his reckless secretary. What¡¯s wrong with that? Molly Parrott sneered. ra was helpless, Your future husband? If I remember correctly, Emmett is currently my legally recognized husband! But I¡¯m busy right now and don¡¯t have time to argue with you. After all, I¡¯m just a secretary in thepany! I don¡¯t have as much free time as you, Ms Parrott, toe all the way here just to p me!¡± With that, she turned to leave, trying to bypass Molly Parrott. She had to finish her work quickly and then find Alex! Thinking about her son, she could withstand anything. You can¡¯t leave!¡± Molly Parrott called out sternly, gripping ra¡¯s wrist tightly. Her long nails were almost digging into ra¡¯s flesh. ¡°You think I just came to p you and leave? I¡¯m telling you, you have to make a promise to me today!¡± ¡°What promise?¡± ¡°When are you going to divorce Emmett!¡± ra was speechless, What does that have to do with you? Ms Parrott, you¡¯re going too far! I have important things to do. You¡¯ve hit me, and I didn¡¯t hit back. What more do you want?¡± Molly Parrott clenched her fists, her eyebrows furrowed, ¡°I want you to divorce Emmett, leave him as soon as possible! Disappear from Emmett¡¯s life forever! I won¡¯t allow any other woman by his side!¡± ra frowned, enduring the pain in her wrist, and said helplessly, ¡°If you think Emmett has changed, you should go to him! Whye to me? I¡¯m telling you, if you don¡¯t let go of my hand, I¡¯m really going to call security!¡± ¡°Go ahead and call, the security here is gone! I¡¯ve sent them all away!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°In such argepany like Melendez, could all the security be just sent away? ra felt things were getting moreplicated. This Molly Parrott was clearly prepared! Was she nning to kill me? When this possibility crossed her mind, ra immediately changed her attitude, bing humbler. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 ¡°Umm¡­ you, you really like Emmelt that much?¡± ¡°Do you think? I have to marry him! It has to be him!¡± ¡°Oh¡­ so that¡¯s it, you¡¯re so devoted to him! Well, why don¡¯t you talk to Emmett? Because divorce doesn¡¯t happen just because I say sol Emmett has to agree too.¡± Hearing this, Molly Parrott immediately figured she was just being fobbed off. And out of nowhere, she pulled out a knife! ra¡¯s heart skipped a beat¡­ Oh crap¡­ Was she going to meet her maker right here today? ¡°Ms Parrott! Cool your jets! How about this, I¡¯ll call Emmett over, okay? And then I¡¯ll definitely convince him to fall for you and marry you! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m absolutely gonna agree to the divorce, no strings attached!¡± Molly Parrott seemed a bit torn after hearing this, but at least she seemed to ease up a bit. But then the next second, she switched gears again! ¡°You think I¡¯m a dummy, huh? You¡¯re calling Emmett to rescue you, right? To whisk you away! Seeing me like this, Emmett¡¯s not gonna fall for me!* ¡°Well then, let go of me! And we can sit quietly in the office, and I¡¯ll call Emmett over, okay?¡± ¡°No way! You have to get a divorce from Emmett yourself! Right now!¡± ¡°Okay, okay! I¡¯ll do as you say!¡± She had no choice but toply! She had to get out of this safely and see Alex, she couldn¡¯t lose her life here all because of Emmett! ¡°Well, you have to let go of me, right? How am I gonna call Emmett otherwise, right?¡± Molly Parrott looked at her, half in doubt, thought for a while, and finally let go.. ¡°Then make the call now! Right now!¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m contacting Emmett now!¡± ra quickly took out her cell phone. Once she got through, Emmett¡¯s deep voice came over the phone. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡± ra nced at Molly Parrott, ¡°Can we meet? I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Now? I¡¯m dropping Aiden off at school. So he was dropping Aiden off first thing in the morning¡­. ¡°Yes, right now! It¡¯s really urgent.¡± Emmett paused, then replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m heading to the office now.¡± ra hung up and waved her phone, ¡°See, I¡¯ve made the call! Emmett said he¡¯s on his way here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to change my clothes!¡± Molly Parrott seemed to light up at the news, even cracking a hint of an excited smile! But then she stopped short, ¡°Just so you know, don¡¯t you dare cross me! Or else, you¡¯ll regret it!¡± ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry!¡± As ra was dealing with her, Ricardo walked in from outside, looking confused. ¡°Why is it so quiet today? Where¡¯s everyone outside? Don¡¯t the security guards have work to do?¡± Halfway in, Ricardo noticed ra and Molly Parrott together and was taken aback, ¡°Ms Calloway? What are you doing here?¡± Or rather, he was more curious about why she was with Molly Parrott! Molly Parrott had been hounding Mr. Melendez like a madwoman for a while now, even starting to act a bit crazy! ra shot him a look and Ricardo realized something might be up! N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Suddenly, Molly Parrott grabbed ra by the cor and pulled out the knife again! You called for backup, didn¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 7 didn¡¯t, I really didn¡¯t!¡± ra raised her hands in defense, We¡¯ve been together the entire time, I had no chance to see anyone else. Ricardo just got here because he had to work¡± ¡°Ms Parrott, you need to chill!¡± Ricardo hurriedly said. ¡°We can sit down and talk, do you want to see Mr Melendez? I can call him for you right now!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you y innocent!¡± ¡°Ms Parrott, Mr Melendez is really busy! But surely, you don¡¯t need to act like this, right? Ricardo tried to stall for time. ra seized the opportunity. You¡¯re waving that knife at me, it looks like you¡¯re going to hurt me! Can we just calm down and talk?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ricardo quickly grabbed a chair from the side, ¡°Ms Parrott, have a seat! I¡¯ll get you a cup of coffee. Mr. Melendez will be here soon, threatening a secretary doesn¡¯t do you any good, you should talk to Mr Melendez.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she marry Emmett?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a sham! Mr. Melendez was pushed into marriage, so he found a female secretary to have a fake marriage!* Upon hearing this, ra raised an eyebrow If it wasn¡¯t for Ricardo subtly winking at her, she would have thought Ricardo knew the truth! ¡°So you mean¡­ you didn¡¯t actually marry Emmett?¡± ra quickly nodded, her eyes filled with sincerity. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m just a pawn Mr Melendez uses to appease his elders! There¡¯s nothing between the CEO and me, I¡¯m telling the truth! I didn¡¯t lie to you!¡± Hearing this, Molly Parrott¡¯s attitude softened a bit. Seeing her rx a little, Ricardo quickly pushed her down and grabbed her knife. ¡°Till go find security!¡± ra immediately said. Ricardo frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t know where they are! You call the police!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Being subdued, Molly Parrott shouted, ¡°Let me go! I am Emmett¡¯s future wife! Let me go!¡± ¡°If Mr. Melendez was interested in you, he would have fallen for you already!¡± ra quickly took out her phone, suddenly feeling a shadow approaching¡­ She instinctively raised her hand in defense- The next second, she was caught in someone¡¯s warm embrace. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Emmett!¡± ra was stunned, then pointed at Molly Parratt, ¡°She found out about our marriage and came to threaten me, demanding that I divorce you!¡± She waspletely innocent in this! Getting married was ast resort for her, she was living in fear every day! And then this happened! Emmett had many admirers, a lot of people were chased away by him before! ra suddenly realized, marrying Emmett was a dangerous thing! Wasn¡¯t her life in danger here? Emmett nced at Molly Parrott, frowning, ¡°She¡¯s a lunatic.¡± ¡°Yes! She really is a lunatic!¡± ra rubbed her wrist, ¡°She pped me as soon as she came in! Mr Melendez, are all the women who like you like this?¡± If there were more like her, she wasn¡¯t sure if she could live to old age! Chapter 81 Chapter 81 ¡°Emmett! Get him to let go of me!¡± Molly Parrott yelled, her eyes fixed on Emmett. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about your sham marriage, Emmett? I¡¯d marry you in a heartbeat! Why would you choose an old hag like her? She¡¯s not worthy of you, I¡¯m your wife!¡± At that, Emmett turned to look at ra. She quickly waved her hands, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who told her, Ricardo did!¡± ¡°How did Ricardo find out?¡± ¡°I think Ricardo might have made that up to cate Molly¡­ I swear I didn¡¯t tell anyone!¡± Behind them, Ricardo swiftly tied up Molly and gave Emmett and ra a thumbs up, ¡°Mr Melendez, Ms Calloway, I¡¯ll take her to the police station right away!¡± ra shrugged, raising an eyebrow, ¡°See? He didn¡¯t know anything!¡± ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Emmett scanned her worriedly. ra brushed off the concern, ¡°Nope, I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°Good.¡± Emmett took ra¡¯s hand and started to walk away. Ricardo quickly asked, ¡°Mr. Melendez! What should we do with Ms Parrott?¡± ¡°Go ask the Parrott family what they n to do about this! If she dares to touch my wife, it seems the Parrotts don¡¯t want to stay in business anymore. You can send them my regards With that, ra was whisked away by Emmett. ¡°Wait, wait!¡± ra asked, bewildered, as she was shoved into the car, ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°To see a doctor. You¡¯re injured.¡± ra looked down at her arm and noticed a minor cut, probably from Molly¡¯s antics. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. I¡¯ll just put a Band¨CAid on itter.¡± ¡°No.¡± ra knew better than to argue, so she let it pass. ¡°What did you mean by what you said earlier? Send them my regards? You¡¯re not nning to kill Molly, are you?!¡± Emmett shot her a look, ¡°She¡¯s not worth dirtying my hands over. Let the Parrotts handle this mess.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to take it out on the Parrotts? That¡¯s a bit harsh, isn¡¯t it?¡± ra was taken aback by Emmett¡¯s calm yet ruthless response. ¡°Molly¡¯s only guilty of being in love with you! I can understand that, even though she¡¯s a bit extreme.¡± ¡°She hurt you today, she might find other ways to hurt you in the future!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. 7 ¡°So, you¡¯re taking this out on the Parrotts because of me?¡± ra quickly waved her hands, ¡°That¡¯s not necessary! I¡¯m tough, this little scratch is nothing! You¡¯ve lost nothing, a little scare should be enough for Molly. There¡¯s no need to involve business.¡± Emmett remained silent, starting the car and driving away. As they neared the hospital, he suddenly said, ¡°When you return from your vacation, you¡¯ll take over the acquisition of the Parrott family¡¯s business. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s unnecessary! You¡¯re my wife now, and something serious happened. If the Melendez family doesn¡¯t make a stand, anyone could kidnap or threaten you!¡± ra hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead. She had been scared, but not angry. After all¡­ there aren¡¯t many women as passionate and headstrong as Molly Parrott, right? She must really love Emmett to have acted so rashly¡­ Chapter 82 Chapter 82 ¡°Mr Melendez, I really think you should have a heart¨Cto¨Cheart with Molly Parrott! If she¡¯s that into you, ready to drop her own pride, then why not marry her to appease your parents?¡± Emmett¡¯s tall figure halted, ¡°You think I¡¯d marry a woman who¡¯s lost her marbles?¡± ¡°But¡­ Ms Parrott is from a noble family! She must know way more than me, just a in secretary! Maybe she could even help you out, be your virtuous and decent wife!¡± Emmett suddenly stopped, raising an eyebrow at the woman behind him, ¡°Are you trying to break our contract?¡± ¡°No, no, no, not at all! I just think Molly Parrott is a better fit for you!¡± Seeing Emmett¡¯s displeasure, ra didn¡¯t dare to say more. ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Emmett suddenly looked straight into her eyes. Caught off guard, ra was a bit flustered. ¡°Mr. Melendez, what¡­ what are you talking about? Why would I be jealous? I know my ce, don¡¯t worry! Even if all the women in the world are after you, I wouldn¡¯t be jealous!¡± She thought that would make Emmett feel better, but his face only darkened. ¡°All the women in the world, and you wouldn¡¯t be jealous? Hmm?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right¡­¡± ra instinctively took a step back, creating some distance, ¡°Mr Melendez, don¡¯t stare at me like that, it¡¯s making me ufortable!¡± ¡°Do you hear yourself? Is that something a wife should say?¡± Emmett nced at her, ¡°Think before you speak next time!¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± ra nodded, not quite understanding where she went wrong, but if Mr Melendez said she did, then she did. Emmett was always a mystery to her. After getting bandaged up at the hospital with Emmett, ra couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°Mr Melendez, how many security guards do we have at ourpany? How did they all suddenly disappear, and this Molly Parrott, does she really have that much power? Isn¡¯t this like giving her free ess to ourpany?¡± ¡°Do you know what the Parrott family does?¡± Emmett got back into the car, putting on his sses, ¡°They¡¯re in pharmaceutical research.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­ Molly Parrott drugged ourpany¡¯s security and reception?¡± My god, this woman had lost it! 16.77- ¡°I¡¯ve already had Ricardo bring people to the hospital for tests! Do you still think Molly Parrott is just a simple, love¨Ccrazy woman?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ra awkwardlyughed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I made a wrong judgment!¡± ¡°Next time something like this happens, call me right away.¡± Emmett shut the car door, ¡°I¡¯m taking you to the airport now, you need to get going.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t pack anything!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have Ricardo bring it to you.¡± ¡°But, my flight isn¡¯t for a while, I wanted to finish all my work before going!¡± Otherwise, I¡¯ll be swamped with work as soon as I get back, and I might not even have time to breathe. ¡°Take my private jet, they¡¯re waiting for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ra was very surprised, and after a while, she kept waving her hands, ¡°Mr. Melendez, you really don¡¯t need to take care of me like this! I¡¯m just going to see my son, I don¡¯t want to attract too much attention! I can just take a regr flight, if I take your private jet, I might not get used to it!¡± ¡°You¡¯re my wife, it¡¯s good to get used to this kind of life sooner.¡± Chapter 83 Chapter 83 ¡°Mr. Melendez, don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m just your pretend wife!¡± ra finally couldn¡¯t help but whisper a reminder. ¡°If you get me used to this lifestyle, when our contract ends. I¡¯ll be left high and dry. After all, when left to my own abilities, forget about private jets, it¡¯ll be a miracle for me. just to get near one!¡± ¡°That can be easily solved.¡± Emmett¡¯s thin lips moved slightly, ¡°As long as the contract doesn¡¯t end.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± raughed and shook her head, ¡°I dare not to be your wife for a lifetime!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know my own status?¡± Emmett frowned when he saw ra¡¯s smile. He wasn¡¯t sure if ra was truly clueless or just pretending not to understand his meaning. Emmett stayed at the airport with ra, showing no signs of leaving, as if he were waiting for her to board the ne. Elio kept calling, but she didn¡¯t dare to answer. ra nced around and said, ¡°I need to use the restroom.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Emmett was in a video conference on his phone, so he just nodded, indicating she could leave. ra quickly left with her phone, running straight to the restroom in the VIP lounge. She looked around carefully. This ce should be safe, as it is less likely for people toe here. ra answered the call, and Elio¡¯s displeased voice came through. ¡°Why are you always so secretive? You didn¡¯t answer my calls, as if you were up to no good!¡± ¡°What bad thing could I possibly do?! I was too busy with work and didn¡¯t hear it! I¡¯m at the airport now, just wait for me there.¡± From the other end of the phone came Alex¡¯s young voice. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Mom! You¡¯re finallying! I miss you!¡± ¡°Okay! Be a good boy and listen to Mr. Milburn, I¡¯ll see you soon! If Mr. Milburn tells me you¡¯ve been naughty, I won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡± Alex chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re getting along just fine!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± At first, ra was worried that Elio couldn¡¯t take care of Alex, but it seemed like she worried over nothing. ¡°Mom, I want to see you now!¡± ¡°Very soon, I¡¯m already at the airport! You and Mr. Milburn,e pick me up! By the way, does. your wound still hurt?¡± ra was still worried about this. Alex had always been scared of pain, ever since he was little. She could imagine how heartbroken Alex must have been crying, or else Elio wouldn¡¯t have called her in such a displeased tone. ¡°Of course, it hurts! Every time I think about Mom, it hurts even more!¡± ra sighed, ¡°Alex, you¡¯re being overly dramatic.¡± ¡°Oh Mom, I really miss you! I deeply, genuinely miss you!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the vocabry; did Mr. Milburn teach you that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m self¨Ctaught! Haha!¡± ¡°Okay, Alex, it¡¯s not convenient for me to talk on the phone right now, we¡¯ll talk when we see each other, okay?¡± ra was worried that Emmett woulde looking for her soon. ¡°Okay! Mr. Milburn and I will wait for you here!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After hanging up, ra took a deep breath. She was about to see her son, so she was a little excited. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Just as she was thinking, she got a sudden message from Aiden. ¡°Mom, have you left yet?¡± ra couldn¡¯t help but smile. Even though Aiden is young, he¡¯s always concerned about everything. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯m at the airport! You need to study hard, Mommy will be back soon!¡± ¡°Will you bring Alex back?¡± ¡°Probably not this time! Once Mom has everything arranged, I¡¯ll make sure you meet Alex! Be good, and once I get there, I¡¯ll find a chance to video call you!¡± After a while, Aiden replied, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m okay, let¡¯s not video call! Alex is injured, and he might feel upset if I video chat with you. He might get worried that I¡¯ll steal his mom! You can just send me some videos!¡± ra¡¯s nose tingled, and she almost burst into tears right there! How lucky she was to have such a thoughtful son; it¡¯s like she¡¯s umted good karma from her past life. ¡°Alright, Mommy will listen to you! If you need anything, just text me. I¡¯ll be more flexible once | get there, and I can pick up calls anytime!¡± ¡°Mm, have a safe trip, Mom.¡± ra stared at the message, thinking about her son, and stayed in the restroom for quite a while before leaving. Thank God! This ce is not a frequent pass¨Cby! Otherwise, people would think she¡¯s crazy. As ra walked back, Emmett was still in the meeting. During the break, ra smiled and said, ¡°You might as well go back! It¡¯s unnecessary for you to be here with me; I won¡¯t get lost.¡± ¡°I worry about you going alone.¡± Emmett said very naturally. It was as if he and ra had been a couple for many years! But¡­ It sounded a bit awkward to ra. She wanted to say something a few times but held back. ¡°You¡¯re boarding in half an hour.¡± Emmett suddenly pulled out a check and handed it to her, ¡°Since you won¡¯t let me see your son, this is the least I can do.¡± ra was shocked and quickly pushed it back, ¡°Mr. Melendez, what are you doing? I can¡¯t take this! I¡¯m already grateful enough for the private jet ride; epting your money would be too much!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a gift for your son.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a kid; he doesn¡¯t need a gift!¡± Mentioning her son made ra so nervous; she was practically sweating buckets! ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, I really can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°If I tell you to take it, then take it! Or I¡¯ll go with you and give it to him in person.¡± Upon hearing this, ra immediately grabbed the check. ¡°Then on behalf of my son, thank you!¡± Emmett frowned and looked at her, ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t want me to meet your son. ¦³¦© ¡°Huh?¡± ra swallowed nervously, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I want you to meet my son?! Actually, he¡¯s very shy and doesn¡¯t like to talk. If he meets you, he might get all sorts of ideas. He¡¯s afraid someone will take his mom away, so he can¡¯t ept other men around me.¡± ¡°Is your son an introverted child?¡± ¡°Yes! Very introverted!¡± ra¡¯s lies were getting smoother, ¡°He barely talks throughout the day.¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Emmett paused for a bit, ¡°If he¡¯s extremely introverted, he might be autistic. He should get checked out at the hospital.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with him! He¡¯s definitely not autistic!¡± If Alex is autistic, then there is no one healthy left in this world! ¡°Well, that¡¯s good.¡± Emmett nced at his watch and stood up. ¡°It¡¯s time for your flight. I¡¯ll walk you to the gate.¡± ¡°No need! I can handle it!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ´Ì ¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± Upon catching sight of ra, Alex impulsively wanted to hug her. But the injury to his leg made him grimace and he sat in his wheelchair instead. ra quickly walked up and embraced her son. ¡°Alex! I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± ¡°Mommy, me too.¡± Alex blinked, and tears unexpectedly fell from his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry! If you do, Mommy will want to cry too.¡± ra reached out to wipe away Alex¡¯s tears. Standing aside, Elio curled his lip, ¡°Hey, are you two nning on ignoring me?¡± ra looked up at Elio and gave an awkward smile, ¡°Elio, thank you! If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t know where to send Alex.¡± ¡°You heartless woman. Can¡¯t you give me any other reward apart from saying thanks?¡± Elio raised an eyebrow. ¡°ra, what¡¯s with that face?!¡± Seeing that she intended topletely ignore him, Elio quickly stepped forward, ¡°I¡¯m serious; I¡¯m not joking!¡± ra took hold of her son¡¯s wheelchair, ¡°Your joke must be a joke. No matter how many times you say it, I won¡¯t take it seriously!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Elio quickly followed her, ¡°After all I¡¯ve done for you; don¡¯t you think our rtionship should progress?¡± Alex, sitting in his wheelchair, lifted his head and unexpectedly interjected. ¡°Mom! I like Mr. Milburn; can you let him be my dad?¡± ¡°¡­Alex, don¡¯t speak nonsense!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not speaking nonsense! I mean it! I think Mr. Milburn is great, and he¡¯s suitable to be my dad! Why can¡¯t he be my dad?¡± Alex pouted. ¡°At Mr. Milburn¡¯s house, he ys with me every day and buys me delicious food! He¡¯s the kindest person to me in this world apart from Mommy!¡± ra helplessly tapped her son¡¯s forehead lightly with her finger, ¡°Silly boy! You¡¯re still young, so you don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Alex might be young, but I¡¯m not!¡± Elio quickly added, ¡°Tell me, what exactly is the reason you can¡¯t be with me?¡± ra looked at her son, ¡°Can we go home first? Do we need to discuss this here?¡± She had just gotten off the ne and was exhausted. ¡°Alright, but you must give me an answer today!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ra felt like she had stepped off the ne and directly into a trap. ¡°Let¡¯s go, my car¡¯s waiting downstairs. This time, I need an answer from you! I¡¯m really curious. What does your constant rejection mean?¡± ¡°Elio! Can you not talk about these things in front of the child?¡± ra nced at Alex, then shot Elio a look. Only then did Elio frown, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll talk to you privately.¡± Chapter 86 Chapter 86 On the way back from the airport, ra and Elio remained silent. ra had been avoiding Elio¡¯s emotions, but this time he was determined to get a response. from her. After returning to Elio¡¯s ce, as soon as Alex entered his own bedroom, Elio spoke up again, ¡°Now, can you tell me why you refuse to ept me?¡± ¡°Stop it! Let¡¯s end this topic here. I want to go check on Alex,¡± ra said, standing up to leave, but Elio grabbed her wrist. ¡°Are you rejecting me because you have feelings for someone else?¡± ¡°¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°ra, you have someone you like.¡± This statement was not a question but a statement of certainty! From her sudden realization, Elio could tell! ¡°I came here this time to reunite with my son. Elio, please stop bothering me,¡± ra¡¯s tone carried some weariness. ¡°Let¡¯s not bring up this matter again in the future. We are not suitable for each other. Being friends is best.¡± ¡°ra!¡± Elio still refused to let go of her hand. This time he was truly serious! He had never been this persistent before. ¡°Is it that you don¡¯t like the type of man I am, or are you more concerned about my parents? If you think my parents would have objections, I can handle it! I can sort things out with them.¡± ra furrowed her brows. ¡°I am a single mother. In the eyes of elders, I am not a good girl! I don¡¯t want to be criticized or gossiped about my past, so I won¡¯t get married, nor will I have a boyfriend.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care that you¡¯re a single mother! So what if you have a child? I know you had no choice back then. I am well aware that you only agreed to have a child for financial support,¡± Elio said. ¡°Elio, there are other people in this world! Even if you don¡¯t mind, what about your family, friends, and colleagues? Maybe they won¡¯t openly gossip or even congratte you, but they will surely talk behind your back. They will question who Alex¡¯s biological father is and why I became a single mother! I don¡¯t like that. I don¡¯t want to be the subject of their whispers!¡± After all these years, she had faced many difficulties while raising Alex on her own, and she had persevered. Now she had no intention of marrying anyone, not even Emmett. Once the contract ended, she would disappearpletely from Emmett¡¯s world. The only thing she hesitated about now was Aiden. Everything else was out of consideration. ¡°So, who is the man you like?¡± Elio persistently asked. ¡°If that man proposed to you, would you still refuse?¡± ¡°Yes! I would refuse anyone.¡± ¡°Okay, since you say you would refuse anyone; remember your own words! And also remember this: If you ever decide to get married someday, I still hope you will consider me first.¡± Seeing Elio¡¯s smile, she finally felt at ease. At present, there were very few people she could trust. If she and Elio couldn¡¯t be friends anymore because of this, it would be a deeply troubling matter for her. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 In the headquarters of Melendez¡¯spany in China. Emmett just stepped out of the conference room when he saw Ricardo hustling over, ¡°Mr. Melendez, the security and receptionist are okay, the doc says they can all be discharged tomorrow¡± ¡°All medical expenses are on thepany.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ricardo nodded, then hesitated a bit before asking ¡°And uh.. what about Ms. Parrott?¡± ¡°Hand her over to the cops Emmett answered without looking up. ¡°Don¡¯t bug me with her stuff.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Just as Ricardo was about to leave, Emmett suddenly thought of something and spoke up again, ¡°Has ra arrived in Europe?¡± ¡°Yes, she has, Ricardo replied. Emmett frowned. ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t she called to let me know?¡± His tone was slightly displeased, and Ricardo cautiously replied, ¡°Ms. Calloway¡¯s son was injured. It¡¯s only natural for a mother to be worried and forget to make a call in th midst of her concerns.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Emmett acknowledged this response. He didn¡¯t further inquire why ra hadn¡¯t called him immediately afternding. Instead, he began to worry about any troubles she might have encountered with her ex¨Chusband. In the afternoon, it was time for Aiden to leave school. As was his routine, he packed up his bag and went to the school gate to wait for the Melendez family¡¯s car. But today, he couldn¡¯t find it. Just as he was about to call his Grandma, he heard someone calling his name from behind him. Aiden turned around and was surprised to see his father, Emmett! Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Get in.¡± Emmett walked over, his face still as expressionless as before, but he took Aiden¡¯s backpack and slung it over his wrist. This gesture was just like a typical dad picking his kid up from school. ¡°Dad, why are you here to pick me up today? Didn¡¯t Ms. Calloway have to go abroad for something? Aren¡¯t I supposed to go back to Grandma¡¯s?¡± He originally left the Melendez family to get closer to ra. Now that ra was abroad, he thought he would return to them ¡°So, you want to go back? Emmett asked. Aiden thought for a moment, I¡¯m okay with anything! Aren¡¯t you busy with work? Do you have time to put me to sleep?¡± Emmett frowned slightly, ¡°You¡¯re this old and still need someone to put you to sleep? Are you scared?¡± ¡°Of course not! I just¡­ I¡¯m not used to sleeping in a new bed, so I want someone to talk to me, tell me stories, and then I¡¯ll fall asleep when I¡¯m tired¡± Aiden squinted and smiled. He felt close to his dad for the first time! They were like a typical father and son. He honestly really liked this feeling! Whenever he saw fathers picking up their kids from school, he would instinctively took away ¡°I¡¯ll tell you math problems tonight¡± ¡°So. Daddy is going to put me to sleep?¡± Aiden couldn¡¯t help but get excited. He had never slept with his dad before. ¡°Sort of¡± Emmett opened the car door, ¡°What do you want to eat? I have a meeting in two hours, so you can do your homework during that time, and after the meeting, I¡¯ll go over the problems with you.¡± Aiden replied. ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Is there anything you want to eat?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Aiden thought for a long time before hesitantly saying, ¡°I want fried chicken.¡± ¡°Why do you suddenly want to eat junk food?¡± Emmett remembered that his mother never let Aiden eat fast food. ¡°I want to get used to that kind of food! Because I have a¡­ really good friend who loves to eat that stuff! I want to have moremon interests with him.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re willing to amodate him, he must really be a good friend.¡± Emmett smiled, ¡°Okay, whatever you choose, we¡¯ll eat.¡± ¡°Thank you, Daddy!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Emmett looked at Aiden¡¯s beaming smile and suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Kids don¡¯t ask for much, they just wantpany. He used to think that Aiden had everything in the Melendez family and was materially superior to his peers by a long shot. But now it seemed that he was wrong, very wrong! Aiden just wanted him to be there with him. Aiden jumped up excitedly, then shyly reached out his small hand to hold his father¡¯s big one. ¡°Dad, I won¡¯t insist on you finding a mom anymore. I was silly before, I¡¯m sorry¡± Emmett was taken aback by his son¡¯s sudden apology. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s mine for not considering your needs.¡± A child this big really needed a mom. ¡°I really like Ms Calloway, I feel like she¡¯s my mom! Can you keep her? Keep her forever.¡± Emmett looked at his son¡¯s innocent eyes, his heart softened, and he reached out to ruffle his son¡¯s hair. ¡°Of course! She is already married to your dad, so she will be your mom from now on. ¡°Can I call her mom?¡± ¡°Yes, as long as you¡¯re willing¡± He was initially worried that with Aiden¡¯s personality, the two of them might not get along well, and Aiden might even reject ra! But it turned out he was worried for nothing Whether it was ra¡¯s charm or Aiden¡¯s longing for a mom, he was happy to ept either. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call Ms. Caloway ¡®Mom¡® from now on!¡± Aiden reached out his small hand to hold Emmett¡¯s, ¡°Dad, can I never change moms? I just want her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, her husband can only be your dad¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 The moment ra pushed the door to the game room, she saw Alex engrossed in a video game What a contrast to his helpless voice over the phone. If she had known he was chillin¡® like a viin, she wouldn¡¯t have rushed over! ¡®Alex does your wound still hurt?¡± ¡°Ouch!¡± Alex shot his mom a sidelong nce and immediately clutched his wound, ¡°Mom, it really hurts!¡± ra was speechless, Alex your lie is as clear as day! Didn¡¯t I tell you not to fib?¡± Alex stuck out his tongue, I¡¯m sorry, Mom! I just wanted you toe over so you could marry Mr. Milburn! That¡¯s why I fooled you, I¡¯m sorry¡± ra paused, taking a deep breath, ¡°Alex, do you really want Mr. Milburn to be your dad that bad? Alex nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes, Mr. Milburn is really good to me, he¡¯s exactly the kind of dad I want.¡± ra found a seat, telling her son, Alex, listen to me! We can¡¯t be selfish. Mr. Milburn has never been married and doesn¡¯t have his own kids. If he became your dad, it would be like we¡¯re just causing him trouble, get it?¡± Alex was a bit lost, blinking in confusion, ¡°But why? I think Mr. Milburn really likes you, Mom!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The world of grown¨Cups isplicated! I can¡¯t exin it all now, but when you¡¯re older, you¡¯ll understand! If you really like him, you should hope he finds a partner soon, and gives you a little brother or sister.¡± Hearing this. Alex said. ¡°But if he has his own kids, he won¡¯t love me as much!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? He¡¯ll always like you! And you¡¯ll always have me ra smiled, ¡°If you want to be a good boy, you can¡¯t be so headstrong¡± ¡°I¡¯m not being headstrong Mom, he really likes you and he asked me to y matchmaker! And I really like Mr. Milburn, I don¡¯t want any other dad. I want him!¡± ¡°So you didn¡¯t take to heart what I just told you?¡± ¡°But but if Mr Milburn and I like each other, why can¡¯t we be a family?¡± Alex¡¯s little face was full of questions. Adults¡® world was tooplicated! It made him feel confused. ra opened her mouth but didn¡¯t know how to answer She couldn¡¯t possibly tell Alex that they were a burden for Mr. Milburn right now, could she? That would hurt his self¨Cesteem. ¡°Long story short, he and I can¡¯t get hitched.¡± ¡°So when will I get a dad?¡± ¡°When did you start wanting a dad so much?¡± ra asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before that you didn¡¯t want a dad?¡± ¡°I want one now! Mr. Milburn takes me ces you can¡¯t and buys me toys you won¡¯t. I want a dad like him!¡± ¡°Ah! So you¡¯re basically smitten by Mr. Milburn¡¯s money, huh?¡± That Elio! He¡¯s spoiling Alex rotten! Luckily, Alex didn¡¯t grow up by Elio¡¯s side, otherwise, this kid would be a handful! Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Tm not blinded by money. I genuinely feel that Mr. Miltur in really nice to mal Alex earnestly said I¡¯m not a kid anymore. I know that when you¡¯re choosing a boyfriend, you can¡¯t just look at whether he¡¯s rich or not!¡± ¡°When picking a boyfriend, you should find someone like Mr. Milburn, who truly treats me well!¡± ra helplessly poked her son¡¯s forehead, ¡°You little rascal, you¡¯ve been picking up bad habits from the TV again! If you keep this up. I¡¯m gonna ban you from watching TVI ¡°This isn¡¯t bad stuff I¡¯m just thinking about you!¡± Alex retorted, ¡°You¡¯re alone, so you need someone to lean on too! If you have to take care of me by yourself, it¡¯ll be really hard ¡°You¡¯re talking like a grown up, which not even adults can do sometimes.¡± These days, the younger generation were getting harder and harder to understand. They seemed to know everything and spoke like adults. ¡°Mom, can you please reconsider Mr. Milburn? Alex tugged at ra¡¯s sleeve, ¡°I like him, I really want him to be my dad!¡± Looking at Alex¡¯s eager eyes, ra felt at a loss for how to turn him down. But she really couldn¡¯t ept Elio. If she did, not only would she beughed at, but so would Ello. ¿¿ The Melendez family is no joke, she¡¯s been very careful with her actions. If Elio got involved, she really wouldn¡¯t know what to do. Just as Alex was about to speak again, there was a knock on the door. ra quickly got up to answer it, only to find a hurried Elio. ¡°Big trouble, ra! The Melendez family contacted my father, they want to know about your past!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My father doesn¡¯t know about this, so he called me to go back and exin! Has the Melendez family started suspecting something? Do they know about the child?¡± Now, ra knew she couldn¡¯t hide it any longer. She nodded, ¡°Yes. Alex was running around outside and was noticed by the Melendez family! But they don¡¯t know that I¡¯m the woman! You must keep this secret for me! I can¡¯t lose Alex, if they found out, they wouldn¡¯t let me off the hook and wouldn¡¯t let Alex stay with me! Without him, I wouldn¡¯t be able to survive!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll definitely help you, but they are really hard to deal with.¡± Elio also felt the situation was extremely tricky! Mainly because dealing with them was indeed a tough nut to crack. ¡°Elio without Alex, I can¡¯t survive ra bit her lip, ¡°I know this is difficult for you, you¡¯ve been helping us hide for so long! If it wasn¡¯t for you, I might have even lost Alex back then, but now I can¡¯t be without him even more!¡± ¡°What if help you and Alex find a ce to hide?¡± Elio didn¡¯t really have any other solutions. The Melendez family is very influential, if they decide to focus on investigating something, it won¡¯t be easy to evade their pursuit no matter where you run! ¡°That would be great, as long as Alex is safe, I¡¯m willing to do anything!¡± Tll contact the people over there, and see if we can get you guys over there as soon as possible.¡± ra frowned, looking a little troubled. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as she was hesitating, her phone suddenly rang It was a call from Emmett ra felt like running away on the spot when she saw his name. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 ¡°Hey there. ¡°You¡¯re already there? Why didn¡¯t you give me a heads up?¡± Emmett¡¯s voice was calm and devoid of any scolding. This put ra at ease a bit. 1 got busy calming the kid down as soon as I arrived, so I didn¡¯t get a chance to inform you¡± ra nced at puzzled Elio and walked to a corner to make a phone call ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°No biggie, I just thought you got lost.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid, how could I get lost? If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m hanging up!¡± Emmett paused on the other end, ¡°You seem a bit scared.¡± Why does he always see through ra¡¯s lies? ¡°Why would I be scared?!¡± She coughed a few times, trying to soundposed, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I really need to go soothe the kid! He¡¯s still crying.¡± ¡°Do you need me toe over?¡± ¡°No!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Emmett said in a low voice, ¡°ra, don¡¯t interact with other rnen!¡± ¡°I got it, I won¡¯t cause any scandal for the Melendez family!¡± ¡°If anythinges up, call me. If you need money, tell me.¡± ra just wanted to hang up now, afraid that he might sense her emotions. But Emmett seemed to do it on purpose and bluntly asked, ¡°By the way, have you found anything new about that little boy I asked you to investigate?¡± ra almost fainted in fear upon hearing this and broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°Why are you silent? You always seem a bit off when this topices up.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know how to report it to you because I haven¡¯t found any clues! And I¡¯m abroad now, so it¡¯s even harder for me to get any updates!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have Ricardo look into it.¡± ¡°No need!¡± ra¡¯s voice rose a bit, ¡°TII look into it when I get back! Ricardo has a lot on his te already, so let¡¯s not bother him! This is my job. If he always has to do it, our working rtionship will sour.¡± Emmett shrugged it off, ¡°You¡¯re the CEO¡¯s wife, and he¡¯s the secretary. There¡¯s no need for a working rtionship.¡± That won¡¯t do. Once the contract ends, I¡¯ll just be an employee!¡± ra wouldn¡¯t dare let Ricardo dig deeper. Ricardo had been with Emmett for years and was naturally excellent at his job. Otherwise, why would Emmett value him so much?! If he investigated, he¡¯ll surely uncover everything about the kid! ¡°If I hear the word ¡®contract from you again, you¡¯ll face the consequences. With that, Emmett hung up abruptly. ra stared at her phone, a bit stupefied Why is he mad again? ¡°Who was that?¡± Elio asked as she hung up. ra put away her phone, ¡°Nah, nothing! It was our CEO asking for when I can get back to work.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve just told him you were quitting. You might need some time before you can return.¡± ¡°Is there someone who can help you?¡± ra pretended not to hear him. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll sort it out, then you cane over. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Elio sighed, looking at ra, ¡°Are you really not considering marrying me?¡± ¡°Elio, now¡¯s not the time for this. Can you stop joking around? We should drop this topic. If Alex keeps hearing upsetting things, it won¡¯t be good for him. He¡¯s still young, so I don¡¯t want him to kp¨®w too much too soon.¡± Elio shook his head helplessly, ¡°I think your son knows more than me!¡± ¡°Do you know your son nned to give you to me outright?¡± Elio couldn¡¯t help butugh thinking about it, ¡°What am I supposed to do when this kid grows up? I might be the only one who can control him, but you won¡¯t give me a chance! ra, you¡¯ll regret this!¡± Chapter 92 Chapter 92 ra gave him a straight look and seriously said, ¡°Ello, you¡¯re not getting any younger, you know? It¡¯s time to get yourself a girlfriend. It¡¯s not good the way you¡¯re always alone, changing your women like you change your socks!¡± 1 want a girlfriend, but no one¡¯s giving me the chance. What can I do? My parents are breathing down my neck about it too, it¡¯s got me so worked up that I¡¯ve got mouth ulcers! Look!¡± Elio leaned in toward ra on purpose ra darted away like a startled bird, ¡®Ello! Cut it out. Alex is inside!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll stop, okay?¡± Elio pouted, ¡°I¡¯ve done so much for you but I can¡¯t even win your heart. Fine, I get it. But as your friend, I don¡¯t even know who your Mr. Right is. I don¡¯t even know who I¡¯m up against.¡± ra gave him an annoyed look. ¡°You will never let this topic go, will you?¡± As soon as her words dropped, Alex limped out of the game room. Alex grinned when he saw his mother with Mr. Milburn, ¡°Mum, why don¡¯t you and Mr. Milburn make it official? I really like Mr. Milburn, I want him to be my dad!¡± ra looked at him, helplessly squatting down to eye level with her son, ¡°Alex, you can¡¯t just say these things! It¡¯s not something a child should say, got it?¡± ¡°Can I say I want a dad then?¡± ¡°Alex¡­¡± Alex made a pouty face, his mood visibly dropping, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with wanting a dad? All the other kids have dads, why don¡¯t I? Mr. Milburn is so nice to me but you won¡¯t let him be my dad, you want him to give me a little brother or sister instead! Mum, do you even love me?¡± ra was taken aback by Alex¡¯s words. seemed like Elio was really good to him, and he really wanted Elio to be his dad, but she couldn¡¯t be selfish. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Right now, she and Alex were just a burden! *Alex, your mom definitely loves you.¡± Elio quickly interjected, fearing ra would get upset, ¡°But the things between us adults areplicated; it¡¯s not as simple as you think.¡± ¡°What¡¯s soplicated? I want Mr. Milburn to be my dad, and Mr. Milburn wants to be my dad too; isn¡¯t that perfect?¡± ra¡¯s eyes started to well up as she hugged her son, ¡°Alex, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Hey, you two, don¡¯t be like this!¡± Elio was feeling uneasy, ¡°Alex, if you want me to be your dad, I can be your dad! You can call me dad and I¡¯ll still treat you the same!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t lie to me anymore. It¡¯s not the same at all! You can only be my real dad if you marry my mom, then we can be a real family, living together in the same house!¡± Alex looked at ra seriously, ¡°Mum, I want to live with Mr. Milburn. I want to see him every day. Can he y with me every day, can he?¡± ra closed her eyes. ¡°Alex, let Mom finish!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen!¡± Alex stubbornly covered his ears, ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen! I just want Mr. Milburn to be my dad¡°¡± With that, he burst into tears, something that Alex rarely did. Even when he was scolded for being naughty, he¡¯d never cried this hard. Seeing her son like this, ra¡¯s heart ached! She knew she couldn¡¯t keep lying to him, because he was starting to need a father¡¯s love, something a mother¡¯s love couldn¡¯t fully rece. ¡°ra, you should agree with him!¡± Elio shot ra a look, ¡°Look at how sad he is!¡± ra just kept her lips tightly sealed, not saying a word. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. I know you¡¯re worried for me but I¡¯m not scared of what others will think! I¡¯ve never cared about that.¡± Elio took a deep breath, reaching out to grasp ra¡¯s wrist, ¡°Be with me! You can try to ept me first¡± Chapter 93 Chapter 93 As soon as Alex heard this, he quickly grabbed his mom¡¯s hand, ¡°Mom, please, I¡¯m begging you! Promise me! I swear Il behave, and I won¡¯t make you mad anymore. I listen to you, okay?¡± Truth be told, if ra said she wasn¡¯t moved, she¡¯d be lying. She was about to agree, but¡­ ¡°Alex, Mom doesn¡¯t want to lie to you! Mom really can¡¯t be with Mr. Milburn.¡± ¡°Hmph! Then I don¡¯t like Mom anymore! I want to be with Mr. Milburn, and I won¡¯t have a Mom anymore, only Mr. Milburn!¡± With that, he stormed off into the game room and locked the door from the inside. Elio immediately went over and knocked on the door, ¡°Alex Alex, don¡¯t be like this,e out and let me talk to your Morn again!¡± ¡°If my Mom doesn¡¯t agree, I¡¯m noting out! And I¡¯m not eating!¡± Elio helplessly turned to ra and lowered his voice, ¡°ra, what are you doing? Even if you truly don¡¯t like me, don¡¯t hurt the child¡¯s feelings! He¡¯s still young, and he doesn¡¯t understand!¡± ¡°But if I lie to him now, I¡¯ll have to tell him the truthter! I might have to tell more lies to cover up today¡¯s incident. It¡¯s better to let him know from the start that this is impossible¡± ¡°When he¡¯s older, he¡¯ll understand.¡± Elio frowned, ¡°Why are you so stubborn?! Do you think the kid can understand bll these deep concepts you¡¯veid out in front of him? Anyway, I wasn¡¯t nning on getting married right away.¡± ¡°But he wants to live with you!¡± ¡°So let him! I won¡¯t do anything to you. You don¡¯t have a steady job or a home. Why not move in with me? It¡¯s best for everyone! it would please Alex, and I could please my parents.¡± Elio ruffled his hair in frustration, ¡°You¡¯re rejecting me because you have someone else in your heart, right? That¡¯s why you¡¯re using all these weird excuses!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ra shook her head, ¡°I knew a long time ago it wasn¡¯t possible between him and me. Even if he came looking for me now, I wouldn¡¯t drag him down with me and Alex! Just like I can¡¯t convince myself to drag you down! Elio, you¡¯re feeling good about me now, and you think Alex is cool because he just moved in, but marriage is for the long haul! Eventually, you¡¯ll want your own kids, and you¡¯ll feel marrying a woman who already has a child isn¡¯t worth it, then you¡¯ll fall in love with someone else!¡± Elio was speechless, ¡°Am I really that shallow in your eyes? Have we just met?¡°. ¡°Your parents wouldn¡¯t ept it either! Future conflicts are inevitable! Elio, you¡¯re too naive! You haven¡¯t considered these things, and you can¡¯t give me a satisfactory solution.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°So if Ie up with a solution that eases your worries, will you marry me?¡± ra rubbed her temples, ¡°Let¡¯s discuss it when you actually have a solution! Do you think with all this going on, I have the mental capacity to think about these things? If the Melendez family takes Alex away, I won¡¯t be able to live!¡± ¡°If you marry me, I¡¯ll fight for Alex¡¯s custody! You don¡¯t have a stable ie right now, so naturally, you can¡¯t fight against the Melendez family. But if you marry me, it¡¯s a different story! In court, you can also demand your custody rights, and the judge will consider all aspects¡± ¡°Elio, are you crazy? You want to challenge the Melendez family for me?¡± ra furrowed her brows and shook her head, ¡°No, I absolutely can¡¯t let you do this! I don¡¯t want anyone to get involved in this or let the Melendez family give the Milburn family any trouble! I would feel guilty!¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 ¡°You won¡¯t even give me a chance. Why do you always impose your thoughts on me? Yeah, the Melendez family is powerful, but we Milburns are a big n. Over the years, countless people have benefited from us. The Melendez family won¡¯t find it easy to mess with us!¡± ¡°Elio! Why don¡¯t you get it? I don¡¯t want to drag you down!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared!¡± Elio grabbed her wrist firmly, pausing for a few seconds before he said. ¡°In my life, I have never felt this deeply for a woman. You¡¯re the only one!! don¡¯t know what it is about you that draws me in, but I don¡¯t care if you have a kid, if you¡¯ll stir up trouble with the Melendez family, or what others think of me!¡± ra fell silent. ¡°Every time I see another woman, if I get even a bit close to them, I will think of you. They make me feel sick! Give me a chance, will you? Let me see if I can be a good father and husband¡± ra lowered her head, ¡°Elio, I can¡¯t love anyone else. I¡¯m not aplete woman anymore! You¡¯ll be disappointed with me because I¡¯ve given up on love. No matter what you do, I won¡¯t be moved. I won¡¯t fall for you because of it. Have you thought about that?¡± ¡°But I know that once you marry me, you won¡¯t divorce me easily, and you won¡¯t go looking for other men! Even if I¡¯m not in your heart, there¡¯s no one else.¡± ra was again silent. ¡°Be with me, ra! Think about it! The Melendez family has already found me. It won¡¯t be long before Alex is discovered. If we have to fight a custody battle, you need to stand in a position that¡¯s almost equal to the Melendez family to win! If you¡¯re alone, you hardly stand a chance.¡± ra stayed silent. She knew this all too well. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not argue about this today! I¡¯ll go get the keys from the maid and then go soothe Alex! You think about it too, okay?¡± Elio gave a helplessugh, ¡°I know you¡¯re indecisive. There¡¯s no harm in taking your time and thinking! I hope you marry me willingly, not because of me or Alex forcing you.¡± With that, he turned and left to get the keys from the maid. ra was really stuck between a rock and a hard ce! It seemed like no matter what she did, she would make a mistake. Emmett canceled his video conference for the evening, making time to help Aiden with his homework and teach him some financial knowledge. After all, Aiden would have to take over the Melendez family one day. He would have to retire someday! Getting an early start on this knowledge would benefit Aiden What surprised him was that Aiden had a natural talent for this. With just a little guidance, Aiden could grasp it immediately. ¡°Oh, it looks like I can retire early¡± Emmett felt content. But he also felt a little regretful. How could he have neglected this child before? He missed out on so much time with his son 1Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Before, he always felt like he didn¡¯t have time to spend with his child. He used to believe that it was enough for him as long as there were plenty of people to take care of him and he had enough food and clothing. But now, he found that spending time with his child was so interesting! The pride he felt when he saw that his son was so smart, was even greater than when he closed a big deal. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 ¡°Dad, when I grow up, I wanna be a designer.¡± Alden blurted out, rummaging through his backpack to pull out a sketchbook, ¡®I drew all theser Emmett took the sketchbook and flipped through it. The drawings were a bit kid-like and did not have a lot of depth to them. But it was pretty awesome for a kid his age to have this kind of design Inspiration! ¡°Well, if you¡¯re into it, I¡¯ll hook you up with a world¨Cfamous designer to mentor you. Starting tomorrow.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Emmett ruffled his son¡¯s hair, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s gettingte. You should hit the sack. I¡¯ve got some company stuff to deal with.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯m gonna take a shower!¡± Aiden, all smiles, grabbed his bathrobe and bolted toward the bathroom. Emmett chuckled, about to get up and leave, when he noticed Aiden¡¯s phone lighting up on the table Someone was texting him. He wasn¡¯t gonna peek, but when he saw the word ¡°Mom¡°, he couldn¡¯t help but tap open. ¡°Aiden, Mommy misses you! Your little brother has been in a funky moodtely, throwing tantrums. Once I calm him down, we¡¯ll video chat, okay?¡± Emmett frowned, ncing at the bathroom door. Little brother? Mommy? Those terms were quite intimate. ra won over Aiden¡¯s affection so easily. But who the heck was this ¡°little brother¡°? ra¡¯s kid? While Emmett was mulling this over, ra¡¯s second text came through. ¡°Aiden, would you ept¡­ Mommy finding you a new dad?¡± New dad?! As soon as he saw those words, Emmett was fuming! He stormed out of Aiden¡¯s room, dialing Ricardo. ¡°Get me a ticket to Europe.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, when do you need the ticket?¡± ¡°The earliest, the sooner the better!¡± Emmett wanted to find this woman ASAP and give her a piece of his mind about this ¡°new dad¡± business! All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Alright, Mr. Melendez ¡± ¡°Also, find out who ra¡¯s been meetingtely! I want all the details!¡± ¡°Check on Ms. Calloway? Ricardo was taken aback. He didn¡¯t expect Mr. Melendez to make such a demand. ¡°Is there any problem?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll get night on it!¡± After hanging up, Emmett rubbed his forehead, feeling quite annoyed. He thought for a moment, then dialed ra¡¯s number. After a few rings, ra¡¯s voice came through. *Mr. Melendez, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°When are you nning toe back?¡± Emmett didn¡¯t confront her directly but tried to feel her out. ¡°It might take a while! If you¡¯re) in a hurry, Mr. Melendez, feel free to fire me and hire someone else!¡± ¡°Are you nning to quit? Emmett¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous glint shing in them. ¡°L.. um might need some time before I can return! I¡¯m sorry to let you down, Mr. Melendez.¡± ¡°Do you not want toe back, or can you note back?¡± ¡°¡­.I definitely want toe back! But I have to prioritize my child. My son doesn¡¯t want to be apart from me, and I can¡¯t bear to leave him. I can only say sorry for wasting air the training you¡¯ve given me, Mr. Melendez ¡± Chapter 96 Chapter 96 ¡°Alright, ra, you¡¯re definitely not like other women.¡± ra didn¡¯t like his tone, it recked of sarcasm. Did he find out something? ¡°Mr. Melendez, you seem a bit ticked off.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ticked off, I¡¯m good¡± ¡°Well, my bad then. You can find a new secretary to rece me as soon as you can.¡± ra paused slightly, then added, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry¡± ¡°You¡¯re nning on ditching the country even if we¡¯re getting a divorce, aren¡¯t you? From what you¡¯re saying, it doesn¡¯t sound like you n on seeing me again¡± How could she forget about that? But going back home now would be ying with fire. What if the Melendez family found something out and tried to lure her back?! All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ra responded quickly, ¡°Once I wrap things up here, I¡¯ll go back home. Sorry, I have some stuff to take care of, and I have to hang up now¡± With that, she hung up the phone quickly, clutching her heart, which felt like it was about to leap out of her chest. She had a bad feeling in her gut, but she didn¡¯t know why. In the game room, Alex was still sobbing It was rare for him to do so, but this time he was determined to have his mom marry Mr. Milburn. Aside from Mr. Milburn being a great guy, there was another reason. He didn¡¯t want to share his mom with Aiden. If they followed the original n to set Mom up with Emmett, then his mom would be Aiden¡¯s mom too. And the idea of having an extra Dad named Emmett didn¡¯t appeal to him either ¡°Alex, time to eat. I¡¯m taking you for pizza today, the kind with lots of cheese, sound good?¡± Elio walked in with a grin, picking him up from the small chair Alex pouted, ¡°I do want pizza, but I also want you to be my Dad!¡± ¡°Sweetie, we¡¯ve already talked about this, right? We need to let your mom warm up to me gradually. If we rush things, she might reject me. We still have lots of time, no need to rush. With a hunk like me, your mom will definitely fall for me in the end.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Alex blinked, clearly skeptical. ¡°Mom seems to have no intention of being with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a real burn!¡± Alex grabbed Elio¡¯s hand, ¡°Mr. Milburn, why don¡¯t you guys just get married? Right now, I don¡¯t want to do anything else but be a family with you. I can be with you every day, and when we¡¯re out, I can proudly say you¡¯re my Dad!¡± ¡®Darling, I¡¯m just respecting your mom.¡± ¡°But¡­ I really want a dad¡­ Alex lowered his head, his eyes still red. ¡°I even betrayed Aiden who I like. I just want to have my own mom and dad!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I promise I¡¯ll win your mom over!¡± Elio extended his hand, ¡°Deal?¡± Alex¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, ¡°Really? Mr. Milbum, are you sure you can win Mom over?¡± ¡°Of course! It just needs a bit of time!¡± ¡°Okay! It¡¯s a deal then, whoever lies is a big fat liar!¡± Elio sighed, ¡°Alright, alright, whoever lies is a big fat liar! But I have a condition!¡± Chapter 97 Chapter 97 ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your mom is really worried about you, could you go andfort her? You little rascal, think about your mom more often. Her life is pretty tough and while raising you, she¡¯s had a lot of people gossip behind her back. But she never abandoned you and raised you so well. You must always respect and cherish her!¡± Elio took Alex¡¯s hand. ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll never make your mom sad¡± Alex paused, then nodded seriously. ¡°Good! I¡¯ll remember the promise I made with Mr. Milbum today.¡± ¡°Good boy, now go soothe your mom!¡± Just as Elio got up to take Alex to ra¡¯s room, his phone rang. ¡°You go see your mom first. I have to take a call.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Alex scampered off to find his mom, while Ello, holding his phone, stepped out of the game room to answer it. ¡°Mom¡­ What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I heard from the bodyguard, Rob, that woman is here?¡± Elio nced at Rob standing guard at the door and said helplessly, ¡°Mom, why are you spying on me? I¡¯m grown, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± ¡°I think you don¡¯t! Don¡¯t cause trouble for our family! Your father has always valued our family¡¯s reputation above everything else, he¡¯s spent his life healing people, and no one¡¯s ever spoken ill of him. Don¡¯t ruin the good name he¡¯s worked so hard to maintain now!¡± ¡°I want to be with ra, how is that damaging our reputation?¡± Elio frowned, ¡°That¡¯s prejudice!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not discriminating against single moms, but you¡¯re a Milburn! Our family can¡¯t handle the pressure of public opinion! Your father would surely die of anger because of this! There¡¯s no room for discussion!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°It¡¯s my marriage, so I don¡¯t need to discuss it with anyone! Can¡¯t I decide who I want to spend my life with? I think your views are outdated. Alex is so adorable; I¡¯ve always treated him like my own child¡± Upon hearing this, Olivia became even more anxious, ¡°Are you really going to be stubborn about this? Your father absolutely won¡¯t agree!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not him choosing a wife; I can¡¯t help it if he doesn¡¯t agree! Or you can just kick me out of the family, that way whatever I do won¡¯t tarnish the Milburn family!¡± ¡°ra, you¡¯re willing to give up your parents for this woman?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the ones forcing me not to be with ra, not me forcing you to cut ties! You¡¯re the ones who started to obstruct us because of some non¨Cexistent reputation issues, making me miss out on a great woman like ra. How can I agree? I don¡¯t agree, and you¡¯re forcing me, what can I do?¡± Elio massaged his temple, ¡°You don¡¯t understand ra now, once you meet her and understand her, you¡¯ll like her too!¡± ¡°But she¡¯s been divorced! Son, you could find a better woman!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone can be better than ra, I think she¡¯s the best!¡± Elio nced at ra¡¯s mom door and smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t think I could be interested in any other woman now. I only like her.¡± ¡°Are you willing to offend the Melendez family for her?¡± ¡°If it reallyes to that, I am.¡± Chapter 98 Chapter 98 *Sweetle, there are so many great women out there! Why are you so hung up on this one? I¡¯m not trying to break you guys up or anything, but she¡¯s really not the right fit for the Milbur family.¡± ¡°Whether she fits into the Milbum family or not isn¡¯t for me to decide, all I care about is whether I like her! I like ra, and it¡¯s got nothing to do with the Milburn family Olivia sighed at her son¡¯s stubbomness. ¡°So what does ra think? Is she up for marrying you too?¡± Elio looked downcast at her question. *She hasn¡¯t agreed. ra has the same fears as you that her past will have negative effects on me, so she hasn¡¯t said yes.¡± Heaning this. Olivia warmed up to ra a bit She had assumed ra was like those other women who eager to lie the knot with someone who would ept her. ¡°Ah, I just want you to be happy, because you¡¯re my only son! How about this? I¡¯ll find a chance to meet ra and have a chat with her. What do you think?¡± Elio looked at his mother, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t go say things you shouldn¡¯t to ra! She¡¯s already worried about this If you bring it up, there¡¯s no hope for me and ra. Id regret it for the rest of my life!¡± ¡°Why would I go and say something pointless? I just want to get to know her, we¡¯ll have to meet sooner orter, right? I¡¯m really curious about her and want to learn what kind of woman has caught the eye ofN?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. the Milburn family¡¯s son.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about itter, she¡¯s stressed out about the whole Milburn family thing right now.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll follow your lead¡± At night, ra put Alex to bed, then went to the courtyard for a walk to clear her head. So much has happenedtely. She wanted to run away, but she just couldn¡¯t. ¡°ra, is Alex asleep?¡± Elio appeared out of nowhere. ra nodded, ¡°Yeah, finally.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you get some sleep too? Look at you, you¡¯re as pale as a ghost!¡± I can¡¯t sleep. ra couldn¡¯t hide her pain, ¡°When I close my eyes, all I see is the Melendez family taking Alex!¡± ¡°ra¡­¡± Elio walked over, hesitated, then slowly said, ¡°Have you thought about another way? You could be honest with the Melendez family Maybe they¡¯ll let you keep them because you¡¯re their mother? Or, you could possibly marry into the Melendez family.¡± ra interrupted immediately, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be part of the Melendez family! So that¡¯s out of the question! You know how small the chance is that I get custody.¡± ¡°Why not give it a try? Maybe Mr. Melendez will take a liking to you? Then you could be with both Aiden and Alex!¡± Although he really didn¡¯t want ra to go down that path, it didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea right now. At least it would keep the kids safe, and she and Alex wouldn¡¯t have to keep hiding. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 ¡°Whether he likes me or not isn¡¯t the point, the point is that I don¡¯t wanna marry him!¡± ¡°Is it because¡­ you¡¯ve got someone else on your mind?¡± Elio asked Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ra didn¡¯t respond, which was as good as admitting it. Elio was a bit peeved, but more than anything, he was curious. ¡°Who¡¯s the guy? Can you tell me? I really wanna know.¡± ¡°Why do you wanna know?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve always thought you were a carefree gal, kind of slow on the uptake when ites to love, so I never quite got your meaning! But, to my surprise, you¡¯ve already got a crush on someone! So, of course, I¡¯d be interested in who he is! What¡¯s he like?¡± ra took a moment, ¡°He¡¯s a bit hot¨Cheaded but very patient with me Back in school, I was often bullied. Just because I was an illegitimate child, people looked down on me and attacked me, and only¡­ he stood up for me.¡± Elio chuckled, ¡°A high school romance?¡± ¡°Sounds shallow, huh?¡± ra also smiled, ¡°But as someone who really suffered from school bullying, that time was hell for me! I didn¡¯t want to go to school or face anyone Even if ssmates just whispered nearby, I¡¯d get paranoid and think they were talking about me!¡± *. I can understand how you felt¡± ¡°They not only insulted me but also my mom! I couldn¡¯t fight back; I didn¡¯t even know who to exin it to! But my mom was also a victim! He never told my mom he was already mamed! My mom cut him off as soon as she found out, but his wife wouldn¡¯t let us off the hook!¡± ¡°Calm down¡± Elio gripped her arm. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past! You¡¯re not in school anymore.¡± ra took a deep breath, ¡°That¡¯s not even the worst of it! My biological father left a mountain of debt and left my identity information to the creditors! When they couldn¡¯t find my dad, they came looking for me! During those tough times, it was he who gave me the courage to live and to keep going!¡± ¡°So, why aren¡¯t you two together then?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not good enough.¡± ra lowered her head, her eyes welling up, ¡°I don¡¯t deserve him. I¡¯m even worse off now than I was before, at least back then I was innocent! I don¡¯t want to marry him with a kid!¡± ¡°You¡¯re always like this, always considering others.¡± ¡°Elio, I can¡¯t be that selfish! I can¡¯t deceive my own conscience.¡± ra forced a bitter smile, ¡°I¡¯m a burden now, and it¡¯d be even worse if I brought along Alex. You might think I¡¯m a good person now, even considering me as a potential wife. But over time, we might argue and fight for various reasons, and in the end, we might not even be friends anymore! I don¡¯t want that.¡± Elio held her hand tightly, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid, really! I won¡¯t let that happen! I¡¯ll protect you and Alex for the rest of my life. I will keep my word!¡± Before ra could respond, another voice cut them off. ¡°Let go of her hand!¡± ra whipped around, with her face ghostly pale from fright. ¡°Emmett! What on earth are you doing here?¡± Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be back home? How did he know she was here? And Alex! Alex was still inside! ¡°Did I interrupt something?¡± asked Emmett. It was impossible to tell what was going on in his mind. All she knew was that he certainly wasn¡¯t pleased. Elio finally caught on, giving ra a nce. ¡°You know Emmett?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡± ¡°Wife?!¡± Elio was stunned andpletely lost for words. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 With a somewhat awkwardugh, ra said, ¡°I¡¯m just pretending to be his wife for now! Elio, I¡¯ll exin everythingter!¡± She quickly winked at Elio, signaling him to get Alex out of there. Elio instantly understood her meaning. ¡°Oh, I see! Well, you two must have some important stuff to talk about. I¡¯ll leave you to it. The hospital needs me anyway.¡± Just as Elio was about to leave, Emmett suddenly grabbed his arm. ¡°You haven¡¯t exined what¡¯s going on between you two.¡± ¡°Um¡­ about that¡­¡± Elio immediately looked to ra for help. ra quickly grabbed Emmett¡¯s arm, ¡°It¡¯s nothing to do with him. If you have questions, ask me! Let him go, he really needs to get going! Isn¡¯t my exnation enough?¡± Emmett frowned but didn¡¯t press Elio further. In the next second, though, he ushered ra into his car. He hadn¡¯t slept in a day, and then he arrived to this mess! This woman owed him a decent exnation. ¡°Mr. Melendez, it would¡¯ve been nice if you¡¯d given me a heads up before showing up.¡± raughed awkwardly, but she was truly unsettled. Emmett scowled. ¡°If I hadn¡¯te, would you have ended up with that guy? Is he the new Dad you¡¯re considering for Aiden?¡± New Dad? ra suddenly remembered the text she sent to Aiden. Did Aiden rat her out? No way, it must be¡­ ¡°Did you go through Aiden¡¯s phone? Emmett, that¡¯s a total invasion of his privacy!¡± ¡°We live together, so why would I need to snoop? Don¡¯t change the subject, and tell me straight, were you nning to be with this guy?¡± ra immediately denied it, ¡°No, I admit that I had considered being with him. Given my situation, it¡¯s good enough just having someone like me. If someone wanted to marry me, that would be even better, I wouldn¡¯t have any reason to refuse! But after some thought, I decided against it. I have a child, and no family would want to ept someone like me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re married! And you¡¯re considering marrying another man?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just nning for my future! After all, our marriage isn¡¯t real. Once you don¡¯t need me anymore, I¡¯ll just have to return to my old life, right? Besides¡­ I was just thinking about it!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ra eventually gave up on the ideal Why was Emmett still so pissed? Chapter 101 Chapter 101 This is ridiculous! You¡¯re my girlfriend now. Remember it!¡± Emmett squinted his eyes, ¡°And it is impossible for you to resign! Until I allow you to leave, you will remain as my secretary.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, I really can¡¯t work anymore!¡± If this went on, ra would feel like she was trying to survive in a dangerous environment, with her heart racing every second. She might lose her sanity if this continues. She noticed that Emmett had already started digging into her past. The day when her secrets would be exposed might not be far away. Should she wait to be caught? ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°Did your ex¨Chusbande back?¡± ra shook her head, ¡°He would nevere back!1 actually want to avoid his family and live a peaceful life with my son. I hope Mr. Melendez can understand us!¡± Emmett clenched his fists, ¡°ra, listen to yourself! Do you think I¡¯m easy to fool?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you!¡± ra really wanted to avoid her child¡¯s father¡¯s family, but Emmett didn¡¯t know that he was the father, ¡°I don¡¯t need to lie to you, especially when you¡¯ve been so good to me. I even owe you a favor, why would I ask to resign? Mr. Melendez, I really have troubles that I can¡¯t speak of.¡± ¡°Are his family causing you trouble?¡± ra nodded, ¡°Kind of! Even though they don¡¯t mean to trouble me, it really is troubling to me. Her voice gradually faded until it was almost inaudible. ¡°Who are they? I¡¯ll go and help you resolve this matter.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t believe anyone would dare harass his girlfriend! Upon hearing this, ra quickly waved her hands, ¡°No, no, no. They¡¯re a very influential family, just like the Melendez family!¡± Just like the Melendez family? Such families were few and far between. ¡°Is it the Taylor family?¡± ¡°No!¡± ra waved her hands, ¡°The Atwood family can¡¯tpare to the Melendez family.¡± ¡°Then tell me who it is! You can¡¯t resign anyway; I¡¯m here to take you back.¡± ¡°Huh? Mr. Melendez, I can¡¯t go! How about you return first? I promise I¡¯lle back, okay?¡± ra had just arrived, and she didn¡¯t want to leave Alex so soon. ¡°This isn¡¯t up for discussion.¡± Emmett¡¯s face turned serious. For some reason, Emmett just couldn¡¯t bring himself to despise the woman in front of him. Otherwise, he should be utterly disgusted by what she¡¯s done! Emmett hated fickle women the most! And here she was acting like one. ¡°Mr. Melendez! This is really troubling me. Yes, I¡¯m your secretary, but I have my own issues to deal with!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Did you forget about our contract? Or do you have enough money topensate me now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ra was speechless, ¡°Mr. Melendez, I really have something going on. Can you give me some space? As soon as I finish what I need to do, I¡¯lle back!¡± But ra didn¡¯t know when that would be. Right now, she was in an incredibly tricky situation. ra didn¡¯t know whether Elio had hidden Alex yet. She really hoped Emmett wouldn¡¯t find out about Alex. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 ¡°Absolutely not. This isn¡¯t up for discussion* Emmett didn¡¯t have the guts to let her stay here any longer. Was he really going to put up with her betrayal? ¡°Mr. Melendez¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving you one day. By tomorrow, you have to leave with me¡± He couldn¡¯t wait any longer. ¡°What? But¡­ I still have things to sort out here! My son is injured; I need to be with him, otherwise, I¡¯d be a lousy Mom! I understand I¡¯m your secretary and there¡¯s a contract between us, but I have to put my son first, right, Mr. Melendez?¡± ¡°Using your child as an excuse again? I told you to take the kid with us, but you refused. So, you have no choice but to leave with me right now!¡± He had already seen what this woman was doing with another man. If he hadn¡¯t shown up in time, who knows what would¡¯ve happened? ¡°No way! My son can¡¯t go with you!¡± ra blurted out almost subconsciously The words had barely left her mouth when she froze. Damn, did she overreact? She didn¡¯t arouse his suspicion, did she? Sure enough, Emmett turned serious, looking into her eyes, ¡°Why? You seem to care a lot about me seeing your son.¡± ¡°I..I told you!¡± raughed awkwardly, ¡°He¡¯s very introverted, probably a bit autistic, and especially afraid of strangers!¡± With your personality, how could you raise an autistic son?¡± Emmett was skeptical. Swallowing hard, ra replied, ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not around him often, I have to work to support him, so he might¡­ck some maternal love¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find the best doctor for your son.¡± Emmett had plenty of money. Whether it was finding a doctor to treat autism or booking an entire hospital for her son, it was all possible. Hearing this, ra knew she couldn¡¯t keep deceiving him. So, she quickly changed the topic, ¡°Well, I guess I should go back with you then!¡± Emmett asked, ¡°Are you not treating your son anymore?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t been diagnosed with autism yet, and he¡¯s really scared of doctors, so let¡¯s just forget about it!¡± ¡°So, your son is scared of strangers and doctors, but he¡¯s not scared of that man just now, right?¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, are you really going to get angry about this too? He¡¯s been helping me take care of my child, so they¡¯re a bit close.¡± Emmett sneered, feeling ufortable. No wonder ra was considering a backup n and thinking about being with that man. It all came back to her son.. It seemed that if he didn¡¯t solve her son¡¯s problem, he wouldn¡¯tpletely win her heart. Back in the room, Alex was still waiting for his mother to return. After waiting for a while, his mother still hadn¡¯t returned. Instead, Mr. Milburn showed up. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Where¡¯s my mom?¡± ¡°She¡¯s got some stuff to deal with outside, and you¡¯reing with me for now!¡± Elio grabbed Alex¡¯s hand and tried to leave Blinking, Alex suddenly shook off his hand. ¡°What happened to my mom?¡± ¡°She¡¯s run into some trouble and wants me to hide you for now. Alex, be a good boy ande with me!¡± Elio was worried too. What if Emmett barged in? If he really saw Alex, who knows what would happen? ¡°Hide?¡± Alex, being quite smart, caught on almost immediately. ¡°Has Emmette looking for my mom?¡± Elio was a bit surprised. Even though they hadn¡¯t had any real contact, Emmett was still Alex¡¯s biological father, and hearing Alex call him by his name sounded a bit strange. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 ¡°Uh¡­ Just call him Mr. Melendez. He might whisk you away, and If you don¡¯t hide now, you might not see your mom again!¡± ¡°What gives him the right to take me away?¡± Alex frowned, I¡¯m going to confront him! Why does he want to separate me from Mom?¡± As he was about to storm out, Elio grabbed him, ¡®Alex! This is not the time to be beadstrong! You¡¯ll only cause trouble for your mom!¡± If Alex really bolted out right now, he had no idea how he was going to exin this to ra. ¡°But Mom¡¯s always been scared of him; it¡¯s been tough on her! I¡¯m grown up now and I want to have a word with him! Why won¡¯t he leave Mom alone? She¡¯s already had it hard enough!¡± Eho squatted down, gently touching Alex¡¯s face. ¡°Young man, grown¨Cups do things for a reason, you¡¯re too young to understand now, but you¡¯ll get it when you¡¯re older. Can you follow me for now?¡± ¡°What about Mom? Would Emmett hurt her?¡± ¡°No, they just need to have a talk.¡± Elio didn¡¯t want Alex to harbor any ill feelings toward Emmett. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He was, after all, his father. Such hostility might have caused some sort of psychological impact on the kid. He just hoped Alex could remain an ordinary, lively, and innocent boy. ¡°But Emmett looks so stern! Mom looks really scared of him, Mr. Milburn. Can you take me to see him, please? I want to tell Emmett to leave me and Mom alone and to stop making Mom scared!¡± ¡°Honey, your mom must have her reasons for not letting you see him. It¡¯s definitely for your own good, just be a good boy and follow me. I¡¯ll take you to eat something yummy. Do you like fried chicken?¡± On hearing about fried chicken, Alex¡¯s eyes lit up. He was still a child, after all, and soon forgot about everything else. ¡°Alright then!¡± ¡°Good¡± Elio took Alex¡¯s hand, casting a worried nce outside. What was going on over there right now? Could ra get away smoothly? ¡°Ricardo, I need you to check someone out for me¡± Back at the hotel, Emmett immediately called Ricardo to investigate Elio. Soon enough, Elio¡¯s information was dug up. Emmett immediately understood, ¡°He¡¯s the doctor who helped that woman give birth and hide a child all those years ago!* ¡°Yes, he was the one who came in as ast¨Cminute recement to deliver the baby¡± Ricardo continued, ¡°And he¡¯s known thedy for a long time. I went through their call records and there were quite a few!¡± This sentence made Emmett lose his patience. ¡°Elio¡­ I need to see him.¡± ¡°Now? It should bete at night over there!¡± ¡°Right now! Is there a problem?¡± ¡°No, no problem, Mr. Melendez. I¡¯ll contact someone from the Milburn family right away!¡± After hanging up, Emmett went out to the balcony, instinctively reaching for a cigarette. But even though his hand was already out, he withdrew it before touching the box. Why did he feel like he was getting closer to some truth? Chapter 104 Chapter 104 A few minutester, a soft knock came at Emmett¡¯s door. He got up to open it and saw Elio standing there, looking all tense. ¡°Mr. Melendez.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Do you know why I wanted to see you?¡± Emmett stepped aside to let him in. Elio took a deep breath, trying to rx, and replied with a smile, ¡°I have no clue. Is it about ra?¡± ¡°Not just that.¡± Emmett closed the door, ¡°Years ago, you delivered my son.¡± ¡°Really? It must¡¯ve been a while back, I can¡¯t remember.¡± Elioughed awkwardly, scratching his head, ¡°I had the honor of delivering Mr. Melendez¡¯s baby. How¡¯s the little one doing now?¡± ¡°Elio Emmett squinted at him, ¡°Quit ying dumb! That woman and my child, you can¡¯t possibly not know! Tell me, where they are?¡± Elio¡¯s throat felt dry. He couldn¡¯t betray ra! Alex was her life, and he knew that very well. Seeing Elio remain silent, Emmett said coldly, ¡°Let me warn you, it wasn¡¯t easy for the Melendez family to get where we are today, you should know the consequences if you lie to me! Don¡¯t mess with the century¨Cold legacy of the Melendez family.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, I honestly don¡¯t know! And it¡¯s been so many years that I can¡¯t remember clearly! I was called inst minute to deliver the baby and left right after! I can¡¯t remember the details. Mr. Melendez, even if you threaten me, I have genuinely forgotten!¡± ¡°Seems like you won¡¯t admit your mistake.¡± Emmett took out his phone and pressed a button, ¡°Now, I will shut down a Milburn family chain hospital every five minutes. Hearing this, Elio immediately said, ¡°Stop, Mr. Melendez! What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Just to let you know I¡¯m not joking¡± This involves your bloodline, you¡¯re definitely not joking, and I wouldn¡¯t dare joke with you either! I really don¡¯t know. How about this? Give me some time to look into it! Is that okay?¡± Elio cautiously observed Emmett¡¯s expression. He knew every move Emmett made now was very important. Although he knew clearly that Alex was ra¡¯s life, he also knew that the Milburn¡¯s legacy was the result of his parents¡® lifetime of hard work! He was torn. ¡°How long do you need?¡± Emmett said. ¡°One month!¡± ¡°Three days.¡± Elio was shocked, ¡°Three days? I might not even be able to contact the people from back then!¡± ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡± ¡°Alright, alright! Three days it is.¡± Elio was now trying to buy as much time as possible, urgently looking for ways to protect the Milburn family while also protecting ra, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll get going! Good night, Mr. Melendez.¡± Emmett nced at Elio, ¡°Wait! You haven¡¯t exined your rtionship with ra¡± ¡°We¡¯re just friends now. I¡¯m not sure what you want me to exin, Mr. Melendez.¡± ¡°Just friends?¡± Emmett took a step forward, towering over Elio despite his tall stature, ¡°You want more than friendship; you¡¯re trying to woo her, aren¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 105 Chapter 105 ¡°If Mr. Melendez really wants to know, fine! I admit it! I¡¯m into ra, but she hasn¡¯t said yes yet!¡± ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Elio was stunned. Wife?¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re married,¡± Emmett said. ¡°And you¡¯re openly hitting on my wife!¡± Elio was shocked. 1 didn¡¯t know! ra didn¡¯t tell me.¡± He really didn¡¯t know that ra was already married to Emmett. He didn¡¯t even know that ra had been with Emmett during the time she was in the country. ¡°Well, now you know, so stay away from my wife.¡± Emmett pointed at the door, ¡°You can leave now¡± Elio left, disappointed. He even went the wrong way after he left. Suddenly, he snapped out of it and quickly pulled out his phone to call ra. She might have been asleep. The phone rang several times before she picked up. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°ra, did you reject me because you have Emmett in your heart?¡± ra, on the other end of the phone, was obviously stunned. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Emmett came to see me. He told me you two are married.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s a long story.¡± Elio cut her off, ¡°I don¡¯t care for the details! I just want to know that is Emmett the one you said you liked?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why did you marry him? Don¡¯t you know the rtionship between Emmett and Alex? You¡¯re ying with fire! ra, I didn¡¯t know you were this bold. Do you think the most dangerous ce is the safest?¡± ¡°No, when Emmett and I got married, I didn¡¯t know anything! Emmett saved me, then proposed a fake marriage, so I¡­ Hearing ra¡¯s exnation, Elio was torn. Was this fate? After all they¡¯d been through, they still ended up together. ¡°Elio, what else did Emmett say when he came to see you?¡± ra was more concerned about this, ¡°Did he ask about Alex? Is he suspicious?¡± ¡°Brace yourself, Emmett is investigating me. If he digs deeper, I can¡¯t hide it anymore.¡± Elio stopped walking, sat on the roadside, and ruffled his hair in frustration, ¡°ra, I¡¯m sorry, I might not be able to protect you guys anymore! Emmett is threatening me with my family¡¯s business, the Milburn family. I¡­. I don¡¯t know what to do now!¡± ra on the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds before she spoke, ¡°Elio, no matter what, I¡¯m grateful for your help! If it wasn¡¯t for you over the years, I wouldn¡¯t have Alex by my side, and I might not even be alive! Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t have to worry about this anymore! I¡¯ll handle it.¡± After ra hung up, Elio was stunned. He stared at his phone, reying ra¡¯s words in his head. What did she mean by ¡®she¡¯ll handle it? Was she nning toe clean with Emmett about everything? Elio immediately tried to call back but found that she had turned off her phone. He got up and decided to go straight to ra¡¯s house. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 ra was strolling down the street alone with a million ¡°what ifs¡± popping up in her head. What if I lose the one I love? What if I lose everything? But when she saw Emmett, she was struck dumb, with her words failing her. ¡°Do you need something¡± he asked. ¡°uh. ra hesitated, unsure how to broach the topic, when Emmett¡¯s phone suddenly rang. Emmett nced at her, then said, ¡°Sit tight, I¡¯ve got stuff to deal with.¡± ¡°Alright¡± Emmett moved off to one side, answering his phone. Elio¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Mr. Melendez, I¡¯ve located the woman.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, but there¡¯s a bit of a snag, so it might take some time to bring her over. Can you wait?¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°What about my other kid?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll likely be brought along.¡± ¡°I can give them three days.¡± Elio seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bring her to see you in three days.¡± Emmett hung up and turned to find ra Seeing him, ra scrambled to her feet and blurted, ¡°Emmett, about that year¡­¡± ¡°Aiden¡¯s biological mother has been found.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ra was taken aback. ¡°Elio said he¡¯d bring her to meet me in three days.¡± Emmett sat down, with his hands sped, brow furrowed. ¡°I may be having another child. Would you mind? ¡°Another another child?¡± ¡°Yep, turns out Aiden has a twin brother. I just found out. I don¡¯t know if you can handle my other kid, but¡­you¡¯d be their mother.¡± ra nced up at him, ¡°And what are you nning to do about their biological mother?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not for you to worry about. I won¡¯t have any other rtionship with her. I¡¯m married to you, so you¡¯re the only wife I recognize.¡± ra was speechless Emmett pursed his lips and poured himself a ss of water, ¡°I don¡¯t know if Elio¡¯s mentioned this to you, but he¡¯s got some responsibility here too.¡± Upon hearing this, ra quickly said. ¡°You can¡¯t me the Milburn family for this. Even for my sake! Elio¡¯s been a huge help to me. He¡¯s a good guy and very innocent. You can¡¯t do anything to the Milburns over this, okay?¡± ¡°You¡¯re concerned about Elio.¡± That ticked him off N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°I¡¯m just helping a friend! Elio and I are just friends! I¡¯ll admit that I toyed with the idea of being with him before, but the reason we¡¯re not together is because I realized we¡¯re better off as friends! And Elio doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m married to you! I didn¡¯t tell him.¡± Emmett narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell him? Are you hoping he¡¯ll be your backup boyfriend?¡± ¡°Absolutely not! I just felt that since we¡¯re just friends, there¡¯s no need for me to tell him everything. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡± ¡°Really? ra quickly nodded, ¡°Really! I swear, Elio and I are just tonic friends!¡± Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Emmett scowled. ¡°Let¡¯s let this one slide, but there better not be a next time! I don¡¯t want my girl pleading for other guys¡± ra quickly nodded, ¡°Elio and I are just friends, so I promise I won¡¯t plead for any other guys¡± Emmelt studied her face, then suddenly got up and walked toward her Startled, ra took a few steps back, ¡°Wha- what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Since I agreed to let Elio off the hook, you should also do something for me in return, right?¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re saying ¡°Mr. Melendez?¡± ¡°¡­Emmett.¡± Suddenly, Emmett backed her into a corner, his lips almost touching her cheek. ¡°We¡¯ve been married for a while now, maybe we should do what married couples are supposed to do?¡± ra¡¯s heart was racing, almost leaping out of her throat. ¡°Aren¡¯t we¡­ a marriage of convenience?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if you dare to pretend now¡± ra suddenly felt trapped. Was she supposed to take things further with Emmett? She abruptly pushed him away. ¡°Mr. Melendez, I think there might be a misunderstanding. There¡¯s no way anything can happen between us. I¡­ I don¡¯t want a boyfriend ¡°I¡¯m your husband, not your boyfriend¡± Thinking of that night all those years ago made ra tremble all over. It was a night she didn¡¯t want to remember but couldn¡¯t forget. ¡°No way, I have a psychological block about that, I¡­ I can¡¯t do it!¡± ra turned to run. Emmett grabbed her arm. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Is it because of your ex¨Chusband?¡± ra blinked and nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did he abuse you?¡± As soon as Emmett asked this, his brows furrowed. The idea of ra being intimate with other men made him ufortable. But he hadn¡¯t known her back then. It wasn¡¯t her fault, and he had no right to be angry. ¡°Not exactly¡­.I just have a mental block! I¡¯m sorry if that¡¯s what you need, I really can¡¯t provide it!¡± ra said boldly. ¡°I understand you have needs, but can¡¯t you find another woman?¡± ¡°If I find another woman, you won¡¯t be mad?¡± ra shook her head vigorously. ¡°Why would I be mad? I wouldn¡¯t be mad at all!¡± She was even willing to divorce Emmett immediately, not wanting to hinder his marital life. But then Emmett¡¯s face changed! *ra¡°¡± His low grow! made ra shudder and her ears rang ¡°You wouldn¡¯t care if I was with any other woman?!¡± Emmett¡¯s eyes were practically shooting mes, but ra still didn¡¯t understand why he was angry Don¡¯t all men have needs? She was being understanding, what was he unhappy about? ¡°Calm down! If you have any preferences, just tell me! I can help you find whoever you want!¡± Emmett clenched his fists ¡°I don¡¯t want any other woman, I just want you!¡± Emmett pulled ra in, nting a kiss on her lips right away. Caught off guard, ra forgot to push him away Suddenly, Emmett let go of her lips, leaving a strange blush on her cheek. ¡°You can go now I¡¯ll get close to you again when you¡¯re ready.¡± Emmett Chapter 108 Chapter 108 He hadn¡¯t given up yet. But hey, a narrow escape is still an escape! Without saying another word, ra turned and walked away. Behind her, Emmett watched her retreating figure and sighed This woman was just irresistible! ra hurried away, immediately pulling out her phone to call Elio. Elio had been waiting for her call for a while. ¡°Are you okay? Did Emmett give you a hard time?¡± Elio asked, with his voice full of urgent concern. Had he not known she was with Emmett, he would have gone looking for her. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ming to get you!¡± ¡°No need, I can go home myself.¡± ¡°I need to find you to discuss what to do next. Dodging me is not a solution. I¡¯ve already talked to Emmett. I found the biological mother of the kid. ra, you have to meet with me!¡® ra bit her lip, ¡°Alright,e find me, but don¡¯t let Alex know.¡± ¡°Okay¡± ra waited for a while, and Elio¡¯s car arrived. He quickly got out and took a good look at ra, ¡°Are you alright? Did Emmett give you a hard time? What did you tell Emmett?¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°You¡¯re firing so many questions at me that I don¡¯t know which one to answer first.¡± ¡°Did Emmett find out about you and Alex?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to tell him before you called him.¡± ra lowered her head, ¡®Elio, thank you! You¡¯ve helped us a lot. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get dragged into this! You¡¯re lying to Emmett, what if¡­ what if he finds out? The Melendez family won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Thats a problem forter! At least he won¡¯t find out for now. The woman I found to pose as Alex¡¯s biological mom is my cousin. She¡¯s been taken care of by my family since she was little. So unless Emmett finds out himself, she won¡¯t spill the beans. When she meets Emmett, I¡¯ll have her wear your clothes. This way, she¡¯ll have your scent and wont raise Emmetts suspicion. Like this.¡± Elio paused, ¡°Like this, you can be with Alex. You don¡¯t have to leave him.¡± It¡¯s the best solution Elio coulde up with. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts, you don¡¯t have any other choices. Look on the bright side, you can reunite with your family. You can be with both of your sons, and they can proudly call you Mom. How great is that!¡± ra looked into his eyes, furrowing her brow, ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me, but you haven¡¯t gotten anything in return¡± Elio waved his hand, putting on a casual smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine! As long as you and Alex are happy. Would a stud like me worry about not finding a girlfriend? I might even find a super¨Cawesome wife!¡± ra bit her lower lip, feeling a pang of guilt that words couldn¡¯t express. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it; I¡¯ve always been this loosey¨Cgoosey. You and Alex are like family to me. As long as you¡¯re okay, I¡¯m good¡± Elio said, tucking away his deep¨Cseated sadness and pain. He waved his hand, ¡°Alright, go rest up. Leave this to me and I got it covered. Don¡¯t worry about anything else, got 11?¡± ra lowered her head, ¡°Elio, I¡¯m sorry¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say sorry¡® It sounds like we¡¯re saying goodbye or something You¡¯re just just being with the real father of your child, that¡¯s a good thing. There¡¯s nothing to apologize to me for! Besides, we¡¯ll see each other again. If Ie back to our country. I¡¯ll look for you and Alex tool I consider him my son. I¡¯ll miss him¡± I¡¯ll miss you too. But Elio wouldn¡¯t say it out loud. What ra needs now is stability and an escape, not him. ra didn¡¯t sleep well that night. On the one hand, she was worried about Elio¡¯s n going south. On the other hand, she was scared about her uncertain future. The next morning, Alex came knocking on the door. ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ra opened the door, and Alex threw himself into her arms. ¡°I had a dream, in which you left me at Mr. Milburn¡¯s house again!¡± Alex cried as he spoke, ¡°I want to be with Mommy, but I also want to be with Mr. Milburn!¡± ra felt helpless but still held her son tightly, ¡°Baby boy, listen to Mommy! Mr. Milburn and I are just friends, and you¡¯re too young to understand this. You¡¯ll get it when you grow up!¡± Alex blinked his eyes and puckered his lips, ¡°You adults always beat around the bush! By the time I grow up and understand, it¡¯ll be toote! What will you do if Mr. Milburn gets married?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ra wanted to say something but ended up saying nothing, only sighing. Who do you want more, Mommy or Mr. Milburn?¡± ¡°Mommy, of course!¡± ¡°Alex, don¡¯t bring this up again, okay? Mommy will never leave you again!¡± ra hesitated, wanting to tell Alex about Aiden, but eventually, she didn¡¯t Elio had racked his brains to find a solution that would allow her, Aiden, and Alex to be together. She believed everything would work out. ¡°Really?¡± Alex blinked his eyes, ¡°But what will you do when I get married? The TV shows say that old people needpanions, or else they¡¯ll be grumpy.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ra poked his forehead, ¡°What on earth is going on in that little head of yours? Eat your breakfast. Mommy has something important to discuss with youter¡± No matter what, she had to talk to Alex about this. How would Alex react if he knew his biological father was Emmett. ¡°A talk?¡± Alex sensed something was off, so he simply sat quietly in his chair, ¡°Tell me now, Mommy! Are you going to limit my sugar intake again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about about your biological father.¡± Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Hearing the news, Alex¡¯s face turned sour. He covered his ears and was about to bolti ra quickly grabbed him, ¡°Alex, you can¡¯t run away! Sooner orter, you¡¯ve gotta face the music. I know it¡¯s a tough pill to swallow, but we can¡¯t keep this under wraps anymore.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear it! I don¡¯t want that so¨Ccalled biological father. I only want Mr. Milburn! If Mr. Milburn can¡¯t be my dad, then I don¡¯t want a dad at all I¡¯m perfectly fine with just me and you!¡± ra was heartbroken to see her son be so rebellious. She suddenly hugged her son as tears streamed down her face like pearls from a broken ne. I¡¯m sorry Alex! Mom couldn¡¯t give you a picture¨Cperfect family, and I couldn¡¯t find a Dad that you liked. This is all my fault.¡± Seeing his Mom crying. Alex burst into tears and started wiping her tears away ¡°Mom, don¡¯t cry! I¡¯ll listen to whatever you say I won¡¯t be stubborn anymore. I don¡¯t need Mr. Milburn.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± ¡°Mom, stop crying! Alex loves you!¡± ra nodded, wiping away her son¡¯s tears. ¡°Alex, I have to take you to meet your biological father. No matter what, he¡¯s your dad, and he¡¯ll be good to you.¡± ¡°Is it that Emmett?¡± ra was taken aback. She didn¡¯t expect her son to know his name. ¡°How did you¡­ *Mom, he seems very cold. Will he be nice to you? He¡¯s not like Mr. Milburn, who¡¯s always cheerful and likes to y with me. He won¡¯t be good to us!¡± Alex was put off when he thought about how serious Emmett always looked, without even a smile. ra could only sigh inwardly. How could she be willing to take a gamble with Emmett? But the adult world isn¡¯t as simple as a child¡¯s So many things were out of their control The fact that Elio could think of this solution was a silver lining. She could be with Alex and Aiden and, most importantly, not cause trouble for Elio. She was content with this oue. Three dayster, Elio called Emmett ¡°Mr. Melendez, I¡¯ve brought the person. Do you want to meet her now?¡± ¡°Bring the woman first, no need for the kid,¡± Emmett said. ¡°Okay, got it.¡± After hanging up, Emmett poured himself a ss of water, took a sip, and then looked up ra¡¯s number. Should he tell ra about this? After all, he was about to meet Aiden¡¯s biological mother. He wasn¡¯t sure how ra would react All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. After some thought, Emmett dialed the number. As soon as the call connected, he could tell something was off with ra¡¯s tone. ¡°You sound tense, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Nothing, nothing at all!¡± ¡°ra, you promised you wouldn¡¯t lie to me about anything involving another man ra quickly replied, ¡°I¡¯m not lying! L..I just finished exercising, and went out for a run, so I might sound a bit out of breath.¡± Chapter 111 Chapter 111 ¡°If you¡¯re ying me, you know what¡¯sing¡± Got it.¡± Emmelt took a deep breath, then said, ¡°Today, I¡¯m going to meet with my child¡¯s birth mother It took ra quite some time to respond ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything else to say?¡± ¡°What else can I say?¡± ra seemed a bit uneasy, all she wanted to do now was hang up the phone ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about what might happen between her and me?¡± Emmett frowned, looking a bit upset. In ra¡¯s eyes, he didn¡¯t seem to matter much. She didn¡¯t care about who he was going to meet, and she wasn¡¯t jealous at all. ¡°I know nothing will happen between you two¡± ¡°You sure trust me ¡°Emmett said, ¡°Forget it, in a few days, I¡¯ll bring another child for you to meet Brace yourself, if you think you can¡¯t handle it, just tell me. I won¡¯t force you to marry me and be the mother of two kids.¡± ¡°Td love to!¡± ra responded without a second thought, only realizing afterward that she might have answered too quickly, which could make Emmett suspicious, ¡°Um¡­! mean, I love kids, no matter how many children you have, I¡¯d love to be their Mom! Look how adorable Aiden is. Thinking of having another child as cute as Aiden makes me so happy¡± ¡°My other kid might not be like Aiden Emmett felt that because the other child hadn¡¯t been with him since childhood, he might not have received a proper education. If the kid turned out to be naughty, how would he discipline him?! He had hardly been involved in Aiden¡¯s education and upbringing, now, having to be involved in his other son¡¯s growth made him a bit unsure. ¡°Well, kids are supposed to be a bit mischievous. Aiden is just exceptionally well¨Cbehaved, not many kids canpare to him¡± ¡°You might have to handle a lot then.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I don¡¯t mind at all.¡± Emmett felt a bit relieved when he heard her say this. After hanging up, Emmett originally nned to send Aiden a video telling him about his uing brother but then decided to drop it. He would deal with it once the kid was home. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Just as he put down his phone, the doorbell rang. After hanging up, ra immediately contacted Elio. ¡°Are you really ready? You¡¯re not going to get busted by Emmett, are you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. We have to execute this n now, even if there¡¯s a problem, there¡¯s no turning back. We¡¯ve got no choice but to do this ¡°Elio was also worried about being discovered. After all, Emmett was a cunning guy, fooling him was no easy task. ¡°Elio, if¡­ if our secret is exposed, just put all the me on me and say it has nothing to do with you. It was me who forced you to do this.¡± ¡°How can I do that?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let the Milburn family, your parents, and your family get involved because of me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got this under control.¡± A Chapter 112 Chapter 112 ¡°It seems like you have an ulterior motive, wanting to take all the me yourself! Elio, can you stop being so stubborn? il stresses me out! I have nothing to repay you with.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m hoping for!¡± Elio¡¯s words left ra dumbfounded Then Elio slowly said. ¡°This way, you¡¯ll always remember me, no matter who you¡¯re with, be it Emmett, or anyone else, you¡¯ll always be tied to me.¡± ra bit her lower lip, wanting to say something, but she couldn¡¯t She knew Elio liked her, but some things were out of controll If she knew it would end up like this, she would even question whether her decision back then was proper! Elio was also caught in this mess, and her situation wasn¡¯t any better! Although being with Emmett allowed her to be with her two kids, she needed to always be on alert. She didn¡¯t like living like this. ¡°All night, we¡¯ve decided, stop worrying about right or wrong! All we can do now is keep moving forward! ra, don¡¯t be scared! I¡¯m always behind you, supporting you.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I want to hear.¡± As ra hesitated, Elio had already hung up the phone. A nce at Alex¡¯s room eased her nervousness a little. She made the right decision! At least Alex had been living with her for so many years! Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t imagine how she would have spent these years. ¡°Mr. Melendez, the person I brought is here.¡± Upon opening the door, Elio stood at the entrance to Emmett¡¯s ce with a woman. Emmett didn¡¯t look up, just slightly turned his body to signal they coulde in. Elio quickly removed his shoes and went in the woman behind him seemed very nervous, standing behind Elio all the time, not even daring to look at Emmett. She seemed a bit different from the woman back then. Emmett nced at her and said in a deep voice. ¡°So you¡¯re the one who hid my son, huh?¡± The woman didn¡¯t dare to speak, tightly clutching Elio¡¯s clothes. ¡°Mr. Melendez, don¡¯t scare her! When she learned you were looking for her, she was about tomit suicide; we barely saved her!¡± ¡®Suicide?¡± Emmett raised his eyebrows. ¡°Yes! She¡¯s scared of you, afraid to face the past, so¡­¡± Emmett walked back to the couch and sat down, ¡°Afraid to face it, but back then, you dared to do such a thing, huh? Remember the contract with the Melendez family? You should know the penalty for breach of contract! Since you thought the Melendez family was not to be messed with, why did you dare to hide a child secretly!¡± If it weren¡¯t for that child running over and being discovered by Emmett, he might never have known he had another son in this world! All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez!¡± Before the woman finished her sentence, Elio suddenly interrupted, ¡°I should also take responsibility for this, so how about this? I¡¯ll pay the penalty for breach of contract, you can consider this as my punishment. As for the rest, I hope Mr. Melendez can be more lenient with her. After all, the children are pow safely back. and she is their biological mother, so please forgive her!¡± *Seems like you like taking responsibility on your own, huh?¡± ¡°Ah. If I do something wrong, I should take responsibility!¡± Elio squinted and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Chapter 113 Chapter 113 ¡°Heh.¡± Emmett gave a coldugh, not giving him a clear answer. The woman nced at Elio and said, ¡°Mr. Melendez, I apologize. It¡¯s all my fault, it has nothing to do with Mr. Milburn! If you want to punish someone, punish met I¡¯m not afraid anymore, so please don¡¯t get others involved¡± Elio looked at her, somewhat surprised However, Emmett¡¯s eyes filled with more trust after hearing her words. He remembered that woman from before, she seemed strong, not the kind to be easily scared! ¡°Is the kid back?¡± ¡°Yes! He¡¯s staying with me temporarily. You did say I shouldn¡¯t bring him today, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Right Emmett suddenly stood up, walking over to them. The woman was so shocked that she trembled, even Elia was startled. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Leah Calloway¡± ¡°She¡¯s from the Calloway family?!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± At that moment, Emmett¡¯s phone buzzed. He nced down, it was a message from his mother. [I can¡¯t remember that woman¡¯s name, just that she¡¯s from the Calloway family] Could it be that he can¡¯t resist any woman from the Calloway family? Otherwise, why would there be ra and now Leah Calloway, both of whom he doesn¡¯t find repulsive? ¡°Mr. Melendez? What do you n to do with her?¡± ¡°Let the kid stay, she can go.¡± He didn¡¯t wantpensation; he just wanted to punish this woman in his anger! He¡¯s not as angry anymore, so forget about it. ¡°Really Elio was somewhat surprised, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take her away now! Thanks for your mercy, Mr. Melendez!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. With that, he was about to leave with Leah Calloway Emmett suddenly stopped him, ¡°Wait¡± ¡°Huh? Mr. Melendez, what¡¯s up¡­.. ¡°Bring the kid over tomorrow morning¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After saying that, Elio quickly left with Leah Calloway. Emmett watched their retreating figures, wanting to check the truth of the matter, but considering the kid was back and now with ra, he didn¡¯t dwell on it. He should consider ra¡¯s feelings. He was always investigating the child¡¯s birth mother here, which made ra, the stepmother, feel awkward. After thinking about it. Emmett pulled out his phone and dialled ra¡¯s number *Come over, now¡± ¡°You, weren¡¯t you meeting with Elio?¡± Was she discovered? ¡°When I saye over, juste over, don¡¯t ask so many questions* ¡°Alright, I¡¯lle over now!¡± On the other end of the phone, ra hung up, already prepared for the worst. There must be some problem over there! Doesn¡¯t Emmett trust the women Elio brought? Anyway, I should personally handle this issue! I can¡¯t let Elio take all the responsibility! ra tidied herself up, ready to leave, but Alex came out of his room before she could ¡®Mom are you going to see that man?¡± ¡°Alex, no matter what, he¡¯s your father!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want him to be my father!¡± Chapter 114 Chapter 114 ¡°Alex, didn¡¯t we agree on this?¡± Alex lifted his little face, his eyes red rimmed as he stared at his mother, ¡°But I don¡¯t like Emmett being my dad, I prefer Mr. Milburn¡° Seeing ra¡¯s troubled expression, Alex had no choice but to bow his head, Fine, I listen to you¡± ¡®Alex, there are many things Mom has to do! I¡¯m sorry, Mom didn¡¯t protect you well¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t cry! As long as I¡¯m with you, I¡¯ll be good!¡± ra hugged Alex, her tears falling uncontrobly. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After waiting for a while, the doorbell finally rang Emmett got up and opened the door, and there stood ra. Because of the rain, ra looked a little haggard, with her hair wet from the rain ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me it was raining?¡± He was dealing withpany matters and didn¡¯t notice the weather outside. ¡°You seemed busy, Mr. Melendez, I didn¡¯t want to disturb you; a little rain won¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Come in, change your clothes.¡± With that, Emmett turned around and returned to his room to fetch a bathrobe for her. ra hesitated and quickly said, ¡°No need, Mr. Melendez, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Do you want to catch a cold and then pass it on to me?¡± Emmett shoved the bathrobe into her hands without further ado, ¡°Go change; I¡¯ll have someone dry your clothes; they¡¯ll be ready soon.¡± Holding the bathrobe, ra hesitated, unsure of what to do. ¡°Do you want to piss me off?¡± Only then did ra quickly head to the bathroom with the bathrobe. Emmett walked to the sofa, closed the documents he was reading, and then shut down hisputer. Before long, ra emerged from the bathroom. She looked beautiful. Emmett cleared his throat and patted the spot next to him, ¡°Come here!¡± ra hesitated before saying. ¡°Mr. Melendez, did you need something?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve met the child¡¯s biological mother¡± ra paused, managing an ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow. ¡°What am I supposed to say? It¡¯s normal for you to meet the mother of your child, isn¡¯t it?¡± Seeing him ask like this, ra felt a bit relieved It seemed Emmett didn¡¯t suspect anything. But she owed Elio another favour. ¡°I won¡¯t have any rtionship with her, even if she¡¯s my child¡¯s mother.¡± Emmett stated thoughtfully, ¡°The decision to let her have the child wasn¡¯t what I wanted, it was just my parents forcing me, I thought I wouldn¡¯t marry anyone in this life, so I agreed.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t think I would meet you¡± Emmett lifted his head, looking into her eyes, ¡°ra, I¡¯m serious.¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°But I don¡¯t have any merits, and I¡¯ve had a child¡± *I admit I¡¯m jealous, I originally hoped I was your first man, but you already had someone before I appeared; it¡¯s not your fault! With me by your side, you don¡¯t need to suffer any hardships, you don¡¯t need Elio to protect you, you need to rely on me.¡± This sudden confession somewhat took ra aback. She had deceived Emmett ¡°In the future, if you still want a child, we can have another one! If you don¡¯t want to, then we won¡¯t have any more; I¡¯d treat your son as my own, you can bring him over, and we can live together¡± Chapter 115 Chapter 115 ra looked at Emmett, not sure how to respond for a moment. If I tell Emmett everything now, will he forgive me? This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°Emmett, how would you react if I deceived you?¡± she asked cautiously. ¡°If you deceived me, I wouldn¡¯t let you go,¡± replied Emmett. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t upset me over some guy ra, I¡¯ll spoil you, but I won¡¯t indulge you Tell me what you¡¯ve led about now, and maybe I¡¯ll consider forgiving you¡± ¡°Why would I deceive you? I¡¯m just asking¡± Before ra could finish, Emmelt pulled her over! Before she could react. Emmett kissed her! She instinctively struggled, but Emmett didn¡¯t let go. ¡°I¡¯ve made myself clear. Are you still going to resist me?¡± ¡°But I!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t me Elio because he¡¯s your friend.¡± Emmett¡¯s words were clear enough. ra understood, but! ¡°I¡¯m afraid ¡®I¡¯ll be gentle.¡± With that, Emmett picked her up. ra instinctively grabbed his clothes. This time, she didn¡¯t struggle anymore. After leaving, Elio went straight to the bar. The feeling of giving your woman to another man was heartbreaking. He quietly drank a few bottles of booze, attracting the attention of many women in the bar. But Elio rejected all the women who approached him. He was in no mood, he found any woman less attractive than ra. But she would never be his Sometimes Elio regretted why he didn¡¯t simply possess her and then talked about feelings! He¡¯s so experienced in love, why was he so gentle and patient with ra? While drinking, his phone suddenly rang! Looking down, it was a call from Alex! He immediately staggered out of the bar, answering the call gently. ¡°What¡¯s up, Alex?¡± ¡°My mom hasn¡¯te back! Mr. Milburn, Tm scared.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, sweetie, Mr. Milburn is returning now!¡± After hanging up, Elio immediately hailed a cab home. Upon entering, he saw Alex sitting alone on the sofa, the TV was on, but he wasn¡¯t watching. Seeing Elio, Alex immediately stood up and jumped into his arms. ¡°Mr. Milburn! Why hasn¡¯t my mome back yet!¡± ¡°Your mom might be busy¡± Elio already had a hunch, ra must be with Emmett now As for what they¡¯re doing, he had a pretty good idea. ¡°I want my mom,¡± Alex mumbled, ¡°I also want Mr. Milburn! I¡¯m scared that Emmett, that dad, will be mean to me! Mr. Milburn, why don¡¯t you marry my mom?¡± Elio said, ¡°Your mom doesn¡¯t want to marry me! Your mom has a lot of admirers.¡± ¡°But Mr. Milburn is the best! I like you the mos!!¡± ¡°Good boy¡± Elio stroked his hair, ¡°How about Uncle takes you out for dinner? Tell me what you want! Pizza sounds good?¡± Upon hearing this, Alex immediately nodded, ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Elio was about to take Alex out when his phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Leah Calloway Why would she call him now? He nced at Alex and answered the call, lowering his voice, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Elio, can I see the kid? I¡¯m worried about Emmett prying into my connection with him.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Emmett already say he won¡¯t ask anymore?¡± ¡°But are you sure he won¡¯t change his mind? Or get curious why the kid and I don¡¯t look alike?¡± Elio was silent for a few seconds. He honestly couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°Well, I¡¯m with Alex right now, about to grab some grub. You should join us!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± After hanging up, Elio exined the situation to Alex. Although Alex didn¡¯t quite understand what was happening, he nodded anyway. ¡°I¡¯ll do as Mr. Milburn says, I know he¡¯s looking out for me¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Elio ruffled his hair, grinning. ¡°You¡¯re quite the smooth talker; who do you take after?¡± He thought of ra¡¯s shy demeanour and then Emmelt.. Alex was more like himself! ¡°Haha! I¡¯m telling the truth because Mr. Milburn is good to me.¡± ¡°Good boy! Once your mom is safe from this trouble, you guys won¡¯t need me anymore. But I¡¯ll still come visit.¡± He was just worried Emmett might not allow it. ¡®I¡¯ll miss you, Mr. Milburn¡± ¡®I¡¯ll miss you too!¡± Elio quickly turned away to keep his emotions in check, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Ms. Calloway is waiting¡± ¡°Ms. Calloway? She has the samest name as my mom!¡± ¡°Yeah! I had to work hard to find her to stand in for your mom.¡± ¡°So, mom will be safe now?¡± ¡°As far as I can tell, yes.¡± She would be safe if Emmett didn¡¯t dig any further. By the end, ra was drained. Emmett went for a shower, and shey on the bed,pletely immobile. Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. ra reached for her phone and called Alex, but no one answered. Her heart sank, and she quickly called Elio. After a few rings, Elio¡¯s voice came on ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Is Alex with you?¡± ¡°Yeah! He said he was hungry, so I took him out for a bite. Are you okay!?¡± ¡®I¡¯m fine! Emmett didn¡¯t give me a hard time. He seems to believe in the person you arranged.¡± ¡°I think he just wants to get this over with. With you around, he doesn¡¯t want to dwell on it ra lowered her head, covering the blush on her cheeks, sounding somewhat guilty. ¡°Elio, thank you! Without your ns and help, I honestly don¡¯t know what Alex and I would¡¯ve done¡± ¡°How could I not help you at a time like this? Besides, Alex is a cutie, I¡¯ve already considered him my own! Don¡¯t overthink it, live well after you return to Emmett.¡± Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Elio¡­ ¡°No need to say anything. I¡¯m having dinner with Alex¡± With that, Elio hung up the phone ra stared at her phone, stunned momentarily, before returning to her senses The bathroom door opened, and Emmett walked out, wearing nothing but a towel. He looked very appealing ra froze for a moment, then covered her eyes with a nket. ¡°Emmett! Why are you naked!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen and touched, isn¡¯t it a bitte to be shy now? Emmett smiled lightly and said in a good mood. ra didn¡¯t know what to say, she just pouted and said nothing. Emmett walked over and pulled the nket away. ¡°Are you nning to suffocate yourself?¡± ¡°Emmett, you can¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°Do you think this is too much?¡± Emmett gently blew in her ear, causing ra to shiver ¡°I have something else to do, I need to leave!¡± ra said, trying to leave. Emmett reached out and pulled her back. ¡°Ive booked a flight home, we should get going! Get ready¡± ra hesitated momentarily, ¡°Are we returning with your other child?¡± ¡°Of course! I haven¡¯t met him yet. Would you like to go with me?¡± ¡°Is that okay? It¡¯s your first time meeting your son, isn¡¯t it inappropriate for me to be there?¡± She was worried about Alex seeing her, which couldplicate things. ¡°You¡¯ll be his mother soon, what¡¯s inappropriate about that?¡± Emmett was a bit worried thinking about his other child. Emmett hadn¡¯t met the child for many years or had any emotional bond. If he suddenly left his mother, would he fall sick? But now, with ra, Emmett couldn¡¯t take the child¡¯s mother back with him, could he? ¡°I¡¯m not good at handling these situations, let¡¯s not do it! ra thought of Alex¡¯s personality and got a little worried. Alex was a chatterbox, who knows what shocking things he might say when he saw Emmett! He¡¯s repeatedly made it clear that he didn¡¯t like Emmett ¡°Are you nning to avoid him forever?¡± Emmett asked, ¡°He looks almost identical to Aiden, their personalities should be simr too! The sooner you get to know him, the sooner you can blend into the Melendez family!¡± ra eventually agreed. Emmett had already said this much, if she kept dodging, he might get suspicious. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do as you say¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°There¡¯s something else.¡± Emmett suddenly stood up, took out a document from the drawer and handed it to ra, ¡°Consider this my engagement gift to you¡± Upon hearing this, ra immediately pushed it back, ¡°I can¡¯t ept! You¡¯ve already helped me pay off so many debts and provided me job opportunities; I can¡¯t take anything else from you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re my wife, using my money, working in mypany, isn¡¯t that normal? Then whosepany do you want to work for? Elio¡¯s?¡± Chapter 118 Chapter 118 ¡°Are you nning on dragging Elto into everything? If you don¡¯t trust me, we can- ¡°ra, if you dare utter that word, I¡¯ll make you regret it!¡± Emmett bellowed, scaring ra into swallowing her words ¡°Listen here, don¡¯t even think about divorce in this lifetime, I, Emmett, don¡¯t do divorce.¡± He added, ¡°Even if I kick the bucket, you ain¡¯t marrying anyone else!¡± ra frowned and thought. ¡°I can¡¯t control whether I live or die, can I? Doesn¡¯t one person always die first? So, he¡¯s implying he¡¯ll be the first to go, right? ra thought, wanting to p herself for her thoughtlessness. Now¡¯s not the time to be thinking about irrelevant stuff! ¡°Take the money, whatever I say is yours is yours.¡± Emmett nced at her, murmuring, ¡°You can even leave it to your son, I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°ra was stunned. She never thought he¡¯d agree to me leaving the property to the kid, even when he¡¯s unsure if it¡¯s his! ¡°My son, he! He¡¯s too young¡®; I won¡¯t give it to him.¡± She didn¡¯t even want it herself. Because maybe one day, Emmett d kick her out! ¡°Do whatever, give it to whoever you want.¡± ¡°What about giving it to you?¡± Emmett red at her instantly. ¡°Never mind what I said.¡± ra shrugged and immediately corrected herself. In the fast¨Cfood joint, Leah Calloway dressed in a white dress, seemed out of ce. ¡°Why would you bring a kid to eat this?¡® Leah wrinkled her nose, ¡°This food is unhealthy¡± Even she, who was not a mom, knew this! Elio replied helplessly, ¡°Alex likes it.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Alex, sweetie, you can¡¯t eat this stuff too much, it¡¯s not good for you. Don¡¯t you want to grow tall? Being tall will help you with basketball and getting girlfriends in the future!¡± Hearing Leah Calloway refer to herself as Alex¡¯s mom, Alex and even Elio felt ufortable. ¡°You don¡¯t have to switch gears that fast, do you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re running out of time; if I don¡¯t start now, it¡¯ll be toote when the secret¡¯s out,¡± Leah raised an eyebrow before turning to Alex, ¡°My good boy, from now on, call me mom! Just call me mom to avoid any confusion with your real mom!¡± Alex looked at Elio, who nodded after a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Right, Alex, this is for your good and your mom¡¯s! Thisdy is pretending to be your mom to protect you and your real mom!¡± Alex immediately nodded, smiling at Elio, ¡°Sure! Whatever Mr. Milburn says, I¡¯ll follow!¡± ¡°Good boy, now eat up¡± Leah looked at him and said, ¡°Alex seems to like you!¡± ¡°Yeah, probably because I spoil him.¡± ¡°No wonder you can¡¯t win ra¡¯s heart.¡± Leah pretended to look helpless and shrugged, ¡°You can¡¯t teach kids like this! Alex is still young, eating junk food will affect his growth¡± ¡°Right¡± Elioughed embarrassedly, ¡°I¡¯m a sucker for kids; I can¡¯t say no to them! So whatever they want, I get it! But you, you¡¯re acting more like a real mom! Once all this is over, you should get married. You¡¯d make a great mom.¡± Leah smiled, her eyes revealing a cunning glint. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 *Right, so what¡¯re you nning for the future?¡± Elio sipped on his Coke as he made casual conversation. Leah Calloway thought for a moment, ¡°Well! I¡¯m thinking about going back to my country¡± Elio was taken aback, staring at her in surprise, ¡°Going back? Why the sudden decision? I thought you said you had no ns to go back.¡± Leah Calloway seemed unfazed by his reaction, ¡°I feel like there¡¯s not much for me here anymore. There are a lot of job opportunities there that align with my profession. Plus, I got an offer from a company therest year I want to give it a shot!¡± ¡°But Emmett¡¯s settled down there¡± Elio left the rest unsaid Leah Calloway pretended to realize what he was implying and chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡± we¡¯re not even in the same city! Besides, I doubt Emmett wants to get any closer to me. He¡¯d probably want to avoid me. He¡¯s probably worried I¡¯d mess with his marriage.¡± Elio lowered his gaze, sipping his Coke in silence. Out of the blue, Leah Calloway asked, ¡°Bro, you like ra, don¡¯t you? Why did you push her towards Emmett?¡± ¡°Who said I liked ra?¡± ¡°My eyes did!¡± Leah Calloway looked at him, smirking. ¡°Us women are very wise. I can tell you like her by how you act around her! I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯d set her up with Emmett if you like her¡± ¡®Feelings aren¡¯t something you can force. It¡¯s not enough for just me to like her Elio felt as if he¡¯d been punched in the gut at the mention of this. ¡°My mommy likes Mr. Milburn too!¡± Alex suddenly chimed in, leaving both of them speechless. Elio recovered and patted Alex¡¯s head, ¡°You¡¯re still young kiddo. A lot of things you won¡¯t understand yet! Liking someone can mean many different things. It doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll end up together.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Alex tilted his head, looking puzzled. Before Elio could respond, Leah Calloway beat him, ¡°Alex, has your mom ever said she likes Emmett?¡± Alex thought for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°No! But mommy did say she likes Mr. Milburn!¡± This deration sent a wave of excitement through Elio. But it was quick to pass; his heart settled back down. The ¡®like¡® ra was talking about was probably not the ¡®like¡® he was thinking of.. ¡°Let¡¯s eat! Let¡¯s stop talking about this, we¡¯ve got a kid here.¡± Leah Callowayughed and didn¡¯t press the issue, instead switching to talk about toys with Alex. Emmett had his secretary book his return flight. When he left his study, ra was all packed and ready to go. ¡°You¡¯re still nning on leaving?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Of course! My son¡¯s waiting for me at home!¡± She was constantly worrying about Alex. ¡°Well, I can have him brought over! It¡¯s about time I met him¡± Upon hearing this, ra nervously shook her head, ¡°No! My son is timid. I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be able to handle meeting you just yet. Let¡¯s wait until he¡¯s older and can understand.¡± Emmett looked at her suspiciously. ¡°You seem to get very nervous every time I mention meeting your son.¡± ¡°I, of course, get nervous! You keep suggesting meeting my son! But his doctor said he can¡¯t handle any stress.¡± ¡°Then bring him over, I¡¯ll get someone to look at him¡± Chapter 120 Chapter 120 ¡°No way!¡± ra refused immediately, looking panicked. ¡°I¡­ I think we should wait! I haven¡¯t figured out how to exin to the kid who you are. Can we wait till he¡¯s a bit older? He might take it better¡± Emmett stared into her eyes momentarily, then lightly said, ¡°Alright.¡± This woman is like a bunny. If I push too hard, she might boll I¡¯ve got her body now the rest cane slow and steady I¡¯ve got all the time in the world After dinner, Alex was a bit sleepy, so Elio took him back to his ce. Leah Calloway also went with them, saying she wanted to spend more time with the kid. Elio didn¡¯t see any harm in it, so he agreed. After putting Alex, who had fallen asleep, back in his room, Elio came out to find Leah Calloway looking at his paintings. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to have this kind of talent.¡± ¡°Just doodling¡± Elio walked over and put away the sketchpad Leah Calloway chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m guessing this one¡¯s ra, right?¡± Elio blinked, ¡°No, it¡¯s just a random person.¡± ¡°Dude, why are you hiding your feelings? Is it because you can¡¯tpete with Emmett?¡± ¡°The power of the Melendez family is great; how could Ipete with that? Besides, ra doesn¡¯t love me. Her feelings for me are pure.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Leah Calloway frowned, ¡°Then¡­ have you ever thought, if Emmett loses interest in ra and stops chasing her, you¡¯ll have your chance? This way, you don¡¯t have to fight with Emmett over a woman.¡± ¡°Right now, it¡¯s because Emmett is interested in ra. But it¡¯s hard for that kind of interest tost a lifetime!¡± Leah Callowayughed and lightly patted his shoulder, ¡°Look at Alex; he likes you so much! You¡¯ve known ra for so many years, your feelings for her aren¡¯t just interest, they are genuine! This is not only good for you, but it also doesn¡¯t impact Emmett, and it¡¯s even better for ra!¡± Elio was silent; no one knew what he was thinking Seeing that he didn¡¯t speak, Leah Calloway continued. ¡°If you just give up on ra after all these years, it would be a real waste.¡± ¡°Do you have any ns for Emmett?¡± Elio suddenly asked, his eyes locked on her. For some reason, he always felt Leah Calloway¡¯s attitude seemed to change after meeting Emmett But he hadn¡¯t had much contact with his sister before, so he wasn¡¯t clear about her original personality. ¡°Me? Leah Calloway pointed at herself, thenughed and waved her hand, ¡°How could I have feelings for Emmett? I¡¯ve been lying to him from the start. I¡¯ll probably hide from him in the future How could I want to be with him¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m overthinking.¡± Elio felt guilty. After all, he was the one who asked Leah Calloway for help, but now he was doubting her intentions. ¡°No worries! We¡¯re good friends, right?¡± Leah Calloway smiled gently, ¡°But I think, if you don¡¯t end up with ra, it would be such a waste! Think about what I¡¯ve said,do you want to give up this chance?¡± Elio frowned. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 ¡°Bro, you are something else! Even though you don¡¯t have the power and background like Emmett, I think you¡¯re ten times better than Emmett Leah Calloway sighed deeply. ¡°Life¡¯s doing you dirty! A loyal and passionate guy like you should have a happy ending, not having to hand over the woman you love to another man¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Ello smirked. ¡°I¡¯m beat, you should go. Alex¡¯s stuff should be all wrapped up by now If Emmettes looking for you, give me a ring if he doesn¡¯t, everything¡¯s fine, and you don¡¯t need to look for him¡± Leah Calloway nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t ¡°Mm, I still trust you¡± Elio stood up and walked her to the door. ¡°Alex is still sleeping. I¡¯m the only one at home; I can¡¯t take you home. Call a cab, and call me when you get home, let me know you¡¯re safe¡± Leah Calloway made an OK gesture, ¡°Mm, no worries¡± Elio watched her car leave, then his expression turned serious. Leah Calloway¡¯s words made him a little unsure. He quickly shook his head, trying to stop these chaotic thoughts. I ¡°What am I thinking? ra being with the two kids, isn¡¯t that the best oue? I¡¯m useless to her now, I can¡¯t even add a bit of sparkle to her life; the best thing I can do is to disappear and protect her.¡± After ra left Emmett¡¯s house, she rushed to find Elio. Walking into the house and seeing Alex asleep, she finally rxed. ¡°Did Alex say anything to you?¡± ra was always a little uneasy She was worried that her affair with Emmett would leave a scar on Alex! Even though Alex seemed carefree, his mind waspassionate! ¡°No, Alex is very understanding of you now!¡± Elio smiled and poured her a ss of water, ¡°What about Emmett? Did he suspect anything?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it. ra finished and sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen. I always feel that lying is not a long¨Cterm solution, but I don¡¯t have a better n. This is the best oue for now, but I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to maintain it for long¡± She couldn¡¯t imagine what the situation would be like then, and as Alex and Aiden grow older, this lie won¡¯t be able to be kept for long! What will Emmett do to her, then? ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, for now, all we can do is take things as theye.¡± Elio handed her the warm ss of water,forting her, ¡®I know you have many concerns. When I came up with this n, I thought a lot! But you can also be a little optimistic. Maybe, you and Emmett will truly fall in love? By then, Emmett might not hold you responsible anymore.¡± ra lowered her head, ¡°You don¡¯t know Emmett, he hates being deceived! I once tried to tell him the truth, but he clearly said he couldn¡¯t tolerate it! I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll lose Alex I can¡¯t take that risk.¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 *Don¡¯t sweat it!¡± Elio whispered, ¡°No matter what, I¡¯ll always have your back.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡®Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to add more pressure! I¡® ra quickly interjected, ¡®Elio, there wouldn¡¯t be a ¡®me¡® today without you. I owe you more than a favor, my life can¡¯tpare to the kindness you¡¯ve shown me! So, you don¡¯t have to apologize to me ¡°But you know what I truly want! Elio said, deep breathing, ¡°ra, I like you, and I¡¯m serious about it.¡± Seeing ra silent, Elio had already anticipated her reaction. He shrugged, smirking. ¡°Look, I just confessed my feelings, the least you could do is not be so stone¨C faced! Alright, alright, I was fooling around With your seriousness, I¡¯ll be scared to joke with you in the future!¡± ¡°Elio, that joke of yours was not funny at all. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll not repeat it, okay?¡± ra went on, ¡°Do I need to give somepensation to your sister who helped in acting? I feel bad that she got dragged into this.¡± ¡°No need! I¡¯ve already taken care of that. Emmett shouldn¡¯t bother her if all goes well, and this will all be over.¡± ¡°Out of courtesy, I should thank her properly. Find the time for me to see her before I leave.¡± Elio paused for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll arrange it. You take care of yourself, leave the rest to me! Be careful after you return with Emmett, don¡¯t let him find any clues, and try your best to make him fall for you¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elio, I¡¯ve ended up hurting you in the end!¡± In the end, Elio got nothing from all this! And she had nothing to give him. ¡°If you keep saying that, I might get angry! I¡¯m not with you for any ulterior motives! If I was after you or your body, I could¡¯ve made a move years ago! I¡¯ll admit, I want to marry you, to make you my wife, but only if you¡¯re willing! I, Elio, always do things aboveboard. I won¡¯t force a girl to do something she doesn¡¯t want to, nor will I expect something in return for my efforts.¡± ra tried to say something, but Elio cut her off. ¡°Alright, the kid is asleep now, prepare some food for me! I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just take the kid out to eat?¡± ¡°He had fast food, which I don¡¯t like! So, I didn¡¯t eat much.¡± Elio rubbed his belly, pretending to be aggrieved, ¡°I¡¯ve been helping you, so you should treat me to a meal!¡± ¡°Do we need to go out to eat?¡± ¡°No need, home¨Ccooked is fine. I love anything you cook!¡± ra, feeling helpless, said ¡°Alright! Is there anything particr you want? I can get some ingredients from the supermarket.¡± ¡°I love anything you cook!¡± Can you stop joking around? I think the reason you¡¯re still single is because you¡¯re too much of a chatterbox!¡± Upon hearing this, Elio immediately looked unhappy, ¡°Hey, let me tell you, women these days like guys who are humorous and witty like me! I¡¯m actually quite popr, you Chapter 123 Chapter 123 ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger, you know. It¡¯s about time you started thinking about tying the knot.¡± If she could see Elio walking down the aisle, she would feel more at ease. At least she wouldn¡¯t feel as guilty as I do now ¡°So you¡¯ve just sorted out your love life, and now you¡¯re fussing over mine? I¡¯m still young. I want to enjoy the single life a bit longer¡± ¡°You can¡¯t treat love so flippantly! Elio, karma wille back to bite you. The women you¡¯ve taken for granted might end up being the ones you can¡¯t live without. Be careful, you might fall head over heels in love, and she won¡¯t give a damn about you!¡± Elio looked helpless, ¡®ra, you¡¯re such a cold hearted woman! Can¡¯t you say something nice for once!?¡± I¡¯m just giving you friendly advice¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re cursing me!¡± ra sighed, ¡°Fine. I¡¯m off to cook. Look at Alex; let me know if he wakes up.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± As the night fell, Emmett had finished his work. It was already 10 in the evening. He had just got up from his chair, ready to give ra a call, when his phone rang. Looking down, it was Aiden calling! Honestly, he had spoken more to Aiden privately in this short time than in all the past yearsbined! He suddenly found this feeling quite lovely! He began to understand the beauty of family ¡°Dad¡± Aiden¡¯s voice came through the phone, sounding a bit down. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Dad, when are youing home? I miss mom.¡± Emmett was slightly taken aback, thenughed, ¡°You and ra have gotten close so quickly?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve always wanted a mom!¡± ¡°We will be back soon; just wait a bit longer!¡± Emmett suddenly asked, ¡°Aiden, why do you like ra as your mom?¡± From what he observed, ra didn¡¯t seem like the type of person kids would like. Or rather, she wasn¡¯t likable, so why was Aiden so dependent on her? ¡°Because she has a motherly vibe! I like it.¡± Aiden chuckled, ¡°Mom is very nice to me. She¡¯s the image of a mother in my mind! She is real.¡± Emmett paused- Damn! Aiden did hit the nail on the head! ra was indeed authentic. ¡°Dad, will mom always be with us?¡± ¡°Absolutely, Emmett replied without hesitation. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After all, that woman wasn¡¯t going to marry anyone else! ¡°That¡¯s good! I don¡¯t want another mom, I want her! Aiden paused, ¡°Today, I overheard Grandma saying she wants to find a suitable wife for you, so I called you¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take Grandma¡¯s words to heart. From now on, your only mom is ra, don¡¯t overthink it! We¡¯ll be home soon, and we¡¯re bringing a little brother for you this time¡± Emmett hesitated for a moment but decided to break the news to Aiden. He would find out sooner orter, he might as well tell him now and see his reaction. ¡°A little brother? Is it the one Grandma mentioned who looks a lot like me?¡± ¡°Yes, that would be him¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s great, I¡¯ll have a buddy!¡± Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Emmett couldn¡¯t get a read on his attitude from his words, so he asked directly, ¡°You want this little brother, right?¡± ¡°If I say I don¡¯t want him, will dad not bring him home?¡± ¡°Alden, he¡¯s your brother and my son. Aidenughed, ¡°Dad, I never said I didn¡¯t like my little brother! You don¡¯t need to persuade me, I¡¯ve already said as long as mom is here, I¡¯m game for more little brothers! I¡¯d be even happier if mom and dad could pop out a little sister.¡± Emmett thought about having more children with ra, a small smile ying on his lips, ¡°Hmm, good to know you¡¯re thinking that way!¡± ¡°So, when am I getting a sister?¡± ¡°Soon, I guess. He was looking forward to it too. After chatting with Aiden for a while, Emmett texted Ello. [Bring the kid over tomorrow morning] That night, Elio and ra couldn¡¯t catch a wink, nor could Emmett. Even though he had seen the kid before, this was his first face¨Cto¨Cface with his son! In the morning, the sun peeked through the curtain, bringing warmth to the room. After getting up and freshening up, Emmett sat in the living room reviewing Ricardo¡¯s documents. Suddenly, the doorbell rang- He looked up and said quietly. ¡°Door¡¯s unlocked¡°, the door was pushed open. It was Elio and a young boy! Seeing Alex¡¯s face, Emmett was taken aback. He looked just like Aiden! He would¡¯ve mistaken him for Aiden again if he hadn¡¯t known beforehand. ¡°Alex, this is your biological father, Emmett.¡± Elio squatted down and introduced Alex to Emmett to break the awkward silence Alex nced at Emmett, nodding. ¡°I know, I¡¯ve seen him!¡± ¡°Come here.¡± Emmett looked into his eyes, suddenly unable to find an appropriate expression, appearing aloof. Alex backed away a few steps, ¡°Why? I don¡¯t want to!¡± Seeing his son retreat into Elio¡¯s arms, Emmett frowned ¡°Elio, it seems you¡¯re quite close with ra and Alex! It looks like you¡¯ve been caring for them in my stead all these years.¡± Hearing Emmett¡¯s sarcasm, Elio smiled faintly, ¡°As for Alex, I wouldn¡¯t say we¡¯re close! It¡¯s just that Leah Calloway would sometimes leave him at my ce, sopared to you, he probably knows me better! Elio chose his words carefully not to say anything wrong. Emmett paused, stood up from the sofa, and approached Alex. His towering 6¡¯3¡± frame still seemed dominating even when bending down, ¡®Does your mom always leave you with others?¡± Alex blinked, unsure of what to say. Because he didn¡¯t know how to answer this question, Mom and Mr. Milburn didn¡¯t tell him what to say! ¡°No, she has to work to raise a child, doesn¡¯t she? Leah Calloway loves her son very much, it¡¯s just that she and her child both need to eat¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you Alex stood there, his tiny hands tightly clenched together, corners of his mouth turned down, ¡°No, I see mom every day.¡± ¡°Does your mom treat you well?¡± ¡°Hmm, she treats me very well!¡± Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Emmett reached out, wanting to touch Alex¡¯s hair, but Alex instinctively tried to dodge. Luckily, Elio quickly reacted, picking up Alex and plopping him into Emmett¡¯s arms, then squinting his eyes and giving a wry smile ¡°Mr. Melendez, you just met your kid, it¡¯s bonding time, and I¡¯m just a third wheel here, blocking your bonding time! Now that I¡¯ve handed the kid over to you, I¡¯ll make myself scarcel If there¡¯s anything else, give me a ring¡± Emmett held Alex in his arms, the soft little body stirring his emotions unfamiliarly But on the outside, he kept his cool, nodding. ¡®Mmm, I¡¯ll have rae overter, and then we¡¯ll head back home as a family! I want to thank the Milburn family for their hospitality, the Melendez family won¡¯t forget your kindness.¡± ¡°Much obliged, Mr. Melendez!¡± said Elio, ncing at Alex. He hated to leave, but he knew he had to. ¡°Alex, I gotta bounce! This is your real dad, you guys should get along!¡± ¡°Mr. Milburn¡± Alex¡¯s eyes were welling up To prevent the situation from escting, Elio quickly beat a retreat, even closing the door behind him. In the living room, only Alex and Emmett were left. Their first time alone. Alex cautiously nced at Emmett, curling his lip, ¡°Why did you bring me back? Don¡¯t you already have a son?¡± Emmett was taken aback, not expecting his son to ask such a serious question. ¡°No matter how many kids I have, you¡¯re my son! Naturally, youe back to the Melendez family.¡± ¡°Going back to the Melendez family sucks!¡± Alex remembered his previous visit to the Melendez household. The food was great, but he was constantly studying and being watched over. It felt ufortable! ¡°Listening to you, it sounds like you¡¯ve been to the Melendez house before?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve been¨CEh!¡± Alex blurted out, then realized he¡¯d let the cat out of the bag. Damn! ¡°You¡¯ve been there?!¡± Emmett narrowed his eyes. ¡°I, I dreamed about it! Thankfully, Alex watched a lot of TV and was quick to think on his feet. ¡°I saw the Melendez family in the news and what their house looks like, and I knew right away it wasn¡¯t my cup of tea!¡± ¡°What can your mom give you? She probably can¡¯t afford everything you want. At least she can¡¯t give you whatever you want whenever you want.¡± In his mind, that woman should be cash¨Cstrapped. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have done such a thing! ¡°But my mom gives me everything she can!¡± Hearing this, Emmett¡¯s resentment towards that woman lessened somewhat. She seemed to put a lot of thought into raising their son! N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Yes, she messed up and broke their agreement, but he decided not to dwell on it! Seeing his son grow up healthy, intelligent, and witty, he naturally wouldn¡¯t harbor too much resentment toward a woman. Just as Emmett was about to respond, his phone suddenly rang He nced down, it was a call from his mother. ¡°Emmett! Did you find that son of yours?¡± ¡°Mom, I found him. He¡¯s right next to me, we¡¯ll be home soon.¡± ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t wait! Can we video call now? I want to see if he looks like Aiden!¡± Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Sophia was on pins and needles at home. Though she knew he and Aiden were identical twins, she still wanted to see him with her own eyes! Emmelt hesitated momentarily, hung up the phone, and then sent a video call request. Soon, Sophia epted the video call Before Emmett could say anything. Alex sweetly called out from beside him, ¡°Granny!¡± ¡°Oh, my good boy, my darling!¡± Sophia was both happy and guilty when she heard Alex call her granny. ¡°Have you had a hard time these past years? It¡¯s all my fault! If I hadn¡¯t forced your dad to have a son back then, there wouldn¡¯t have been¡­¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°Mom, he¡¯s still young, he doesn¡¯t understand all this.¡± ¡°Right! Right! Look at me, talking my head off when I get excited! Come back soon, Alex! Granny is waiting for you at home, and so is your brother. He can¡¯t wait to y with you!¡± Thinking of Aiden, Alex felt a little nervous. He had broken their previous agreement all by himself. He worried that he would face a severe interrogation from his brother once he returned to China Thinking of this, Alex felt slightly downcast, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back yet¡­¡± Emmett nced at him, then said to his mother, ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve seen him now. We¡¯ll be back soon, and you can see him then. I have something to deal with here, so I must hang up.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll be waiting for you at home, and bring your wife too. Aiden misses her and even asks about her in his dreams. Don¡¯t dy any longer; deal with everything after you return!¡± ¡°Mhm¡± After hanging up the phone, Emmett pulled Alex to the coffee table and asked seriously, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go back with me? Is it because you can¡¯t bear to leave your mom?¡± Alex blinked, a little at a loss, ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t bear to leave mom.¡± No matter what, saying he missed his mom was always the correct answer! ¡°Hold on a sec.¡± Emmett stood up, grabbed his phone, and called ra. After the phone rang a few times, ra answered. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Come over I¡¯ve met my son, you shoulde to meet him too, and I have something to discuss with you.¡± Hearing that Emmett wanted to discuss something. ra was taken aback. ¡°I don¡¯t have any opinions; whatever you say goes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Alex¡¯s biological mother¡± ¡°Come over, we¡¯ll talk in person¡± With that, he hung up the phone. ra, on the other hand, was like a cat on hot bricks. Hearing him hang up the phone, she could barely hold onto her phone What did Emmett mean just now? Alex¡¯s biological mother? Did he know something? ra began pacing anxiously around the room, about to have a meltdown. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. She knew she would face this eventually, but this was too sudden! After the panic subsided, ra quickly gathered her things and rushed to Emmett¡¯s No matter what, Alex was with him now. Even if Emmett wanted to hold her ountable and punish her, she couldn¡¯t leave Alex alone! Thinking that Alex might be grilled by Emmett, she wished she could fly over to Emmett¡¯s immediately Chapter 127 Chapter 127 When ra arrived at Emmett¡¯s ce, she barged right in, ¡°Emmett, you can¡¯t just- The sight before her cut her off mid¨Csentence. She saw Alex ying with blocks with Emmett! They were sprawled on the living room floor, engrossed in building some structure. Emmett¡¯s brow was furrowed, studying the block in his hand, seemingly deep in thought about his next move Hearing her, Emmett looked up. ¡°What¡¯s got your panties in a twist?¡± ¡°ra hesitated, at a loss for words. On seeing ra, Alex¡¯s eyes lit up, he beamed, ¡°Dad, is she the mom you told me about?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Emmett nodded at Alex, smiling. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s gonna be your mom from now on!¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± Alex ran towards ra, brimming with joy. This sudden warmth left ra a bit taken aback Did Emmett figure something out? Emmett had a different take on ra¡¯s dumbfounded expression. ¡°He¡¯s just an affectionate kid! You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± ra blinked, then awkwardly bent down to pick up Alex. ¡°So you¡¯re Alex?¡± ¡°Yes, mommy¡°¡± Alex chuckled, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re so pretty, I like you.¡± ra couldn¡¯t help butugh. Emmett smiled, ¡°The adjustment period might be rough. This kid¡¯s personality is poles apart from Aiden¡¯s; I didn¡¯t see thating. But I hope you two can get along.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, rest assured, I¡¯ll care for them as if they were my own.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still calling me Mr. Melendez?¡± Emmett frowned. ¡°We have a kid here!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the kid got to do with it? They¡¯re our kids,¡± Emmett grinned, ¡°We¡¯re flying back home tomorrow; I¡¯ve had Ricardo book the tickets. You sure you don¡¯t want your kid toe with us?¡± ra said, ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t like there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave him some money then Emmett turned around to get a check, ¡°This should be enough for him to livefortably here; let me know if you need anything else.¡± ¡°No need, he¡¯s got everything I can¡¯t take this.¡± ra quickly pushed the check back, ¡°You¡¯ve helped me enough, I can¡¯t take anything more from you.¡± Emmett looked at her, frowning, ¡°You¡¯re my woman; do we really need to keep score?¡± Alex tilted his head, ¡°Why is mommy your woman, daddy?¡± ra blushed, ¡°Emmett, you can¡¯t talk about this in front of the kid!¡± Emmett, however, was even more amused, ¡°Because your mom is my wife, so she¡¯s my woman, get it?¡± ¡°So, if I get married in the future, my wife will be mine, right?¡± Alex blinked, not quite getting it. ¡°In theory, yes.¡± Emmett nodded. ra warned Emmett, ¡°Don¡¯t fill Alex¡¯s head with theseplicated things, he¡¯s still little!¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to find out about these things sooner orter. As a man, he needs to know how to stake his im,¡± Emmett said, pulling ra into his arms, ra, you¡¯re mine, and nobody can take you away from met Chapter 128 Chapter 128 *Emmett, could you not talk about this stuff in front of the kid?¡± ra covered Alex¡¯s ears with her hand and changed the subject, ¡°By the way, Ricardo has been juggling his work and mely I need to thank him when I get back!¡± Emmett nced at her, ¡°How are you nning to thank him?¡± ¡°Maybe treat him to a meal? I¡¯m kinda broke right now, so a nice meal is the best I can do!¡± ¡°Just the two of you?¡± ra nodded, ¡°Yeah! I can¡¯t exactly invite the wholepany, can I? That would cost a fortune!¡± Emmett was at a loss for words. He wanted to know what was going on in ra¡¯s mind How could she be so clueless and not understand what he was implying! ¡°What? Did I repeat something wrong?¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°You¡¯re the boss¡¯s wife now. Do you think it¡¯s appropriate for you to have a meal alone with a male employee?¡± ra was taken aback, finally understanding Emmett¡¯s displeasure. ¡°If you want toe, just say so! You know Ricardo and I are just colleagues!¡± 1 ¡°But if others see, it could lead to misunderstandings¡± Emmett walked over, taking her into his arms, ¡°There may be things I can¡¯t take care of in the future; you must be more careful! Your status now is different from before. After returning to China, I n to announce your identity publicly!¡± ra immediately objected, ¡°No! I¡¯m not ready to be the boss¡¯s wife yet, and I don¡¯t understand all those family rules. Let¡¯s forget it, I really don¡¯t care about the title!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Do you still have someone else in your heart? Or perhaps, she still had feelings for Elio? But Emmett didn¡¯t voice these thoughts. Saying them out loud would make him look petty. ¡°I don¡¯t¡®¡± ra sighed in exasperation, ¡°Look at me; I didn¡¯t grow up in a wealthy family, I don¡¯t know any manners, and I certainly don¡¯t understand theplex rtionships in the business world. You suddenly put me in such a high position I don¡¯t know if I can adapt, and I probably can¡¯t fend off those who are jealous of me. Can you dy announcing this for a bit? I want to learn more; announce it when I can handle these things!¡± Emmett looked at her and, after a moment, nodded. ¡°Alright! But don¡¯t think that you can casually interact with others just because we got married in secret!¡± Before ra could say anything, Alex asked, ¡°What does ¡®casually interact with others¡® mean?* ¡°You little rascal, stop asking about everything!¡± Alex pouted, ¡°I¡¯m just curious; I naturally ask about things I don¡¯t know. If I don¡¯t ask, I¡¯ll still be clueless the next time I hear it!¡± ¡°You probably won¡¯t encounter this term often, no need to ask. Emmett picked up Alex, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you to y.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ra watched as the father and son duo went off to build blocks again and couldn¡¯t help but smile. It seemed Alex was adapting to his new dad pretty quickly. She had been worried that Alex wouldn¡¯t ept him. After all, Elio held an essential ce in his heart! Chapter 129 Chapter 129 On the morning of her departure, ra had her suitcase packed and ready, just waiting for Emmett¡¯s driver to pick her up. Before leaving, she look onest look around the room, feeling sentimental When she first arrived abroad, she thought she might never return home again or perhaps never see Alden again. Who would¡¯ve thunk it that things would take such a twist? She couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on whether this was good or bad for her. She only hoped that things wouldn¡¯t go south and affect the kids. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m the driver Mr. Melendez sent to take you to the airport¡± Outside, the driver was already waiting for her ra closed the door and got into the car. Sitting in the backseat, she took out her phone, debating whether to give Elio a call to tell him she was leaving. Just as she was hesitating, a call from Emmett came through. ra quickly answered it, but instead of hearing Emmett¡¯s voice, it was the childish voice of Alex. ¡°Mum! Are you almost here? Daddy and I are waiting for you at the airport, you won¡¯t stand us up, right?¡± ra chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m on my way! I be there in an instant ¡°Great¡® Daddy and I will wait for you here.¡± Just as Alex finished his sentence, Emmett took over the phone. ¡°There might be some traffic at this hour, don¡¯t rush and stay safe.¡± ¡°Alright¡± ¡°Aiden already knows we¡¯re returning, he was so excited he couldn¡¯t sleep all night! ra, you have a way with Aiden.¡± raughed awkwardly Her son, of course, would like her! It would be strange if he preferred someone else! ¡°We¡¯ll talk more when we meet, I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± ¡°Okay¡± After hanging up, ra looked at her phone screen and chuckled. Although she still had a lot of things to hide from Emmett and didn¡¯t know how to tell him, at least for now, this choice seemed to be the right one. Both kids were happy, and Emmett seemed to enjoy his life too, as for herself. She didn¡¯t have a particr crush, so it didn¡¯t matter who she was with. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Finally, they arrived at the airport. The driver helped her with her luggage and personally escorted her to Emmett. Before Emmett could say anything, Alex ran over to ra, opening his arms for a hug. ¡°Mum, hug!¡± His affectionate behavior made ra a bit nervous. After all, if Alex was too close to her, it might arouse Emmett¡¯s suspicion. She nced nervously at Emmett, who stood there smiling, seemingly not suspecting anything. Only then did ra bend down to hug Alex, whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t be too affectionate with me in front of your dad, he might get suspicious! Alex, you need to cool it a bit.¡± Alex blinked, pouting. ¡°So I can¡¯t even hug you when I see you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that, just not for a while. And when we get back home and see your brother Aiden, watch your behavior, don¡¯t let anyone see anything fishy! The Melendez family is not just Emmett but also your grandparents!¡± ¡°They¡¯re nice to me!¡± Alex blurted out. ra was just short of covering his mouth, ¡°Alex! Watch what you say!¡± Chapte Chapter 130 Chapter 130 ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to my mom.¡± ¡°Good boy.¡± ra gently patted his head. Emmett came over and naturally took Alex from her, ¡°ra, you¡¯re popr with the kids. First Aiden, now Alex!¡± ra pondered Emmett¡¯s intentions at his words. Is he trying to test me? ra wasn¡¯t sure whether she was being overly sensitive or if he was indeed suspicious. Either way, she prioritized safety. So, she managed a calm smile, I¡¯m about the same age as their mom; they might naturally see me as a mother figure! Maybe if it were someone else their mom¡¯s age, they would like her just as much.¡± Emmett smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t know about them, but I only like you, ra¡± ra was taken aback by his sudden confession, needing a few seconds to recover. Unsure of how to react, she managed a forced smile. Emmett gave up, not pushing the topic any further He knew he couldn¡¯t push too hard. Winning this woman¡¯s heart would take some time and effort. She was his, after all. Winning her heart was a matter of time; there was no need to rush. ¡°Ms Calloway has left.¡± In the Milburn family house study, Elio was reading, but his mind was elsewhere. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. He put down his book only when his subordinate reported ra¡¯s departure. She just left without even telling me. ¡°Did she¡­ leave anything behind?¡± ¡°No. Ms. Calloway only took her belongings. She didn¡¯t take a single item of the clothes and jewellery you prepared for her.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Elio chuckled, ¡°Once she¡¯s back, she¡¯ll be the youngdy of the Melendez family. My stuff, she might not fancy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it! Why would you give Ms. Calloway to the Melendez family? You¡¯ve liked her for so many years, given her so much. She should be with you!¡± Elio rubbed his forehead and smiled bitterly, ¡°love isn¡¯t about who gives more! Even though I do like ra, there are many things I need to consider, not least of which is ra¡¯s future! Emmett won¡¯t let ra go quickly, so I would have to give up sooner orter. Better to let go now when she has no feelings for me. That way, she won¡¯t feel too reluctant when she leaves.¡± He was sacrificing himself now to bring happiness to others. It was worth it. ¡°And what about you? Will you keep waiting for Ms. Calloway toe back?¡± ¡°I doubt she ever will.¡± Elio realized this the moment he let go. ¡°What? I think Emmett, with all his power and status, is unlikely to stay loyal to a woman! He¡¯s probably with Ms. Calloway now because it¡¯s a novelty! But when that wears off, who knows what could happen!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to specte too much about it! Whether she¡¯s happy or not, she¡¯s not a fool; she knows it herself. If she everes back to me, I won¡¯t let go next time.¡± Chapter 131 Chapter 131 On the ne, ra was too sleepy to resist and fell fast asleep, cuddling lightly to Alex Emmett looked over a few documents, sorting out what he needed to do at the office after the ne landed. He then got up to check on them and found them sound asleep. so peaceful and sweet. He smiled slightly, then bent over to tuck them in. Suddenly, Emmett heard ra stirring and mumbling something in her sleep. He paused, then leaned in to listen. Was she calling out Elio¡¯s name? Emmett felt his blood rush in reverse. He wanted to shake the woman in front of him awake and ask her what the deal was with her and Elio. Why was she calling out his name in her sleep? But as his hand was halfway out, he retracted it. Seeing ra sleeping so peacefully and Alex happily nuzzling against her, he couldn¡¯t bear to wake her up. Emmett hesitated for a few seconds, then turned to leave. Suddenly he heard ra¡¯s voice from behind, ¡°Uh! Mr. Melendez, what are you doing here? Where am I?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you awake yet?¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°We¡¯re on a ne heading home.¡± ra rubbed her eyes, her memory slowlying back. ¡°Ah, how much longer till we get home?¡± *About three or four hours.¡± Emmett nced at her, then motioned for her to join him not to disturb Alex¡¯s rest. ra nodded and followed Emmett into his cabin. As soon as the door closed, ra was swept into Emmett¡¯s arms and ced on the bed! She was a bit stunned. When she came to her senses, Emmett was already on top of her! ¡°What are you doing? Mr. Melendez, we¡¯re on a ne!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. *This ne is mine; who will peep on us?¡± ra quickly covered her chest, ¡°It¡¯s daytime; let me up! Mr. Melendez, don¡¯t!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡± Emmett¡¯s eyes were challenging, but his hands were busy teasing ra! ra, of course, couldn¡¯t stand his teasing. Her cheeks were flushed like a ripe peach! Emmett could no longer control himself, he undid his shirt¡¯s buttons. After a passionate encounter, ray on his bed, panting heavily. Emmett calmly and elegantly buttoned up his shirt. His elegance was such that it was hard to believe he had just.. ¡°Why did you call out Elio¡¯s name? You still haven¡¯t given me an exnation¡± ra widened her eyes and blinked, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know! I was really¨Casleep then!¡± ¡°Sleeping is an excuse?¡± Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Emmett frowned in displeasure, ¡°Is it because you¡¯re going back home and you¡¯re a little reluctant to leave Elio? You have feelings for him, don¡¯t you?¡± ra was helpless and speechless, ¡°Emmett, you¡¯re acting like a jealous man! I¡¯ve told you about my rtionship with Elio, haven¡¯t I? Even if I did call out his name in my sleep, it could just be me saying goodbye to him as a friend! You can¡¯t just assume I have other feelings for Elio because of some steep talk¡± ¡°Dreaming about him and still saying you have no feelings for him? Howe you didn¡¯t dream about me?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t control my dreams!¡± ra adjusted her clothes, feeling a little wronged, ¡°I¡¯ve dreamed about the fruit vendor and ourmunity¡¯s security guard. Does that mean! have feelings for them too?¡± Emmett stared at her face for a long moment, then suddenly asked. ¡°You¡¯ve dreamed about them, but not about me?!¡± ra didn¡¯t dare admit that she had dreamed about Emmett. It¡¯s just those dreams weren¡¯t exactly pleasant! Over the years, whenever she dreamed about the past, she would wake up terrified and couldn¡¯t sleep for the rest of the night. It was like a nightmare to her. ¡°After you go home, you¡¯re not allowed to contact Elio. Even as friends!¡± Emmett dered authoritatively. But ra wasn¡¯t the kind of woman who could be pushed around. She pouted, ¡°No way, Elio¡¯s been good to me; I can¡¯t just cut him off; what kind of person would that make me?¡± *ra¡® ¡°I¡¯ve told you, there¡¯s nothing between me and Elio, but you still suspect us. There¡¯s nothing I can do about it! I don¡¯t want to lie, so I¡¯m telling you the truth. I can avoid contacting Elio first, but if he contacts me and needs my help. I¡¯ll help him! If you suspect my rtionship with him no matter what I do, you¡¯ll suspect me. Even if I don¡¯t contact Elio, you¡¯ll still be suspicious. So no matter what I do, it¡¯s always wrong.¡± Emmett was almost confused by her words He grabbed ra¡¯s hand and covered her chattering mouth. This woman, she¡¯s most lovable when she¡¯s in bed! Once she started talking about something else, she became annoying! ra quickly pushed him away, her cheeks still flushed, and now there was a new blush. ¡°Emmett! If you want to talk, talk! Can you stop always being so physical?¡± ¡°No! Since I can¡¯t win against your chattering, I can only cover it up to stop you from saying things I don¡¯t want to hear!¡± ra stood up, giving him a re behind his back, ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore; I can never win against you! I¡¯m going to see Alex.¡± Emmett also stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need!¡± ra instinctively refused, ¡°I can go alone; Alex is still sleeping!¡± Emmett smiled slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything inappropriate in front of the child. You can rest assured.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ra didn¡¯t fully trust his words. This man was too dangerous; he could do something inappropriate at any moment. She had to stay on her guard. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Atst, the nended on home soil. Once ra and Alex dened, they saw Ricardo¡¯s car waiting for them on the tarmac. Alex asked in a low voice, ¡°Mom, can I see Aiden soon? ¡°Yes, we¡¯re going to see him now. ¡°Will Aiden like me?¡± Alex was still worried about missing the previous appointment ra didn¡¯t understand his concern, so she gently reassured him, ¡®Don¡¯t worry, your brother is a good kid, he¡¯ll take good care of you¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°As long as you get along with him, there will be no problem. You guys are real brothers, twins; you¡¯re closely rted by blood¡± ¡°So if I do something wrong, will he forgive me?¡± Alex looked up, testing the waters. That¡¯s when ra realized something was off with her son. He wasn¡¯t a kid who quickly got scared unless he¡¯d done something wrong. ¡°Tell me, what did you do to Aiden?¡± Alex lowered his head. ¡°Well that time¡­ he asked me out, I didn¡¯t go, I didn¡¯t follow his n¡­I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll be angry, he won¡¯t talk to me anymore. Because if someone did that to me, I wouldn¡¯t talk to them either.¡± Exasperated, ra lightly tapped his head, ¡°You, kid! You¡¯re such a headache! When you see him later, apologize sincerely, he probably won¡¯t be mad anymore. You know this might upset him, so don¡¯t repeat it.¡± Alex nodded earnestly. Emmett came over, seeing them whispering, he asked with a smile, ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± ¡°Nothing, Alex was just asking me some things about you.¡± Although not good at lying. ra quickly changed the subject, ¡°So¡­where are we goingter? Can I go back to my old ce first?¡± ¡°Did you forget to bring something?¡± ra shook her head, ¡°I just feel me suddenly showing up at your ce might not be too good. I want to buy some stuff; that way will seem more polite¡± ¡°You¡¯re worrying over nothing? I¡¯ve prepared everything Emmett took her hand, ¡°Just follow me, you don¡¯t need to worry about anything else. My parents aren¡¯t that strict; as long as I¡¯m happy, they won¡¯t object.¡± ¡°But¡± ¡°No buts! You¡¯re back now; you¡¯re part of our family, my only wife!; you don¡¯t need to care what others think. Even if my parents say something that upsets you, you can argue back, don¡¯t hold back.¡± ¡°How can I do that? They¡¯re my elders! They¡¯ve been very good to me, I haven¡¯t been wronged¡± ra said, looking down, ¡°But at thepany, we should keep a low profile; I don¡¯t want everyone to know our private affairs.¡± Emmett raised his hand, patting her head gently. ¡°You don¡¯t need to overthink; I¡¯ll handle everything! Now that I have Alden and Alex with me, they both like you very much, my biggest worry is resolved, I don¡¯t consider everything else big problems.¡± ¡°Oh, right, one more thing!¡± ra looked up at him. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°That is, when is your soning?¡± ¡°Hmm..¡± Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Emmell asked, ¡°When are you nning to bring your son back? I bet you¡¯re worried sick about leaving him out there all by himself. It¡¯s not right, you know You¡¯ll always be fretting about him! Why not bring him to us sooner, so you can take care of him better, and I can bond with him?¡± ra was taken aback, her gaze instinctively drawn to him What was Emmett saying? He was talking about bonding with ¡°her child! Could this arrogant man be willing to ept her child? Even though there was no such a child at all but¡­ Emmett was in the dark! ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Emmett was a bit puzzled. ra gave an awkward chuckle¡­ ¡°I haven¡¯t decided about that yet! I¡¯ll discuss it with you after I¡¯ve thought it through! Now is not the time.¡± 7 won¡¯t push you, it¡¯s your call! Just don¡¯t use me of not epting your sonter! ra nodded, ¡°No, no! I would never think that ¡°Let¡¯s go then, my mom is waiting for us! She can¡¯t wait to meet Alex¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Meanwhile, another ne was touching down domestically Soon, a little girl with luggage in tow swiftly disembarked. After leaving the airport, she hopped into a car that hade to pick her up. ¡°Your amodations are all set up. Shall we head there now?¡± ¡°Sure¡± Leah Calloway nodded, looking at the scenery outside the window with a smile, ¡°Things here have taken off, I should¡¯vee back sooner.¡± The driver chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s not toote now! ¡°I¡¯m not here for sightseeing this time; I have a mission¡± Leah Calloway withdrew her gaze, looking at a magazine in the car, ¡°I met a man I like this time¡­ I¡¯m not letting him slip away!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got a crush on someone?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Leah Calloway picked up the magazine, flipped through a few pages, but eventually stopped on the cover, ¡°And this guy was delivered to my doorstep, how could I pass him up? The driver didn¡¯t understand what she meant, so he chuckled, ¡°Whoever has caught your eyes must be an outstanding man!¡± ¡°Him? Hehe.¡± Leah Calloway couldn¡¯t help but light up at the thought of his tall figure, ¡°The word ¡®outstanding¡® doesn¡¯t do him justice! He¡¯s the most perfect man I¡¯ve ever seen whether it¡¯s his family background, status, or looks, he¡¯s top¨Cnotch.¡± ra! You¡¯re better off with Elio! As for Emmett, he must be mine! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The car pulled up to the Melendez family home, and Sophia could already be seen waiting at the front door from afar. When she saw the car, she quickly moved to greet them. ¡°Oh, my little grandson! Your grandma has been missing you so much¡± Upon seeing his grandma, Alex didn¡¯t show any signs of fear On the contrary, he rushed towards her. ¡°You¡¯re my grandma, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. I¡¯m your grandmal¡± Sophia immediately picked him up, wishing she could spin him around Emmett said helplessly. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re not in the best health; maybe you shouldn¡¯t be picking him up.¡± ra said, ¡°Yes, the child is quite heavy¡± Sophia firmly said, ¡°I don¡¯t care, I want to hold him! You have no idea how I¡¯ve been getting by these past few days! Now that I¡¯ve finally seen him, I feel at peace!¡± Chapter 135 Chapter 135 ¡°Mom, she¡¯s gonna be living with us from now on, Emmett said with a grin, about to stride forward but noticed Aidening out of the house too. Aiden spotted ra and ran over, brimming with excitement. ¡°Mommy! I¡¯ve missed you so much¡± ra immediately bent down to lift Aiden, kissing his cheek. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too! Aiden blushed a bit, looking shyly at Alex, ¡®Dad, is he my brother?¡± ¡°Yup¡± Emmett nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s not chat at the door, let¡¯s go inside!¡± ¡°Right!¡± Sophia nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Let¡¯s head in and chat. I can¡¯t wait to spoil my two grandsons!¡± Come evening, the Melendez family had prepared avish dinner weing Alex¡¯s arrival. ra watched Alex enjoying himself between his grandparents, feeling a bit emotional Maybe she had been too selfish, depriving Alex of the love he deserved. ¡°What¡¯re you thinking about?¡± After dinner, Emmett noticed ra still seemed lost in thought and asked. ra paused, then said, ¡°Nothing just envying this harmonious family atmosphere¡± ¡°You¡¯re part of it, you don¡¯t need to envy.¡± Emmett chuckled, ¡°ra, you¡­ nning on having another kid with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My mom asked me about this before dinner Emmett said thoughtfully. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel pressured; no one will force you into anything. You have to tell me what you think! My mom asked because she wanted to know our ns!¡± Caught off guard, ra blinked, unsure of what to say. In fact, she hadn¡¯t thought about this topic at all This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Especially since her marriage with Emmett was pretty much built on lies! She didn¡¯t know when it would blow up, so she hadn¡¯t Maybe she would have to leave with the kids in a few days when the truth came out! ¡°Not sure yet?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow. ¡°Then take your time! It¡¯s not a decision to rush.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ra suddenly grew curious about his answer, ¡°Do you want another kid?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Emmett answered, ¡®I already have two sons, I¡¯d love to have a daughter.¡± ra nced at him, thenughed, ¡°You? You¡¯re not cut out for a daughter.¡± ¡°What? Why not?¡± Emmett chuckled curiously, ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m not good¨Clooking?¡± ra quickly shook her head, ¡°If you¡¯re not good¨Clooking, there¡¯s no one good¨Clooking in this world!¡± ¡°So you¡¯replimenting me?¡± nned that far ahead! ra¡¯s cheeks turned red, and she quickly turned her face away, ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. I¡¯m just saying, you¡¯re so dominating, who would dare to marry your daughter?¡± Emmett pondered a bit. That person would have to be extraordinary! And if he¡¯s not nice to my daughter, that¡¯s a definite no¨Cgo!¡± ¡°See! You¡¯ll be the kind of dad who meddles in his daughter¡¯s marriage.¡± ¡°Well, that depends on the situation! If my daughter is wronged and I, as a father, do nothing, am I even a father?¡± Chapter 136 Chapter 136 ra nodded reluctantly, ¡°Alright, I admit you¡¯ve got a point.¡± Emmelt reached out and pulled ra into his arms. ¡°Our daughter, she¡¯ll be my most precious. If you could have a daughter for me, I¡¯d treat her like a treasure! But I want to stress I¡¯m not forcing you to have kids for me! It¡¯s your choice whether you decide to have a kid or not, I¡¯ll respect your decision¡± ra nodded, ¡°I need to think about this¡± Hearing Emmett talk about how happy he¡¯d be to have a daughter, she also started to look forward to it! Material ? N?velDrama.Org. But! Reality didn¡¯t allow her to have such expectations! ¡°Alright, however, you decide is fine! I¡¯m not in a rush, and you don¡¯t need to be either! I¡¯m still young, it¡¯s not toote if you want to wait till you¡¯ve thought it through.¡± ra lowered her head, a question suddenly popped into her mind. ¡°Your parents, aren¡¯t they worried that you marrying me might lead to me mistreating the two kids? After all, I¡¯m their stepmother! Now you¡¯re suggesting having another kid, aren¡¯t they worried that there might be conflicts between my kid and theirs, or even fights over the family fortune?¡± She remembered seeing such scenarios in TV dramas all the time! But it seemed like this wasn¡¯t a problem in the Melendez family. Emmett¡¯s mom wasn¡¯t warm to her, but at least she didn¡¯t pick on her! His dad just asked about some things from the past! These understandings made ra feel she had already be part of this big family. ¡°Worried about what? We Melendez¡¯s have many assets; there¡¯s no need to fight over it.¡± Emmett shrugged, ¡°They all know even if everyone gets a share, it won¡¯t run out! I¡¯ll educate them from a young age.¡± ra was taken aback. But after thinking it over, she couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Only you could pull off saying something like that!¡± Elio¡¯s family was also well¨Coff, but he wouldn¡¯t dare to say something so ¡°arrogant.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Emmett nodded, ¡°So, do you feel like you did something delicious in a past life? That¡¯s why you had the luck to meet me.¡± ra couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°Since when did Mr. Melendez be so self¨Cobsessed?* ¡°I¡¯m not bragging: I¡¯m just emphasizing my good points! So that you won¡¯t be distracted by others.¡± ¡°Is Mr. Melendez hinting at Elio again?¡± Emmett shrugged, ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything, you brought it up.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this! You look tired, why not return to your room and rest?¡± ¡°How could I? Ricardo has been helping me with work recently; now that I¡¯m back, I can¡¯t let him work overtime while I rest; I¡¯d feel terrible!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Ricardo is verypetent, you should rest, the kids are waiting for you.¡± ra intended to persist, but considering the kids needed her to exin some things, she should reserve some energy to talk to them. ¡°You just got back; you don¡¯t have to rush back to thepany; it¡¯s alright.¡± Emmett gently patted her shoulder, ¡°Remember, you¡¯re a CEO¡¯s wife. unlike other secretaries.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want any privileges or people thinking I¡¯m incapable of my position.¡± ¡°Having privileges is a kind of ability! Why do you think I don¡¯t give others privileges?¡± Chapter 137 Chapter 137 ra nced at him and didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. This man was always able to say things that left her unable to argue, things that seemed right yet wrong! At night, Alex was moved to a newly prepared room. Sophia initially wanted both brothers to sleep together, but Emmett thought it inappropriate since they just met. They could share a room once they got closer. A waiter came over to help Alex bathe and change into new clothes. He was tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep. Just when he was about to sit up, there was a knock on the door. Startled, Alex quickly put on his slippers and carefully opened the door. It was Aiden. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you still awake?¡± ¡°Nope!¡± Alex stuck out his tongue, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Aiden nced at him, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside!¡± Alex quickly stepped aside to let him in, closed the door, and locked it. He was a bit nervous, wondering how Aiden would scold him. ¡°You did that on purposest time, didn¡¯t you?¡± Aiden asked calmly, not sounding usatory. Alex lowered his head, quickly weighing whether to lie or tell the truth. ¡°Well¡­ umm¡­¡± ¡°Alex, why did you suddenly not want mom and dad together? I heard from the adults conversation that you like another man and want him to be our dad?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Alex knew he couldn¡¯t hide it anymore, so he mumbled, ¡°Mr. Milburn has always been nice to me, so I¡¯d rather have him be my dad!¡± Aiden furrowed his brows, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with dad? Don¡¯t you want your biological parents around?¡± ¡°I used to think Mr. Milburn treated me better! And Mom always seemed scared of dad. I was sent to Mr. Milburn because of him!¡± Alex sat on the bed, looking slightly wronged, ¡°You always had grandpa and grandma to pamper you; it¡¯s different for me! I was a kid who could be sent away at any time. Mom exerted a lot of effort to keep me! Thanks to Mr. Milburn, Mom coulde back with us this time! You know nothing, yet you¡¯re ming me for being immature.¡± Seeing his aggrieved look, Aiden¡¯s heart softened. He walked over and gently patted his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m not ming you for being immature! I just want my birth parents with me, not anyone else! Think about it: what should I do if I¡¯m with dad and you recognize Mr. Milburn as your dad?¡± Alex looked up, puzzled, ¡°But isn¡¯t it better to have two dads who love you? Mr. Milburn is a great dad tool¡± Aiden was speechless and red at him! Although they shared the same face, why was his IQ so¡­speechless! ¡°But Mr. Milburn didn¡¯t give birth to you!¡± ¡°But Emmett didn¡¯t raise me either!¡± Aiden was left speechless, his expression serious, ¡°So you haven¡¯t given up on having your Mr. Milburn pursue mom?¡± ¡°I¡¯vee back with you guys, what¡¯s the use of not giving up! Mom won¡¯t agree no matter what, saying it¡¯s adult business that I don¡¯t understand and that I should just follow the arrangements.¡± Chapter 138 Chapter 138 *Stop overthinking it, dude! Being with the Melendez family isn¡¯t so bad, you know. Emmett, he¡¯ll treat you well! He¡¯s really trying to change his ways.¡± Even though he didn¡¯t be all fluffy and nice overnight, Aiden could feel a shift in him. Emmett would never have shared a bed with him or called him in private before. ¡°Yeah.¡± Alex nodded, ¡°I got it, I¡¯ll follow your lead from now on.¡± He stepped forward, grabbing Aiden¡¯s hand, ¡°Stop being mad at me, okay? I know I messed up. I shouldn¡¯t have changed our nsst minute!¡± ¡°Jeez!¡± Aiden sighed. ¡°Any decisions you make, just let me know! We can discuss it, I won¡¯t force you to do what I say, but it¡¯s always better than you making decisions alone!* Alex nodded repeatedly, grinning, ¡°Gotcha! I¡¯ll tell you everything from now on!¡± ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s not bring up the past. It¡¯s bedtime; you should get some sleep. I¡¯ll head out.¡± Aiden was about to leave when Alex suddenly grabbed his hand. ¡°Bro¡®¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°L¡­ I¡¯m scared¡­¡± Alex pouted, with tears welling in his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m afraid to sleep alone. What if monsterse and eat me?¡± Aiden was taken aback but quickly tried to wipe away his tears, ¡°Hey, hey, don¡¯t cry! There are no monsters here!¡± ¡°There are! Mom said monsters wille in through the window if I don¡¯t go to bed by ten! It¡¯s almost ten!¡± Alex clung to Aiden¡¯s shirt. ¡°Don¡¯t leave. Or I could go to your room! I can sleep on the floor! If a monsteres, you can chase it away!¡± Aiden sighed, ¡°If there were monsters, neither of us would stand a chance!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°What?! Then what do we do? Let¡¯s go find mom!¡± Alex was about to open the door. Aiden quickly grabbed him, ¡°Dad and mom are together, you¡¯ll disturb them!¡± ¡°What do we do then? Let¡¯s run away!¡± ¡°Alright, you can sleep in my room. It¡¯s close to grandma and grandpa¡¯s; they cane over quickly if anything happens.¡± ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Alex was eager to get going. Aiden didn¡¯t know what to do with his little brother, but what else could he do but indulge him? Back in the master bedroom, ra bathed and sat at the desk reviewing thepany¡¯s recent reports. After his video meeting, Emmett walked in to see her engrossed in the paperwork; her brow furrowed in concentration. ¡°I thought I told you Ricardo is handling these things for now. You don¡¯t have to rush back to work.¡± ¡°Am I supposed never to work again?¡± ¡°As a CEO¡¯s wife, you can do as you please.¡± Emmett sat on the bed, removing his shirt to reveal his muscr chest. At the sight, ra blushed and quickly turned away, ¡°Can you change in the bathroom?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too hot; I wasn¡¯t nning on wearing a shirt.¡± Emmett smirked, ¡°It¡¯s just you and me here. Should I take off my pants too?¡± Hearing this, ra immediately stood up from the chair, ¡°No! L¡­ I¡¯m not ready for that!¡± Chapter 139 Chapter 139 ¡°When are you going to get used to this?¡± ¡°I might never get used to it¡± ra looked at him shyly. ¡°Can you put some clothes on?¡± How the hell did she not know Emmett had this nudist streak?! He didn¡¯t even bother with clothes at home ¡°Don¡¯t you like what you see?¡± Emmett, still in the buff, purposely moved closer to her. ra bolted to the bathroom and shut the door, ¡°If you¡¯re not going to get dressed, I¡¯m sleeping in another room! I can¡¯t handle this; just put something on.¡± Emmett chuckled helplessly from the other side of the door, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m dressed now! You cane out.¡± ¡®Really?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Upon hearing his words, ra cautiously peeked through the door crack, confirmed he was clothed, and stepped out. But Emmett scooped her up before she could get her bearings and tossed her on the bed! ¡°What are you doing?¡± ra instinctively covered her chest. ¡°What do you think I¡¯m going to do? It¡¯s nighttime, time for some marital duties.¡± Warning bells started ringing in ra¡¯s head.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°We just got back today; I¡¯m tired!¡± ¡°You just need toy there; you don¡¯t have to do anything.¡± Emmett¡¯s hand already found its way under her clothes as he spoke. All ra could do was close her eyes tightly, feeling his touch. She knew she had to get used to this life; she couldn¡¯t always reject Emmett¡­. But- ra didn¡¯t expect Emmett to keep going until 3 in the morning. By the time she opened her eyes the next day, it was already noon! She tried to get up, but every muscle ached so bad she felt paralyzed. ¡°Sigh!¡± ra forced herself up, but she saw Emmetting from the study before she could even reach the door. ¡°You¡¯re up!¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ra nodded, seeing Emmett¡¯s face brought back memories ofst night. She quickly lowered her gaze, pretending to look elsewhere. Emmett smiled and pulled her into his arms, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Still shy?¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother lying; it¡¯s written all over your face!¡± Emmett sighed, ¡°Alright, breakfast is ready in the dining room! I¡¯ve been waiting for you, I haven¡¯t eaten yet, let¡¯s go together.¡± ra nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You need to eat more; you¡¯re too thin! There¡¯s not much to feel.¡± ¡°Cough cough cough ra nearly choked on her saliva, she looked at Emmett in shock, lowering her voice, ¡°Can you not say that kind of stuff anytime, anywhere? Your parents are still here; what will they think of me?¡± Emmett shrugged it off, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? They¡¯d understand! If it makes you ufortable, we can move out. I have plenty of houses.¡± ¡°No!¡± ra instinctively refused, ¡°I want to stay with the kids.¡± ¡°We could take the kids with us, but.. that might tire you out.¡± ra¡¯s eyes widened, she was wavering inside. After all, no one truly wanted to live with their inws; there were always inconveniences, but¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s just forget about it! Your parents love the kids too. If we just took them away, they¡¯d lose a lot of joy!¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 ¡°Have it your way! Or we could consider living separately.¡± ra pondered for a moment. ¡°Let me ask the kids first! See if they are okay with us living apart.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Emmett stroked her hair, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first; the kids are waiting for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The waiter served up the new dishes in the dining room, and Alex and Aiden came over, ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Oh, have you guys eaten already?¡± ra patted their little heads. ¡°We ate!¡± Alex smiled, ¡°Aiden had breakfast with me this morning.¡± ¡°Did you sleep wellst night?¡± Alex nodded, ¡°I slept very well! I slept with Aiden.¡± ra was somewhat surprised, ¡°Don¡¯t you guys sleep separately?¡± Emmett also raised an eyebrow, ¡°Since when have you started sleeping together?¡± Aiden helplessly raised his hand, ¡°He said he was scared and insisted on sleeping with me.¡± Hearing this, Alex felt embarrassed and mumbled in rebuttal, ¡°I¡¯m not that scared; I¡¯m mainly afraid that monsters will eat my brother! I pretended to be scared so that I could protect my brother!¡± ra immediately understood what was happening, but she didn¡¯t say anything because Emmett was present. She also worried Alex would say something inappropriate, so she quickly changed the subject, ¡°So, did you guys eat a lot for breakfast?¡± ¡°I drank several cups of milk!¡± Alex began to speak like a bit of chatterbox, ¡°I had toast and jam! Grandma gave me a piece of candy after the meal and gave me Aiden¡¯s share too!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t overeat candy, it¡¯s bad for your teeth.¡± ra didn¡¯t lose her temper since Emmett was present. But Alex knew his mom couldn¡¯t scold him now, so he dared to tell her so generously. So even if his mom wanted to me himter, he would still be a truthful good kid. ¡°Mom, Dad, you guys eat first, I¡¯ll take Alex out to y!¡± Fearing that Alex would say something shocking. Aiden took the initiative to take him away. ra quickly nodded, ¡°Okay! Off you go! Just don¡¯t hurt yourselves.¡± ¡°Yep, got it, Mom!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Emmett reached out and personally poured ra some milk, ¡°Don¡¯t just worry about them, you should eat more!¡± ra took it, ¡°Thank you.¡± Just as Emmett was about to speak, his phone received a message. He nced down, but his expression slightly changed. ra noticed his abnormality and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something going on at the company?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Emmett smiled, ¡°You eat first, I¡¯ll make a call and be right back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Emmett stood up, and strode into the study. As soon as the door closed, Ricardo¡¯s call came in. ¡°Mr. Melendez/she¡¯s still waiting for you at thepany; she says she wants to see you when you¡¯re free.¡± ¡°Let her wait, I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ricardo thought momentarily, then said, ¡°Should I bring Leah Calloway to your restroom then? I¡¯m concerned about the other employees seeing her If they start spreading this around and it finally gets to ra¡¯s ears, it¡¯d not be good if she misunderstood Women always overthink.¡± Emmett took a deep breath, ¡°Yeah, its best if ra doesn¡¯t find out about this; I don¡¯t want her overthinking¡± Chapter 141 Chapter 141 ¡°Mr. Melendez, I¡¯ll be careful¡± ¡°Okay¡± After the call, Emmett found Elio¡¯s number. He wanted to dial it, but he put down his phone and left the study. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°ra, I¡¯m heading to the office for a bit. You keep hanging out with the kids today and go back to work when you¡¯re rested. Emmett tied his tie and gently patted her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll be back asap, ring me if there¡¯s anything¡± ¡°Alright, go ahead. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ra watched as Emmett left, until his car disappeared from view before she turned around. At this point, Sophia came over and whispered, ¡°Can I talk to you for a sec?¡± ra was taken aback and quickly nodded, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, I¡¯m not trying to give you a hard time. I¡¯m just wondering, do you genuinely love my son, This question left ra a bit lost for words. Because if she said she loved Emmett now, she definitely would be lying. Emmett had been straight with her, told her not to lie, which was obvious to anyone. Emmett?¡± ¡°Sophia, my rtionship with Emmett is a bitplicated. We¡¯re not the typical husband and wife, we¡¯re still getting used to each other¡± Sophia gave her a look, ¡°You¡¯re still calling me my name?¡± Mom, I¡¯m sorry¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. If you told me you loved Emmett, I¡¯d be more worried actually. The fact that you¡¯re being honest tells me you¡¯re a person of integrity Sophia took her hand, ¡°I only have one son, and he¡¯s a bit quirky. Your journey together is long, there will be bumps and struggles, and I hope you can weather them together, understand each other.¡± ra nodded, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just saying this to you, I¡¯ll also tell Emmett, Plus, Emmett has two kids, you¡¯re stepping into a mother¡¯s role right off the bat, I know it¡¯s a lot to handle.¡± ra didn¡¯t say anything, she was afraid she might say something wrong. ¡°But when I see how much the kids adore you, it warms my heart. I know you must treat them well, or else they wouldn¡¯t be so fond of you.¡± Speaking of her grandkids, Sophia couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Alex is alright, he¡¯s been with his mom since he was little. Even though it¡¯s not as plush as the Melendez - household, he wouldn¡¯tck motherly love. But Aiden¡­ he¡¯s really had it rough. When he started to speak, he always called for his mom, and it breaks my heart every time he does that.¡± Just thinking about this scene, ra felt a lump in her throat. She owed Aiden so much! ¡°You see how mature Aiden is. The more mature he is, the more it breaks my heart. I don¡¯t expect you to treat him like his biological mother, but I hope you can be extra nice to him, let him feel the love of a mother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of Aiden as if he¡¯s my own!¡± Sophia nodded, relieved, ¡°Hearing that puts my mind at ease! Also, don¡¯t think of Alex and Aiden as a burden! The Melendez family is super stable financially, raising two kids won¡¯t be a burden for you guys. Me and their grandpa can take care of them! You guys can have more kids if you want, or not, It¡¯s up to you, we won¡¯t interfere.¡± Chapter 142 Chapter 142 ¡°We¡­we¡¯re not nning on that right now. As long as Aiden and Alex grow up healthy and happy, that¡¯s all that matters. Sophia took a deep breath. ¡°I heard from Emmett, you have a son, right?¡± ra nodded awkwardly. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m gonna be straight with you I wasn¡¯t too happy about you and my son being together, because.. well¡­I always hoped my son would end up with a woman who hasn¡¯t been around the block too many times! But now that my grandkids are so fond of you, I¡¯ve put that prejudice aside Sophia looked at her seriously. You can bring your child over in the future too! I¡¯ll love him just like my own grandkids! Don¡¯t stress too much. In the Melendez family, as long as you¡¯re steady and decent, without causing any embarrassment to the Melendez family or Emmett, you¡¯re good!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind¡± ¡°As long as you understand. From now on, we¡¯re family. I¡¯m getting old, I might mess up sometimes, feel free to tell me! I won¡¯t get mad, we can talk things out calmly.¡± ra nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Go on now, I¡¯m gonna head back to my room.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Watching Sophia leave, ra couldn¡¯t help but feel envious of Emmett. He was so lucky to have a mother who understood and cared for him, always looking out for his best interests! As for her own father¡­if not for the money, he wouldn¡¯t even remember he had a daughter. When Emmett arrived at hispany, Ricardo came out to greet him and followed him around. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Melendez As soon as she got here, I made sure everyone else left. I promise no one else has seen her except me!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°Remember, destroy all the surveince footage from today.¡± ¡°Got it! Trust me, I won¡¯t let Ms. Calloway find out about this!¡± Upon entering the lounge, Emmett saw Leah sitting on the couch with a book in hand. Hearing the door, Leah stood up and gave Emmett a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for dropping by unannounced! I know you might not be too thrilled to see me, but¡­I¡¯m sorry, I just miss the kids so much! Can I see them?¡± ¡°I think I made myself pretty clear when we were abroad.¡± Emmett looked a bit annoyed. ¡°Not holding you ountable is already the biggest leniency I could give. You showing up uninvited and causing me trouble, aren¡¯t you afraid I might not be so nice?¡± Suddenly, Leah walked up to Emmett and fell to her knees! ¡°I am the mother of those kids, I gave birth to them! Losing them feels like a part of my heart has been ripped out! Mr. Melendez, I¡¯m not asking to live with them, but can I at least see them from time to time?¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I might take revenge on you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared! And you can¡¯t do that. Leah bit her lip, looking at him defiantly. ¡°I¡¯m their mother. If you do anything to me, how will you exin that to them when they find out? I am their biological mother, that¡¯s a fact that can¡¯t be changed.¡± Emmett was taken aback. He had to admit, Leah was right. But¡­ ¡°You should know, I¡¯m married now. You shouldn¡¯t have any expectations of me.¡± ¡°If I had any expectations, why didn¡¯t I bring the kids back to be raised by both of us all these years?¡± Leah retorted. ¡°I¡¯ve been avoiding you this whole time!¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Emmett stood up, got himself a ss of red wine and savored it slowly. ¡°The kids are getting along fine with their stepmom now. You showing up will just stir up trouble¡± Leah stormed over, her emotions running high. ¡°But a stepmom will never be their real mom! You need to think about how the kids feel too. You can¡¯t just be happy as their dad and assume they¡¯re happy tool They can¡¯t possibly prefer their stepmom over their real mom! You get what I¡¯m saying, Mr. Melendez, right?¡± ¡°Are you lecturing me?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow. Leah quickly looked down, ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m just¡­ Whenever I think about the kids, I feel so down! I can¡¯t eat, can¡¯t sleep, I¡¯m having a hard time holding back my longing for them! Mr. Melendez, I beg you, even if it¡¯s just a distant glimpse of the kids, is that okay?¡± After a moment, Emmett finished off his wine and said, ¡°Nope. Ricardo, show her out¡± Leah was stunned. She thought she had convinced Emmett! But he still didn¡¯t agree! From the look in his eyes just now, he might be worried about ra¡­ Is he worried that ra will be upset if she finds out? A glint shed in Leah¡¯s eyes! Emmett is too hard to control and he doesn¡¯t give a damn about favors, so I¡­ I¡¯ll go find ra! She owes me one, and I have something on her, she¡¯ll definitely fall for it. In the afternoon, after ra put the kids to sleep after a day of y, she returned to the study and sent all the organized materials to Ricardo. Not long after, Ricardo called. ¡°Ms. Calloway! Mr. Melendez has already told you to just be a worry¨Cfree trophy wife. Leave these things to me! If Mr. Melendez finds out, he¡¯ll think I¡¯m cking off¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do the trophy wife thing! I need to work no matter what! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll talk to Emmett.¡± Ricardo muttered, ¡°Why insist on working? If I were a trophy wife, I¡¯d spend my days at home, pampering myself, getting massages, and shopping!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. raughed, ¡°Well, then you might not get the chance in this life.¡± ¡°Yeah, our Mr. Melendez is so handsome, rich and loyal, I¡¯ll be lucky to meet him in my next life! You must have done some great things in your previous life, Ms. Calloway!¡± Done great things? ra snorted. Only she knew the predicament she was in! After hanging up, ra got up to check on the kids. As she passed the living room, she saw Emmett¡¯s car pulling into the courtyard. ¡°You¡¯re home early today?¡± ¡°Wanted to spend more time with you.¡± Emmett took off his suit jacket, ra naturally took it from him.. His sudden sweet talk left her a bit bewildered. She could never figure out this man, Emmett! If you say he¡¯s cold, he¡¯s actually very meticulous in arranging things for her, so much so that she sometimes feels inferior. If you think he¡¯s a gentleman, well¡­ most people wouldn¡¯t agree! In most people¡¯s eyes, Emmett and the word gentle don¡¯t mix! The media has reported on Emmett countless times, and the words they use to describe him are harsh, ruthless, cold, and stubborn. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, giving her a nce. ra shook her head, ¡°Nothing! By the way, you rushed to the office today, did something happen? Ricardo called me just now-¡± H Chapter 144 Chapter 144 ¡°Ricardo called you?!¡± Emmett cut off ra before she could finish, his voice noticeably louder. This left ra a bit flustered, forgetting what she was about to say. ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡± ¡°What did he say to you?¡± Feeling Emmett¡¯s apparent tension, ra bit her lip gently, ¡°He said¡­about work, that he¡¯d handle it for me so I wouldn¡¯t have to worry¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ra nodded, ¡°Yes! What else should he have said?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°¡­ Nothing, I just thought he wanted to dump all the work on you¡± Emmett tried tough it off nonchntly, turning his gaze elsewhere, There were some issues with a partneringpany this morning, but I sorted them out after I went.¡± ra responded, ¡°Don¡¯t me Ricardo. I want to work too! I don¡¯t want to lose my ie after marrying you! And look, I have nothing else to do, but let Ricardo bear the workload of both of us, it doesn¡¯t sit well with me.¡± ¡°Alright then,e to thepany with me tomorrow morning.¡± Emmett wanted to change the subject as soon as possible, so he made his way to the bedroom Watching his retreating figure, ra slightly furrowed her brows. Something felt off about Emmett today. But she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on what was wrong. Just as she was about to follow him, her phone rang. Looking down, it was a call from Elio. After hesitating for a few seconds, she tightly gripped her phone and briskly walked to a corner of the courtyard to answer, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Elio was not one to call her unless something was up! So even though she knew Emmett would be pissed, she still had to take this call! After all, she owed Elio. I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s mainly about you.¡± Elio¡¯s voice was not as rxed as usual, but rather serious. This made ra¡¯s heart sink. Could it be that Emmett left in a hurry this morning to investigate her?! ¡°What¡¯s going on with me? I¡¯m clueless right now!¡± ¡°Leah, the woman who took your ce as the birth mother of the child, she has returned to the country. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s arrived, but I don¡¯t know her exact whereabouts¡± Elio paused, his voice filled with concern, ¡°I¡¯m worried she might¡­cause trouble for you!¡± Upon hearing this, ra breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°So it¡¯s just that! You scared the hell out of me!¡± ¡®I¡¯m sorry, I thought she¡¯d never return to the country in her life, so I didn¡¯t inform you beforehand, nor did I sign any agreements with her! Now I have no control over her actions, so I¡¯m worried¡­. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize for this!¡± ra said with a light smile, ¡°Leah is an independent individual, what she wants to do, where she wants to go, is not something we can control! Besides, she has done me and the Milburn family a favor, helping us through a tough time. I should be thanking her! If it wasn¡¯t for my currentck of capacity, I should have shown my gratitude! She must have her ns for returning to the country, you don¡¯t need to be overly concerned Elio sighed, ¡°That¡¯s just like you! Always thinking the best of others! We should be prepared in advance! Emmett is a catch, a lot of women are into him. Leah might be too, right?¡± Chapter 145 Chapter 145 I beg to differ ra said with a sigh, I¡¯m not being overly optimistic, but Leah is your kin, we know her! Maybe she¡¯s not as simple as I think and maybe she¡¯s got a bit of a soft spot for Emmett, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s asplicated as you make her out to bel ¡°Let¡¯s hope so ¡°I really appreciate all the running around you¡¯ve done to help me,¡± ra said cautiously. ¡°As for the road ahead, I think I want to walk it alone. Elio, you should keep moving forward too!¡± Elioughed with a hint of irony, ¡°Yeah right! You heartless woman, first you stole my heart, then you just up and married Emmett! I should just give up! Don¡¯t worry about me, although I¡¯m not as charming as him, there are plenty of women who fancy me! I¡¯ve never been short of femalepany since you left.¡± ra knew he always used this kind of talk to hide his true feelings. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. But calling him out on it wouldn¡¯t do any good, it would just make them both feel awkward. ¡°Well, good for you! Pick a nice girl and settle down! You¡¯re at the age where you should be married, don¡¯t worry your parents¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a nag, anyone would think you were my elder!¡± Elio huffed, ¡°Alright, if you say there¡¯s nothing to worry about, then I won¡¯t doubt it! But I must warn you, be careful! I don¡¯t know much about Leah, but I know plenty of women chase after Emmett! Your position is on many women¡¯s radar, be cautious! Try to stay in Emmett¡¯s sight, he can protect you if anything happens.¡± ¡°And you say I sound like an elder, you sound even more like one!¡± ra nced at the living room and whispered, ¡°Emmett will be looking for me soon, I have to go! Contact me if anything happens.¡± ¡°Sure¡± After hanging up, ra sighed looking at her phone. She couldn¡¯t have it both ways! And Elio had yed the sacrificial role, always making her feel guilty. ¡°ra, what are you doing?¡± Emmett suddenly appeared at her side, giving her a start! ¡°Ah! I¡­ I just needed some air! I¡¯ve been ying with the kids all day, felt a bit stuffy¡± Emmett gave her a knowing nce. ¡°You should go rest in the room.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I feel much better after getting some air! You must be tired, go wash up and sleep, I¡¯ll go check on the kids.¡± With that, she started to leave. But hadn¡¯t taken a few steps before Emmett called her back.. I¡¯ve told you, ra, you¡¯re a lousy liar.¡± It¡¯s as if her face was screaming, ¡°I¡¯m lying!¡± ra was speechless. ¡°Own up and you¡¯ll be let off easy, keep hiding and you¡¯ll face the music.¡± Emmett¡¯s gaze fell on her phone, ¡°Who was that on the phone?¡± ra nervously bit her lip. ¡°It was Elio, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Or was it your ex¨Chusband¡¯s family?¡± Gathering her courage, ra nodded, ¡°Yes, they said that my so Chapter 146 Chapter 146 ¡°No, no, it¡¯s all good!¡± ra hastily waved her hands, ¡°He¡¯s just not used to it yet, give him some time.¡± Emmett crinkled his forehead, a hunch forming in his mind. Every time her kid was brought up. ra would do everything in her power to dodge the topic. Seems like she¡¯s got some skeletons in her closet! Could it be¡­ the kid is actually Taylor¡¯s? What could possibly make this woman, who is clearly not good at lying, to grit her teeth and spin a web of lies? He was honestly curious. The next morning, ra woke up slightly worn out and aching, changed her clothes and freshened up. Sometimes she really wondered if Emmett was purposely wearing her out every night, just so she wouldn¡¯t go to work. How can he still be so enthusiastic about sex?! Material ? N?velDrama.Org. After getting everything ready, ra went downstairs to wake up the kids, ¡°Time to get up and eat! You have school today!¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready, but Alex is still sleeping Aiden pouted, pointing at Alex who was still in bed. ra felt a headacheing on. ¡°Alex! Why are you still sleeping? Look at your brother, he¡¯s already waiting for you!¡± Alex groggily opened his eyes, ¡®Mom¡­ you look pretty¡­¡± Today¡¯s your first day at this school, buttering me up won¡¯t get you out of bed! Hurry up.¡± ra pulled him straight out of bed, ¡°Don¡¯t hold your brother back, he has school tool¡± Alex stuck out his lower lip. ¡°Then¡­. can¡¯t he just go by himself? He can learn my part too! Then when I wake up, he can teach me, right?¡± Seeing ra still staring at him, Alex pouted, still battling the idea of not going to school. ¡°Mom, think about it! If only Aiden goes to school, that¡¯s one tuition, I go to school, that¡¯s another one, so let Aiden go and learn, then he can teach me for free when hees back! That way we can save one tuition, and you can use it to buy me candy!¡± ra couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Your little brain can think of anything but studying! Who said you can skip school and let your brother teach you? Stop spouting nonsense! Hurry up and get ready, no more dilly¨Cdallying!¡± ¡°Fine¡­¡± ra watched him drag his feet into the bathroom, rolling her eyes helplessly. Her son, he¡¯d probably make a decentwyer one day. He might not be good at anything else, but he¡¯s a whiz at arguing! He could even spit out reasons that almost make you believe him. Aiden beside her shrugged like an adult, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m afraid that one day my little brother will lead me astray.¡± ¡°You better keep a firm grip then!¡± ra bent down to ruffle Aiden¡¯s hair, smiling, ¡°I hope both you and your brother grow up healthy and sessful! Your brother¡¯s personality is different from yours, if you can be patient with him, it would make me very happy. But if you can¡¯t, and find it hard to get along with him, you can tell me! I don¡¯t want him to be a burden to you as soon as you¡¯ve gotten to know each other.¡± ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not as serious as you think!¡± Aiden chuckled, gripping ra¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°He¡¯s my brother, if I don¡¯t like him, who else can I like? I¡¯ll try my best. to get along with him, help him out, after all, I¡¯m his big brother!¡± Chapter 147 Chapter 147 ¡°Good kid, Mama knew you¡¯d get what I¡¯m saying!¡± ra got everyone sorted out, and only sat down to have some milk after everyone had gotten on the bus and left, waiting for Emmett. Before long, Emmett came downstairs. The moment ra caught sight of him, her eyes were glued to him¡­.. He was wearing a deep blue suit that fit him just right, perfectly showing off his tall frame! Plus his handsome, deep¨Cset face, he was just dashing. Suddenly, ra remembered what Elio had said to her yesterday, it really made sense! The world has plenty of ambitious women! There¡¯s a whole line of people wanting to get a perfect man like Emmett! And somehow, for no reason at all, she had ended up with this honor! Even if she was dumb, she knew that envy could easily turn into jealousy! Jealousy is a scary emotion, capable of driving people to do crazy things. ¡°ra, you¡¯ve been lost in your own thoughts a lottely¡± Emmett came over to her without her noticing. ¡°Er, Emmett.¡± ra suddenly spoke up. ¡°Can you never make our rtionship public?¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± I¡¯m just thinking about protecting myself!¡± ra started to worry after Elio¡¯s reminder, ¡°You know I¡¯m not the cunning type, I never plot against anyone, so I wouldn¡¯t know what tricks people might use against me! This kind of thing requires talent, I can¡¯t learn it overnight, so¡­. staying in the low is safest.¡± ¡°Can you think about normal things for once?¡± ¡°I think this is quite normal.¡± Emmett was almostughing at her. He reached out and held ra¡¯s hand, gently stroking it, ¡°Why would you need protection when you¡¯re with me? As long as you tell me everything and let me know if anyone is threatening to you, no one can harm you!¡± Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll be too vignt? Then you won¡¯t have time to deal withpany matters, just dealing with me would be tiring enough.¡± ¡°Not at all! Your stuff is easy to handle. Emmett said confidently. Those who want to plot against you, I¡¯ll either send them to some ce far away and never let theme back, or I¡¯ll make them disappear forever.¡± ra was taken aback. ¡°You¡­you would kill them?!¡± ¡°There are many ways to make people disappear, it doesn¡¯t necessarily involve killing.¡± Emmett straightened his tie, ¡°It depends on how they plot against you and how much harm you¡¯ve suffered! All I can say is, I wouldn¡¯t rule out sending them to meet the grim reaper.¡± ra got goosebumps all over and unconsciously stepped back. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Emmettughed. ¡°Why are you looking scared? I won¡¯ty a finger on you.¡± ra gave a stiff smile, her heart full of anxiety. She hoped that he would still say this after he knows the truth! ¡°So, if¡­I mean if, I really upset you? Even got you super angry! How would you¡­deal with me?¡± Emmett smiled slightly, leaned close to her ear and whispered, ¡°Then I would¡­have you stuck in my bed forever.¡± Chapter 148 Chapter 148 ra could already see the writing on the wall, she was going to be so wiped out she wouldn¡¯t even be able to lift her armst She instantly paled. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance toe clean right now! I might let it slide¡± ra stiffly shook her head, forcing out a smile, ¡°I was just making small talk! How dare I keep anything from you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it Emmett Melendez took her hand, making her hook his arm, ¡°Let¡¯s head to the office.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Blissful Oasis Hotel. Leah Calloway stood on the balcony, her gaze level with the Melendez Group¡¯s headquarters. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the ring of her cell phone. Leah paused, turning to pick up the phone from the table. Seeing the number on the screen, she frowned, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± Elio cut to the chase, no pleasantries exchanged. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°I¡¯m in the country!¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking!¡± Elio was somewhat anxious, ¡°You told me before you came home just to visit, you wouldn¡¯t contact Emmett, you wouldn¡¯t disturb ra and them! But my people saw you near the Melendez Group¡¯s office!¡± Leah chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, I didn¡¯t go see Emmett! I don¡¯t even know where the Melendez Group¡¯s office is! Are you a bit too sensitive? Can¡¯t I go out when Ie home?¡± ¡°Leah, don¡¯t y me for a fool!¡± ¡°Elio, we¡¯re family, why are you always doubting me?¡± Leah sighed, ¡°You¡¯re always looking out for ra, but I don¡¯t understand, if you like her so much, why are you okay with her being with someone else? Don¡¯t you get jealous when you see ra and Emmett together?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Leah calmly said, ¡°Don¡¯t get heated! I just want you to face your feelings honestly! It¡¯s a shame to let go of true love so easily! You might not meet another person you truly like in this lifetime¡± ¡°You¡¯re going so far to protect Emmett and ra¡¯s rtionship, but what will you get in the end? Watching them reunite as a family, leaving you with regrets for the rest of your life. ¡°Enough¡± Elio reprimanded her in a low voice, ¡°Cut the crap! You know what your real intentions are, I don¡¯t need to spell it out for you! I can only tell you that ra is mine, I promised to protect her for a lifetime, I won¡¯t let you ruin her happiness!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Leah¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed, ¡°She¡¯s yours? You¡¯re going to protect ra for a lifetime? Elio, will she appreciate you? You¡¯re the only one moved by your own emotions! The one by ra¡¯s side is Emmett, the one who can touch her, kiss her, it¡¯s Emmett!¡± Elio suddenly fell silent. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Leah sneered, ¡°Think about it, my dear brother! Don¡¯t do something you¡¯ll regret!¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve told you, if you insist on keeping up this charade of being deeply in love, I can¡¯t stop you, but don¡¯t interfere with what I do! Even if I have nothing to do with Emmett right now, even if I win him over in the future, it¡¯s because of my capabilities! It¡¯s because Emmett doesn¡¯t love ra enough! You can¡¯t me me for that.¡± With that, Leah hung up the call. She disdainfully nced at Elio¡¯s phone number, then swiftly dialed another one. The phone rang a few times before someone picked up. ¡°Oh, howe Ms. Calloway has the time calling me?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, aren¡¯t we friends?¡± ¡°Cut to the chase, what do you need? Do you think I don¡¯t know you after three years?¡± Leah smirked, ¡°It¡¯s nothing major, I just want you to cooperate with the Melendez Group.¡± ¡°The Melendez Group? You¡¯re joking, right! That¡¯s not up to me!¡± The man gasped, I¡¯m nothing in the eyes of the Melendez family.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I can definitely get you to work with the Melendez Group! I¡¯ll take responsibility for any losses yourpany suffers.¡± The man paused, sounding puzzled, ¡°Why are you so keen on cooperating with the Melendez Group, can I know why?¡± ¡°No¡± ¡°I have my reasons, you just need to help me! If it works out, I promise you, I can get you three coborations with the Melendez Group.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ have you set your sights on someone from the Melendez Group?¡± The man sounded visibly upset, ¡°Leah, what do you take me for? You were my girlfriend for three years, and now you want me to help you getting another man?¡± Leah shrugged nonchntly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us! Don¡¯t make it sound like you ever loved me.¡± ¡°You¡­ ¡°Enough with the chit¨Cchat, are you in or out?¡± ¡°So, who¡¯s your target? A shareholder of the Melendez Group? They could all be your father!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Leah smirked, ¡°No.. my target is Emmett.¡± When ra returned to the office, she thought she would be swamped, but Ricardo had already sorted out all her files, even arranging Emmett¡¯s schedule for the next day. ¡°Ricardo, you¡¯ve really outdone yourself!¡± ra, holding the files and pushing open the door to Ricardo¡¯s office, said, ¡°As a token of my appreciation, how about I treat you to dinner?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright!¡± Ricardo hurriedly waved his hand, ¡®Mr. Melendez is very good to me. I should help out more when you guys are in trouble! Plus, how dare I go out to eat with you? If Mr. Melendez found out, he wouldn¡¯t let me off the hook¡± ra immediately closed the door, ¡°Keep your voice down, I don¡¯t want anyone else to know about my rtionship with Emmett!¡± This made her feel very ufortable, as if someone was always plotting against her from behind. ¡°Oh.. sorry!¡± Ricardo said apologetically. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 ¡°No prob, no need to apologize.. other than Matt, you¡¯re the closest and most capable right¨Chand man Emmett has.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor! Without Mr. Melendez¡¯s support, I wouldn¡¯t be where I am today! And same goes for Matt, if it wasn¡¯t for Mr. Melendez saving him back then, he would be six feet under now¡± ra was caught off guard, ¡°Emmett helped Matt pay off his debts too?¡± ¡°No, rumor has it that Matt was caught by the mob because he betrayed his own team, and was about to kick the bucket when Mr. Melendez stepped in and saved him. Ricardo said, his eyes full of admiration, ¡°Mr. Melendez is so awesome, if I was a woman, I¡¯d totally marry him!¡± After Ricardo finished speaking, he chuckled a little, ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t have a chance to be your rival in this life!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ra sighed, ¡°Being with Emmett is not easy, always living on the edge¡­ ¡°What did you say? I didn¡¯t catch that. ¡°Ah, nothing!¡± ra waved her hand, ¡°Since you won¡¯t let me treat you to a meal, I¡¯ll speak to Mr. Melendez about you taking my vacation time for me! You can¡¯t refuse or I¡¯ll feel guilty.¡± ¡°Alright then! I¡¯ll follow Mr. Melendez¡¯s arrangements.¡± ra chatted with him about somepany matters before heading back to her office. Just as she sat down, her phone started ringing. She answered the call, ¡°Hello, this is ra¡± ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± A soft voice came through, I¡¯m Leah, you remember me, right?¡± ra was stunned, ¡°Of course, I remember you! What can I do for you?¡± ra didn¡¯t think too much about it, she was just surprised. 1..¡± Leah hesitated for a moment, seemingly having difficulty speaking, ¡°I have a favor to ask! Could you help me out?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°This could actually benefit you as well. I¡¯m looking for a partner! I just got back to the country and there is an issue with our family business here. We urgently need to sell a batch of lumber! I know you work for the Melendez Group, and I¡¯ve done some research, the Melendez Group is currently in need of lumber! Ms. Calloway, could you help me out and be a go¨Cbetween?* ra was indeed aware that thepany was currently looking for reliable sources of lumber, she even had some suggestions for selection in the documents she organized this morning. However.. ¡°This is the responsibility of the procurement department, I might not be able to help much! But I can mention it to Emmett!¡± ra paused, her voice carrying a hint of hesitation, ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Leah immediately responded, ¡°You can rest assured, I won¡¯t be dealing with the Melendez Group under my own name! You also don¡¯t need to tell Emmett that this is to help me! In fact, I was worried about this before, afraid that if Emmett saw me, it would spark his investigation into that matter again! So, after much thought, I decided to use my friend¡¯spany to deal with the Melendez Group for this batch of lumber! What do you think?¡± ¡°Great! Thank you for considering my situation¡± ra appreciated Leah¡¯s thoughtfulness, ¡°You helped me before, I¡¯ve always been looking for a chance to pay you back! This time I¡¯ll do my best to rmend you to Emmett, but¡­ I can¡¯t guarantee that it will definitely be sessful.¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 get it! There¡¯s no such thing as a sure thing in business, right? If you¡¯re willing to help me out, I¡¯m already super gratefull¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it! Remember when you risked your neck to help me against the Melendez Group? That¡¯s a bigger favor than anything I¡¯m doing now. II you ever need anything back home, don¡¯t hesitate to reach out! Plus, you¡¯re E¡¯s sister, it¡¯s only right that I look out for you¡± Leah chuckled, ¡°So, can I call you ra? It feels kinda weird calling you Ms. Calloway all the time.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°ra, you¡¯re awesome! I don¡¯t have any friends back home, you¡¯re my first good friend!¡± ra responded warmly. She thought back to when she was raising a child all by herself in a foreignnd. Leah¡¯s fighting her own battles back home, it¡¯s not easy If she can give Leah a hand, she should. After hanging up, she quickly found the morning¡¯s timber selection proposal and sent Leah all the timber requirements. Before long, she received a text from Leah. ¡°No problem, our timber can definitely meet the Melendez Group¡¯s needs! Could you put in a good word with Mr. Melendez?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ra rubbed her temples after setting down her phone. After all¡­ she really didn¡¯t have much confidence that Emmett would agree to the timber deal! He cared about her, but work and personal feelings should be separate, she knew. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. But Leah had helped her before, and if this deal goes through, it would benefit everyone. She didn¡¯t want to outright reject¡­ Screw it, she¡¯d give a shot! Maybe Emmett would agree. Inside the president¡¯s office, Emmett signed his name on a document. ¡°Be careful with this partnership. If there¡¯s any sign of fraud from them, terminate the contract immediately.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Matt took the documents and was about to leave. Emmett suddenly said, ¡°Lay low around the office for a while, I need you to investigate these people in secret.¡± ¡°Alright, should I keep in touch with the Atwoods?¡± ¡°Absolutely! Especially Taylor Atwood, I want you to find out what¡¯s going on between him and ra!¡± Matt nodded, ¡°Understood.¡± As he left, Emmett frowned at hisputer, lost in thought.. Elio was under his control, and judging by ra¡¯s attitude, she didn¡¯t seem to harbor romantic feelings for him. But this Taylor¡­ was a different story! ra obviously had feelings for him! Emmett took a deep breath, feeling helpless. He never thought he¡¯d be upset over a woman! He remembered when he was studying abroad, after being heartbroken once, he decided to keep his distance from all women. But then ra barged into his world. Without her, he¡¯d be living a carefree life, with no ties to the Atwood family. Emmett got up, poured himself a drink, and then hit the inte. ¡°ra,e to my office¡± ¡°Oh¡­ okay, I¡¯ll be right there¡± Chapter 152 Chapter 152 ra gave a gentle knock on the door, only stepping in once she heard Emmett¡¯s response. The scent of alcohol filled the room and she frowned slightly, ¡°Mr. Melendez, are you drinking on the job?¡± ¡°What if I am?¡± Emmett stood up, pulling her in by the waist, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to, then-¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°No, go ahead!¡± ra, guessing what he was about to say, quickly handed him his drink with a smile, ¡°Have as much as you want. Best if you drink till you pass out.¡± Emmett chuckled helplessly, ¡°Am I that disappointing?¡± ra blushed slightly, ¡°What on earth are you saying in broad daylight!¡± You¡¯re as bad at pretending not to know as you are at lying!¡± ra knew she couldn¡¯t out¨Cargue him, so she didn¡¯t bother. ¡°Did you call me over just to watch you drink?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Emmett guided her to sit down and handed her a document, ¡°Take a look at this.¡± ra took it, opened it up¡­ It was a project n from AW Corporation. She nced at Emmett, not understanding his intentions. ¡°This is¡­?¡± ¡°AW Corporation is nning a new real estate project. They¡¯re thinking of teaming up with the foreign MF Group to finance arge¨Cscale residential business district.¡± Emmett took a sip of his drink, ¡°Did you spot any issues in this n?¡± ra hesitated, flipping through the first few pages. ¡°Mr. Melendez, this is AW Corporation¡¯s business. Why am I looking at this?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve known Taylor for a while now, right? If this coboration happens, AW Corporation might take a huge hit.¡± Upon hearing Emmett¡¯s words, ra quickly scanned the document more thoroughly. The n seemed well¨Cconstructed, but¡­ she noticed a problem! ¡°There¡¯s no clear indication of who the supplier is!¡± Emmett grinned, admiration shing in his eyes, ¡°Exactly! You¡¯re just as sharp as I thought.¡± *If the supplier is chosen by the MF Group, then AW Corporation will be nothing more than a stepping stone, with all the decision¨Cmaking power in the MF Group¡¯s hands! They would control every detail of the project, even the price of the properties.¡± ra furrowed her brow, slightly confused. She¡¯s known Taylor for so long, he¡¯s not the type to make this kind of mistake! He was always very cautious in school, never acting recklessly. ¡°Do you have any thoughts on this?¡± ¡°¡­ What could I possibly have to say? I don¡¯t work for AW Corporation.¡± ¡°Can you resist the urge to warn Taylor?¡± Emmett stared at her. His gaze was deep, making it impossible to decipher his true intentions. ¡°Why should I be the one to warn him? Taylor and I are just old acquaintances! Emmett, you¡¯re testing me, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°If you see it as a test.¡± ¡°But why are you always on guard with me, constantly testing me?¡± ra really didn¡¯t understand Emmett, ¡°You¡¯ve hinted multiple times that I should cut ties with Elio, now you¡¯re using Taylor to test me. You still don¡¯t trust me, thinking I might do something bad, right?¡± Chapter 153 Chapter 153 ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°But you did!¡± ra stepped back, ¡°Actually, you should have dug up the dirt about me and Taylor a long time ago, right? Even though the Atwood family. tried to erase our past, you would still have ways to find out! That¡¯s why you showed me this project proposal, to see my reaction!¡± Emmett didn¡¯t expect her to be so smart. He was lost for words. ¡°So, what do you want? Spit it out, I¡¯m listening¡± ra put down the files in her hand, looked at Emmett squarely for the first time, her gaze unflinchingly firm, ¡°Do you want me to tip off Taylor, warn him not to cooperate with you, then suddenly Taylor remembers our past, remembers me, and eventually ends up with me?¡± Emmett knitted his eyebrows. Clearly, he was not thrilled with this scenario. Seeing his silence, ra continued, ¡°Since you¡¯re not satisfied with this oue, what else do you want to see? Should I pretend I never saw this document? Or promise you I won¡¯t help Taylor, and won¡¯t have any contact with him? Is that what you want?¡± ¡°ra, calm down.¡± ¡°How can I calm down? Emmett, if you were constantly tested, could you stay calm?¡± ra stepped back, ¡°We share a bed, but you have never trusted me!¡± Emmett clenched his fists and stood up. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t want to trust you? But your past with Taylor¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you, that¡¯s all in the past!¡± ¡°But you two have a child!¡± Emmett¡¯s fist mmed hard on the desk. He had been patient enough! He had never been so anxious! ra thought he didn¡¯t trust her, but the root of the problem¡­was that he didn¡¯t trust himself! He didn¡¯t believe that his feelings for ra could outweigh her past with Taylor! If Taylor regains his memory in the future, would ra rush back to him? ¡°A child?¡± ra was shocked by his words, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Your son, he¡¯s Taylor¡¯s, right?¡± Emmett turned his face away, I¡¯ve checked. There were no other men in your life! Even though the Atwoods tried to make Taylorpletely forget you and covered up your past, your past¡­everything except the part where you got pregnant and had a child, is still intact!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been careful not to let me see your child, is it because he looks a lot like Taylor?¡± ra opened her mouth to respond, but found that nothing she could say would be appropriate! Emmett¡¯s suspicions sounded reasonable, and if she didn¡¯t know the truth, she would have been persuaded by his reasoning. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°ra, does Taylor know about the child?¡± ra paused, then shook her head, ¡°No.¡± ¡°So, you n to never tell him?¡± ra pressed her forehead, ¡°It¡¯s¡­not what you think¡­¡± ¡°Then tell me, what is the truth! Apart from Taylor and me, did you have any other boyfriends?¡± ra really wanted to tell him¡­ her only boyfriend was him¡­. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 But she couldn¡¯t just say that! If she told Emmett that he was the only man she¡¯d ever been with, the truth about the baby would be out in the open. Emmett was a smart guy, he¡¯d figure it out in no time! ¡°¡­There was no other man, just¡­you and Taylor¡­ ra had to admit. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Hearing her answer, Emmett felt a deep pang in his heart. Despite having braced himself for this for countless times, hearing it from ra¡¯s own lips still stung him deeply. ¡°So the kid is his.¡± Can I not answer that question?¡± She really didn¡¯t want to lie anymore! Emmett sat back down and waved his hand, ¡°Alright, you can go now. I need some time to cool off, we¡¯ll talk about thister.¡± ra nced at him. As she was about to leave, she turned back to ask, ¡°Would you¡­divorce me because of Taylor?¡± ¡°Do you want your freedom?¡± ra clenched her fists, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s nothing between Taylor and me-¡± ¡°Out!¡± Emmett cut her off coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything about you and Taylor right now! Get out.¡± ra hung her head and left the office, closing the door behind her. Now, no matter what she said, he wouldn¡¯t listen. All she could do was y it by ear! Back in her own office, ra felt unsettled. Before long, Ricardo came to knock on her door, ¡°Ms. Calloway, that sales chart you gave me earlier, there¡¯s something wrong with it!¡± ra quickly got up, ¡°Really? Then let me recalcte it! Just wait.¡± She went to open the door and took the chart from him. Ricardo looked at her face and raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s up with you? You seem distracted today, something go wrong?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just probably the heat, I¡¯m not feeling so well. ¡°Well then, stop working. I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ve got nothing much going on right now anyway.¡± Ricardo reached out to take the chart back. ¡°No, no!¡± ra quickly gestured him to stop. ¡°This is supposed to be my job! You¡¯ve already helped me a lot. If I¡¯m here at work, I should be the one doing it! Besides, I know you¡¯re busier than I am.¡± Ricardo scratched his head with an awkward grin, ¡°Well, you¡¯re Mr. Melendez¡¯s wife. Everyone can tell that Mr. Melendez really cares about you, and since I owe him one, it¡¯s only right that I help you out. But if you insist on doing it yourself, then go ahead. I¡¯ll go do my own stuff.¡± ra watched Ricardo turn to leave, then suddenly asked, ¡°Do you think¡­Emmett loves me?¡± Ricardo was taken aback, blurting out, ¡°Of course! In all the years I¡¯ve been with Mr. Melendez, I¡¯ve never seen him care so much about someone. To be honest, I almost never saw Mr. Melendez smile before. But now, with you, even his attitude towards us has improved a lot!¡± Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Just as ra was about to speak, a suddenmotion came from outside. They rushed out to see what was going on, and it seemed like there was a showdown happening right at the entrance. 77 go check it out! You stay put, in case they start throwing punches, you might get hurt and that would upset Mr. Melendez¡± re was never one for rubbernecking, so she just nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get working on that performance chart. We¡¯re supposed to announce it this afternoon, right?¡± ¡°Yep. But if you¡¯re not feeling up to it, we can always postpone it till tomorrow!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Ricardo chuckled and left. And then there was her alone¡­ left in the office. ra stood there, her feelings even moreplicated than when she was abroad! Back then, it was fear, but now¡­ it was like a wave of emotions. crashed over her, leaving her, gasping for air. Finally, the work day was over. ra looked at the office door, surprisingly feeling a bit down. Usually at this time, Emmett would havee to take her home. She checked the time and dialed up Aiden and Alex¡¯s school, ¡®Hello, I¡¯m Aiden and Alex¡¯s mom. Have they been dismissed?¡± ¡°Mrs. Melendez? They¡¯ve already been picked up by the Melendez family!¡± ¡°Oh!¡­ How¡¯s Alex doing at school?¡± She was still a bit worried. ¡°Alex is full of energy! Always hanging around his brother.¡± The teacher chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have one¨Con¨Cone teacher¨Cstudent ratios here! We¡¯llmunicate with the parents if there are any issues.¡± ¡°Thank you for your help!¡± After hanging up, ra tidied up her desk. Looks like she was going home alone today! She grabbed her bag and headed for the door, but as soon as she opened it, she walked straight into a solid chest¡­ A familiar scent filled her nose, and ra, taken aback, looked up- It was Emmett. He came! ¡°Where are you off to?¡± Emmett nced at the bag in her hand. ¡­Home.¡± ra lowered her head, avoiding his gaze, ¡°I thought you were too busy to give me a ride today.¡± Emmett frowned, his eyes fixed on her. After a few seconds, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. ¡°Did I scare you today?¡± ra was taken aback, not quite getting what he meant. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You need to understand, I¡¯m a man, and when a man gets jealousy¡­¡± There was a hint of helplessness and indulgence in Emmett¡¯s eyes, ¡°Of course, I know you didn¡¯t expect to run into me. You and Taylor were probably happy together, never thought you¡¯d break up, let alone marry me.¡± His suddenpromise left ra a little flustered. She had already assumed that Emmett was definitely going to divorce her this time! ¡°Emmett¡­ Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let me finish.¡± His voice was a little hoarse, suggesting he had also been going through a mental struggle, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have kept testing you, and I won¡¯t do it again. But think we need a permanent solution to our problems¡± ¡°And what¡¯s your solution?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ have a child.¡± Emmett looked at her seriously. ¡°That way, there¡¯ll be a bond between us, not just you and me.¡± Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Do you want a kid?¡± ra was a bit taken aback. We already have Aiden and Alex, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°But they aren¡¯t our biological children¡± ra didn¡¯t reply ¡°The most important thing is what you think.¡± ra twitched her lips slightly. I believe having a child requires careful consideration! Can you let me think about it some more?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Emmett grasped her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go home for now, Alex and Aiden will be looking for you! They rely on you a lot.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Emmett looked at the woman beside him, feeling a bit helpless. This is the wife he chose, what else can he do? In the car, ra felt the atmosphere was a bit awkward and decided to break the ice, ¡°Does the company still need timber?¡± Emmett lifted his head from the papers, looking at her, Why the sudden interest?¡± ¡°No reason¡­ just a friend of mine has some lumber they want to dispose of! I figured our new project could use a lot of wood.¡± ¡°You have friends?¡± Emmett seemed surprised. ra nodded, ¡°Yeah¡­ someone I met abroad, they¡¯ve been really good to me! But I¡¯m only mentioning this to introduce them, whether we can cooperate or not depends on the quality of the lumber they provide! You don¡¯t have to force a coboration because of me.¡± Emmett smiled, ¡°If you¡¯re willing to vouch for them, then your rtionship must be really good, of course, I will give them a chance! Arrange a meeting with your friend, I will have Ricardo talk to them! I have a lot of trust in Ricardo.¡± ¡°Great! If I can facilitate this cooperation, it would be a way for me to repay her help! If not, I¡¯ll find other ways to return the favor! Butpany matters, which affect the whole Melendez Group, can¡¯t be influenced by my personal issues! The procurement of lumber might lead to big problems, once there are issues, it will be a real pain.¡± Emmett looked at her seriously analyzing the situation and couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You are thedy of the Melendez Group, and I have a lot of faith in choices.¡± your ra looked up at him, ¡°Don¡¯t put too much trust in me! I haven¡¯t been in the business world for long, even if I want what¡¯s best for thepany, I might make mistakes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so! I think you¡¯re very intuitive aboutpany matters! Just like when you saw the contract from AW Corporation, you quickly found the loopholes! And the people at AW Corporation didn¡¯t notice.¡± ¡°Well, that was just luck. ra was a bit anxious. Because Emmett brought up Taylor again! She was scared she might say something wrong and make Emmett angry again. ¡°ra, you¡¯re actually very talented, don¡¯t underestimate yourself! I¡¯ve seen your design sketches for the new district, your architectural designs might not be perfect, but your innovative thinking and practicality are very impressive.¡± ra looked at him, a bit pleased, ¡°Really? When did you see my design sketches?¡± ¡°¡­Once when I went to your office, you weren¡¯t there.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°You went to my office behind my back?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t sneak in! I walked in like I owned the ce.¡± Emmett cleared his throat, ¡°I was there for work, not because I missed you.¡± Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Upon arriving at the Melendez family¡¯s ce, the minute ra stepped in, Alex bolted out from inside and jumped right into her arms. ra nced at Emmett cautiously, always worrying that Alex¡¯s exuberance might be misunderstood. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. He really likes you, as his mom.¡± ¡°Yeah, Alex and I get along great.¡± ra chuckled as Alex grabbed her face and nted a kiss on it. ¡°Dad, I want to kiss you too!¡± Emmett was taken aback when Alex made this request. ra moved Alex over to him, ¡°Go on, give him a kiss. Your dad¡¯s just a bit shy.¡± Alex didn¡¯t give a hoot and went straight in for a kiss. Emmett¡¯s face stiffened for a moment, then he reached out and pulled Alex into his arms. ¡°Dad, I want you to pick me up and hold me real high!¡± ra quickly intervened, ¡°Alex, your dad¡¯s beat. Let him rest first!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Emmett said. ¡°You go ahead inside, I¡¯ll y with him for a bit.¡± ra conceded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go check on Aiden.¡± She walked into the room, knowing Aiden would be in the study doing his homework. Entering the room with a ss of water, ra said, ¡°Aiden, have some water. Take a break before you carry on.¡± ¡°Mom, I want to finish up first then take a break!¡± ra gently patted his head, ¡°You¡¯re such a good boy. Mom¡¯s so proud of you.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Alex?¡± Aiden only just realized his brother wasn¡¯t there. ra sighed, ¡°He ran off to y. He¡¯s not a bookworm like you.¡± ¡°Alex just doesn¡¯t like studying, but he¡¯s really smart. He picks up things quickly when I teach him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a sweetheart!¡± ¡°Not at all. Alex is my little brother. As the older one, I should know more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my boy!¡± ra beamed, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it then. Come find me when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± As ra left the study, she saw Emmett carrying Alex towards her. ¡°Alex, hurry up and go study with your brother!¡± Alex pouted, ¡°But I want to y with dad.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do! Look, your brother¡¯s almost done with his homework and you haven¡¯t even started!¡± ¡°Go do your homework, I¡¯ll y with youter,¡± Emmett said as he put him down. Alex reluctantly agreed and headed off. ra led the way back to the bedroom with Emmett following close behind. ¡°Your friend¡¯s lumber, does it need to be imported or it¡¯s already in the country?¡± Emmett suddenly asked. ra thought for a moment, ¡°I think it¡¯s stored in the country! You¡¯ve already handed it over to Ricardo?¡± ¡°Yes, Ricardo is tallying up the amount of lumber needed and then he¡¯ll liaise with your friend.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just going to straight up use my friend¡¯s lumber? ra was somewhat worried, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it yet! I think you should let Ricardo check it out first before making a decision. This is a big deal, if there¡¯s a problem after construction starts, it¡¯ll be toote.¡± Emmettughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ricardo knows what he¡¯s doing. You brought it up, if I reject your friend¡¯s offer, wouldn¡¯t that make your friend feel like you don¡¯t have any rights in the Melendez family?¡± Chapter 158 Chapter 158 ra was stunned for a moment. She hadn¡¯t expected Emmett to think about that. ¡°Actually¡­ you really don¡¯t need to worry about me that much. Not many people know I¡¯m your wife right now.¡± ¡°Do your friends know?¡± ¡°They do.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough then?¡± Emmett loosened his tie, gesturing to her. ¡°If you¡¯re grateful, show it with your actions!¡± ra didn¡¯t know what to do. She couldn¡¯t refuse him now but she also felt a bit tired. ¡°Can we¡­ just this once?¡± Emmett chuckled at her serious expression. ¡°Alright, just this once it is!¡± The next morning, ra sent Ricardo¡¯s requirements to Leah as soon as she got to the office. Soon, Leah called back. ¡°Did Emmett agree?¡± ¡°Um¡­ but he still needs to check the quality of the wood.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Leah smiled politely. ¡°ra, thank you so much! You¡¯ve really helped me out!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve helped me so much in the past, it¡¯s my turn to help you! If you ever need help in the future, just give me a ring! Your cousin helped me a lot overseas, it¡¯s the least I can do.¡± ¡°With a heart like yours, no wonder he¡¯s so into you.¡± ra was taken aback,ughing awkwardly, ¡°Elio and I have been friends for many years.¡± ¡°But his feelings for you are definitely more than just friendship!¡± Leah sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him so smitten with anyone before! Even though we¡¯re rtives, he¡¯s never cared much about me or the family affairs. In my eyes, he¡¯s never been particrly fond of anyone until I saw how he is with you. I knew then that you¡¯re his favorite person.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯ve got some stuff to do here, gotta go!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Alright, get back to work! Let¡¯s catch up after this is all sorted.¡± ¡°Okay¡± ra took a deep breath after hanging up. Her guilt towards Elio deepened. Sometimes when she thought about Elio, she felt like he was the one person she had wronged the most in her life. Previously, she had been fully focused on her child and hadn¡¯t considered Elio¡¯s feelings for her, thinking he was just a good friend. By the time she realized, Emmett had already entered the picture. From the beginning to the end, she was always in a passive position, unable to choose, only being pushed forward. ¡°Come in.¡± Hearing the voice, Ricardo entered. ¡°Mr. Melendez, I¡¯ve contacted thedy¡¯s friend. This batch of wood not only has good quality, but the price is also much lower than the market price!¡± Emmett put his pen down, raising an eyebrow, ¡°A price much lower than the market and the quality is good?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ricardo said excitedly. ¡°They gave a very low price, and even showed willingness to bargain when I asked! I personally checked the wood, it¡¯s definitely top¨Cnotch!¡± ¡°Why hasn¡¯t this batch of wood sold then?¡± Ricardo was taken aback, ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°Check out thepany¡¯s info.¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°They specifically sought out ra to cooperate with us, The Melendez Group, on this batch of wood. There must be another agenda! Otherwise, they¡¯d obviously be losing out on this deal. No one likes losing money¡¯in business?¡± Got It, Mr. Melendez.¡± Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Ricardo was about to take off, but Emmett stopped him in his tracks. ¡°Don¡¯t let ra in on this, not a single peep.¡± ¡°Why not? Shouldn¡¯t she be on her guard too?¡± ¡°ra¡¯s an innocent soul. I don¡¯t want her to get all bummed out about the ways of the world. If we don¡¯t find anything wrong, then it¡¯s all water under the bridge.¡± Ricardo finally got the gist and nodded, ¡°Ah, I see! Mr. Melendez, you really think it through! I didn¡¯t even consider that! Ms. Calloway is lucky to have you. always watching her back¡± ¡°She¡¯s naive, so I have to look out for her.¡± He was utterly smitten with this innocent woman. At lunchtime, ra wanted to grab a bite with Emmett and ask about Leah. But after much thought, she decided to ditch the idea. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. People would think something is going on if they saw them together! She didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble for Emmett. Just as she was about to grab lunch alone, her phone rang. It was Leah. ¡°ra, do you have a moment?¡± ¡°Sure, what¡¯s up? You sound like something¡¯s up!¡± I, I got hit by a car. I called our housekeeper, but he didn¡¯t pick up! The doctor asked me to get a family member here. I can¡¯t find anyone, can you¡­e over?¡± Upon hearing this, ra immediately agreed, ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll be right there!¡± After hanging up, ra hailed a cab to the hospital On the way, she gave Emmett a ring. ¡°My friend just got hit by a car. I need to take care of her, so I might not be back in the afternoon! Can you ask Ricardo to cover for me?¡± Emmett replied in a serious tone, ¡°How¡¯s your friend? Do you want me to go with you?¡± ra was taken aback and quickly refused, ¡°It¡¯s okay! I can handle it!¡± If Emmett found out she was going to see Leah, he would definitely be pissed. ¡°Just be careful, if you need my help, call me anytime.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± ra hung up as the cab was pulling up to the hospital. She quickly followed the address Leah sent and rushed in. Out of breath, ra arrived at Leah¡¯s room, where she was bent over the table, her shoulders shaking slightly. It was heartbreaking to see. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ra hurried over and patted her shoulder lightly, ¡°How could this happen, did they find the driver?¡± As soon as Leah heard ra¡¯s voice, she started sobbing even harder. ¡°You finally came here! I thought, I thought I was gonna die¡­¡± Chapter 160 Chapter 160 hapter 160 Thank god you¡¯re okay! The doc said you just have some scrapes and a minor concussion, you¡¯ll be right as rain with some rest!¡± Leah still refused to dry her tears, clutching ra¡¯s arm and crying like a child. Left with no other choice, ra could only gently stroke her back, soothing her, ¡°It¡¯s all over now! I know you¡¯re still a bit spooked, but it¡¯s all behind us! Where do you live? Let me give you a lift.¡± *¡­Alright! I¡¯m even more scared in a ce like this hospital! Doctors and nurses bustling about, and those cries from the emergency room, I¡¯m too scared to even move!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Come on, I¡¯ll take you out of here! But you¡¯ll have to hang tight for a bit, I need to check with the doctor if there¡¯s anything he needs to tell me.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Leah nodded and finally let go of ra¡¯s hand. After a little while, ra came back with a small bag of medications, ¡°Let¡¯s hit the road! I¡¯ll take you home.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± All the way, Leah was shaking all over, clutching ra¡¯s hand tightly. When they reached her hotel, ra was somewhat surprised as she pushed the door open. The table was covered in documents and reports, and the deskmp was still on, as though she had been working all night. ¡°Are you swamped with work?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Leah sighed, ¡°I just got back to the country, there¡¯s a load of stuff waiting for me! I have to take care of so many employees at thepany. They followed me back home, I can¡¯t screw up their sries.¡± ¡°But you gotta take care of yourself too!¡± ra helped her onto the bed, ¡°If it¡¯s too much, you should call Elio, have hime back and give you a hand! He knows a thing or two about business, he¡¯s not just a doctor, but also a business savvy guy¡± Leah shrugged, ¡°You don¡¯t know Elio, he may be capable and a great doctor, but he¡¯s not exactly the Mr. Nice Guy! If he¡¯s into someone, he¡¯d do arrything for them, but if it¡¯s someone he doesn¡¯t give a damn about¡­ he wouldn¡¯t give them the time of day!¡± ra was somewhat surprised at Leah¡¯s assessment of Elio. Because Elio was always quite nice towards her. Maybe it¡¯s because she is one of the people¡­ Elio cares about! Just¡­ ¡°I owe Elio an apology, I have a lot of guilt.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Leah¡¯s eyes flicked, ¡°Tell me the truth, what do you think of my cousin Elio? Are you into him?¡± ra lowered her head, ¡°I¡¯ve always seen him as a friend, I was so focused on taking care of the kid before, I didn¡¯t give much thought to my own. feelings, let alone notice Elio¡¯s changing feelings for me! Then¡­ when he confessed his feelings to me, things with Emmett were already veryplicated!¡± ¡°So, if Emmett hadn¡¯t intervened, and Elio had expressed his feelings, would you have epted?¡± ¡°¡­Maybe¡± ra lowered her head, ¡°Elio has been a great help to me, you could even say without him, I wouldn¡¯t have the rtionship I have with Alex now! All he¡¯s done for me, I can¡¯t repay in any way! If his wish is to be with me, I have no right to refuse.¡± No matter what others say, whether they say she¡¯s ungrateful or without principles! She just hopes to repay Elio in some way. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 She grabbed ra¡¯s wrist tightly. ¡°What about now? What if Elio tells you now that he wants you to be his woman?¡± I¡¯m already married to Emmell, I can¡¯t betray him! Unless Emmett stops loving me, or he betrays me first¡± ra¡¯s face was full of resolve, ¡°We haven¡¯t spent much time together, so you probably don¡¯t know me welll I want a simple life, I don¡¯t want to owe anyone anything, and I don¡¯t do anything to hurt anyone! I hope I can live without guilt and die without regrets.¡± ¡°I get you¡± Leah gently patted her hand. ¡°If you ever need help with anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask me! I¡¯ll do whatever I can to help you!¡± ¡°Thank you¡± ra smiled, ¡°We met again in this country, maybe we¡¯re destined to be good friends! As long as you don¡¯t hate me.¡± ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t! It¡¯s always better to have more friends than being alone in a foreign country! Plus, we share the samest name, maybe we were sisters in our past lives! Leah stepped forward and hugged ra tightly. Behind ra¡¯s back where she couldn¡¯t see, Leah smirked a weird smile.. At the Milburn family¡¯s vi abroad. Today was the old man¡¯s birthday, so almost all the descendants of the Milburn family would be here, Elio didn¡¯t really want toe, but he had to. He went to the banquet hall and found a seat. He sat there drinking alone, no one could tell what he was thinking. Suddenly, someone came over and tapped his shoulder! ¡°Why are you sitting here all by yourself? Come on, let¡¯s have a few drinks!¡± Elio looked up, it was Aaron Calloway, Leah¡¯s father. ¡°I¡¯m not a drinker.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so modest, we don¡¯t have to get drunk! Just have a chat.¡± Aaron pulled up a chair and sat down, ¡°Do you know my daughter went back to our home country?¡± Elio nced at him, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°So why did she go back? You told her you needed help with something, she went, and when she came back, she said she wanted to go back to our home country, and asked me to hand over the domestic trade work to her! I really don¡¯t know what this kid is thinking.¡± Elio frowned. He had always thought that Leah went back home for Emmett. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. But ra didn¡¯t think so, and Leah denied it! ¡°If you as her father don¡¯t know, how would I know? Maybe she just thought home was better! There are more opportunities there.¡± ¡°If she had always wanted to go back, I wouldn¡¯t be so puzzled, but she really didn¡¯t like going back before! I¡¯ve mentioned to her many times that 1 wanted to give her all the domestic affairs and let her go back to help me, but every time she refused me seriously, if I kept bringing it up, she would get very angry!¡± Aaron shook his head, ¡°I even thought she might have a boyfriend back home, but she didn¡¯t dare to tell us! You, as her brother, might know.¡± ¡°You should know, Leah and I don¡¯t usually hang out, I only contact her when I need her help, as for whether she has a boyfriend or not, she wouldn¡¯t tell me! We¡¯re just rtives, I don¡¯t really know her well.¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Aaron seemed a bit miffed after hearing this. ¡°So why¡¯d you let her help you, huh? She¡¯s been acting all weird since she got back. What¡¯s the real deal, Elio?¡± Elio just shrugged, ¡°No biggie.¡± ¡°Well, you better spill the beans, then!¡± ¡°And what? You can ship Leah back home?¡± I ain¡¯t worried about her going home! It¡¯s good she volunteered to help ourpany. But I¡¯m worried she¡¯s gonna get swindled by some folks. She¡¯s so naive, doesn¡¯t have a clue!¡± Elio snorted, ¡°Your daughter¡­ naive?¡± Aaron¡¯s face serious. ¡°And what¡¯s that supposed to mean? She¡¯s your sister, and you talk about her like that?¡± ¡°As long as she doesn¡¯t mess with the happiness of the person I care about, we¡¯re still family. But if she does¡­ I won¡¯t let her off the hook!¡± You¨Cyou¡¯d ditch your own family for a woman? Don¡¯t forget, she agreed to help you without a second thought!¡± Elio stood up, not wanting to hang around any longer. ¡°Maybe you should focus more on your own daughter!¡± You-¡± Elio had had enough of this ce. He had never been a fan of these kind of shindigs. He left the banquet hall and headed straight for his car. He pulled out his phone, thinking about giving ra a call to remind her again. Nah¡­ Whether ra and Emmett can be together, that¡¯s up to fate! He shouldn¡¯t meddle too much. If¡­ if she wanted to break up with Emmett, Elio would be over the moon! If not, he¡¯d just have to suck it up. After ra settled Leah and made sure she was asleep, she quietly closed the door and left. Back at the office, she saw Ricardo trotting over as soon as she walked in. ¡®Miss Calloway, Mr. Melendez is looking for you! He wants you toe over.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°¡­Alright, I¡¯m on my way.¡± She took the elevator straight to Mr. Melendez¡¯s office. She knocked on the door and only entered after hearing Emmett¡¯s voice from inside. Emmett, sitting behind his desk, smiled when he saw her. ¡°How¡¯s your friend doing?¡± ¡°She had a car ident, but she¡¯s okay now! Just a mild concussion and a few scrapes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never met this friend of yours. When will you introduce us? I¡¯d like to know more about your world.¡± ra was taken aback! ¡°My friend¡­ she¡¯s not really into meeting new people¡± ¨C ¡°Are you going to keep using that excuse?¡± Emmett looked at her, puzzled. ¡°I get why you wouldn¡¯t let me meet your son. But why are you keeping your friend away from me too? Is she, by chance, a special someone?¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± ra quickly responded. ¡®My friend would be nervous knowing you¡¯re the CEO of the Melendez Group. We talked about it and she wants to meet you once she¡¯s recovered. Don¡¯t read too much into it.¡± Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Emmett stared into her eyes, silent for quite a while, then shrugged, ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t want to push you.¡± What was he really after? All he wanted was for ra to be a normal wife, to share her social life with him, to just chat about her day. But every time he conversed with ra, he felt she was deliberately keeping her distance. He wanted to understand her better, but without resorting to certain measures, he couldn¡¯t get any information out of her. Was he not a good enough husband? ¡°Emmett, don¡¯t be mad!¡± ra felt stuck between a rock and a hard ce, ¡°I can¡¯t control my friend¡¯s thoughts. If she doesn¡¯t want to meet you, I can¡¯t force her.¡± ¡°I get it.¡± Emmett patted his thigh, ¡°Come sit.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Emmett pulled her over and made her sit on hisp. This made ra blush. ¡°You¡­ this isn¡¯t appropriate, is it? We¡¯re in the office.¡± ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate? You¡¯re my wife, who dares toment?¡± ra really wanted to shut him up right then. ¡°Can you not do this? If people hear, they¡¯ll have more criticisms against me. I¡¯ve already dealt with enough suspicion and misunderstanding in the office, how am I supposed to continue working?¡± Emmett smiled and kissed her. Caught off guard, ra forgot to resist. By the time she remembered, her face was as red as an apple. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re already a mother and you¡¯re still blushing like a little girl!¡± She was truly adorable. ra immediately got up from hisp. Because she had noticed his¡­ change¡­ ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡­ I need to get back to work! I was helping a friend earlier and left a lot of work unfinished.¡± Before Emmett could say anything, ra had already bolted out the door. All Emmett could do was chuckle helplessly, then he pulled out his phone and made a call. ¡°Matt, you can stop investigating ra¡¯s friend from now on.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After hanging up, Emmett smiled to himself. Perhaps he should trust ra more. Otherwise, when would their marital bond deepen? Isn¡¯t trust the foundation of a marriage? He should give her more of it. ra hurried back to her office, sitting at her desk with a red face. Her coworker called out to her a few times, but she didn¡¯t respond until she was gently tapped on the shoulder. ¡°Your design was praised by the boss! I just saw it, really good.¡± Her coworkerughed, ¡°Could you teach me? I always feel like I¡¯m out of ideas. I think I should retire.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind! I just looked at a lot of examples, no special tricks.¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s talent!¡± Her coworker waved her off and was called away by someone else. ra sat in her chair, lightly pping her cheek to try and wake herself up. In the hotel, Leah woke up to an empty room, feeling annoyed. She stood up, tore off all the bandages on her arm and threw them away! Walking out to the balcony, Leah dialed Elio¡¯s number. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Only when the breeze brushed past her face could she feel her breathing smooth again. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 The call got through, and Elio¡¯s voice came over. ¡°What are you up to this time?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you nning to return home? Why do you seem so calm?¡± ¡°¡­ What did you do to ra?!¡± Elio¡¯s mood obviously got heated. ¡°What could I possibly do to her?¡± Leahughed. ¡°You should¡¯ve guessed what I¡¯m nning by now, right?¡± ¡°Leah! You can¡¯t ruin ra¡¯s happiness She¡¯s barely made it this far, you can¡¯t meddle ¡°Why can¡¯t I? If their love is strong enough, my meddling won¡¯t change a thing! If their love is shaky to begin with and there¡¯s no trust, then I¡¯m doing them a favor by pulling them apart. What did I do wrong?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just talking nonsense!¡± ¡°Nonsense? I¡¯m not talking nonsense! Leah scoffed, ¡°I know you¡¯re ying the good guy. You want them to break up too, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t! I¡¯m not as low as you, all I want is ra¡¯s happiness!¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you hold ra¡¯s happiness in your own hands?¡± Leah shot back. ¡°You¡¯re pinning your hopes on Emmett. Are you so sure he won¡¯t hurt her? And let¡¯s be honest, a guy like Emmett, I¡¯m not the only one eyeing him! If I snatch him up, won¡¯t it be beneficial for the Milburns, the Calloways, and you?¡± The other end of the line went silent. Leah¡¯s tone softened. She said quietly, ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good! Can¡¯t you see that? We¡¯re family, don¡¯t you think I understand you? You¡¯re basically giving up! Are you really going to just give up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you care this much about a woman. Emmett, who just swooped in out of nowhere, he shouldn¡¯t have even appeared! I asked ra, she said if Emmett hadn¡¯te into the picture, she would¡¯ve been with you!¡± ¡°Did ra really say that?¡± ¡°Absolutely, I swear!¡± Elio went silent again. Leah knew he must be wavering. ¡°Think about it, you¡¯ve given so much and now you have nothing! Alex is calling another man ¡®dad¡®, ra is sleeping next to Emmett, and you, you¡¯ve got nothing! Think about it, am I wrong?¡± ¡°Leah, you¡¯ve been trying to convince me, what exactly do you want me to do? Just spit it out.¡± Leah smiled, ¡°What can I do for you? I really wish you coulde back home and give me a hand! Let¡¯s n this together! Once I marry Emmett and you get back with ra, won¡¯t we all be happy? Why should you spend your nights alone?¡± ¡°Leah, I had no idea you were this kind of person! If I had known, I would¡¯ve definitely-¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°Definitely what?¡± Leah cut him off, ¡°Definitely wouldn¡¯t have let me in on this, to y your little game? Don¡¯t you see, I¡¯m doing all this for your own good, I just want you to benefit as well! If you hadn¡¯t included me, how would I have met Emmett? And how could I help you win back ra? No one else could do this!¡± Chapter 165 Chapter 165 After hanging up the phone, Leah¡¯s mood suddenly lifted. She turned and walked into the bathroom, filled the tub with water, and then soaked herself in it. Looking at her delicate figure and fine skin, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. Right now, Emmell just hadn¡¯t experienced her charm yet, so that¡¯s why he¡¯s so aloof towards her¡­ once he does¡­ She swore he wouldn¡¯t have eyes for any other woman! ¡°Emmett, you¡¯re mine! Stop wasting your time on other women¡­¡± After a whole day of hustle and bustle, ra didn¡¯t have time to draw the new design. Before leaving work, she quickly closed the door to her secretary office and started sketching When ites to the design, she¡¯s like a crazed fanatic. When she didn¡¯t have time, she even thought about taking the design to the bathroom to draw! Just as she started, Emmett¡¯s voice came from outside. ¡°You should clock out now, I¡¯m taking you out to a nice ce!¡± ra hesitated for a moment, got up and opened the door. ¡°Emmett, can I not go? You¡¯re busy, don¡¯t worry about me! I¡¯m not hungry right now¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯re my wife, who else am I supposed to care for?¡± Emmett pulled her into his arms.Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ra quickly backed away, pulling him in and shutting the door. ¡°We¡¯re still at work! People will talk if they see us!¡± * ¡°Then tell me who¡¯s been talking?¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°If there¡¯s someone like that in ourpany, I won¡¯t let them get away with it!¡± ra rolled her eyes, ¡°You can shut their mouths, but you can¡¯t control their minds! If you fire people over this, they¡¯ll only believe these rumors even more!¡± ¡°ra, we are married, that¡¯s a fact. Why should we be afraid of those rumors?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to make this public! People have already seen us together, and Ricardo¡¯s words bothered me! Please, don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t do this at work¡­¡± Emmett paused for a moment, then burst outughing! Looking at her flushed cheeks, Emmett felt too embarrassed to persist.. ¡°Emmett, are you even listening to me?!¡± ¡°I heard you!¡± Emmettughed. ¡°So basically, you want to hide the truth, keep me a secret! ra, you¡¯re the first one who¡¯s ever wanted to do this to me! Male or female, you¡¯re the first.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not trying to belittle you, I just-¡± ¡°As the CEO, I have no intention of hiding this, but you, as my secretary, have a lot of concerns.¡± Emmett feigned helplessness and sighed, ¡°It seems you don¡¯t care about me at all! Otherwise, why would you say such heart¨Cwrenching things? Do you have some other n?¡± ra immediately shook her head, ¡°Absolutely not! I¡¯ve always been honest and straightforward, with no ulterior motives!¡± Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Emmett held her hand and suddenly smiled. ¡°Chill out, I was just messing around, didn¡¯t you notice?¡± ¡°Alright, since you brought it up, I¡¯ll do as you say! We¡¯ll keep things under wraps at work, but at home¡­ you owe me somepensation!¡± ra blushed, ¡°Emmett, I googled it, it¡¯s not good for your health to do it too frequently! You need need¡­ some rest¡­¡± Seeing his adorable wife in front of him, Emmett couldn¡¯t help butugh. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So you¡¯ve been doing some naughty research on your own.¡± I, I just, casually checked!¡± ra felt her face burning up. ¡°Ohe on, stop teasing me! I need to continue my drawing, go have your meal! When I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll take a cab home!¡± ¡°No worries, I¡¯m not hungry anyway. I¡¯ll stay here and apany you! We can head home together after you finish work.¡± All the things ra said to him were in vain! ¡°If you¡¯re here watching, I can¡¯t focus on my drawing!¡± ¡°Well, then join me for a meal.¡± ¡°¡­Alright, let¡¯s eat¡± ra put down her pen, picked up her bag from the table, ¡°We can leave now.¡± Emmett nodded and prepared to leave. ra suddenly spoke, ¡°Uhm¡­you go first, I¡¯ll meet you in the underground parking lotter!¡± ¡°Please!¡± ra blinked, giving him a pleading look. Emmett sighed, ¡°In my whole life, I¡¯ve never done anything sneaky! Now it¡¯s hrious that even going out with my own wife feels like I¡¯mmitting a crime.¡± ¡°Please!¡± The two arrived at the restaurant one after another. Fortunately, Emmett had booked a private room, otherwise, ra would be very anxious. ¡°The food here is great, eat more.¡± ra nodded, ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s take some home for the kidster! Alex will love it, and Aiden should too.¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°You seem to know Alex well.¡± ra paused, saying. ¡°That¡¯s because Alex is more clingy, he tells me everything that¡¯s on his mind! But I don¡¯t seem to understand Aiden as much because he¡¯s introverted and doesn¡¯t like sharing his inner world with others.¡± ¡°Should I talk to Aiden when I get back?¡± ra quickly shook her head, ¡°No need! I don¡¯t think we need to push Aiden! He¡¯s still young, and I don¡¯t want him to resist me! It¡¯s better to take things slow, I know we can¡¯t rush this.¡± ¡°ra.¡± Emmett looked at her, silent for a few seconds before speaking again, ¡°I feel it¡¯s unfair to you to be a stepmother as soon as you married me! So if you have any trouble with the kids, just tell me! No matter right or wrong, reasonable or not, I will treat it fairly! Because I know you¡¯re a kind person, and the kids also like you.¡± ¡°Of course they like me!¡± Because I¡¯m their biological mother! ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, being a stepmother isn¡¯t easy¡± ¡°No problem, I don¡¯t feel hard at all!¡± Being with the kids is already the happiest moment for her! Except for sometimes feeling a bit panic in daily life, she thought life was good. But she does worry sometimes If one day, this secret is revealed, how would the Melendez family deal with her? Chapter 167 Chapter 167 She was clueless about all this. Now, she felt Emmett was pretty good to her, but that was because he considered himself the stepmother of the child, and the child was decent to her, there was a bit of guilt in his heart. But if he knew the truth.. ¡°Emmett, can I ask you something?¡± Emmett nced at her, ¡°What?¡± ¡°What if¡­ I mean what if one day you found out that I¡¯ve been lying to you, what would you do?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve asked me this before, haven¡¯t you? I guess, you want to confront me directly, right? Emmett said, ¡°Spill it, how did you deceive me?* ra regretted asking that question now. What kind of person is this Emmett! She was just trying to feel him out¡­ Asking this way, isn¡¯t it the same as telling him the truth? ¡°Emmett, why so serious? I just want to know the oue! Today, um¡­ I read a news story about a wife who deceived her husband and then the husband killed his wife! I think your personality¡­ ¡°You¡¯re saying I¡¯d kill too?¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± ra quickly exined. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, I just want to know, what would be your reaction!¡± ¡°What kind of reaction do you hope I¡¯d have?¡± ¡°How would I know?¡± ¡°It depends on the severity of the matter.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ra quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s definitely a big deal! I wouldn¡¯t lie over small matters.¡± ¡°Seems pretty serious¡± Emmett¡¯s gaze swept over her cheek, ¡°So you¡¯d better not deceive me, just be upfront, I won¡¯t make things difficult for you! But if I find out, I won¡¯t let you off easily.¡± Emmett said this to scare her. But ra was so scared that her hands were shaking a little. Emmettforted her, ¡°Since you haven¡¯t deceived me, there¡¯s no need to be nervous! I¡¯m not a monster, how could I take your life!¡± In the evening, at the Melendez family¡¯s estate. Sophia Melendez looked at the time, her grandsons would be out of school in a little over an hour. She asked the driver to prepare the car, ¡°I want to personally go buy some ingredients to cook for my grandsons today! And pick them up on the way.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Soon, the car was ready Sophia got in the car, contemting what to make that would delight them! Little Alex, he¡¯s quite the talker, everything tastes good to him, but Aiden¡­ hasn¡¯t been eating much lately and seems to have lost some weight. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the children¡¯s teachers called today and said school will be dismissed an hourte.¡± The driver had been on the road for a while when the butler called to tell him Upon hearing this, Sophia nodded slightly, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go buy Aiden¡¯s favorite pastries! I¡¯ll get him some, in case he doesn¡¯t like my cooking, he can have those pastries¡± The driver smiled and replied, ¡°Aiden and Alex are lucky to have a grandma like you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of them that my life isplete!¡± Sophia sighed deeply, feeling a bit anxious every time she thought of the decision she made back then. Even now, she wasn¡¯t sure if she had made the right choice. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Back then, she just thought her son was too heartbroken and worried he wouldn¡¯t find a wife and have kids of his own in his lifetime. So, for the sake of the Melendez family¡¯s hundred¨Cyear legacy, she pushed her son to agree to surrogacy. But now, out of the blue, ra shows up! Now, both kids are in the hands of a stepmom, how could she not worry? ¡°I noticed both kids get along super well with Ms Calloway! Saw them having a st the other day! Don¡¯t know why, but I think they look kinda simr!¡± ¡°But no matter what, she¡¯s still a stepmom!¡± Sophia furrowed her brows in worry. ¡°A stepmom will never be like a real mom! Right now, she¡¯s just putting on a show because she¡¯s in the Melendez family and I¡¯m here, but the more over the top she acts, the more I worry it¡¯s all an act!¡± 1 don¡¯t think Ms. Calloway is that type of person!¡± ¡°What do you know? Some people seem harmless, but who knows what they¡¯re plotting?¡± Sophia sighed, ¡°Anyway, I feel so sorry for my two grandsons! Such good kids having to live under the care of a stepmom, I think it¡¯s all my fault!¡± The driverforted her, ¡°Ma¡¯am, you might be too pessimistic! Maybe things aren¡¯t as bad as you think! I¡¯ve had a few interactions with Ms. Calloway and she¡¯s not arrogant at all! She¡¯s very nice to us staff, even more so to the kids¡± Sophia said, ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t want to think about it anymore! I¡¯m old and how much longer I¡¯ll live is unknown! Now, all I can do is protect the kids for as long as I¡¯m alive! As for the rest, I can¡¯t control it, I can only remind Emmett to be careful! Especially the kids, they¡¯re still small¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The car pulled up at the pastry shop, Sophia got down and just as she was about to open the door, she saw a woman about to leave with a bunch of pastries. The shopkeeper saw Sophia and hurriedly said, ¡°Oh dear, ma¡¯am, you¡¯re a step toote, thatdy bought all the pastries! Upon hearing this, Sophia quickly turned around to stop the woman who was about to leave. ¡°Um¡­ excuse me, ma¡¯am, I wonder if you could sell me a few pastries? My grandsons love them! I¡¯m willing to pay three times the price, would that be okay?¡± The woman hesitated, ¡°No need, since your grandsons love them, I can give you a few more! These are just for me to enjoy.¡± ¡°No, I must pay you! I¡¯m already very grateful that you¡¯re willing to let me buy ¡°These pastries aren¡¯t that expensive, I don¡¯t need the extra!¡± Thedy pushed the money back, ¡°If these pastries can bring joy to a child, they¡¯ve done their job! I think if my children were with me, they¡¯d love these pastries too.¡± Sophia asked, ¡°Oh? Your children aren¡¯t with you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Thedy shook her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that! You take these back, don¡¯t let the kids wait, I have to go now.¡± Sophia stopped her and expressed her gratitude. ¡°Thank you, could you tell me your name? So if we meet again, I can repay your kindness.¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m. Leah Calloway¡± Chapter 169 Chapter 169 ¡°You¡¯re a Calloway too! That¡¯s a rarest name, same as my daughter¨Cinw ¡°Oh, really? What a coincidence!¡± Leah chuckled, ¡°I have some stuff to take care of, have a nice day¡± Sophia Melendez waved quickly. ¡°Same to you. You¡¯re a good girl, if you ever need help, don¡¯t hesitate to approach us, the Melendez family I¡¯ll make sure to repay you¡± Thank you!¡± Leah left the pastry shop, lightly touching her red lips. Seems like it¡¯s not a good idea to mess with Emmett Melendez, then¡­ his mother probably wouldn¡¯t be so fond of ra Calloway, would she? Back at the Melendez residence, as soon as ra and Emmett walked through the door, Alex ran out like a clingy puppy But this time was different, Aiden was trailing behind him. ¡°Dad, Mom! You¡¯re finally back! Grandma bought us some super tasty pastries today, I ate so much I don¡¯t even want dinner!¡± Alex rambled on, ¡°Aiden thought you guys might like them too, so he saved some for you.¡± ra yfully tapped his little nose, ¡°What about you? Did you save some for us?¡± Alex was taken aback, then he squinted his eyes and gave a mischievous grin, ¡°1¡­ I loved them too much! Besides, Aiden saved some for you, that should be enough for adults!¡± Emmett was helpless too, patting his little head, ¡°If you guys like them, I¡¯ll send someone to buy more.¡± As he finished speaking, Sophia walked out of the house, naturally scooping Alex into her arms. ¡°Those pastries are limited edition, once sold out, they won¡¯t make more! Our share today was given to us by a kind girl. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll send someone to line up early tomorrow! Until they¡¯ve had their fill.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± Alex was so excited he wanted to jump up. Aiden, however, spoke calmly. ¡°You can¡¯t keep eating the same yummy food, you¡¯ll get tired of it soon.¡± ¡°Your brother is right.¡± ra moved next to Sophia, extending her hand, ¡°Mom, let me hold him. He¡¯s heavy, don¡¯t tire yourself.¡± Sophia nced at her, but showed no intention of letting go. ¡°No need, I¡¯d never feel tired for them. On the contrary, if I¡¯m not around them in the future, you must take good care of them. Don¡¯t let them be bullied just because they don¡¯t have a mother.¡± Emmett caught the undertone in her words and quickly intervened, ¡°Mom, what are you implying? ra has never done anything to make us feel like she would bully them because they don¡¯t have their biological mother¡± ¡°All the better then. I was just mentioning it, no harm intended!¡± Sophia said with a smile, then turned to ra, ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart! I¡¯m just straightforward! These two kids are my world! If they¡¯re mistreated, it¡¯s like I¡¯m being mistreated! I¡¯m just saying this in advance to maintain peace in our family, you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± ra waved her off, ¡°Of course not!¡± At this point, Emmett, with a stern face, said, ¡°Mom, can I speak with you in the study?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Emmett¡¯s was looking a bit off color and ra wanted to say something tofort him, but Emmett gave her a look that told her to keep it quiet. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Sophia figured out her son wanted to have a private chat with her, so she turned to Aiden and Alex and said, ¡°Alrighty, you guys go do your homework and Granny will make dinner for youter.¡± Aiden sensed something was up, so he just nodded quietly. Alex just straight up asked, ¡°What¡¯s Granny and Dad gonna talk about?¡± Aiden pulled him back, ¡°Zip it, it¡¯s none of our business. Come on, I¡¯ll help you with your homework.¡± Alex tried to say more, but Aiden cut him off, ¡°No more questions.¡± In the study. Sophia walked in and plonked herself on the couch. She looked totally chill, not worried in the slightest about her son¡¯s uing interrogation. Emmett frowned, saying to his mother, ¡°Tell me, why did you pull this stunt?¡± Sophia looked puzzled, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Emmett asked, ¡°Why did you say that stuff to ra?¡± Sophia shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. What did I say to her?¡± Emmett pressed on, ¡°Did ra do something bad to the kids? Did you see it with your own eyes?¡± Sophia got up and walked over to her son, ¡°I was just giving her a heads¨Cup to be good to the kids. I can¡¯t gamble with my grandkids getting hurt. I just wanted ra to understand that this is the Melendez Group¡¯s home, and it¡¯s my grandkids¡® home¡± Emmett clenched his fist, ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t you afraid that ra and I will have misunderstandings because of this?¡± ¡°This is the Melendez family!¡± Sophia reiterated. Emmett took a step back, eyeing his mother seriously. ¡°Why has ite to this? You¡¯ve always wanted me to find a good partner, and now that I have. this is how you treat her? Haven¡¯t you considered the predicament you¡¯re putting me in?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ve considered your situation. But you¡¯re an adult now, you can protect yourself. My grandkids are still young and naive. If ra really treats them badly, they might not be able to express it. What I did, was just to make ra understand their ce in our family.¡± ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no need for this!¡± ¡°I absolutely feel there is!¡± Sophia stood her ground, ¡°She¡¯s their stepmother after all! No matter how great you think she is, she¡¯s not their biological mother! Yes, I agreed to ra joining our family, and I hope you and ra will be happy together, but that doesn¡¯t stop me from protecting my grandkids! If ra doesn¡¯t have any intention to mistreat them, then she can simply ignore what I said!¡± Chapter 171 Chapter 171 ¡°Mom, as a woman, would you be happy if your mother¨Cinw spoke to you like that? Would you not care?¡± Sophia, looking a bit ufortable, shifted her gaze elsewhere. ¡°I¡¯ve said what I had to say, you¡¯re not expecting me to apologize to her, are you? I¡¯m the elder here!¡± She sighed, ¡°Besides, everything I¡¯ve done is for your kids Aiden and Alex are your flesh and blood, after all ¡°I don¡¯t need your meddling!¡± Sophia shot back, her eyes ring with anger, ¡°Whether you want me to interfere or not is irrelevant! I¡¯m telling you, as long as I¡¯m alive, Aiden and Alex will not be bullied by anyone! No one can harm my grandkids, not even a bit!¡± ¡°Look at Aiden and Alex, they really like ra¡® If ra was mean to them, would they act like this? Alex might be naive, but Aiden is very smart!¡± Sophia scoffed, ¡°Who can¡¯t put on a show?! I didn¡¯t say she has been bullying them, I just took precautions! I think there¡¯s nothing wrong with that!¡± With that, she marched out of the study. Emmett, frustrated, punched the desk, his knuckles smarting red. Not long after Sophia left, ra walked in. Seeing Emmett¡¯s hand, she rushed over to check, ¡°Oh my god! What happened to your hand?¡± ¡°Nothing. I did it myself.¡± ¡°Oh, whatever your mom says, let¡¯s just forget about it! It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a big deal! If you don¡¯t want to hear it, just pretend you didn¡¯t! Don¡¯t get angry over it, it¡¯ll make it even harder for me to get along with your mom.¡± Emmett looked at her, feeling uneasy. He took ra¡¯s hand, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be mistreated, even if the person doing it is my mother.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel mistreated at all!¡± Seeing how much Sophia loved the kids, she felt happy instead. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. That way, even if something happened to her one day, she knew the kids would not be bullied. ¡°ra, dont worry, I won¡¯t let you keep enduring this just because she¡¯s my mother,¡± Emmett assured her, ¡°If you¡¯re ufortable, let me know. We can move out with the kids.¡± He had plenty of houses anyway, he could even buy a new one. ¡°Why move? There¡¯s no need! Your parents adore the kids, they¡¯d be devastated if I took them away! We thought it was just Aiden, so taking him away. would let your mom rx, but now Alex is so cute and makes your mom really happy, I think it would be nice to let the elders have a bit more happiness¡± Emmett looked at her, ¡°Are you thinking so thoroughly because of me?¡± ra was taken aback, she awkwardly chuckled a few times, neither confirming nor denying ¡°It¡¯ste, let¡¯s get some sleep! You have a lot of meetings tomorrow, and you need to handle several important negotiations personally¡± Emmett chuckled and nodded. ra, as she was now, really felt like a wife. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 The next morning, ra got up, washed up, and headed to the dining room. Aiden and Alex were talking about what had happened at kindergarten yesterday. When they saw their mom, they both rushed over ¡°Mom, when can you take me to the amusement park? I really want to go!¡± Alex said with a grin. ¡°Aiden says he¡¯s never been, I want to go with him!¡± Aiden made a face. 1 didn¡¯t say I¡¯ve never been, I said I don¡¯t want to go.¡± What¡¯s the difference? Isn¡¯t it just that you¡¯ve never been? Aiden, it¡¯s super fun!¡± Alex grabbed his brother¡¯s hand and turned to ra. ¡°Mom, can we go his weekend?¡± Before ra could respond, Aiden shot back coldly. I don¡¯t want to! If you want to go, you can go alone, I¡¯ll just watch¡± Alex was about to say something when Sophia came down from her bedroom upstairs. Seeing her two grandsons, she grinned widely. When she saw ra, though, she looked surprised. ¡°What¡¯s up? What are you guys arguing about?¡± dex quickly ran to Sophia and startedining, ¡°Grandma, Aiden won¡¯t go to the amusement park with me! Mom already said yes and that she¡¯ll take ne, but then my brother said he won¡¯t go!¡± What? She actually agreed to let you go y such dangerous stuff?¡± That¡¯s not it- Do you want to get my grandson killed?¡± Sophia wouldn¡¯t let ra get a word in. ¡°They¡¯re still so young, the staff at the amusement park wouldn¡¯t even at them on the rides, and yet you agreed! It¡¯s clear now, they¡¯re not your own children!¡± Chatting? So, did you ever forbid them from going to the amusement park?¡± And did you ever tell them it¡¯s dangerous?¡± _No.¡± And you dare to take the kids to the amusement park? ra, let me tell you, I won¡¯t let my grandsons get hurt!¡± Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be extra careful with them! I won¡¯t let Alex go on any dangerous rides! You see, he¡¯s just curious and brave¡­¡± lex had been a few times before and nothing had happened, so ra wasn¡¯t too worried. ut she hadn¡¯t expected Emmett¡¯s mother to be so strict. Being brave is enough? The ones who die when idents happen are always the brave ones!¡± Sophia gave ra a hard look, then said, ¡°We¡¯re not going here. Alex, Aiden, grandma will buy you better toys!¡± lex was clearly thrilled to hear this. iden, however¡­ Alex, you need to exin to grandma! Mom never actually agreed to let him go, it was always Alex¡¯s idea, mom never explicitly agreed, and then we just tarted discussing other things!¡± /hen Sophia heard this, she looked embarrassed in the end, I¡¯m thinking of the children¡¯s best interests! If you can understand that, great. If not, well, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it!¡± Chapter 173 Chapter 173 After saying that, she walked away with Alex in her arms. ra was left alone, the injustice she felt inside was beyond words. Suddenly¡­ Someone took her hand. ra looked up, it was Aiden. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be mad¡® Granny is not usually like this, she¡¯s really nice to me and to Alex, she just doesn¡¯t know the whole story, so¡­ ra lowered her head, picked him up, and smiled, ¡°Mom¡¯s not mad! Don¡¯t worry about me! I know your granny is just trying to protect you guys, seeing her like this, I should be happy!¡± ¡°But Mom, you are crying¡­ Aiden reached out his little hand and gently wiped the tear from her eye. ra quickly wiped away her tears, ¡°I¡¯m crying, not because your granny scolded me, but because¡­ it¡¯s so nice to see that someone truly loves you and Alex¡°¡± Growing up, she never received much love and care, let alone someone considering her feelings. Now seeing the two kids being so cherished, she was truly happy. ¡°Mom, Granny is not usually so strict! When I was little my father didn¡¯t care about me, Granny took care of me, so she loves us a lot!¡± Aiden thought for a moment, ¡°Should I¡­talk to Granny and exin? Let her know that Mom also loves us a lot!¡± ¡°No need You and Alex don¡¯t have to do anything for me! Granny loving you guys is a good thing in itself, if she sees you guys trying to defend me, she¡¯ll be upset! Granny is really good to you guys, that¡¯s enough! Mom¡¯s okay.¡± ra stroked her son¡¯s head, ¡°Alright, go find Alex and your granny! Otherwise, you¡¯ll miss out on the new toys they brought ¡± Seeing his mother didn¡¯t want to talk anymore, Aiden nodded reluctantly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going then, Mom!¡± ¡°Have fun!¡± ra watched Aiden leave, biting her lip lightly, trying to suppress her emotions. After a while, Emmett, having changed his clothes, came downstairs. Seeing ra lost in thought, he walked over. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Nothing, nothing! I was just thinking, your mother really loves these two kids, they¡¯re so lucky.¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°Did she give you a hard time again?¡± ¡°No ra said, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, I just saw your mother taking the kids to buy toys! They¡¯re well taken care of by her.¡± ¡°Right Emmett nodded, but sighed soon after, That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m worried! I fear that they¡¯re so used to getting what they want that they might break down at the slightest setback when they grow up! MyContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. mother, as much as she loves them, can¡¯t always be there to protect them! What will they do when they need to be independent?¡± ra looked at Emmett, ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t get close to Aiden before?¡± ¡°Not really¡± Emmett admitted, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the importance of the parent¨Cchild rtionship before! There¡¯s so much going on with thepany, I¡¯m always dealing with all sorts ofpany matters, and by the time I get home, it¡¯s alreadyte at night, not convenient to disturb them. As a result, I don¡¯t have time to spend with the kids in my everyday life.¡± Chapter 174 Chapter 174 ra lowered her head, her voice dropping to a mere whisper. ¡°Kids needpany.¡± 1 get it now!¡± Emmett grabbed her hand tightly, ¡°It wasn¡¯t until you came along that I realized how fun and meaningful it is to have a family around. I used to think that making more money and making the Melendez family stronger was what happiness and importance were all about! But now I truly understand, that¡¯s not what¡¯s most important! The real happiness I want is having you by my side, having our kids by my side, work doesn¡¯t matter¡± His sudden confession left ra a bit flustered. Emmett held her hand even tighter, ¡°ra, everything I¡¯ve changed has been for you! Please don¡¯t let me down.¡± ra looked at him, ¡°Let you down? How could I let you down?¡± ¡°Unless your heart isn¡¯t with me, I can take anything else!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, we gotta get to work.¡± Emmett never let go of her hand, even as he led her to the car. Looking at his profile, ra felt¡­ like something was slowly changing. At the office, ra organized all the files on herputer, printed them out and ced them by the door for everyone to pick up. After a while, her phone suddenly rang. Looking down, she saw it was Leah. She was instantly startled, fearing Leah was in some sort of crisis. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ra answered the phone, quickly asking. ¡°ra. the guy I like, he rejected me! What should I do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any experience with that ra felt like a kid when it came to such matters. All she could offer were some words offort, like she¡¯ll find someone better in the future¡­ But she felt theseforting words were pretty useless. ¡°I want to see you, ra!¡± Leah¡¯s voice was pleading. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ra felt a bit awkward, ¡°I¡¯m at work right now! Can we talk after I get off?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m feeling so¡­¡± Leah sobbed, ¡°1 feel terrible now, I just need someone to talk to! Can youe? Just for an hour?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°Half an hour, can you spare half an hour?¡± Left with no choice, ra agreed, ¡°Alright, but I can¡¯t promise how long I can stay. If somethinges up here, I¡¯ll have toe back.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After hanging up, ra got up to ask Ricardo for a leave. But she was worried that if Emmett found out, he would start asking a bunch of questions! She wasn¡¯t afraid of the questioning, she was more concerned that Emmett might be interested in her ¡°friend¡°. If he decides to do a little digging, her real situation would be revealed! After some thought, ra grabbed her bag and slipped out quietly. She¡¯d already said she wouldn¡¯t be long, she¡¯d be back soon, should be fine, right? In the CEO¡¯s office Emmett was frowning at some documents, asionally signing his name. Before long, Ricardo knocked and came in, ¡°Mr. Melendez, our staff saw Taylor Atwood personally went to Cedarwood.¡± ¡°What¡¯s he doing there? Emmett asked Ricardo, ¡°Isn¡¯t that ce the Quintin family¡¯s turf?¡± Then he might have other business there, it doesn¡¯t have to be work¨Crted! Otherwise, it doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ The Quintin family wouldn¡¯t just hand over that ce to Taylor!¡± Chapter 175 Chapter 175 ¡°So should I go check on him? See if he¡¯s had any dealings with the Quintin family recently?¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Emmett waved his hand, showing that he didn¡¯t want anything more to do with the Atwood family. As long as Taylor kept his nose clean and didn¡¯t make a move on ra, the two families could coexist peacefully. ¡°Got it, Mr. Melendez! I¡¯ll get on it now.¡± Just as Ricardo was about to turn and leave, Emmett suddenly spoke up, ¡°Is ra in the office?¡± ¡°No, I just went to look for her, she¡¯s not there. But I didn¡¯t ask, she might be in the restroom, or out delivering documents¡± ¡°When you see her, tell her toe see me. I looked at her blueprints yesterday, they¡¯re pretty good, but there are a few changes needed. I think we can use her design for the new building¡± Ricardo nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let her know to bring her blueprints when shees to see you.¡± ¡°Good, go on with what you were doing.¡± Yes, Mr. Melendez.¡± ra pulled up to the hotel where Leah was staying. As soon as she walked in, she saw Leah curled up in a corner, tears in her eyes. Being a woman herself, seeing this made her heart soften. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± *1¡­I feel so useless¡­ Leah covered her face with her hands, ¡°I like him so much, why can¡¯t he just give me a little love?¡± ra sighed, walked over and stroked her head, ¡°It¡¯ll pass. Crying will only make you look worse. Leah, don¡¯t let a man change your thoughts to yourself.¡± Hearing this, Leah blinked in surprise, thenughed, ¡°ra, you¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who helped me get to where I am today¡± ¡°So¡­do you have anyone you like?¡± ra paused, a handsome face shed in her mind. But she quickly shook her head, ¡°Not anymore. I used to, but now I don¡¯t think about that stuff¡± ¡°So do you have feelings for Emmett?¡± Leah asked further. ¡°Emmett¡¯s a good guy, and he¡¯s been nice to me. ra didn¡¯t want to talk about her personal matters and quickly changed the subject, ¡°Have you eaten yet? Are you hungry? I can make you something.¡± Leah noticed her deliberate change of subject, but didn¡¯t call her out on it. She smiled and nodded, ¡°Sure! If you¡¯re making it, it must be delicious!¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t get your hopes up! I just cook for myself. As long as it¡¯s filling. I¡¯m happy. I¡¯m not exactly a good cook.¡± With that, ra went into the kitchen. Watching her go, Leah quickly grabbed her phone and went into the bathroom. ¡°Hey, get Taylor to my hotel somehow!¡± ¡°Why would he go to the hotel? He¡¯ll get suspicious!¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°What¡¯s there to be suspicious of? Just tell him you¡¯re thinking about buying this hotel and want him to come check it out. You¡¯re not actually going to buy it, so you cane up with any excuse, right? Hurry up!¡± *¡­ What are you trying to do? Your demands are giving me a headache! I have no idea what your end goal is.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± Leah smirked, ¡°From now on, you¡¯re gonna have a great life! You don¡¯t need to ask any more questions.¡± With that, she hung up the phone. After hesitating for a few seconds, Leah sent a text to her friend who was a reporter¡­ Chapter 176 Chapter 176 At first, Emmett thought ra woulde over soon, but to his surprise, after several meetings, ra was still nowhere to be seen. After finishing the work at hand, he decided to find ra himself. He pushed open her office door- Only to find ra engrossed in her design sketches, as if she hadn¡¯t heard anything outside. Emmett walked over and lightly touched her shoulder, ¡°Still busy?¡± ¡°Ah ra was startled and looked up at him, ¡°When¡­ when did youe in?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. *Just now, you looked so focused, so I tried to be as quiet as possible. Didn¡¯t mean to startle you though¡± Emmett nced at her design sketch and gently said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Ricardo find you? I asked him to pass a message, for you toe to my office. I waited for you for quite a while, you didn¡¯t show up. so I had toe find you myself.¡± ¡°Mr. Ricardo¡­ I didn¡¯t see him! Maybe we missed each other because of today¡¯s schedule.¡± ra felt a bit embarrassed and turned her face away. The truth was, she had just gotten back less than ten minutes ago, how could she have bumped into Ricardo! The main reason was that Leah had been crying, even threatening tomit suicide! Since she was already there, she couldn¡¯t just leave Leah alone. So¡­ ¡°By the way, why were you looking for me?¡± In order not to let him notice her doubts, ra changed the subject. ¡°It¡¯s about your design sketch! I n to use your architectural design in the new development project Hearing this, ra was both surprised and delighted. ¡°Really?! Mine?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Emmett nodded with a smile. ¡°But¡­¡± ra felt worried again, ¡°My skills are not up to the level of a real designer! I¡¯ve been self¨C learning all these years, without any systematic education. I¡¯m afraid there might be some omissions, there might be problems I didn¡¯t foresee! Building architecture is different from designing clothes. clothes can be altered, but once a building is erected, it¡¯s set!¡± Emmett raised his hand and lightly flicked her forehead. ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to see you alone! I want to exin this to you systematically, tell you what you need to pay attention to in the design.¡± ¡°You personally?¡± He¡¯s the CEO of thepany, does¡­ does he have that much time? ¡°In ourpany, all those good at design are men, there¡¯re no women.¡± Emmett smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t feel comfortable with you being alone with other men, I¡¯m worried you guys might develop feelings.¡± ¡°What, you¡¯re not happy with me teaching you?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow. ra quickly shook her head, ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m thrilled! I¡¯m a newbie in this industry, having your guidance is like hitting the jackpot!¡± Seeing her so excited, Emmett felt that investing some time in her was worthwhile. ¡°Well, starting from tomorrow,e to my office first after you get to work.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Emmett smiled, ¡°You focus on your design sketch today, we¡¯ll go over the details tomorrow.¡± Emmett paused for a moment, then suddenly asked, ¡°By the way, where¡­ where were you earlier? Ricardo said you weren¡¯t in the office when he went to find you Chapter 177 Chapter 177 ¡°Huh? He was looking for me?¡± ra felt her mouth go dry in an instant ¡®Maybe, maybe I was in the restroom.¡± Emmett could tell she was fibbing. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? You¡¯re talking all vague, are you hiding something from me?¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± ra quickly squeezed her eyes shut and gave a forcedugh. I¡¯m just trying to recall! Ever since I started on this blueprint, my mind¡¯s been swamped with design stuff. You suddenly asking me what I¡¯ve been doing all day, why I left the office, I need a moment to think!¡± Emmett didn¡¯t push further, feeling somewhat relieved. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize you loved design so much.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a huge aplishment seeing your own design transform into a skyscraper?¡± ra¡¯s eyes sparkled as she spoke. Just thinking about it gets my heart pumping!¡± If you¡¯re into it, you can take over the design side of the Melendez Group as long as you¡¯re up for it.¡± ra, although thrilled, replied, ¡°I know my own limits! The Melendez Group is a massivepany, and the designers they hire are internationally renowned. I¡¯m just a small fry!¡± ¡°If I say you can, you can! And who are you?¡± Emmett gave a slight smile. ¡°You are thedy of the Melendez Group! No one has more say than you.¡± Looking into his eyes, ra felt cherished. ¡°I wonder why Mr. Quintin has asked me here?¡± Taylor, brought to a hotel, began to sense something was off. First thing in the morning, Mr. Quintin called him up for a meeting, saying they needed to discuss a coboration. Of course, he had to show up. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Upon meeting, he was taken to see the Quintin family¡¯s properties, which he could understand. But¡­ now being suddenly taken to a hotel¡­ He was genuinely puzzled! So he was a bit worried about Mr. Quintin¡¯s intentions. Mr. Quintin chuckled and patted his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Mr. Atwood is a whiz in the business world! So I wanted to take a bit of your time and ask for your opinion on this hotel. Is it worth acquiring?¡± Taylor was taken aback, but he looked around and gave his opinion, ¡°Mr. Quintin, you¡¯ve always been in real estate. Switching to the hospitality industry would be a big transition. You shouldn¡¯t rush into it! There¡¯s a saying that changing industries is like climbing a mountain.¡± Mr. Quintin nodded, unconsciously scanning the surroundings before speaking. ¡°Indeed, your advice is invaluable, Mr. Atwood! I thought the hotel industry was a good money¨Cmaking venture! Especially this hotel, it¡¯s a go¨Cto for many celebrities and VIPs! There must be a reason they choose it. If I bought it, wouldn¡¯t I make a fortune?¡± Taylor shook his head, speaking earnestly, ¡°You can buy the hotel, but you can¡¯t necessarily buy the clientele.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! I shouldn¡¯t make impulsive purchases!¡± ¡°Anything else? If not, we should leave before the media misinterprets this.¡± Chapter 178 Chapter 178 ¡°Hey, what are you scared of? It¡¯s just the two of us here, no one else! The food in this hotel is top- notch, we can sit down and chat about our coboration, how great is that!¡± Taylor frowned, ¡°Even if it¡¯s just two guys, if the media wants to spin a story, they can still specte a lot.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I didn¡¯t spot any paparazzi on my way here! If something does happen, I¡¯ll step up and exin for you!¡± Mr. Quintin draped his arm over Taylor¡¯s shoulder, giving him no chance to leave, ¡°Give me a chance, try the food here, how about it?¡± Since he was so insistent, Taylor couldn¡¯t really say no. He nodded reluctantly, ¡°Alright, thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Quintin¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re too politel Come, show Mr. Atwood to his seat!¡± Mr. Quintin waved at his secretary and smiled at Taylor. ¡°I¡¯m going to wash my hands, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Taylor nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± Mr. Quintin briskly left the restaurant and headed straight for the guest rooms. He rang the doorbell and Leah quickly opened the door. ¡°What are you doing here? If Taylor or the Melendez family see you, do you want us both to fall into trouble?¡± T¡¯ve left Taylor downstairs, but I¡¯m a bit uneasy I have to ask you, whats your n and why involve Taylor? He¡¯s no fool, he might see through my act! Tell me everything, so I can have peace of mind!¡± Leah waved him off, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know! As long as Taylor agrees to dine with you, you can buy some time! What I want is for the media to catch him leaving the hotel!¡± Mr. Quintin was taken aback, ¡°What? I just promised Taylor there wouldn¡¯t be any media! Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°If I told you, could you still carry out the n normally? Leah scowled, ¡°You have nothing to do with Taylor. When the problem breaks out, just say ¡®I didn¡¯t expect it¡¯. The Atwood family will be too busy dealing with their own scandal to care about you!¡± ¡°You¡­you are using me!¡± Mr. Quintin¡¯s face was clearly disgruntled, ¡°I¡¯ve done so much for you, but you treat me like a tool! Leah, have you ever truly loved me?¡± 1 wouldn¡¯t sleep with someone I don¡¯t feel for! Whether we¡¯ve slept together or not, you should know, right?¡± Mr. Quintin looked at her, his expression softening a bit. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So, after this is over, we¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re over too! I¡¯ve already said, I¡¯m going to marry Emmett! I¡¯m not interested in anyone but him.¡± Leah smiled cunningly, ¡°You may not have me, but¡­if | seed, you¡¯ll have the protection of the Melendez family! Isn¡¯t that better for you than having me?¡± Mr. Quintin frowned and was about to speak. ¡°You better handle Taylor! If you can¡¯t sort him out today, all our ns will fail!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand, if you want Emmett, why go after Taylor? He has little to do with the Melendez Group, are you sure you got the right guy?¡± Leah waved her hand dismissively, her red nails catching the light, ¡°I won¡¯t get the wrong person, I can¡­solve the problem thoroughly¡± Chapter 179 Chapter 179 ¡°Getting rid of the problem for good?¡± Mr. Quintin was taken aback, especially seeing her somewhat unsettling gaze. ¡°What are you afraid of!¡± Leah looked at him dismissively, I am not asking you to kill anyone!¡± ¡°But if you take action against Taylor, the Atwood family won¡¯t let me off the hook! After all, I¡¯m the one who brought Taylor out, not you!¡± Leah looked a bit helpless, ¡°Why are you such a coward? When did I say I was going to take action against Taylor?¡± Then you didn¡¯t you say you wanted to get rid of Taylor¡¯s problempletely?¡± 1 didn¡¯t! My target is Emmett, Taylor is just part of my n.¡± After work, ra took the car home This time only Aiden came out to greet her, she had no idea what Alex was up to. ra happily bent down and picked up Aiden, ¡°Did you finish your homework?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Aiden nodded. ¡°Yeah¡± That¡¯s good! Where¡¯s your brother? Why haven¡¯t I seen him?¡± Hearing this, Aiden looked a bit embarrassed, ¡°Mom, grandma won¡¯t let hime out to meet you! She said she¡¯s afraid you¡¯re paying too much attention to Alex¡± ra was speechless. She really couldn¡¯t understand Sophia¡¯s point. ¡°Mom, grandma thinks Alex is easy to fool, and you want to use him!¡± Hearing Aiden¡¯s exnation, ra finally got it. She felt a bit helpless. ¡°Is your grandma not in a good moodtely?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I think she¡¯s just like usual, but when she deals with you, she suddenly doesn¡¯t seem like the grandma I know!¡± Aiden recalled, ¡°Usually grandma never raises her voice at us, no matter how well I do in school, she never interferes, she just tells me to eat more and take care of my health! So I was really surprised when she mentioned youst time.¡± ra patted his little head. ¡°Maybe your grandma had too high expectations of me! It¡¯s okay, mom doesn¡¯t mind, and you don¡¯t need to worry about it either!¡± Aiden nodded. ra took Aiden to her bedroom, and soon Alex came running ¡°Mom! I¡¯ve been looking for you and Alex everywhere!¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Seeing him all sweaty, ra immediately went over to wipe his face. Alex grinned, ¡®I sneaked out when grandma wasn¡¯t looking! If she finds out, she¡¯ll be upset, so I ran all the way here, ditching the servants who were watching me!¡± ¡°Alex¡± ra poked his forehead helplessly. ¡°If you knew grandma would be upset if she found out, why did you run out?¡± ¡°Because I missed you! I used to be with you every time you came back from work, but now grandma won¡¯t let me, and when i protested, she said I was too young to understand anything!¡± Alex pouted, ¡°Mommy, when will I grow up and understand what you guys are always talking about ¡°Um Aiden chimed in. ¡°This isn¡¯t about age, if you¡¯re smart enough, you can understand it now.¡± ¡°Aiden, I¡¯m very smart too, you know?¡± Chapter 180 Chapter 180 ra touched the two kids helplessly, and said, ¡°Okay, you guys should go now! I know you¡¯re good kids, but I don¡¯t want to upset your grandma If she doesn¡¯t like you guys hanging around me right now, just listen to her¡± Aiden frowned. ¡°No, I like you¡± Alex quickly chimed in. ¡°Me tool I don¡¯t want Grandma, I want to be with you!¡± ¡°My darlings. I know you like me very much, but..¡± ¡®ll talk to grandma for you! You don¡¯t have to worry about this! Alex didnt really understand, but he nodded and said, ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll listen to Aiden, I¡¯ll help Aiden¡± raughed helplessly, ¡°Seeing you guys are so harmonious, makes me feel satisfied! Just try your best, don¡¯t make things difficult for your grandma or yourselves ¡°Okay!¡± A weekter, the purchased lumber officially arrived at the construction site. ra was quite pleased about this. It was her first time being involved in thepany¡¯s procurement. If everything went well, that would be great, but if something went wrong¡­. She would be very self-ming. At the CEO¡¯s office, Emmett reminded her in a serious tone, ¡°ra, the lumber situation is all sorted out. You can stop worrying about it.¡± These past few days, ra would be in the office whenever she had some free time, with Emmett personally teaching her how to draw design ns. Though it was a bit tiring, he was happy. Even if it meant sacrificing his own time, he was still happy He said. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve been worrying about this, afraid that something might go wrong.¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°What are you scared of, didn¡¯t you say the other party is your friend?¡± ¡°They¡¯re a friend, but¡­ I don¡¯t really know much about lumber¡± Emmett chuckled, Theirpany is smart to coborate with us this way. In reality, what they can gain is more than what they lose¡± Upon hearing this, ra finally understood a bit. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So every move you guys make involves all sorts of considerations!¡± She was still not cut out for this line of work, as her thinking was still far from sufficient ¡°You can take it slow Once you¡¯re more adept, I can let you try managing a branch office. I think you have potential¡± ra put down her pen, ¡°Don¡¯t tter me I don¡¯t even think I have any talents! All I can do is draw some ns, but you keep saying my designs are not feasible in many aspects¡± ¡°Why do you always listen to me about your negatives? I¡¯ve also pointed out your strengths.¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°Your designs have more pros than cons Don¡¯t just listen to criticisms¡± ra gave an awkwardugh, ¡°Oh, I see¡± ¡°Did¡­ my mom cause you any trouble today?¡± Emmett asked, feeling a little uneasy at the thought of his mother¡¯s look that morning. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 He didn¡¯t know why his mom always had a bad attitude towards ra recently ¡°Nah, she¡¯s been pretty nice to all of us, especially the two kids.¡± ¡°Aiden and Alex are her little darlings, I can understand her desire to protect kids, but I don¡¯t want her to always trouble you!¡± Emmett said, looking upset. 1 tried talking to her about it, but she wouldn¡¯t listen! If it weren¡¯t for you stopping me, I would have moved out.¡± raughed it off, ¡°Let¡¯s not do anything drastic. It¡¯s not a big deal. We¡¯re family, if we move out, people will start talking.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s always giving you a hard time. Emmett put his arms around ra, ¡°I can¡¯t stand to see you being scolded.¡± ra looked at him and smiled, ¡°Getting a few words from the elders, it¡¯s not a big deal! Don¡¯t take it so seriously! We finally have a chance to live together as a family, I don¡¯t want a small thing like this to distance you from your parents¡± Emmett sighed, ¡°You¡¯re the best wife in the world.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Stop it, you¡¯re making me blush¡± ra quickly changed the topic to her design drafts, Take another look! Let me know if there¡¯s anything I need to change! Even if I have to pull an all-nighter, I¡¯ll get it fixed.¡± ¡°No rush, your healthes first, don¡¯t stay upte¡± Emmett stood up, leading ra to the balcony, ¡®Look at this city, so many of these buildings are mine, I want to share them with you.¡± ra looked out, her mood lightening, ¡°That one too?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°And that grey building?¡± Emmett nodded, ¡°That¡¯s ours too.¡± Even though ra knew Emmett was wealthy, she was still surprised when she saw all of his properties. ¡°You have so much¡­¡± ¡°Not me, us.¡± Emmett squeezed her hand, ¡°We¡¯re a team! I¡¯m nning to add your name to all these properties¡± ra quickly shook her head, ¡°No! I can¡¯t ept this! I didn¡¯t earn all this, how could I take it?¡± ¡°If I say you can, then you can! Are you still doubting me?¡± ra firmly said, ¡°Emmett, my life now is already a bit overwhelming, I¡¯m afraid of losing it all any second! If you give me all this wealth, I won¡¯t be able to handle it! Let¡¯s forget about it!¡± ¡°IfI say you can, then you can! If you hadn¡¯t stopped me from going public, I would have nned our wedding by now.¡± It was Emmett¡¯s regret that he couldn¡¯t see ra in her wedding dress. ¡®Let¡¯s not talk about the wedding! We¡¯re so busy. You don¡¯t have time, I don¡¯t have time, eithrt it¡¯s just a ceremony, so let¡¯s just drop it.¡± She didn¡¯t want to be in Taylors world anymore. Now that everything had calmed down, she just wanted to keep a low profile and let bygones be bygones. Emmett seemed a bit upset, ¡®Do you think I¡¯m not good enough?¡± ¡°How is that possible! You¡¯re the CEO of the Melendez family, who could be better than you!¡± ¡°Then why won¡¯t you marry me publicly and let everyone know you¡¯re my wife?¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­ ¡°Scared of what? The female employees at thepany?¡± Chapter 182 Chapter 182 ra nodded, ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m worried that they would be hostile to me, and I might encounter many difficulties!! And it¡¯s not just the female employees in thepany, but other women too. I¡¯ve seen all those women who had a thing for you! You know, I¡¯m not good atpeting with others, nor am I good at seeing through other people¡¯s schemes, I¡¯m worried my life would get all messed up¡± ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it! Don¡¯t you think I, as your husband, can protect you?¡± Emmett frowned like a child, which made ra chuckle.. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± 1 don¡¯t want to just be your secret lover¡± Emmett adjusted his mood and shrugged, ¡°Forget it, I know your personality, and I understand your fear of catfights among women.¡± ra stuck out her tongue. Thanks for understanding, Emmett!¡± ¡°Emmett?¡± He snorted, ¡°I¡¯d be happier if you called ine honey¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ra packed up her stuff and said, ¡°You have a meeting to attend, and I need to get back to my work. I might have to workte tonight, you go home first, no need to wait for me.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°I have to work overtime today too.¡± ra nced at him and said helplessly, I¡¯m fine! After work, I¡¯ll take a taxi straight home! Look at me, I¡¯m not rich, not beautiful, who would bother me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about, I can¡¯t let you take any risks.¡± ¡°Well¡­ alright, thanks then.¡± raughed and walked out of his office. The moment she closed the door, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. What to do¡­ She was feeling loved and as if she was in a rtionship! Could it be.. she¡¯s fallen for Emmett? ra pursed her lips, her feelings wereplicated and she was vaguely excited. If only she and Emmett didn¡¯t have that past. At the Melendez family, Aiden went home with Alex after school. As soon as they got off the car, Sophia was already waiting for them with snacks at the door. ¡°My little darlings, did you have fun at school today?¡± ¡°Fun, Grandma.¡± Aiden smiled. Alex jumped right into her arms, ¡°Grandma, I think the kindergarten could give me more candies, and I would be happier!¡± Sophiaughed, ¡°Dear! Eating too much candy will give you a toothache!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll brush my teeth more!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t argue with you! I¡¯ll have the butler bring you some moreter, but you can¡¯t eat it all.¡± Alex nodded quickly and even gave Sophia a peck on the cheek. On the other hand, Aiden said seriously, ¡°Grandma, are you free today? I want to talk to you about something.¡± Sophia was puzzled by his serious attitude, ¡°Hmm? What would you like to talk with me?¡± ¡°About mom.¡± When ra was mentioned, Sophia sighed lightly, ¡°Alright,e with me to the study room. Butler, you take the child away first.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Sophia took Aiden into the study room, and before she could close the door, Aiden started talking. Chapter 183 Chapter 183 ¡°Granny, I think the way you¡¯re treating mom is hurting her feelings! Even though mom is a stepmom, she¡¯s always been really good to us! You keep doubting her intentions, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s making her feel bad¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, grandma is thinking about you!¡± ¡°I know.¡± Aiden nodded, ¡°But Granny, isn¡¯t the most important thing that our family is happy? You fighting with mom all the time is putting dad in a tough spot too.¡± Sophia suddenlyughed, ¡°You¡¯re still so young, how do you understand all this?¡± ¡°I just want everyone to be happy! I don¡¯t want to see mom crying in private anymore.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re still a kid, you don¡¯t understand anything! When a woman cries, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean she¡¯s truly upset, she could be putting on an act! That¡¯s what grandma worried about. As long as it involves you and Alex, grandma needs to be on high alert! If ra can pass the test, great! If not, it only proves my testing is more meaningful! This is about you and Alex¡¯s future.¡± ¡°Granny¡­¡± ¡°Enough! I have made some delicious food for you guys, it¡¯ll get cold soon! Go have some.¡± Sophia clearly didn¡¯t want to continue the topic anymore. Aiden could tell, so he dropped it. ¡°Thanks Granny, I¡¯lle eat after I finish my homework.¡± ¡°Good boy.¡± Watching Aiden leave the study. Sophia¡¯s brow furrowed, her dissatisfaction with ra increased a bit more. She thought, ¡°Aiden is still young, why would hee and talk to me about this? ra must be comining to Aiden behind my back, using Aiden against me! This woman¡¯s intentions are bing more and more clear.¡± Sophia fell silent for a moment. She won¡¯t let anyone get the chance to hurt her two grandsons. In the evening, ra worked overtime until ten o¡¯clock, then returned home with Emmett. Not long after, Emmett was called into a meeting by Ricardo. She knew thepany was busytely. Seeing Emmett so tired, she was thinking about making him some food. He might be hungryte at night. As she was thinking, ra caught a glimpse of Sophia walking towards her out of the corner of her eye! She was taken aback, and quickly spoke up, ¡°Sophia, you haven¡¯t gone to bed yet?¡± ¡°Uh¨Chuh, I was waiting for you¡± ra had a bad feeling. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± ¡°Of course there is.¡± Sophia nced at the direction of the study, then turned around and sat down on the sofa in the living room. ra had no choice but to follow, she didn¡¯t even dare to take a deep breath. ¡°Aiden came to see me today¡± ra remembered what Aiden had told her earlier, she didn¡¯t expect the kid actually went. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°Did you tell Aiden to say those things to me?¡± Sophia looked at her, clearly displeased, ¡°They¡¯re still young, are you putting those ideas into their heads. for some reason?¡± ra immediately waved her hands, ¡°Mom, I really didn¡¯t teach Aiden to say anything. I¡¯ve reduced the time I spend with Aiden and Alex, I just told them not to upset you and to try to spend more time with you.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a child?¡± Sophia frowned, ¡°Alex and Aiden might be easily fooled by you, but I won¡¯t be.¡± ra felt somewhat helpless. She didn¡¯t understand why Sophia suddenly had this attitude towards her. Wasn¡¯t it always good before? Even if she didn¡¯t really like herself, she never made things difficult for herself like this! ¡°Mom, I really don¡¯t have that much thought! Thepany is also very busy right now, when Ie back and see the kids are already asleep. I try not to disturb them as much as possible.¡± ¡°Then why would Aiden say things that only adults would say? Could it be that he learned that from you?¡± Chapter 184 Chapter 184 *Aiden usually spoke very maturely, right?¡± ra still didn¡¯t know what Aiden said. But she could guess! Probably something about hoping Sophia would stop embarrassing herself anymore. ¡°You¡¯re really good at passing the buck Sophia snapped, icy as ever. Long story short, I¡¯m telling you this once and for all, whatever¡¯s going on between you and Emmell not my business! But if you even think about hurting my grandkids, I won¡¯t stand for it! They¡¯re my little treasurest Remember where you stand, or one day if I get some dirt on you, I¡¯ll make sure you and Emmett get divorced Don¡¯t feel wronged¡± ¨C With that, she got up and stormed off to her room. ra stood there for a moment before heading back to her own room. After a shower, she came out to find a text from Elio Milburn, [How¡¯s it going over there? Is Leah giving you trouble?] [No! You don¡¯t have to worry about this, she is more careful than me, every time it involves the Melendez family, she can think ahead! I don¡¯t have to worry! I think you¡¯re oveplicating things. I know the scenario you mentioned could happen, but¡­ she could just be a simple girl, right?] After a while, Elio replied, [I don¡¯t know about other women, but you¡¯re definitely the na?ve typel Easily fooled and too trusting! Leah¡¯s been handling family affairs for a while now, she¡¯s been through the wringer in the business world. If ites down to a battle of wits, you won¡¯t stand a chance¡®] [Don¡¯t worry, I know what to do! Thanks for caring.] Looking at the text, ra took a deep breath. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Sometimes she wondered, if Emmett hadn¡¯te along, would she have been happy married to Elio? Even without love, he was really caring and warm. Just as she was thinking, the bedroom door opened Emmett walked in! ¡°Why are you still up?¡± ¡°I just took a shower, ra smiled. ¡°Did you finish your meeting? Go take a shower and sleep!¡± Emmett strode over and wrapped his arms around her from behind, ¡°Shower together?¡± ¡°I just showered! Didn¡¯t you notice?¡± ww ¡°But I want to shower with you¡± Emmett whispered in her ear Tell me, did my mom give you a hard time again?¡± ra was taken aback, she turned to face him, ¡°How did you know? Weren¡¯t you in the study for a meeting?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a camera in the living room, I checked it after the meeting ¡°Emmett frowned, ¡°How about we move out? If you want to bring the kids, we¡¯ll take them with us! We can have the housekeeper and servants take care of them while we¡¯re at work, and on weekends when you¡¯re off, I won¡¯t let you work overtime. They¡¯ll be at school when you¡¯re at work, how about that? This way, you can be close to the kids and stay away from my mother!¡± Actually, ra really wanted to agree. After all, being scolded mercilessly every time did hurt. But¡­ ¡°Emmett, if we do this, your mother will be heartbroken! And she¡¯s already suspicious of me, if I take both kids away, won¡¯t shee after me?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let her do that.¡± ¡°Emmett¡­ I don¡¯t want to put you in a difficult position, and I don¡¯t want to cause trouble for others.¡± Emmett held her tightly, ¡°then you let yourself be wronged? We have plenty of houses to live in! It¡¯s normal for you and my mother living together to have issues, I didn¡¯t realize my mom would be like this, but now I really think she¡¯s gone too far.¡± ¡°I can understand your mom.¡± Chapter 185 Chapter 185 ¡°But as a man, I can¡¯t let you always be wronged. You¡¯re my wife, if you¡¯re always being used and criticized in this house, I can¡¯t ept it in my heart.¡± ra smiled slightly, reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, I¡¯ve already told you, your mom is just looking out for the kids, I don¡¯t mind! How about this, I promise you, if I feel too wronged, I¡¯ll bring up moving out with you, okay?¡± Emmett looked at her, helplessly said, ¡°You¡¯re too soft¨Chearted, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get bullied in the future.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your mom! It doesn¡¯t matter if she says a few words about me.¡± ra felt satisfied and happy with her life now, as long as it didn¡¯t change, she was content! As for Sophia¡­ She believed that given enough time, everyone would see her love for Aiden and Alex. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. The truth couldn¡¯t be revealed yet, this misunderstanding was actually because of her, she had to bear it! She deserved it. ¡°You!¡± Emmett sighed, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do it your way! But you have to promise me, don¡¯t cry secretly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t.¡± In the small bedroom, Aiden tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Meanwhile, Alex, as soon as hey down, he fell asleep, and woke up to find that his brother hadn¡¯t slept yet. ¡°Aiden, why aren¡¯t you sleeping yet?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Aiden sat up, poured a ss of water, and sat next to his brother¡¯s bed, ¡°Why are you awake, can¡¯t you sleep either?¡± Alex blinked, stuck out his tongue, ¡°Not at all, I was dreaming about a delicious chocte cake, but then mom took it away! She said it would hurt my teeth if I ate it, I got so anxious¡­ haha, I just woke up!¡± Aiden said helplessly: ¡°Your dreams are so superficial.¡± ¡°How can you call this a superficial dream!¡± Alexughed and crawled over to Aiden, ¡°So tell me! Why can¡¯t you sleep?¡± Aiden frowned and sighed, ¡°I feel like mom is always being scolded by grandma, and I can¡¯t help, plus¡­ it seems like I¡¯ve added to her troubles! Grandma kept asking me today if mom had told me anything, I said no, and she said I was too young to understand adult things, and said mom was a bad person!* Alex was taken aback and quickly said, ¡°How could mom be a bad person! Mom is the best person!¡± ¡°I know, but¡­ it seems like grandma doesn¡¯t like mom.¡± Aiden¡¯s brows furrowed, ¡°Do you think I should talk to dad about this? It seems like only dad can help mom!¡± Alex yawned andy back down, ¡°Dad? He¡¯s very strict, I dare not to talk to him.¡± 1 ¡°Still strict? He¡¯s already changed a lot!¡± Aiden was already very satisfied! After all, in the past, it was hard for him to even talk to his dad. ¡°I really can¡¯t imagine what he was like before! I think he¡¯s already very, very cold now! I don¡¯t like this kind of father, I like Mr. Milburn! He ys with me and always smiles at me!¡± Aiden nced at his brother, ¡°Can you not digress? I¡¯m talking about asking our father to save our mother! And you¡¯re talking about your Mr. Milburn again! No matter how much you like him, he can¡¯t be our father.¡± Chapter 186 Chapter 186 1 was just kidding! Don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± Alex said with augh, leaning over to peck a kiss on his face, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t bring this up again, all right?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say you couldn¡¯t mention Mr. Milburn, but we have more important things to deal with now, don¡¯t we?¡± Alex nodded, ¡°Right, I¡¯ll stay on topic, Alden. You go ahead, I¡¯m all ears.¡± Aiden gave him a look, helplessly waved his hand. ¡°Nevermind, I shouldn¡¯t have brought this up with you! I guess I¡¯ll go to dad tomorrow.¡± After saying that, he took a sip of water and was about to head back to his bed. Suddenly, Alex grabbed him. ¡°Aiden, what if¡­ what if we tell grandma the truth? Wouldn¡¯t things get better?¡± ¡°¡­but mom said we can¡¯t let anyone know.¡± ¡°Does grandma count as anyone?¡± Alex tilted his head, eyes fixed on his brother, ¡°Grandma once asked me some things about mom too. She told me that since mom is our stepmother, she wouldn¡¯t treat us like our real mom, and I shouldn¡¯t get too attached to her! So, does that mean¡­ grandma thinks our mom is our stepmom? Then let¡¯s tell her the truth! We¡¯re both mom¡¯s biological sons!¡± Aiden thought for a while, but still shook his head, ¡°No, mom said this matter must be kept a secret! If we blurt it out, who knows what the consequences will be¡­ I don¡¯t want to take that risk.¡± Alex suddenlyughed, ¡°Aiden, you sound so grown¨Cup all of a sudden! You talk just like dad!¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting off¨Ctopic again!¡± ¡°I just said it casually! Then, I won¡¯t say it, I was wrong.¡± Alex rubbed his eyes, ¡°Aiden, let¡¯s tell grandma! I think this method is good!¡± ¡°What if mom has other ns? If we tell like this, it will mess up mom¡¯s! Look at mom, she¡¯s so wronged, always being used by grandma, and she doesn¡¯t speak up, there must be a reason, we¡¯re just kids, we don¡¯t understand, so we better not meddle!¡± Aiden pped his hands, ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll discuss with dad tomorrow! Our dad loves mom so much, he won¡¯t ignore this!¡± Alex just kept nodding, not really listening to what Aiden was saying. ¡°Right¡­ whatever big bro says is right¡­ big bro is the best¡­¡± Aiden looked at him, speechless. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you sleepy?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m so sleepy! Adien, let¡¯s talk about this tomorrow, tomorrow¡­¡± As Alex was speaking, he had already fallen asleep. Aiden really wanted to shake him awake! He wondered what this guy would be like when he grows up! ¡°I¡¯m sleepy too.¡± Aiden went back to his bed, and maybe because he had made up his mind, he quickly fell asleep. The next morning, when Alex opened his eyes, Aiden was nowhere to be found. He went straight to the study door, waiting for Emmett toe into the study, and then have a talk with him. Aiden anxiously waited for a while before he saw Emmett walking towards the study in a steady pace. When he saw his son there, he seemed a bit surprised, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Dad, I have something to discuss with you, can Ie in?¡± Emmett naturally agreed, ¡°Of course!¡± As soon as Aiden entered the study, he couldn¡¯t wait to speak, ¡°Dad, I came to you to discuss something about mom!¡± Chapter 187 Chapter 187 ¡°What happened to your mom?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, looking at his son, and probably guessed the reason. Aiden pulled a face, his voice firm, 1 don¡¯t want Granny to keep misunderstanding Mom! Grandma always thought mom would abuse me and my brother, but she¡¯s never done that! Dad, you¡¯re not home often, so you don¡¯t know Granny has been talking nonsense to Mom.¡± Emmett paused for a moment. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He knew this was the issue. ¡°Aiden, your mom and I already had a chat about this.¡± ¡°Well, what did Mom say?¡± Aiden asked, then grimaced, ¡°Did she say¡­ she can put up with it?¡± Emmett nodded, ¡°Yeah.¡± Seems like his son really understood his mom! ¡°Mom told me that before, but I can tell she¡¯s notfortable deep down! I tried to talk to Granny about it, but no matter what I said, she always said! was too young and didn¡¯t understand! I¡¯m really upset, Aiden¡¯s face was full of frustration, ¡°Last time, I even saw Mom crying! But Granny still insisted she¡¯s our step¨Cmom and needs to remind herself of that so she treats us right.¡± Emmett picked up his son, ¡°Aiden, do you really like ra as your mom this much?¡± Aiden nodded vigorously. ¡°Of course I do! Mom¡¯s really good to us!¡± ¡°Then leave this to me, you focus on your studies.¡± Emmett smiled and ruffled his son¡¯s hair, ¡°I won¡¯t let your mom keep getting upset! I¡¯ll go talk to your Granny this afternoon about it.¡± Aiden asked, ¡°Really? Dad, you¡¯re willing to help Mom?¡± ¡°Absolutely! Dad also wants Mom to always be a part of our family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! What Dad said must be more useful than me. Grandma always says I¡¯m too young and whatever I want to tell her, she just replies with that!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me.¡± Emmett said, satisfied. Seeing how much his son liked ra, it proved he was right to marry her! She was just like the woman he imagined, treating both kids well. After ra had washed and eaten, she kissed the kids and headed to work. Lately, she was even dreaming about drawing design drafts! Until she finished, she¡¯d probably feel stressed. ¡°Ms. Calloway, you¡¯re here so early¡± Ricardo was surprised to see ra. The boss wasn¡¯t even at work yet! Usually, didn¡¯t theye together? ¡°Yes! Mr. Melendez is still showering, so I snuck over.¡± raughed, waving the design in her hand, ¡°I have a new idea today and want to draw it sooner! If I wait for him at home, I don¡¯t know when I will wait until I am very anxious.¡± ¡°Do you really like drawing design drafts?¡± Ricardo looked puzzled at the draft in her hand, ¡°I remember in university, I¡¯d get a headache just watching my ssmates do this! If I had to do this job, I¡¯d probably go crazy.¡± ra smiled, ¡°Everyone has different interests and abilities! I don¡¯t have your superpowers! When Matt, the housekeeper is not around, you handle all the business in thepany. I really admire you!¡± Chapter 188 Chapter 188 I¡¯m just doing physical work!¡± 7 see Emmett is very interested in you! Your development in the Melendez Group will definitely be very promising.¡± Ricardo scratched his nose andughed, ¡°You got that right! Mr. Melendez treats me well, I work a lot because he trusts me.¡± ra arched an eyebrow at him, ¡°We both gotta keep our noses to the grindstone! I gotta bounce.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± ra pushed open the office door and dove right into her work without even taking a water break. If it wasn¡¯t for Emmett personally checking in, she probably wouldn¡¯t have stopped all morning. ¡°You¡¯re so focusing on your work, you put me, the boss, to shame.¡± Hearing Emmett¡¯s voice, ra was taken aback, ¡°What, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the boss, why wouldn¡¯t I be here?¡± Emmett walked over, nced at her blueprint, ¡°You¡¯ve drawn up a new draft.¡± Yep! I¡¯ve improved thest one! Look at this¡­¡± ra handed over the blueprint eagerly and started exining, ¡°I took wind direction into ount yesterday and tried to maximize the daylight! Look here, if we make these floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, I worry about the impact of strong winds on the structure. But if we raise the windows by ten centimeters from the ground, it could greatly reduce this problem!¡± Emmett looked at the blueprint, nodding, ¡°Hmm, ten centimeters is a good idea. We should build them at about seventeen centimeters. After factoring in waterproofing and soundproofing, we can still ensure ten centimeters of floor¨Cto¨Cceiling ra handed him another blueprint, ¡°And I¡¯ve done the math, this window size is the most suitable.¡°¨C ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Emmett took the blueprint, but instead of looking at it, he told her to sit down and poured her a ss of water, ¡°You¡¯ve been burning the candle at both ends for this blueprint, you didn¡¯t even have a decent breakfast, and a shower has be washing your face.¡± ra stuck her tongue out, a little embarrassed, ¡°Well¡­ I just wanted to wrap this up quickly! Didn¡¯t want to hold up the construction progress! This project is a big deal for us this year. My first blueprint was used in such a big project, I¡¯m afraid if I don¡¯t push myself¡­¡± ¡°Do I look like a guy who would joke aboutpany matters?¡± ra shook her head. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Emmett took her hand and held it tightly, ¡°If your blueprint didn¡¯t meet my standards, didn¡¯t wow me, I wouldn¡¯t have used it! Even to make you happy. I could¡¯ve used it on a less important project. I let you handle such a big project because I trust you, I believe in your blueprint! Don¡¯t stress yourself out, it makes me feel like I¡¯ve burdened you by assigning you this blueprint.¡± ra quickly said, ¡°No! I¡¯m not stressed! I¡¯m actually very excited! Emmett, I don¡¯t want to just be an ornament by your side, always being called an ornament, I want to be able to live on my own!¡± ¡°I understand.¡± That¡¯s why he was willing to cultivate her, willing to make her the main designer this time. Thank you for trusting me so much.¡± ra looked up, meeting his gaze, ¡°Really, I¡¯m so happy! I feel like my life has meaning now! It¡¯s not like before, when it was all routine and mundane, just living to make ends meet.¡± Chapter 189 Chapter 189 ¡°You are my spouse now, and your life is valuable in itself! I am very happy, and I can help you be a good designer! I have this confidence: ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± Emmett hugged her suddenly, kissing her lightly on the lips. ¡°But don¡¯t forget about your loving husband¡¯s needs while you¡¯re working your bum off!* ra jumped, blushing. We¡¯ve only not¡­for two days.¡± ¡°Only two days?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°Feels like a bloody eternity to me.¡± Every night, she¡¯d be out like a light, and he couldn¡¯t bear to wake her. So he¡¯d just take a cold shower instead. He¡¯d try to get cosy with her in the morning, but she¡¯d be all engrossed in her designs, keen on hitting the office early. ra was mortified. Your your strong needs¡­what on earth will you do when I¡¯m on my period?¡± Emmett gripped her hand tightly, ¡°You can still lend a hand.¡± ra froze, quickly pulling her hand back! ¡°No way! Emmett, you¡¯ve really changed!¡± In her memory, Emmett used to be repulsed by women, as if the world would be better off without them. But now¡­ ¡°It¡¯s all because of you that I¡¯ve be like this.¡± Emmett pulled her into a tight embrace, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even nce at another woman.¡± ra was at a loss. She didn¡¯t know whether to feel touched or overwhelmed by his passion. Tonight, can you indulge me a bit?¡± ra shyly nodded, quickly picking up her design draft trying to change the subject, ¡°So¡­.we¡­.uh!¡± He kissed her again before she could finish. He kissed her passionately, as if he wanted to devour her¡­. When ra was about to suffocate, he finally let her go. Next second, Emmett straightened his tie, took the draft from her and sat down, ¡°About your staircase and elevator designs, I think you need to step up your game.¡± His swift shift left ra bewildered. She could hardly believe the passionate kisser was the same Emmett! One moment he was all over her, and then¡­ Just suddenly stopped? ¡°What are you daydreaming about?¡± Emmett asked, ¡°Still thinking about what just happened?¡± ra blushed, ¡°No, I was thinking about the staircase design!¡± ¡°Your face is all red.¡± Emmett chuckled, ¡°Blushing over a staircase design?¡± ra immediately covered her cheeks, ¡°I¡¯m just hot! Can you divert your attention and stop looking at my face? If you keep this up, I¡¯ll have to kick you Out!¡± Emmett couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get back to the draft¡­¡± Emmett couldn¡¯t helpughing, ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s continue discussing the blueprint¡­¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Early in the morning. Taylor started a meeting as soon as he arrived at thepany. His secretary handed him some documents, and some shareholders started to voice their opinions and suggestions about thepany¡¯s recent development. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Two hours after the meeting ended, he was about to leave when his secretary suddenly approached him and whispered, ¡°Mr. Taylor, we received a report about you today¡± Intrigued. Taylor asked, ¡°Is it good or bad?¡± 7t might be¡­ scandalous, the secretary replied. Taylor went back to his office and sat down, ¡°Let me see it.¡± The secretary immediately brought over the report, ¡°Our media partner sent this over this morning! Since we have a close rtionship with them, they didn¡¯t publish it right away but let us see it first. They said¡­ if we don¡¯t want them to release it, they won¡¯t, but we need to pay some¡­ [ees.¡± ¡°Let me see it.¡± Taylor frowned, and he was taken aback as he read the first line of the report. ¡°Is this about me and ra?¡± The secretary nodded, Yes. The report says they spotted ra at the cornpany that day, and you were also called over by Mr. Quintin.¡± ¡°So ra was at thatpany that day too!¡± ¡°Mr. Taylor, I find this a bit strange. The secretary paused, then continued, ¡°I remember that day you and Mr. Quintin were only scheduled to discuss coboration matters, but Mr. Quintin suddenly took you to thatpany I remember you even emphasized to Mr. Quintin your concerns about potential scandals, and he assured no one would take photos. But¡­ this still happened! Does Mr. Quintin have some ulterior motive against ourpany?¡± Taylor thought for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is targeted at me¡± For him and hispany, this piece of news wouldn¡¯t really cause any harm. There were no photos of them together, no concrete evidence. ¡°So¡­ is this targeted at Ms. Calloway?¡± ¡°I believe so,¡± Taylor answered, ¡°Try to get in touch with ra, but keep it under wraps. Don¡¯t let Emmett know. And preferably¡­ don¡¯t let ra know that I want to meet her.¡± The secretary looked puzzled, ¡°But¡­ the scandal is pretty serious already. If you meet her again, it will only fuel the fire. If the media catches you, there¡¯s no washing your hands clean of this. ¡°Are you questioning my decision?¡± Taylor asked. The secretary immediately shook his head, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. I¡¯ll do whatever you tell me to.¡± ¡°Go ahead, Taylor waved his hand dismissively. The secretary nodded and as they reached the door, asked, ¡°Mr. Taylor, the media is still waiting for our response.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you know after I¡¯ve met ra. Have the media wait a few days, I¡¯llpensate for any losses.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After the secretary left, Taylor looked at ra¡¯s picture in the report and started feeling a headache coming on. He quickly massaged his temples and felt a bit better. What connection does my lost memory have with ra? What on earth happened between ra and me in the past? And this time, who is trying to harm ra behind the scenes? Could it be Mr. Quintin? Taylor paused, picked up his phone, and dialed Mr. Quintin¡¯s number. Mr. Quintin answered the call promptly. ¡°Hey, Mr. Atwood, what¡¯s the matter?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 191 Chapter 191 I¡¯ve got something I wanna chat about, Taylor frowned, ¡°It¡¯s about¡­ that hotel you took me tost time.¡± ¡°I have something to discuss with you,¡± Taylor frowned, ¡°about¡­ the hotel you took me tost time.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± I¡¯ve got some other ideas, can I meet with Mr. Quintin?¡± Hearing this, Mr. Quintin immediately replied, ¡°I¡¯ve ditched the hotel biz! Your wordsst time made a lot of sense, so I¡¯ve decided not to meddle in hotel matters anymore.¡± ¡°But you took me to that hotelst time on purpose, I thought you really cared about the hotel business! I didn¡¯t expect you to give up so quickly ¡°I just took someone else¡¯s advice! Mr. Atwood, you¡¯ve made AW so big, so sessful, you obviously have your unique insights. If even you don¡¯t suggest I invest, why would I risk it?¡± Taylor suddenlyughed, ¡°Mr. Quintin, are you still not willing to be honest?¡± ¡°That day you took me to that hotel, did you have another purpose?¡± Mr. Quintin suddenly felt silent. ¡°AW has a partnership with yourpany, but if you calcte me like this, I may have to think about whether we need to calm down!¡± Although Taylor¡¯s voice was not loud, it was very persuasive. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be trying to smear my AW, would you?¡± ¡°How could that be possible! We¡¯ve been partners for so many years? If AW faces any problems, our company won¡¯t just stand by! Mr. Atwood, you¡¯re overthinking it.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better exin about the hotel incident quickly. Mr. Quintin. We¡¯re not fools, the media reports are right here on myputer, if you don¡¯t give me a reasonable exnation, it won¡¯t fly.¡± ¡°Mr. Atwood, I don¡¯t know what to say. It was just an impulsive move, I wanted to take Mr. Atwood to that hotel for a look and grab a bite! I don¡¯t know anything about the media, let alone any reports!¡± ¡°So I misunderstood you.¡± Taylor said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll look into this matter, and clear your name, Mr. Quintin! If Mr. Quintin has any clues, feel free to give me a call.¡± With that, Taylor hung up. Now, he was more certain that this was aimed at ra! Was someone trying to stir up trouble between Emmett and ra? Taylor narrowed his eyes, bing more interested in the part of his memory that he lost! After all, it seemed like a lot of people knew about this part of his memory! At least, the person behind this scheme knew about it. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t know how to use him. After a morning¡¯s work, ra had written several pages of notes. Emmett was a bit puzzled, ¡°Why do you use a pen when you have aputer?¡± ¡°I need to do this to remember! I¡¯m not particrly smart, if I use aputer, I might forget quickly! But if I write it down with a pen, I can remember! If I can¡¯t remember, I¡¯ll write it down more times.¡±Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Emmett said helplessly, ¡°You work so hard, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll seed, it puts me, the CEO, to shame.¡± ra smiled at him, ¡°You being in this position, leading thepany for so many years, and bringing thepany to this glorious period, clearly shows your ability! It¡¯s not just because you¡¯re smart, you must have put in a lot of effort and survived many nights.¡± Chapter 192 Chapter 192 ¡°In this world, people who are not worthy of virtue can¡¯t keep their own sess. I can¡¯t let others catch me andugh at me in the future because I only rely on my parents to achieve my current achievements¡± ¡°You¡¯re the hardest working rich kid I¡¯ve ever met! This wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. Even Elio wasn¡¯t that dedicated, let alone working non¨Cstop all year round. Typical trust fund babies, especially when they be CEOs, indulge in luxury. How could they possibly work diligently in thepany? But Emmett was different! Even when he wasn¡¯t physically present at the office, he would still attend video conferences via his phone orptop, taking care of all sorts of business matters ¡°So, should I slow down so you can catch up?¡± he asked. ¡°No need! I might never be able to reach your level in this lifetime. Aiden and Alex need your protection, you can¡¯t slow down.¡± Emmett smiled. Every time his sons were mentioned, he couldn¡¯t help but think of Sophia. Then he said. ¡°You must be hungry, right? How about we grab a bite to eat? There¡¯s something I want to discuss with you.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my drawing yet! I was thinking of finishing it first¡­¡± ¡°You can always drawter, but you have to eat first! This is non¨Cnegotiable. If you refuse, I¡¯m not going to tutor you anymore.¡± ra had no choice but to put down her pen, ¡°Fine! But let¡¯s not go too far, I don¡¯t have much of an appetite anyway. A little bit of food will do.¡± ¡°How could you do that? You can¡¯t neglect your health because of work. What if you copse by the time the design is finished? We¡¯re only on our first project together. How can I trust you with the design if you¡¯re like this? Rather than a design, I¡¯d much prefer a healthy wife! My kids also need a healthy, mother to take care of them.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t argue with that. ra had to give in, ¡°Can I bring my sketch with me then? I can think while eating.¡± ¡°No way! Just focus on eating¡± ra pouted. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Emmett was ready to pull her out. ra quickly grabbed him, ¡°Wait, we can¡¯t go together! You go first, wait for me in the underground parking lot. I¡¯ll be right down.¡± ¡°¡­Who are you worried will see us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want the others in the office to see us!¡± ra didn¡¯t want to be the topic of office gossip during break time. ¡°Isn¡¯t our rtionship going to be made public sooner orter?¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°Or do you want to keep our marriage secret forever?¡± ra thought for a moment, ¡°Aren¡¯t I working hard to prove that I¡¯m worthy of you? Once I have some skills, people won¡¯t look down on me anymore Then we can announce our rtionship, right? That would be good for ourpany too. Think about it, if you married a wife who has contributed nothing to thepany, even if the shareholders don¡¯t say anything, they won¡¯t be pleased! But if I be an important figure in the design department, what can they say then, right?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t have anyints¡± ¡°But I¡¯m notfortable with it!¡± ra voluntarily took his hand and shook it, ¡°Just do as I say, okay? I promise I¡¯ll be an essential figure in thepany as soon as possible! Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Emmett felt helpless. This woman actually started acting like a baby, what could he even say? ¡°I can ept you hiding our marriage, but during this time you can¡¯t¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I absolutely won¡¯t! ra raised her hand to swear. ¡°And where are the men around me? Just you guys, Ricardo, you, Matt and your father if we¡¯re scraping the bottom of the barrel! I¡¯ve had no contact with anyone else¡± Emmett wanted to ask about Taylor But he hesitated and didn¡¯t say anything Since ra had said this, he should give her some trust. In the hotel, Leah discussed a coboration case with her colleagues, then called Aaron Calloway. Before she could put her phone down, Mr. Quintin¡¯s call came in Mr. Quintin¡¯s voice sounded very anxious, ¡°Leah, are you ying me? Taylor has realized that I¡¯m plotting against him! He called me, kept hinting at it, and finally just straight up told me that he wanted to talk!¡± Taylor found out so soon?¡± Leah got herself a cup of coffee. ¡°I thought he¡¯d only find out after the news was announced.¡± ¡°What are you talking about! Do you know that the media you chose has a partnership with AW? They directly informed Taylor!¡± Mr. Quintin was extremely anxious now Taylor said he would investigate this! If he digs deeper, he¡¯ll definitely find me and you! What am I supposed to do then? I don¡¯t even know how to exin this to Taylor!¡± Leah smiled, ¡°What¡¯s there to exin? No matter how much he investigates, it¡¯s useless! You just have contact with me, you have nothing to do with the person we want to deal with! Even if Taylor has a lot of power, as long as you insist that you only took him out for a meal that day, he won¡¯t be able to find anything!¡± ¡°What are you doing exactly, can you tell me?¡± ¡°I already told you, I want to marry Emmett.¡± Mr. Quintin was obviously speechless. But Leah wasn¡¯t bothered by his reaction, Taylor is an important pawn to me, no matter what you do, you have to keep him stable! You¡¯ve coborated with AW so much before, Taylor won¡¯t turn against you over such a small matter! Don¡¯t worry, if there¡¯s any problem in the future, I¡¯llpensate you for your loss.¡± ¡°Do you think I care about this loss? I¡¯m afraid that if your n fails, both of us will be ruined! Look at the person you chose, it would be easier if you were to marry Taylor! You insist on choosing Emmett! He¡¯s famously disinterested in women, yet you insist on pursuing him.¡± ¡°I like it when there is a challenge¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re crazy!¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Leah took a deep breath, nced outside the window, and smiled, ¡°Yes, I think I might be a bit crazy¡± But without taking risks, how could life beplete? Besides, this was ra¡¯s idea. It would be a waste if she didn¡¯t ept it! After hanging up the phone, Leah called her media friend. Before the other party could speak, she scolded, ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a bit too rash? I gave you the news for free, yet you used it to curry favor with AW Company!¡± Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Please calm down! I think we can discuss this issue. For example, how about we take half of the compensation from AW Company?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m short on money? If I really needed money, wouldn¡¯t it be better if I went straight to Taylor? Why should I let you guys get involved?¡± ¡°Well¡­ darling. I¡¯ll give you a satisfactory answer!¡± ¡°I wonder, are you going to release the news? Leah was running out of patience. She didn¡¯t like when things didn¡¯t go to n. It was a total mess! ¡°Yes, we will definitely release it! Just give us a bit of time!¡± ¡°You need to discuss timing to release a piece of news?¡± Leah was annoyed, Till give you ten days tops! If it¡¯s not out by then, I¡¯ll find another outlet! This news, I guarantee it¡¯s a big deal, and I¡¯ll have more important news in the future! The hush money AW Corporation gave you is peanuts!¡± The other party didn¡¯t respond, but Leah knew they were tempted. ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯ve got to say, you guys weigh it up.¡± With that, she hung up. Leah was idly ying with her coffee, when she suddenly dumped it into the trash! No matter what happened, no matter how hard the road, Emmett¡¯s wife could only be Leah. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Leah gave a coldugh, told the driver, ¡®I¡¯m going to a bakery, buy all the pastries for today.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± High¨Cend restaurant. Emmett ordered a ton of food for ra. ra kept waving him off, ¡°Stop ordering, this is plenty! You¡¯ve ordered too much, we can¡¯t finish it, it¡¯s all going to waste!¡± ¡°If you think it¡¯s waste, then eat more.¡± Emmett firmly cut the steak into small pieces and put it in front of her, ¡°Look at you, skinny as a rake, you have no curves at all.¡± ¡°So many women are jealous of my figure! No matter how much I eat, I won¡¯t gain weight! It¡¯s not that I eat a lot, it¡¯s that I don¡¯t gain weight no matter what I eat.¡± ¡°Then you should eat more.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll eat more¡­ ra lowered her head to pick up her knife and fork, and took the steak Emmett handed her. As Emmett watched ra¡¯s profile, he said softly, ¡°This morning. Aiden came to see me.¡± ra paused, looked up, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about you ¡°About me?¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°What happened to me?¡± ¡°Aiden thinks my mom is being unfair to you, thinks you¡¯re being wronged, and he hasn¡¯t been sleeping well because of it. I saw how he looked this morning and knew he must have thought about it a lot before deciding toe see me.¡± Aiden was unlike other children, if he didn¡¯t have something important, he wouldn¡¯t havee to see Emmett. Especially with such a serious expression. ra felt a warmth in her heart, her eyes began to feel a little sore for some reason¡­ ¡°Aiden¡­ loves me so much!¡± Aiden hadn¡¯t been able to live with ra since he was a child, and she felt deeply guilty about it. She had always been afraid that if she had another child one day, Aiden wouldn¡¯t forgive her! But now it seemed, she was overthinking Chapter 195 Chapter 195 That¡¯s exactly why ra felt even more quilty towards Aiden. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The more obedient and understanding he was, the worse she felt. ¡°Exactly¡® Aiden and Alex both adore you¡± Emmett looked at her face andughed, ¡°Sometimes when I look at you, I even feel like you¡¯re starting to resemble Aiden and Alex¡± Hearing this, ra almost fell off her chair in shock. She licked her lips nervously. ¡°How is that possible! Aiden and Alex are so handsome, and I¡¯m so ugly, how could I possibly look like them!¡± ¡°Well, maybe because you¡¯ve spent so much time with them, you¡¯re starting to pick up some of their traits.¡± Seeing that Emmett didn¡¯t suspect anything, ra finally breathed a sigh of relief But she really couldn¡¯t handle this kind of shock! She almost thought she was going to have a stroke just now! She had no idea when this kind of life would finallye to an end. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± ¡°Aiden and Alex both think you shouldn¡¯t be treated this way, and as their father, I think it¡¯s not fair either. So tonight, I¡¯m going to have a serious talk with my mother.¡± There had to be a resolution. Upon hearing this, ra quickly advised, ¡°Don¡¯t! If you do that, it¡¯ll only make things worse between me and your mother! She¡¯s already biased against me, if Aiden goes to you and you keep talking to her about it, she¡¯ll definitely hate me even more, thinking that I¡¯m trying to drive a wedge between you two! She¡¯s already getting on in years, don¡¯t let her get worked up over this.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t keep turning a blind eye¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°I never let you be wronged, my mom shouldn¡¯t either! She has no real evidence, it¡¯s all conjecture! I¡¯ve said it before, you¡¯re the only woman I want to spend my life with, even if the kids¡® biological mother showed up, I wouldn¡¯t give her a second nce.¡± Biological mother¡­ ra suddenly felt a pang of guilt ¡°Forget it, Emmett! I have to take some responsibility for how things have turned out! I came into your lives too abruptly, and got along with the kids too well too quickly! I think your mother feels more of a sense of loss than anything else! Aiden, who she raised, now likes me so much! If I were in her shoes, I¡¯d also be heartbroken.¡± That kind of feeling, it¡¯s like having a love rival! Even worse than a love rival! ¡°She won¡¯t appreciate you defending my mother! If we clear this up, maybe she¡¯ll understand! If she still can¡¯t understand, then we¡¯ll take the kids and leave, let her cool down.¡± ¡°This is the third time! You¡¯ve brought this up three times already¡± ra sighed, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree? You¡¯d leave this matter to me, and if I can¡¯t take it anymore, we¡¯ll move out! I haven¡¯t said that I can¡¯t stand it yet.¡± ¡°But seeing you being wronged, I can¡¯t stand it.¡± ¡°Look at me, I¡¯m fullymitted to my work! I wish I had twenty¨Cfour hours a day to draw design sketches, what do I have toin about? Your mother likes to scold, at most she¡¯ll yell at me for a few minutes, and I¡¯ll forget about it as soon as I turn around! Don¡¯t worry about it too much, I¡¯m fine.¡± ra gently patted his hand, ¡°Aiden and Alex are still young, they won¡¯t understand all this, even if I exin it to them, they won¡¯t get it. But you¡¯re different, you¡¯re all grown up, how can you not understand? If we move out, it¡¯ll only make things worse between me and your mother. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 ra was pretty chuffed with her life as it was. She didn¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass about the criticism Emmett saw iting from a mile away because he knew ra like the back of his hand. I¡¯m worried you might end up with some mental issues. My mom just doesn¡¯t think you fit in with our family! So, what do you reckon about the idea of us having another kid that I mentioned before?¡± I haven¡¯t thought about it.¡± Having Aiden and Alex were already making her feel like she was between a rock and a hard ce. If she and Emmett had another child she couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what would happen if Emmett ever found out the truth. You could give it some thought.¡± Emmett took a sip of his red wine, ¡°Once our child is born, my mom will naturally dote on them! And then you¡¯ll no longer be the step¨Cmom, you¡¯ll be the child¡¯s biological mother.¡± ¡°About that¡­ I think we should hold off and think about itter! Now might not be the best time.¡± Emmett put down his ss, clearly had more to say, but eventually held his tongue. Their dinner was filled with heavy hearts.. Back at the office, Emmett was whisked away by Ricardo for a meeting. ra had just arrived at her office and hadn¡¯t even started working when the receptionist called her. ¡°Ms. Calloway, there¡¯s a gentleman downstairs looking for you! He says he¡¯s your father.¡± Father?! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ra froze, fear gripped her heart. ¡°Tell him I don¡¯t want to see him!¡± ¡°But¡­ this gentleman said he won¡¯t leave until he sees you! He even tried to barge in here just now!¡± ra frowned. She knew her father¡¯s temper, if she avoided seeing him today, it would definitely spark more trouble. ¡°Alright then, lead him to my office, thanks!¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee!¡± After hanging up, ra quickly tidied up her desk, moving all her valuable items out of sight. It felt like she was preparing for battle¡­ Before long, Badman Calloway swaggered into her office. ¡°You¡¯ve got your own office now, and you¡¯re ignoring your own father?!¡± ra instinctively backed away, ¡°Why are you here again? I haven¡¯t even finished paying off the debt you left me withst time!¡± ¡°Heard you¡¯ve got a sugar daddy now, and you¡¯ve cleared the debt! Trying to pull a fast one on me?¡± Badman Calloway snorted, pulling ra towards him, ¡°Give me another three million, I¡¯m leaving the country!¡± ¡°Three million? Where am I supposed to get that kind of money!¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°I don¡¯t even have thirty thousand right now!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t buy your bullshit¡± Badman Calloway shot her a piercing look, ¡°Where¡¯s your sugar daddy?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no sugar daddy!¡± Badman Calloway pushed ra onto the sofa, ring at her, ¡°You dare to deceive me? You think I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on? You¡¯re working here, even got your own office, there¡¯s no way you don¡¯t have a sugar daddy! You just don¡¯t want to give me money! Thew states that you¡¯re obliged to provide for me!¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t lost your ability to act! Even if we go to court, I have no obligation to support you, let alone three million¡­ It is impossible for the court to award so much money!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about insignificant things! I want three million! If you don¡¯t give it to me, I¡¯ll make sure everyone in thepany knows what kind of person you are, and what you¡¯ve done to get money! You¡¯re even bearing a child for a rich man!¡± Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Suddenly, Badman was pped across the face. He frowned, meeting ra¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve got the face to say that? If it wasn¡¯t for your gambling habits, losing all our money, almost getting yourself killed, would I be doing what I¡¯m doing? Where do you think the money I¡¯ve made has gone, huh?¡± ¡°Enough! Stop bringing up the past! That money is long gone. I¡¯m still alive, aren¡¯t I? As long as I¡¯m breathing, I need more money!¡± Badman Calloway was done hearing it, caring little about his daughter¡¯s tears. Plus, you should be thanking me! If it wasn¡¯t for you giving birth to a rich man¡¯s child, would you ever reach the upper ss?? Would you have afortable life like this?!¡± ra clenched her fists. This is afortable life?!¡± Living in constant fear, worrying about Emmett finding out the truth, not even daring to acknowledge her own son. Was this her idea of afortable life? ¡°You don¡¯t consider thisfortable? At least you¡¯re not starving! My pockets are down to a hundred bucks. After today¡¯s meal, I¡¯ll be going hungry tomorrow!¡± ¡°1. I can give you ten grand,¡± ra didn¡¯t want to argue anymore. Regardless of the oue, he wouldn¡¯t change. Expecting a gambler to turn over a new leaf was pretty much a pipe dream.. ra had given up on that hope. ¡°Ten grand? Do I look like a beggar to you? That¡¯s not even enough for my trip abroad!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough for you to live on! I don¡¯t have any more!¡± She might be earning a decent wage at the Melendez Group, but that money was owed to Emmett Even if they were married, things needed to be clear! He helped her pay off her debts once, it was only right she paid him back. Then go get it! I don¡¯t care either way.¡± Badman sank into the couch, ¡°You figure it out! But I need three million in three days! My flight¡¯s in two days, off to Las Vegas! My buddies all say, I¡¯m bound to win big there! If I win back my losses, I¡¯ll pay you back!¡± ra was speechless. ¡°You want this money to gamble?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my only shot at turning things around! How could I pass that up?¡± Badman Calloway stated matter¨Cof¨Cfactly, ¡°And let me tell you, you better not get in my way! Or I¡¯ll hold a grudge against you for life. If I¡¯m not doing well, I won¡¯t let you live easy.¡± Just as ra was about to retort, there came a knock at the door. ¡°ra, it¡¯s me.¡± Emmett?! Why did he have to show up right now? ra hastily replied, ¡°I¡¯m a bit tied up right now, can¡¯t really open the door! I¡¯lle find youter!¡± But Badman Calloway quickly picked up on ra¡¯s panic, he walked over and swung the door open, revealing Emmett. ¡°So you¡¯re my daughter¡¯s sugar daddy?¡± Emmett took one look at Badman Calloway, then at ra¡¯s reaction, and everything clicked. He stepped inside and shut the door behind him. ¡°You must be ra¡¯s father¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. This was not a question. Without hesitation, Badman Calloway nodded, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here for money, I take it.¡± Emmett nced at ra. However, ra quickly grabbed his hand, pushing him back out the door, ¡°This is my problem, don¡¯t worry about it! Mr. Melendez, you go ahead with your business! Chapter 198 Chapter 198 ra worried that Emmett might think her father was a scoundrel and resented her.. She was also afraid that Badman would spill the beans about her kid ¡°Why are you always trying to get rid of him? Badman sensed something fishy. He quickly pulled Emmett aside. ¡°Tell me, do you fancy my girl?¡± Emmett didn¡¯t beat around the bush He replied, ¡°She¡¯s my girl¡± That makes it easy then!¡± Badman extended his hand. ¡°Give me five million, and I¡¯ll leave here!¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ra was taken aback. She frowned, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just want three million?¡± 7 see your boyfriend is loaded! He must be earning big bucks here! Since I¡¯ve already asked for money, what¡¯s the problem with asking for more?¡± ¡°You¡­ How can you be so shameless!¡± ra really felt like cutting ties with this so¨Ccalled father! ¡°Me, shameless? You¡¯re cursing your own father, what does that make you?¡± Emmett saw Badman gripping ra¡¯s hand. He went over, pulled ra into his arms, and whispered to her, ¡°You go work on your designs. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± How can I work at a time like this?¡± ¡°Then go to Ricardo¡¯s office,¡± Emmett gave a reassuring smile, ¡°Are you afraid he¡¯ll do something to me?¡± She was actually afraid that Badman would let the cat out of the bag! Emmett turned to Badman, ¡°Five million, right? I can give you that, but I have a condition.¡± ¡°What condition? You want me to never contact my daughter again, right? Let me tell you, that¡¯s not going to happen! As long as she¡¯s alive, she has to take care of me! That¡¯s how it¡¯s supposed to be!¡± ¡°While she¡¯s alive, she has to support you, that¡¯s true. But it¡¯s not the only answer.¡± Badman was stunned, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What if¡­ you¡¯re dead?¡± Emmett spread his hands, ¡°Then my girl won¡¯t have to support you.¡± ¡­Are you threatening to kill me?!¡± ¡°I bet a lot of people want you dead, so it wouldn¡¯t even have to be me. You owe so much gambling debt, you know who you¡¯ve pissed off, right? Do you think they might want you dead?¡± Badman got spooked. He quickly turned to ra, ¡°You useless thing! He¡¯s talking about me like this, and you don¡¯t say a word?! Your boyfriend wants me dead!¡± ¡°Now you remember you¡¯re my father? What have you given me since I was a child?¡± ra¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°When have you ever cared about me? You¡¯ve never cared whether I live or die!¡± If it wasn¡¯t for Emmett, she might have been beaten to death that night! There would be no life for her today! ¡°You are my daughter tool Without me, where would youe from!¡± Badman Calloway took a few steps back, not wanting to confront Emmett head¨Con, ¡°That¡¯s all!¡± I promise you, if you give me five million, I will no longer recognize you as my daughter!¡± ra saw Emmett about to make a call. She quickly stopped him, ¡°Don¡¯t! If you give him the money, he¡¯ll just blow it on gambling!¡± Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Once Badman¡¯s broke, he¡¯ll ask ra for money again! ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it¡± Emmett chuckled, ¡°With me stepping into this situation, things will be different¡± ra didn¡¯t know how to say I¡¯ve got some buddies in Las Vegas, I¡¯ll give them a heads up to keep an eye on your father¡± Soon, Ricardo brought the check and ced it in front of Badman Calloway ¡°Here¡¯s five million, take it! Remember what you said, if I see you next time¡­ I hope it would be at your funeral Emmett¡¯sugh was spine¨Cchilling, ¡°i always get what I want.¡± Badman took the check, didn¡¯t even spare them a nce before he turned and left. ra breathed a sigh of relief, but felt even more pressured. ¡°Emmett I haven¡¯t paid back thest money¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay back¡± ¡°That¡¯s your money, I must pay it back!¡± ra frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t even afford to pay back this five million!¡± Emmett raised his hand and smoothed her furrowed brow This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t let these things get to you! Didn¡¯t you say you want to be a designer? Then go for it with all your heart! Leave the rest to me, don¡¯t overthink.¡± ¡°But how can I¡­¡± ¡°By being my girl, you can!¡± Emmett held her hand tightly. ¡°If I can¡¯t even handle this, how am I supposed to protect you?¡± ra lowered her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, and¡­ thank you.¡± ¡°No need to say that, it¡¯s what I should do.¡± AW Inc. Taylor scrutinized the documents on his desk, his eyes filled with doubt. ¡°Mr. Atwood, I¡¯ve been investigating for a while, even tracked down Mr. Quintin¡¯s ex-girlfriends, but found no connection between Mr. Quintin and Ms. Calloway.¡± ¡°So, ra doesn¡¯t know him.¡± The secretary nodded, ¡°That¡¯s the likely scenario! If they had a rtionship, there would have been traces! But as it stands, they have no connection.¡± Taylor waved it off, ¡°I see! What about my arrangement to meet ra? Is it done?¡± ¡°About that¡­ I¡¯m still working on it! Can¡¯t invite her on behalf of thepany, it¡¯s a bit tricky¡­.since I¡¯m not familiar with Ms. Calloway, she might note if I suddenly invite her.¡± ¡°Then you drive and bump into her.¡± Taylor pondered, ¡°You can intentionally hit her car, that way you¡¯ll have a point of connection.¡± The secretary was taken aback. He didn¡¯t expect Mr. Atwood to go to such¡­ childish and dangerous lengths just to meet a woman. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it.¡± But he had no right to refuse. So he did as instructed. Taylor waved his hand, ¡°Go on! Get it done soon.¡± ¡°Got it, Mr. Atwood.¡± Not long after the secretary left, Teresa walked in. ¡°Taylor¡± ¡°Mom, what brings you here?¡± Taylor immediately stood up to greet her. ¡°I was too bored or home, you¡¯ve been very busy at thepanytely and haven¡¯t had time toe home and see me, so I camel Teresa took out a homemade cake, ¡°Come, I made this myself, have a taste. Taylor took it and nodded, ¡°Thank you, mom.¡± ¡°No matter how busy your work is, you must take care of your health. After your identst time, the doctor told you to rest more, but you¡¯ve put all your energy into work. Chapter 200 Chapter 200 This is for the better development of our Atwood family! I don¡¯t want to be stepped on by others, and I believe nobody else wants to be either.¡± ¡°I am very pleased that you have this fighting spirit! Teresa chuckled, ¡°But this is a long¨Cterm commitment, not something we can sort out overnight.¡± She then shifted gears. ¡°You know, you should start thinking about tying the knot You¡¯re at the age where it¡¯s expected¡± Taylor frowned at her words, ¡°I think I¡¯m doing just fine flying solo. No need for a ball and chain! I¡¯ve dated before, but never found the right fit ¡°Well, keep your eyes peeled! There¡¯s a lid for every pot! Teresa studied his face, treading lightly, ¡°You¡¯re not¡­. still hung up on ra, are you?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t been in touch with hertely¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡® Teresa reassured him, taking his hand. ¡°That¡¯s all water under the bridge now. It¡¯s time to move on! The world is full of knockouts, and there¡¯s more than one fish in the sea for you. You just need to let go and give other girls a chance¡± Taylor nodded in agreement, ¡°Yeah, once I get a breather, I¡¯ll consider it.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯ve got it figured out. I won¡¯t push it¡± Teresa sighed, Td love to see you settle down, but I won¡¯t rush you. Marriage is about finding the right one! Keep that in mind! If you¡¯re having trouble meeting girls or don¡¯t get the chance, I can y matchmaker. I¡¯ve got a bunch of friends who can help find you a catch¡± I¡¯d rather find someone on my own. Blind dates aren¡¯t my cup of tea.¡± ¡°That works too. Taylor managed a smile, but his mind was filled with thoughts of ra. Let go? That was easier said than done, especially when he still hadn¡¯t regained his memory. Later that night, ra finally submitted hertest design. This time, Emmett didn¡¯t find any issues, ¡°I¡¯ll submit it for review first thing tomorrow¡± ¡°What? Already?¡± ra grabbed the design, ¡°Let me double¨Ccheck if there are any edits needed!¡± Emmett sighed, ¡°The design¡¯s top¨Cnotch! You don¡¯t need to overthink it!¡± ¡°But I¡¯m nervous,¡± ra confessed. This is my first technical drawing, and I don¡¯t have any experience with construction. I want the design to be wless!¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Emmett stood up and checked his watch, ¡°It¡¯ste. We should be home with our kids. You can¡¯t let your work eat up all your time. What Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. about the kids?¡± Upon hearing this, ra nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve been so caught up with work that I¡¯ve barely spent time with them. Today, I¡¯ll leave work at work and focus on our kids.¡± ¡°Good.¡± As Emmett and ra left the building and got in the car, ra suddenly remembered, ¡°You mentioned before that your mom said the kids love a certain pastry. I¡¯d like to buy them some!* ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll call my mom and ask for the exact location of that bakery¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Emmett dialed Sophia¡¯s number, and after a few rings, Sophia¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Emmett, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Mom, do you remember the pastry shop Aiden and Alex are crazy about? I¡¯m thinking of grabbing some stuff from there¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯m already here¡± Sophia chuckled, ¡°I bumped into thatdy we met herest time, we¡¯re having a chat. Are youing over?¡± Emmett nced at ra, ¡°Nah, you go ahead and buy, we¡¯ll head straight home to be with the kids.¡± ¡°Alright! Alex got a perfect score in the exam today, and he is very happy at home! You should give him a goodpliment after you go back¡± ¡°Ok.¡± After hanging up, ra asked, ¡°Alex got a perfect score?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Aiden was also doing a great job, being able to tutor Alex so well.¡± ra sighed, ¡°To be fair, Alex is pretty sharp too, he¡¯s just not as focused and hardworking as Aiden. Alex gets distracted by shiny new things.¡± ¡°Yeah, but Alex is a pro at handling people. Look how he¡¯s got my mom wrapped around his little finger, she hardly has any time for Aiden anymore.¡± ¡°Alex sure knows how to turn on the charm¡± ¡°He¡¯s good at ying up his strengths, it¡¯s a talent. In the business world, it¡¯s not always the ones with good grades or impressive academics who excel in business. On the contrary, kids like Alex, who are better at handling rtionships.¡± At this assessment, ra could only chuckle. She hadn¡¯t thought that far All she knew was that, from a young age, Alex was a bigger handful than most kids, often giving her a headache. ¡°Let¡¯s drop it. With mom out, you can have some quality time with the kids when we get home.¡± ¡°Sounds good, let¡¯s head back.¡± Meanwhile, at the pastry shop, Sophia and Leah were having a chat. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t think I¡¯d run into you here. You must be crazy about the pastries here too?¡± ¡°My son loves them, so I¡¯m here pretty often.¡± Sophia nodded, ¡°Your son must be pretty lucky to have a mom like you. My son¡¯s wife barely gives a thought to the kids. I mean, she¡¯s their stepmom, how much can she really care, right?¡± On hearing this, Leah quickly agreed, ¡°Yeah, a stepmom is no real mom. If she has her own kids, she¡¯ll care even less for the others.¡± ¡°Sigh, but my son is head over heels for her, what can I do? I really wanted to suggest he gets back with the kids¡¯ real mom, but¡­ he¡¯s stubborn as a mule, no convincing him.¡± Sophia sighed inwardly, feeling helpless to protect her grandkids. She didn¡¯t want to butt in Emmett and ra¡¯s business too much. But she had no choice now! She saw Emmett was all wrapped up in ra, and if this continues, ra might get big-headed, and possibly change her attitude towards the kids! This kind of thing willst forever, and the children will be by her side for the rest of their lives! ra, the stepmother, would definitely be more arrogant Chapter 202 Chapter 202 ¡°Do you know where the biological mother of those two kids is? Are you still in touch?¡± ¡°Nope, I haven¡¯t really contacted you either! Sigh, it¡¯s useless if I contacted, and it may cause family disputes! Sophia waved her hand, ¡°I¡¯m also very embarrassed!¡± Leah chuckled, ¡°You could try reaching out, see if she¡¯s willing! You¡¯re so kind, she¡¯d totally want to come back.¡± Sophia nced at her, ¡°My family situation is quite unique! Not as simple as you might think¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the situation then?¡± ¡°It¡¯splicated to say, I don¡¯t feel like digging up the past!¡± Sophia stood up, grabbing some pastries, Tll tell you all about it when I have time! I¡¯ll go back first, and the two children at home are waiting for me.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Leah also stood up, ¡°Alright! Take care¡± Watching Sophia leave, Leah was over the moon. This must be the best news she¡¯s heard today! Looks like the Melendez family is anything but peaceful! This is indeed a golden opportunity. ra and Emmett arrived at the Melendez residence, seeing Alex and Aiden studying in the courtyard. ra was a bit surprised to see Alex studying so hard. ¡°Mum!¡± Aiden saw his mother and immediately got up to greet her, ¡°Dad¡± ra patted Aiden¡¯s cheek, ¡°You must be working hard tutoring Alex, huh?¡± Aiden nced at Alex and made a face, I told Alex if he gets perfect scores on his test, I¡¯ll give him all my candy until the next test.¡± ra suddenly realized, ¡°Alex loves candy most! Give him some and he¡¯d do anything! You¡¯ve been working hard, and I¡¯ll buy you candies. Don¡¯t tell Alex! It¡¯s your reward* Aiden shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t really like candy! Give it to Alex if he likes it.¡± Emmett was proud to see Aiden being such a good boy, ¡°Okay, what would you like as a reward? I¡¯ll buy it for you!¡± Aiden thought for a moment, then took ra¡¯s hand, ¡°I want you guys to take a day off and take me and Alex to the amusement park! That¡¯s also Alex¡¯s wish.¡± Hearing this, Emmett and ra exchanged a look. They felt a bit guilty. They¡¯ve been neglecting the kids¡¯ longing for their parents! ra immediately hugged Aiden, ¡°Okay, I promise! Whenever you want to go, I¡¯ll take you¡±¡± ¡°What about¡­ Dad?¡± Aiden looked nervously at Emmett. He was always a bit scared of Emmett. Emmett nodded, smiling, ¡°If your mom has agreed, how could I say no!¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± Aiden shouted at Alex, ¡°Alex, mom and dad agreed!¡± Alex, who had been pretending to read, immediately put down his book, ¡°Really? That¡¯s great! Aiden, do I still need to pretend to read to make them happy?¡± Aiden was taken aback, frowning, ¡°Why did you say everything?¡± ra sighed, ¡°You two are such sly foxes!¡± Chapter 203 Chapter 203 At night, ra stayed with the kids until they all fell asleep, and only then did she return to her room. Emmett was reading a book by the bed. Seeing her return, he put down the book and got up. ¡°Are the kids asleep?¡± ra nodded, ¡°Yes, and your mom didn¡¯t say anything nasty to me this time! Maybe it¡¯s because I had a great time ying with the kids!¡± ¡°In my moms eyes, these two kids are more important than anything else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal! She is the grandma of two children, so she will love them very much¡± ra changed her clothes and was about to go into the bathroom to take a shower. Emmett suddenly walked over and hugged her from behind. ¡°Shower together?¡± ra¡¯s face turned red, ¡°No way! You wash yourself! Or you go first, then I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°What part of you haven¡¯t I seen before?¡¯ ¡°Still no¡­¡± ra shook her head, clutching her chest, ¡°I think it¡¯s really werd for two people to stand there¡­ all naked¡¯ Let¡¯s not do that.¡± ¡°We can do other things, not just stand there Emmett said, and directly picked her up! ra struggled a bit, but she knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to resist him! The result was obvious. ra was carried in by him, and also carried out by him. Her face was flushed, and she curled up in Emmett¡¯s arms. ¡°Put me down right now!¡± ¡°We already did it, why are you still blushing? Is it because you¡¯re not satisfied about my skills? Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it again.¡± ra quickly waved her hand, ¡°No! ¡°So, how do you think I did?¡± ¡°Great!¡± ra almost wanted to give him a thumbs up. ¡°Just let me sleep. I¡¯m really too tired!¡± He had her pinned against the wall just now, with her legs barely touching the ground. Now her legs were trembling, sore as hell! All she wanted was a good sleep! ¡°Hmm, I can ept this review¡± Only then did Emmett put her on the bed and turned off the light, Today¡­ I didn¡¯t take any precautions.¡± ra was startled, poking her head out of the nket. Then I¡¯ll go get some birth control pills tomorrow!¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to have another child with ine? I want a daughter.¡± ra shook her head, ¡®It¡¯s not the time! Let¡¯s talk about it in a few days. After all, we¡¯re still young, we can have one anytime.¡± The most important thing is¡­. If she got pregnant now, and he finds out the truth in the future, she doesn¡¯t know what to do. Would she have to leave with three kids then? *Im not young anymore! ¡°Is thirty-something considered old?¡± ¡°Yes¡± ra pursed her lips, Then before you turn forty, I¡¯ll definitely consider this, okay?¡± But she only said consider, not that she will agree after considering. ¡°Forty, aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll be too weak by then?¡± ¡°You should start conserving a bit of energy now¡± ra gently poked his sturdy chest, ¡°You are a thirtysomething man after all. Generally speaking, you shouldn¡¯t be this energetic. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m old?¡± ¡°You said it yourself!¡± Emmett suddenly grabbed her wrist tightly and pressed her under him, ¡°I say I can, you say I can¡¯t! I have to prove to you, I¡¯m not old!¡± ¡°¡­I was wrong. I don¡¯t want to continue! Emmett I¡¯m really tired, ¡­mm!¡± Who can save her! Facing such a husband, what should she do! hapterContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 In the early morning of the next day, at AW Corporations CEO office. The secretary came in with some documents for Taylor and was about to leave when Taylor stopped her. ¡°Have you arranged the meeting with ra yet?¡± ¡°Ms. Calloway didn¡¯t take her car out yesterday! My guys have been tailing her, I¡¯ll know the moment she steps out!¡± Taylor rubbed his temples, ¡°Alright, get back to work¡± He got up feeling frustrated and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window. Right now, he had no idea who was trying to harm ra, let alone what he should do! If he meddles too much, Emmett will definitely find out! That would just confirm the report and give the person behind this the upper hand. But¡­ If he does nothing, he¡¯ll be extremely uneasy The thought of ra possibly being targeted by someone else made him restless, he couldnt even concentrate on his work. Suddenly, his phone rang. Taylor turned around to answer, ¡°Hello, Taylor speaking¡± ¡°Hello Mr. Atwood, this is Wanda, the chief editor of Starling Media¡± Upon hearing this, Taylor knew it must be about the scandal, ¡°Oh, do you reed my help?¡± ¡°I was wondering if you could spare some time to meet with me today? Wanda¡¯s voice was slightly hesitant, like she was dealing with a tricky situation. Taylor nced at his schedule, Two hours, will that do? ¡°Absolutely!¡± Wanda quickly responded, ¡°I just need a moment of your time! I¡¯ve thought it over and decided it would be better to discuss this in person, but it¡¯s a bitplicated, so it¡¯s hard to exin over the phone.¡± ¡°Then, meet me at the coffee shop downstairs of Starling Media in twenty minutes ¡°Great! I really appreciate you taking the time. Mr. Atwood!¡± After hanging up. Taylor got up, straightened his suit, grabbed his car keys and headed out. At the door, his secretary was giving instructions. ¡°Mr. Atwood, where are you going?¡± Im meeting the chief editor of Starling Media. If anythinges up at the office, give me a call. I¡¯ll be back in about two hours.¡± The secretary nodded, ¡°Alright, got it.¡± Taylor drove alone to the coffee shop downstairs of Starling Media Not long after he had entered, he saw chief editor Wanda walking in. ¡°Mr. Atwood!¡± Upon seeing him, Wanda seemed quite excited, quickly walked over and pulled out the chair across from Taylor, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry to disturb you at this hour, I wouldn¡¯t have done so if it wasn¡¯t urgent.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, spill it. What¡¯s so important that it requires a face-to-face? Taylor picked up his coffee and took a sip Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. His mere presence was already drawing attention from quite a few girls around. The gazes made Taylor feel a bit ufortable. ¡°Oh, that is how it happened. We¡¯ve been cooperating with yourpany, and both parties were satisfied. However, due to this recent leak, I understand you might be upset!¡± Wanda sighed and watched Taylor¡¯s reaction carefully. ¡°But we¡¯ve been misunderstood! The whistleblower demanded that we release the news, or else she¡¯d spill it to other media outlets! Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Taylor frowned, ¡°Who¡¯s the whistleblower?¡± Well¡­ Wanda hesitated, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Atwood, I really can¡¯t tell you! If I do, ourpany is done for! The identity of the whistleblower is top secret.¡± ¡°How much will it cost to tell me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the dough!¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s it about?¡± Taylor gave her a nce, ¡°Or, you could ask the person directly how much they¡¯d want to keep this scandal under wraps¡± Wanda looked helpless, Tve tried, but the person clearly isn¡¯t in it for the money! Mr. Atwood, if we don¡¯t spill the beans, some otherpany will pick up the news! Either way, the news will get out! So¡­.why not let ourpany break the news? At least we can choose our words carefully to minimize the impact on AW Company¡± ¡°All I want to know right now is who the whistleblower is.¡± Taylor put down his coffee cup, obviously not pleased, ¡°You¡¯ve been in the business long enough, you know who we hate to have on our taill This person managed to set me up, I have to find out who they are! If you won¡¯t tell me. I¡¯ll find out, and then¡­. everyone will think you let the cat out of the bag!¡± Wanda listened, knowing Taylor was right. Is there a way for our mediapany to dodge this bullet?¡± She thought this would be a great story, but it turned out to be a hot potato! No matter what she did now, it seemed like a mistake!Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°If you tell me, I could talk to them, maybe this will all be over! That would be better for your media, and for me, so why not?¡± ¡°Do you want to meet the person, Mr. Atwood?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Wanda hesitated for a moment, ¡°Then I¡¯ll talk to them and see if they re willing to meet you!¡± ¡°Good, as long as you know what¡¯s up! About this whistleblower, I have to find out who they are, this will somehow involve yourpany! But¡­ if you could tell me directly, it would be different! AW Company will promise a long-term cooperation with Starling Media, and¡­ we¡¯ll only let Starling Media cover our news, all exclusive.¡± ¡°I think about it.¡± Taylor smiled, ¡°You¡¯re smart, I trust you¡¯ll make the right choice All Wanda could do was smile awkwardly. ¡°We¡¯ve been working together for many years, and have always hit it off, I hope this won¡¯t affect our rtionship!¡± ¨C hope not either.¡± Taylor wrote a check and handed it over, ¡°This is a little something from me! Hope you¡¯ll ept Wanda was taken aback a bit, looking at the number on the check, her heart was naturally moved She bit her lip, but eventually epted with a smile,, ¡°Rest assured, Mr. Atwood, I know what to do!¡± ¡°I trust you!¡± Taylor stood up. Then I¡¯m looking forward to good news¡± Wanda also stood up immediately, ¡°Great! No matter how I talked with the other party, I will definitely tell Mr. Atwood the identity of this person Chapter 206 Chapter 206 After a night of relentless passion, ra was left wondering if she could survive till the next day. She was almost in awe of Emmett! Despite the exhausting night, he acted as if nothing happened, waking up and having breakfast as usual. On the contrary, she could onlyy there and groan¡­ She couldn¡¯t even lift her arm now! ¡°Do you need me to help you get up?¡± Emmett couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her state. He was quite satisfied with his performancest night. ¡°No need! I can do it myself.¡± ra quickly refused him She was afraid that if he helped her up, he might have some ¡°requests¡± again and then she could just forget about going to work and stay at home to Material ? N?velDrama.Org. rest. ¡°I see your legs are still trembling ra red at him, ¡°How dare you! You know I have to work today!¡± Emmett smirked, leaned over and picked her up. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you¡¯re too tempting? I just couldn¡¯t resist.¡± ra pushed him away. to drive myself to work¡± not a fruit for you to taste! Let me go, I really need to get ready for work! You have a meeting at the branch office and I have ¡°Alright, be careful when you drive.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m a good driver,¡± After finally escaping Emmett¡¯s heavy hints, ra quickly got dressed and headed for work. As she was approaching the Melendez Group, she suddenly remembered that she and Emmett didnt use protectionst night. So, she made a U-turn and headed for the pharmacy next to her office. As soon as she entered, a sales assistant at the entrance asked, ¡°What can I get for you?¡± ¡°Morning after¡­¡± Before ra could finish, she felt embarrassed. She coughed lightly and pretended to cover her face, before whispering. ¡°Morning after pill.¡± The assistant looked at her and nodded, ¡°Alright! Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll get it for you¡± ra stood there rigidly for a minute before the assistantzily handed her the pill, ¡®If you have any adverse reactions after taking it, go to the hospital immediately! It might affect your menstrual cycle next month¡± ¡°Okay! Thanks¡± She was too worried to listen to these instructions, she grabbed the pill and ran towards the parking lot But before she could get there, she saw a man standing by her car from a distance As ra approached, she realized¡­ This man had hit her carl ¡°Are you the owner?¡¯ The man looked at her, apologetic. ra nodded and checked the paint, ¡°Yes, I am.¡± I¡¯m sorry! I don¡¯t know what happened, I was a bit distracted when parking and identally hit your car!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± ra ran her hand over her car, ¡°Just a bit of paint is off, I can get it fixed at the 45 store! You can go.¡± The man was taken aback, ¡°Go? Don¡¯t you need me topensate?¡± ¡°No need!¡± ra was confused by his question, ¡°It¡¯s just a minor scratch, a few hundred bucks can fix it.¡± ¡°But I should be responsible! How about this, apany me to the bark and III withdraw the money to give you! I don¡¯t have cash on me.¡± ¡°¡­ No need, really no need, ra waved her hands, I have to go to work, just be careful next time when you¡¯re driving¡± After saying this, shet was about to get in her car and leave The man frowned, then suddenly had an idea¡­. He also got in his car, and then stepped on the elerator- Crash! With a loud bang, ra¡¯s car was smashed into the wall! Now not only was the paint chipped, the front bumper waspletely busted.. Chapter 207 Chapter 207 The car got hit, and ra was so taken aback that she needed a moment to gather herself! After a few seconds of daze, she finally opened the car door and asked, ¡°Dude, are you a newbie at driving?¡± The man awkwardly scratched his head, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry! I¡¯m not really myself today I¡¯ve caused you trouble! I¡¯ll take responsibility¡± ra reluctantly got off the car to take a look. She let out a sigh, checking the time. ¡°Are you gonna call your insurance now? I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± 1 don¡¯t have car insurance! How about this, I¡¯ll give you cash! Youe with me to get it, and then could you kindly get it fixed yourself? Ten grand, is that enough?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll take that much! Let¡¯s exchange numbers; if there¡¯s any extra, I¡¯ll return it to you.¡± The man nodded, ¡°Alright! Then came with me to get it¡± What else could ra do but agree? Inside Emmett¡¯s car. Ricardo was in the front seat, reporting the branch office¡¯s situation to Emmett Listening to him, Emmett suddenly asked, ¡°Any news from AWpany recently?¡± ¡°Taylor?¡± Ricardo thought momentarily, ¡°He seems to beying lowtely, no new projects apart from the ones with his long-term coborators. He met Mr. Quintin a few days ago, but it didn¡¯t seem they reached an agreement. Their name wasn¡¯t in the newnd bidding either.¡± ¡°Seems like Taylor¡¯s about to quit the business world¡± ¡°Seems so! I heard Taylor¡¯s been having constant headaches since his car ident. His condition might have worsened, so he¡¯s not in the mood for business. Emmett looked at the documents in his hand, ¡°But we can¡¯t let our guard down. Their silence means they¡¯re nning something. We need to know our enemies.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Ricardo chuckled, ¡°With Mr. Melendez¡¯s wealth and power, a smallpany like AW is nothing! Plus, Taylor is ill¡± ¡°Never underestimate Taylor, he¡¯s quite resourceful¡± Emmett always saw Taylor as a worthy opponent in the business world. As for love rivals? Not so much. Ricardo nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you I¡¯ve learned much from being by your side for so many years! If you ever fire me, I can still make a living.¡± What are you nning to do wrong to get fired?¡± Emmett arched his eyebrows. ¡°I dare not do anything wrong! I¡¯m walking on eggshells now¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°If you¡¯re loyal to me, even if you make mistakes, you¡¯ll only get a light punishment. I won¡¯t let you leave the Melendez Group! Otherwise, how can I get things done without any trusted aides?¡± Ricardo emotionally said, ¡°Mr. Melendez, I¡¯ll never betray you! I don¡¯t even dare to look at Mrs. Melendez too much, afraid you might get jealous!¡± ¡°Emmett paused, looking at him. ¡°Do you think I love ra a lot?¡± Ricardo was puzzled; after a moment, he nodded, ¡°Yes. The way you care for her is surprising. I¡¯ve been with you for so many years, and I¡¯ve never seen you like this before!¡± When Emmett thought of ra, he smiled faintly. ¡°Her appearance was unexpected.¡± He thought he would never meet a woman he liked because of his personality. He was even prepared to stay single for life! ¡°She is so lucky! Being with you, receiving so much love from you! If I were a woman, I might be jealous.¡± After saying that, Ricardo felt something was off; he quickly exined, ¡°No, Mr. Melendez! I didn¡¯t mean I have any special feelings for you.¡± Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Emmett chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, even if you are into me, I don¡¯t swing that way¡± ra was led to a nearby bank where the man withdrew ten grand in cash for her She epted the money, then handed him her business card. ¡°Give me a call, I¡¯ll save your number! If the repair costs less, I¡¯ll refund your ¡°No need¡± The man smiled and suddenly stepped back. ¡°Running into your car was actually intentional¡± Intentional? ra frowned, a bit puzzled. ¡°Why would you intentionally hit me? We have no beef.¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she noticed a silhouette behind the man¡­ Instantly, she understood. ra turned pale and stepped back, ¡°Taylor, did you set this up?¡± Taylor nodded, smiling politely ¡°It¡¯s been tough to see you. Emmett has been guarding you too tightly, it¡¯s not easy for me to meet you.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Why would you want to see me? There¡¯s nothing to talk about between us ra said, then turned around to leave in a hurry! Taylor quickly approached and grabbed her wrist. ¡°Why are you avoiding me? ra, tell me, what exactly happened in our past?¡± ra instinctively shook off his hand, nothing happened! You and I have no rtion you¡¯re lying.¡± Her face said it all. ra quickly turned her face and closed her lips, ¡°I think I¡¯ve made it clear, we had no rtionship; why do you keep digging?¡± ¡°I heard that you have a child.¡± Taylor frowned, staring at her face. ¡°Is it mine?¡± ¡°How could it be! I told you, I have no such rtionship with you!¡± ra stepped back, her eyes searching for an escape route, ¡°Taylor, I told you, whatever your mom and you heard about me is true, I am that kind of person! So stop looking for me: we should be strangers.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Taylor suddenly felt a headache. He instinctively crouched down, clutching his head, showing a painful expression. ra extended her hand¡­ But she pulled back halfway. She couldn¡¯t get anyone else involved now! Elio was an example; she didn¡¯t want Taylor to be the next Elio. ¡°Mr. Atwood, are you okay? I¡¯ll take you to the hospital!¡± The secretary nearby hurried over. Seeing that he was being taken care of, ra turned to leave, But she hadn¡¯t walked far when Taylor shouted from behind, ¡°Someone wants to harm you, do you know that?¡± ra stiffened, ¡°Thanks for your concern, but I have a husband now, if anyone wants to harm me, he¡¯ll help me, you don¡¯t need to worry¡± ¡°Do you really believe that Emmett will always be with you?¡± ¡°He treats me very well¡± ¡°But you never gave me a chance to treat you well!¡± Taylor painfully walked towards her, step by step. ¡°I don¡¯t care what happened between us, as long as you¡¯re willing toe back to me now, I can let go of everything¡± ra looked him in the eyes. ¡°Are you crazy? I¡¯m married now, how can I be with you? And¡­ you have amnesia, your memories of us are your imagination! You don¡¯t know anything about the past!¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re into me. Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Taylor stared at her straight in the face, ¡°From the moment I first saw your picture, the second I met you in person, I knew something was going on between us. We must have some past connection.¡± ra lowered her head, ¡°Mr. Atwood, your gut may be off. I don¡¯t have any feelings for you, and I am not into you¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying¡± ¡°Tim not!¡± ra turned around, ¡°Since I¡¯ve seen you today and you specifically asked me out, I¡¯ll just tell you straight. I¡¯m in love with Emmett, my heart¡¯s all his. Forget about any past connection we might have had, even if there was one, that¡¯s water under the bridge, I admit you said I might have had feelings for you, but¡­with time, I can¡¯t cling to a rtionship with no future. I need support and a man to be by my side.¡± Taylor felt like a knife was twisting in his chest. ¡°You¡¯re in love with Emmett?¡± ¡°Yes, I love him very much.¡± ¡°No way! I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Taylor took a few steps back. Thest time I saw you look at Emmett, there was no love in your eyes. My gut tells me you¡¯re not a woman who settles.¡± raughed, ¡°Gut feeling? Is that how you always judge things? Is a gut feeling evidence?¡± ¡°Emmett is good to me, epts all my quirks, nurtures my interests, and is willing to be kind to my child. Why can¡¯t I love him? As for you, Mr. Atwood, since you¡¯ve lost your memory, that¡¯s a chance given by the universe for you to erase the past and start over. Why bother guessing what happened in the past?¡± ra turned around, I gotta go, I hope you won¡¯t ask me out like this again, my hubby could get jealous.¡± With that, she turned and walked away Taylor stood there, his headache getting worse¡­ After a moment of dizziness, he sat on the ground, his secretary calling, ¡°Mr. Atwood, are you alright?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. I¡¯m fine, let¡¯s go back to the office.¡± Taylor waved him off. ¡°Go back to the office like this? We should go to the hospitall Teresa will worry!¡± ¡°If I go to the hospital, she¡¯ll be terrified Taylor frowned, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I just lie in the office for a while.¡± -The secretary couldn¡¯t change Taylor¡¯s mind, so he nodded and helped him into the car. Before Taylor could gather his thoughts, Wanda called. ¡°Mr. Atwood, they¡¯ve agreed to meet with you! When are you avable?¡± ¡°Is it a man or a woman?¡± ¡°A woman.¡± Then let her set the time and let me know in advance; I¡¯ll be there.¡± Taylor was still a gentleman. Wandaughed, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell her that! But she has one request..she hopes you can keep this a secret and don¡¯t tell anyone! After meeting her, act like you¡¯ve never seen her before, and if you meet in the business world, don¡¯t recognize each other.¡± ¡°I understand ¡± ¡®Great, I¡¯ll tell her to arrange the time.¡± After hanging up, Taylor rubbed his forehead. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 The secretary nced at Taylor through the rear-view mirror, expressing her worry. ¡°Mr Atwood, Ms. Calloway¡¯s attitude was pretty clear Why are you still getting involved? Ms. Calloway is so cold, perhaps it¡¯s time to let go. She disregards your feelings and only hurts you with her words, over praising Emmett, She¡¯s not worth your sacrifice. Taylor frowned. ¡°What do you know? I¡¯ve done my homework on ra. She¡¯s not like that! There must be something we don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°But she hurt you, that¡¯s a fact! She didn¡¯t even say hi after seeing your previous state! The secretary gave a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to piss you off, but I¡¯ve heard rumblings around the office. Your previous secretary was fired for being your mother¡¯s mole! Your mother wants you to cut ties with Ms. Calloway, so you should avoid making her mad¡± The secretary was baffled. So many beautiful women were falling over themselves to get to Taylor. Each one of them was prettier and had a better figure than ra But why did Taylor¡­only like ra? ¡°You don¡¯t get it¡± Taylor waved his hand dismissively. There must be many things that happened between me and ra! I had someone investigate and found that ra had a child that she¡¯s always kept hidden I couldnt even find a photo or information about him! The time she was pregnant coincided with when I lost my memory in a car ident, so I suspect that child might be mine¡± The secretary was shocked. Really? If the child is yours, why would your mother prevent you from seeing her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the specifics¡± Whenever he tried to remember forcefully, he¡¯d get splitting headaches! So, everything had to be figured out through guessing and investigation. He felt incredibly frustrated despite his best efforts, he couldn¡¯t solve it I see so this matter is reallyplicated.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, if you be my mother¡¯s mole as well, the moment I find out, you can say goodbye to your career in this industry¡±¡± The secretary quickly nodded. ¡°I understand! I¡¯ll only be loyal to you, I¡¯ll follow your instructions!¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Good, let¡¯s head back to the office.¡± Taylor felt extremely tired Ever since the car ident, his health had been deteriorating. A lot of the time, he felt helpless. Once ra returned to the Melendez Group, she was a bit dizzy. Ricardo wasn¡¯t around, and her other colleagues greeted her, to which she responded absent- mindedly. Walking into her office, ra copsed onto her desk Thinking about Taylors words earlier, she felt flustered Taylor actually noticed her past feelings for him! She thought she had hidden her emotions well! After all, they¡¯d been through so much, and neither of them were the same as before. Even if there were feelings, so what? Only by hiding these emotions can everyone live peacefully. ra took a deep breath,posed herself, and then pulled out new designs to review. Not long after, Emmett returned. He didn¡¯t even go to his office, insteading straight to ra¡¯s When he pushed the door open, he saw ra engrossed in her work; he smiled slightly. ¡°Just submitted one design and already working on the next?¡± Chapter 211 Chapter 211 ra Calloway was startled and immediately looked up. ¡°When did you get here? Why didn¡¯t you make a sound?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that you were so engrossed in your work, you didn¡¯t notice me ra waved the blueprint in her hand, ¡°I¡¯m just interested¡¯ Suddenly not having to draw designs, it feels a bit off¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°Do you need me to get you more tasks then?¡± ¡°No need for now! I want to see the result after the review.¡± ra gave a bitter smile, ¡°Although finishing the design made me feel aplished, realized I¡¯ve been neglecting the kids! I¡¯ve been busy at work in thepany. Even when I get home, I get straight back to work. I¡¯ve had no time for Aiden and Alex! I feel guilty¡± Emmett smiled, ¡°They¡¯re lucky to have a mother like you.¡± After all, a stepmother doing this much, that was pretty impressive. ra gave an awkward smile, a hint of guilt shing in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m the lucky one to have those two smart kids! They¡¯ve given me so much inspiration and enriched my life.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Emmett moved close to her face, pulling her into his arms. ra instinctively struggled a bit, fearing he¡¯d do something inappropriate in the office. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Then¡­ The box of birth control pills suddenly fell out of her bag! Emmett¡¯s gaze followed, his brows furrowing immediately. ¡°You¡¯re in such a hurry: you even went to get these.¡± ra quickly picked them up, giving an awkward chuckle, ¡°I saw a drugstore on the way, so I bought them¡­¡± Emmett immediately let go of her, fixing his tie, he muttered, ¡°I have a meeting, I gotta go.¡± With that, he walked away without any hesitation. ra looked at the box of pills in her hand, letting out a helpless sigh. She saw Emmett s disappointment. But what could she do about it! Sometimes, ra really wanted to just blurt out the truth to Emmett! But then, she¡¯d involve Elio Milburn, even the whole Milburn family! Elio had lied to help her, and Leah was Elio¡¯s rtive. If Emmett did a little investigation, everything would be exposed. By then, even if Emmett didn¡¯tsh out at her, it would put Elio in a tight spot. Sometimes she regretted getting Elio involved. Now he was living on edge like her, afraid that any little mistake could bring disaster to the whole family. ra sighed, taking a sip of water, then turned back to her chair. Although she knew it would upset Emmett, now was really not the time to have kids. Just as she swallowed the pill, her phone rang. ra nced at it, it was Leah calling. Hesitating for a moment, she answered. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°ra, Elio¡¯s back in the country, did you know?¡± ¡°Elio¡¯s back?¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me! Is something wrong?¡± Leah smiled, ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong I just missed you and wanted to see you! Are you free tonight? We can have dinner together.¡± ¡°I need to go home to be with the kids tonight.¡± ra frowned, checking the time, ¡°But, I¡¯ll give him a call¡± ¡°Great! You two get in touch then! If you two want to meet alone, I won¡¯t disturb you guys Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Right after ra hung up the phone, she dialed Elio¡¯s number immediately. But, the phone kept ringing, with no one answering. So, she sent him a text, then put her phone down and went back to work At lunchtime, Ricardo and Emmett strolled into the office together. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Ricardo dropped some documents on her desk and then left. Emmett, on the other hand, plopped right down on the sofa in her office. ¡°Your old man did go to the casino¡± ra blinked, then lowered her head. Every time her dad was brought up, she felt a pang of guilt. In front of Emmett, she felt like she would ever feel ashamed because of her dad. Tm sorry about the trouble my dad¡¯s caused you.¡± ¡°What are you apologizing for? Emmett arched an eyebrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you all this to make a fuss. I¡¯m trying to tell you¡­ I had a buddy of mine keep your dad busy¡± ra looked at him, ¡°Did he stir up trouble again?¡± ¡°No, I had my friend hold him there: Emmett smiled. ¡°He likes the casino, right? Then Ill make sure he can never leave that casino for the rest of his life.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°My friend fleeced him for $700,000 in just one morning, and he racked up a debt of $400,000! Your dad thought he could borrow money from you again, but my friend didn¡¯t allow it! He¡¯s making him work at the casino until he pays off this $3,000,000 debt.¡± ra was shocked, ¡®Make four hundred thousand dors as a handyman?! He¡¯ll never pay that off in his lifetime!¡± ¡°Indeed, he won¡¯t! So, he won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± ra never expected Emmett to go to such lengths. His method was effective, but she was afraid her dad would spill the beans and let Emmett know! Seeing the worry on ra¡¯s face, Emmett misinterpreted it as concern for her dad. He patted her shoulder gently. Dont worry, they won¡¯t make him do any heavybor at his age. He won¡¯t have to pay for food or drinks at the casino, just has to work! I think it¡¯s a good thing for him.¡± ra nodded, but her mind was on other things. ¡°If you miss him, you can visit anytime.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see him.¡± If she could, she would rather be an orphan! This father had no association with her other than threatening her for money and pushing her around! ¡°Alright! Just rx¡± Emmett squeezed her hand, ¡°Now that you have a husband, let me handle these trivial matters! You just focus on your design work.¡± Looking at him, ra felt a deep sense of gratitude. ¡°But you¡¯re already so busy every day, and you still have to worry about my problems¡­¡± ¡°Your problems are just small potatoes to me! Don¡¯t keep things from me because you¡¯re afraid of causing me trouble¡± He wanted to be part of her heart, part of her world. Emmett knew she had grown ustomed to dealing with everything alone, always shouldering all problems by herself. But now, things had changed. She had someone to lean on. Yet every time he saw her still taking everything on herself, his heart ached and was filled with anger. He felt sorry for her, for all the years she had to endure alone, being bullied, to the point where her own father treated her so poorly. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 It really pissed him off that she was married to him and yet she had to deal with these issues on her ownl Because she never intended to rely on Emmett. This made him feel rather emascted. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°My dad¡¯s a scumbag. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯lle after you! If he knows you¡¯re loaded and I¡¯ve married you¡­ he¡¯ll definitely aim to splurge all your dough; ra hung her head low, ¡°Your mom already doesn¡¯t like me. If she finds out about my dad, she¡¯ll hit the roof.¡± ¡°Why do you care about her opinion? I¡¯m the one who married you.¡± ¡°But I want our family to be harmonious! It¡¯s good for the kids.¡± She never grew up in aplete family, so she had some insecurities about marriage. Emmett held her close, ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel ufortable because of anyone! You¡¯re my woman, and you don¡¯t need to care about anyone else! All I need is for you to care about me, not consider everyone else.¡± ra felt helpless, but also warmed. ¡°You¡¯re so sweet, she sincerely thought. ¡°You think I¡¯m sweet based just on this? You¡¯ll discover more over time,¡± Emmett said with a smile, ¡°By the way, I heard your car got hit?¡± ra froze. Why did he suddenly bring this up¡­ Did Emmett find out something? She cautiously looked at him, slowly nodding. ¡°Yes, someone hit my car in the parking lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you a new one, and this one can go to Ricardo¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the front bumper that fell off, it can be fixed¡± ra got up and handed him a thousand dors from her bag. They have already paid for the damages.¡± As long as he didn¡¯t find out about her meeting with Taylor, she didnt care about the car. ¡°Let Ricardo handle this! Consider this car a reward for him,¡± Emmett pulled her back, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you to get a new car!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go!¡± ¡°People say that shopping can cheer up a woman when she¡¯s feeling down. You ve been stressed out with work recently, let¡¯s go and rx.¡± ra quickly shook her head, ¡°I dont like shopping! Plus, I just borrowed seventy thousand dors from you, better not¡­¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow. ¡°That seventy grand, my friend has already paid me back.¡± *Really?¡± ¡°Of course! Your dad lost all his money in a few hours, but it was my friend who hosted the gambling. Emmett raised his hand, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, ¡°In a ce like the casino, if they want someone to lose, they won¡¯t be able to win! I guess your dad has been tricked over the years.¡± ra¡¯s heart was full of mixed feelings. Because of her dads gambling issue, she even sold her body to be a surrogate, and had two kids. Later, because of his debts, she met Emmett and joined hispany. Sometimes she really didn¡¯t know how to evaluate her life. Was it a joke, or was she just lucky? ¡°ra, you¡¯ve been putting up with this for years. Ah, it¡¯s all my fault, I should¡¯ve met you sooner.¡± Seeing her hanging her head, Emmett¡¯s heart felt like it was punched hard. ¡°I¡¯m already very fortunate.¡± Otherwise, she didn¡¯t know what her life would¡¯ve turned into. Just one father, and she didn¡¯t know how to deal with it. Maybe, after losing his money in gambling, he¡¯d continue to sell her to others¡­. Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Of course, Badman Calloway would pull off something like this. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not think about these things today. Come on, let¡¯s go shopping, consider it a treat from me for your hard work in thepany.¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You can¡¯t say no to this treat. Thepany¡¯s always been pretty clear with rewards and punishments.¡± Feeling cornered, ra had no choice but to agree, Fine, but I¡¯m just going to take a look. Im not nning to get a new car¡± ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get there.¡± As Emmett was pulling ra to head out, her phone pinged with a new message. It was a text from Elio. Emmett caught the sound of the text notification, he asked her, ¡°Someone hitting you up?¡± ¡°Oh, probably just spam, don¡¯t mind it.¡± ra quickly nced at it, deleted the message, and then walked out with Emmett. Emmett had some doubts, but he bit his tongue and didn¡¯t ask. At a coffee shop. Taylor ordered a cup of coffee, settling by the window to enjoy it slowly Watching the hustle and bustle outside, his mind was filled with ra. Before he left, he asked the doctor if there was any way to speed up his memory recovery, but the answer was no. Everything just had to take its course. That answer left him feeling a bit bummed. After all, if his memory doesn¡¯te back within a year, he¡¯d really miss her. ¡°Excuse me, are you Mr. Atwood?¡± Suddenly, a female voice sounded beside him Taylor looked up to see a woman in a light blue dress. It was Leah. ¡°Are you the whistleblower for Starling Media?¡± Taylor asked. Leah chuckled, ¡°Guilty as charged.¡± ¡°Never thought the whistleblower would be such a knockout.¡± Taylor smiled, ¡°I figured it must be a jealous woman.¡± ¡°Are youplimenting me or criticizing me? Leahughed, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to think it¡¯s the former.¡± Taylor chuckled, then waved over the waiter, ¡°We¡¯d like to order¡± ¡°Lemonade is fine, thank you.¡± Leah closed the menu and looked at Taylor, ¡°May I ask why you wanted to see me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about that news story.¡± Taylor got straight to the point, ¡°Tell me, what would it take to keep that story under wraps?¡± Leahughed, ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s it! I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to disappoint you today, as I had no intention of covering up that news.¡± Taylor frowned. If you knew my intention, why did you agree to meet?¡± Because I thought you you were here to discuss a coboration with me.¡± ¡°Oh? Coboration?¡± Taylor was intrigued, ¡®I don¡¯t see what we could possibly coborate on.¡± ¡°You were so in love with ra, are you thinking of giving up on her now?¡± Upon hearing this, Taylor¡¯s hand holding the coffee cup paused slightly. ¡°You know about my past?¡± ¡°Mr. Atwood, your surgery after the car ident was performed by the Milburn family themselves. Leah gave a slight smile, ¡°You could say I¡¯m one of them! When you were abroad and brought into the Milburn family hospital, you were in a critical condition! I remember the surgery took two days, and it was a close shave saving your life¡± Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Taylor immediately asked, ¡°And then?¡± ¡°Then, your mother med everything on ra, Leah sighed, pretending to shrug regretfully. ¡°And so, you two were forcibly separated. ra chased you all the way to foreignnds and to the hospital, but she didn¡¯t even have a chance to see you. I remember, your mother pped her twice and told her to stop dreaming Taylor shot up from his chair, his hands balled into fists. ¡°Do you have any evidence for what you¡¯re saying?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Oops, I forgot that you¡¯re her son. Im really stepping out of line here, using Mrs. Atwood, Leah smacked her forehead. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can¡¯t do anything about it. I¡¯ve got things to do, so I¡¯ll take my leave now¡± After saying that, she picked up her bag and was about to leave. Taylor grabbed her arm, ¡°Dont leavel Exin everything!¡± ¡°Mr. Atwood, you¡¯ve been asking for evidence. Clearly you don¡¯t trust me, so what¡¯s the point of me exining further? Why waste time?¡± Leah waved her hand dismissively. She took a sip of the lemonade that had just been brought to her. ¡°Thanks for the hospitality, the lemonade is delicious.¡± The moment she left. Taylor immediately followed. ¡®I believe you! Tell me everything! ¡°I don¡¯t know everything, Leah nced at him. I only know that you and ra were once in love and were torn apart. Even¡­¡± ¡°Even what?!¡± ¡°And even the matter of your amnesia has many suspicious aspects.¡± Taylor took a few steps back, his mood heavy. He didn¡¯t dare to imagine what was next¡­. ¡°Although you did hit your head back then, but¡­ I heard from the Milburn family that it wouldn¡¯t have caused amnesia. It was during the surgery, they deliberately tampered with your hippocampus, causing your memory to be scrambled. Leah pretended to be a little bit troubled. ¡°Believe it or not, it¡¯s up to you! After all, it¡¯s been so many years, and ra is now with Emmett Maybe it¡¯s better for you not to know the truth. Taylor fell silent for a moment before asking. You mentioned cooperating with me, how exactly? ¡®Mr. Atwood, you¡¯re not in a good state today. Let¡¯s talk about the cooperation another day.¡± Leah handed him a business card. ¡°Contact me when you make up your mind.¡± ra apanied Emmett to several car dealerships. Despite the smiles on their faces, she was still thinking about Elio¡¯s text message. While Emmett was on a call, she excused herself to the bathroom. As soon as she entered the bathroom, she immediately dialed Elio¡¯s number. ¡°Why did it take you so long to reply?¡± Elio¡¯s voice came through. ¡°I was with Emmett just now.¡± Elio fell silent for a few seconds, his tone noticeably lower. ¡°Are you two always together now?¡± ¡°Not always! There¡¯s just been some stuff going on recently, and he¡¯s beening around a lot because he¡¯s worried about me.¡± ¡°It seems like Emmett is really thoughtful Elio forced a cheerfulugh. ¡°When will you be free? Can we meet up?¡± Since Elio had asked, ra couldn¡¯t refuse. But she was uncertain. After all, knowing Ello¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t have initiated a meeting after she started dating Emmett. Hed worry about misunderstandings arising between him and Emmett, and he¡¯d try to avoid such situations Chapter 216 Chapter 216 ¡°Alright, where are you? If I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll give you a heads up and we can arrange a ce to meet up.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s meet up downstairs at the Melendez Group! My ce is a bit out in the sticks, so it might not be convenient for you to ¡°Alright, your call¡± As ra was about to hang up, Elio suddenly called out, ¡°ra.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Have you¡­ fallen for Emmett during this time?¡± Caught off guard, ra lowered her head and said, ¡°He¡¯s been very good to me, helped me solve a lot of problems, even handled my father¡¯s issues.¡± ¡°But are you happy?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ra didn¡¯t say anything more, just hung up the phone. Looking at her phone screen, ra felt something was off with Elio. She packeted her phone and left, Emmett was already waiting for her outside. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°You look a bit off, what¡¯s up?¡± ra touched her face, ¡°Really? You might be seeing things. You¡¯re taking me shopping, and I should be happy.¡± ¡°Do you have a preferred car model?¡± ¡°No,¡± ra shook her head and grabbed his sleeve, ¡°If you¡¯re trying to cheer me up, you don¡¯t need to buy me a car. Let¡¯s get some sweets for the kids, then go pick them up from school! They¡¯ll be thrilled if their parentse to get them. Their happiness will make me happy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always thinking about those kids.¡± Emmett sighed, a bit exasperated, ¡°Alright then! Just wait a sec, I¡¯ll let Ricardo know we¡¯re knocking off early today to spend time with the kids.¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± ra was so excited that she was about to p. The onlyfort she had now were the two kids! As long as they were happy, anything she did was worth it! As for everything else, she didn¡¯t want to think about it. Taylor returned to the office, his face as pale as a sheet. His secretary was so rmed by his paleness that she was about to call an ambnce. ¡°Mr. Atwood, what¡¯s wrong? You look so pale.¡± Taylor waved her off, ¡°I¡¯m fine, you may leave now. I want to be alone.¡± ¡°How can I leave you alone when you¡¯re like this?¡± The secretary rushed to support him, ¡°Should I call a doctor? Are you having a headache again?¡± ¡°No need¡­¡± Taylor stumbled into a seat, still reeling from the news he just received. Thispletely overturned everything he knew! Though Leah didn¡¯t provide any evidence for her usations and his mother would certainly deny everything if confronted, but¡­the character of his mother that Leah described also matched. his perception of her! He knew his mother was capable of pulling such things. She might even have even done things that Leah didn¡¯t know about! If what Leah said was true, his mother must have pressured ra, making her fearful of any association with the Atwood family. ¡°Why¡­ why would my mother do this to me¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Atwood, what are you talking about? Don¡¯t scare me!¡± The secretary gently patted Taylor¡¯s shoulder, ¡°What on earth happened?¡± Taylor closed his eyes, images of a lonely and helpless ra in a foreign country kept shing through his mind. She came all the way on her own, only to be rejected. At that time, ra must have wished very much for him to wake up and for him to protect her. But when he did wake up, he had lost his memory. Taylor couldn¡¯t imagine how devastated ra must have been back then. He suddenly stood up and was about to leave. Chapter 217 Chapter 217 The secretary hurriedly followed, ¡°Mr. Atwood, where are you off to? You look pale and can barely stand up straight. How about you rest a bit before you go? If something urgentes up, you can leave it to me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to see my mom¡± Taylor frowned, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me. Can you handle the company affairs for me?¡± With that, he left the office. He had to resolve this issue immediately. He couldn¡¯t wait any longer! His mom was trying to break him and ra up by making him lose his memory! This was unbelievable and horrifying! School was out. Aiden and Alex came out, instinctively looking for the Melendez family¡¯s nanny car. But then Alex saw his mom right away. ¡°Mom! I¡¯m over here!¡± He waved excitedly. Aiden also looked over and was stunned, ¡°Our parents are actually picking us up today.¡± ra walked up to them and smiled gently, ¡°We wanted to surprise you. Are you happy?¡± ¡°Happy!¡± Alex jumped straight into his mom¡¯s arms, ¡°I had a feeling you would pick me up from school today!¡± ra touched his nose, ¡°Really?¡± Alex stuck out his tongue, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± Emmett also picked up Aiden, but Aiden asked to be put down. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m too old for you to carry me. My ssmates will make fun of me.¡± ¡°Alright, then you can walk next to me.¡± Aiden nodded, ¡°Ok¡± When they got home, they saw Sophia \waiting for them in the living room. ¡°Why did you pick up the kids today?¡± ¡°I had some free time, so I took ra with me! It also gives the preschool teachers a chance to meet the boys¡± mother.¡± Emmett took ra¡¯s hand, deliberately showing Sophia ra¡¯s ce in the family. Sophia understood her son¡¯s intention. Her face turned sour, and she med ra for everything. ¡°ra isn¡¯t Aiden¡¯s biological mother after all, I don¡¯t see the need to introduce her to others.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s necessary.¡± Sophia nced at her son, frowning, ¡°Emmett, is this how you talk to me now? Don¡¯t forget, ra is your wife, but I¡¯m your mother!¡± ¡°If you weren¡¯t infentionally making life difficult for ra, why would I have to say such things?¡± Emmett chuckled, ¡°I think some self-reflection is what you need.¡± Sophiaughed, ¡°If I didn¡¯t like her, she wouldn¡¯t have entered the Melendez family in the first ce! Since I¡¯ve epted her, why would I reject her? Either you find the issues within ra, or¡­ you have misunderstood me, and owe me an apology.¡± Upon hearing her words, ra¡¯s first instinct was to lower her head. But Emmett tightly held her hand, signaling her not to say anything. ¡°Grandma, you always say everything you do is for us, but you criticize our mother in front of us. Is this your idea of good parenting?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Sophia lowered her head. Aiden and Alex were both watching her¡­ Chapter 218 Chapter 218 She frowned, turned around, and squatted down in front of the kids. ¡°Aiden, Alex, go back to your room, now!¡± ¡°Granny, I love mommy! You can¡¯t be mean to her.¡± Aiden usually minded his manners, but he felt the need to stand up to his grandma for his mom. Seeing his brother speak up, Alex also chimed in, ¡°Yeah, granny! We love both mommy and you, but why are you always so hard on mommy?¡± Being questioned by the two children, Sophia felt quite ufortable in her heart. ¡°Me? Mean to your mom? Your dad must¡¯ve fed you with wrong info! Now, off you go, I have some words with them.¡± Alex wanted to say something more, but Aiden wisely stopped him, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m taking Alex back to our room now.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Sophia watched as the two kids left, then quickly shifted her gaze to ra. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Happy now?¡± ¡°¡­Sophia, I really didn¡¯t say anything!¡± ¡°ying innocent, huh!¡± Sophia used, ¡°My grandkids were angels before you showed up! But now they¡¯re all acting out! Are you teaching them bad things behind my back?¡± Emmett stepped in front of ra, ¡°ra workste every day, and she barely has time to spend with the kids. Plus, Aiden and Alex are old enough to know right from wrong.¡± ¡°Emmett, she¡¯s got you wrapped around her finger!¡± Sophia looked at her son disappointingly, ¡°I have no problem with you marrying her, but if you¡¯re going to let my grandkids suffer, that¡¯s a no-go!¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t get along with ra, then I¡¯ve decided to move out with the kids! I won¡¯t live here anymore, so you won¡¯t have to worry about us.¡± Sophia couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. Although Emmett rarely showed his care, he was always a dutiful son. But now, he was talking back to his mother, even threatening to leave home, all for a woman. ra, seeing the situation, quickly tried to defuse the tension, ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t take his words seriously! We¡¯re going back to our room now, and you should get some rest too!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your pity.¡± Sophia red at her, ¡°I suspected from the start that you had ulterior motives coming into my house, and now it seems I was right!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t want to argue with his mother any longer, and started to leave with ra. Sophia blocked their way. ¡°Emmett! I¡¯m your mother! Are you really going to do this to me?!¡± ¡°I feel like you¡¯re being unfair to my wife, and as her husband, I can¡¯t just sit back and do nothing! You should¡¯ve considered my feelings as your son when you were making things difficult for ra, but you didn¡¯t! Now, why should I care about your feelings?¡± ¡°You¨C¡± ¡°Aiden and Alex are my kids, if I leave, they¡¯reing with me! Thanks for all the care you¡¯ve given them over the years.¡± Chapter 219 Chapter 219 ¡°Emmett!¡± ra clutched his hand, shaking her head at him. She didn¡¯t want to see the mother and son fighting because of her. She really didn¡¯t give a hoot about Sophia¡¯s nitpicking! It even made her happy, because Sophia was so loving to her grandsons. She just didn¡¯t know how to convince him of this. ¡°Mom, if you keep nitpicking, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m gonna let my woman put up with you.¡± Seeing her son really pissed off, Sophia nced at ra, softening up a bit. ¡°ra, look, I haven¡¯t med you for anything! Like you said before, I don¡¯t have solid proof, it¡¯s all just guesses, How have I misunderstood you?¡± ra nodded hastily, ¡°Exactly! You haven¡¯t misunderstood me, you were just reminding me. Sophia, don¡¯t be mad, Emmett¡¯s just been swamped at worktely, and he¡¯s a bit moody, I¡¯ll talk him downter! You should go rest.¡± ¡°Alright then, you two have a good chat!¡± Sophia said and left. Emmett frowned at her. ¡°If you give in to her this time, there¡¯ll be a next time!¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t your mom say it? She¡¯s not ming me! Just taking precautions.¡± ra squeezed his hand, ¡°She already backed down just now, so don¡¯t push her anymore! We¡¯re family; we have to get along.¡± He could only feel helpless with her constant concessions. ¡°You¡¯re just gonna make me worry more.¡± ¡°What are you worried about? ra said with a smile, warmth filling her heart, ¡°I have you and the boys looking out for me, I¡¯m feeling great! Even if I¡¯m truly been misunderstood one day, I can take it. I¡¯ve always thought life is fair. It gave me such a happy family, and it¡¯s only fair I get misunderstood a bit.¡± Emmett wanted to say something, but ra had already hugged him tight Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Let¡¯s put this behind us, okay? Let¡¯s go change and tidy up, take the kids out. Don¡¯t let this hup ruin our time with the kids! You and your mom already talked it out. She¡¯s mellowed out a lot, probably thinking it over! If we keep dwelling on this, it might make things worse.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to be hurt.¡± He was a tough guy. He can¡¯t just stand by and watch his wife get med. Even if the one doing it was his own mother, he couldn¡¯t just let her maliciously nder his wife without any valid evidence. ¡°I really wasn¡¯t hurt!¡± ra pulled him along, ¡°Let¡¯s go change! The kids will be done with their homework soon, we¡¯re on kid duty today.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± In the kids¡¯ room, Alex was holding a piece of candy, standing by the bed licking it. Inparison, Aiden seemed more anxious. He was pacing back and forth in front of the desk, ¡°Do you think mom¡¯s being bullied? I wonder if grandma and our parents are arguing.¡± Alex said, ¡°Should I go check it out?¡± ¡°No, you better not.¡± Aiden held him back, ¡°Grandma deliberately separated us earlier, obviously she didn¡¯t want us involved.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t just sit this one out!¡± Alex frowned, not quite understanding his brother¡¯s approach, ¡°It¡¯s ufortable seeing mom constantly getting med by grandma.¡± Chapter 220 Chapter 220 ¡°We have to get involved with them, but¡­ we need to change tactics. We can¡¯t be so hot-headed anymore! I can tell grandma is one stubborn cookie!¡± ¡°So¡­ the two of us, should we try faking an injury?¡± Alex had a sudden brainwave, ¡°Let grandma see how much mom cares about us!¡± Aiden nced at him, ¡°That might just work.¡± Alex broke into a grin, patting his own head, ¡°I¡¯m usually toozy to think too much, but when push comes to shove, I¡¯ve got to pull my weight!¡± Aiden thought helplessly that every time he gave Alex a little praise, he¡¯d get all cocky! ¡°But now the question is, who¡¯s going to fake the injury? I¡¯ve seen this kind of act before, it usually needs someone to actually get hurt! And we¡¯re trying to fool the adults this time, without a real wound, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to pull it off.¡± Aiden pointed at him, ¡°You came up with the idea, so you do it!¡± ¡°What? No way, I¡¯m scared it¡¯ll hurt too much!¡± Alex quickly covered his face, ¡°I came up with the idea, you should do it. Aiden!¡± Aiden looked at his own body, wondering where to get a minor injury that wouldn¡¯t hurt too much but would still help mom. ¡°Aiden!¡± Seeing Aiden silent, Alex ran over and shook his arm, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re the big brother and you have to protect me? So you should do the painful stuff first! I¡¯m really scared.¡± Aiden hung his head, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it.¡± In front of his little brother, he had to act like a protector! ¡°Aiden, wait a sec!¡¯ Alex suddenly thought of something and ran to his backpack. Aiden followed him, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Look!¡± Alex pulled out a red watercolor pen, ¡°Maybe we don¡¯t have to get hurt for real! If we colour our hands with this, wouldn¡¯t it look like we¡¯re bleeding?¡± But once the family doctores, the game will be up.¡± Since Sophia was not in good health, they always had a private doctor at home, which Aiden knew. *Then we can plead with the doctor! If he helps us, won¡¯t it be alright?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know, the doctor and grandma are tight, he won¡¯t help us at all! We have to think of something else.¡± Alden gritted his teeth, walked to the table, took out a pencil sharpener, and slowly removed the de inside. Seeing this, Alex quickly ran over to stop him, ¡°Aiden, what are you doing! This will really make you bleed!¡± ¡°For mom, I have no other choice!¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No!¡± Alex held onto him tightly, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to bleed! Or¡­ let me take the pain! Just scratch my face!¡± Seeing his little brother trying to protect him, Aiden felt touched. ¡°Even if you¡¯re not afraid of pain, you can¡¯t just hurt yourself! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just going to graze my arm, it¡¯ll be fine!¡± Alex still shook his head, ¡°No, Aiden! Let¡¯s discuss it with mom and dad again! If that doesn¡¯t work, I can think of other ways! I believe there must be a way without enduring pain!¡± Chapter 221 Chapter 221 ¡°I already talked to Dad, but you saw it, Grandma just doesn¡¯t listen to him. Aiden held the de in his hand, then turned to Alex, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Let¡¯s do our homework first. I¡¯m not doing anything today.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°For real! Look, I¡¯ve already tossed the de.¡± Aiden waved his other hand, ¡°Oh gosh, my stomach hurts, I gotta hit the john! You keep studying, or the teacher will chew you out tomorrow.¡± Alex saw that the de was indeed gone, and finally nodded in relief. Aiden frowned and walked out of the bedroom. He was still a kid, and staring at the de and his own arm, he hesitated and didn¡¯t dare to make a move. Thinking of the way grandma scolded his mom before, he gritted his teeth and did it¡­ ra changed into a casual outfit, not even carrying a bag. If they were going to an amusement park, she could hold the kid, and carrying too much stuff would be a hassle. Soon, Emmett also changed his clothes. 1 But as soon as they came downstairs, they saw Alex crying and running out of the bedroom, ¡°Dad, Mom! Something bad happened, Aiden got hurt!¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. At the sound of it, ra¡¯s legs went weak. She rushed to Aiden¡¯s bedroom, and sure enough¡­ she saw blood at the door! At that moment, ra felt like she was going crazy, she rushed in and held Aiden, ¡°What happened? Where are you hurt? Tell Mommy!¡± Aiden looked very weak, nced at his mother, ¡°Mommy¡­ it hurts¡­¡± ¡°Good boy, hang in there. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital right now!¡± She was about to run out with the child when Emmett opened the door, ¡°Get in the car, I¡¯ll drive you there!¡± As they reached the entrance, Sophia also ran out hurriedly, ¡°What happened¡¯ What¡¯s going on!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Aiden, he got hurt!¡± Alex pointed at Aiden in ra¡¯s arms, ¡°Grandma, look how worried Mommy is!¡± ¡®Did she hurt Aiden?¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Alex shook his head quickly. ¡°Aiden did it himself¡­ I mean he identally got hurt.¡± At this moment ra didn¡¯t have time for anything else. Aiden was losing a lot of blood, it looked serious. Emmett ran red lights all the way to the hospital, and Aiden was immediately taken to the emergency room. Outside, ra¡¯s hands and clothes were all covered in blood, she felt like she hadn¡¯te to her senses yet. Just now, she really wished she could go in with Aiden. Sophia also looked worried, and she pulled Alex over to interrogate, ¡°What exactly happened? You¡­ didn¡¯t you say you were going out to y with Mom and Dad? Could it be that Mom and Dad caused Aiden¡¯s injury?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know!¡± Alex was a little flustered. He was just doing his homework, when he turned his head, Aiden was covered in blood, and he was also a bit panicked, ¡°I, I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s wrong with Aiden¡­ He said he was going to the bathroom, and told me to concentrate on my homework, then when he came back he was like this! At that time, Mom and Dad hadn¡¯t evene over yet.¡± Sophia nced at ra, who stood frozen at the door of the emergency room. At this moment, Sophia was touched. If the biological mother of those two children couldn¡¯t be found, or didn¡¯t want to reconcile with her son, having a stepmother like ra might not be such a bad thing. Chapter 222 Chapter 222 She¡¯d given it some thought. Unless the biological mother of the kids returned, she would freak out no matter which woman Emmett brought back. Now ra¡¯s anxious expression didn¡¯t seem to be a pretense. As long as one asionally reminded her, she should also treat the children well. ¡°Gran?¡± Alex nudged her cautiously and whispered, ¡°Could you stop giving mom a hard time? She really loves us!¡± Sophia got a jolt in her heart and pulled Alex into her arms. ¡°Alright! Gran promises, as long as ra doesn¡¯tsh out or bully you guys, I won¡¯t give her a hard time anymore, okay?¡± Alex nodded and broke into a smile, ¡°That¡¯s awesome! I gotta tell Aiden this ASAP!¡± Sophia was a bit puzzled by this ¡°Are you and your Aiden up to something?¡± ¡°No! What could we possibly be nning? Gran, I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, Alex, though not particrly gifted in other areas, was an expert at ying dumb Sophia could only let out a sigh of resignation. The suspicion against ra had stirred up a mess at home. She was actually exhausted! She¡¯d wanted to put some pressure on ra, but then her sons and grandsons all turned against her. Maybe she was the problem. ¡°Good boy, let¡¯s pray together that Aiden¡¯s okay¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gran, once you stop giving mom a hard time, Aiden will recover soon!¡± Aiden had deliberately hurt himself, but Alex swallowed the rest of his words. Gran couldn¡¯t know about this After a while, the doctor came out Seeing the anxious family gathered at the door, he smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the and bandaged it up¡± fine! Just a minor injury. I¡¯ve already cleaned the wound ¡°But I just saw my son unconscious ra grabbed the doctor¡¯s arm, ¡°Is that not a problem?¡± The doctor paused and replied, ¡°I think the boy either has a bit of fainting spell from the sight of blood, or he might be faking it to avoid homework! We¡¯ve done a thorough check and found no issues. You can rest assured¡± Hearing the doctors words, ra finally breathed a sigh of relief Sophia came over, puzzled, ¡°Aiden has never hated homework, so he wouldn¡¯t fake it to get out of that, but I don¡¯t remember Aiden ever fainting at the sight of blood¡± He¡¯d been injured around her before, but rd never seen him faint ¡°It might be some problem that recently developed.¡± ra reassured Sophia. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, the doctor said he¡¯s fine, so he must be.¡± Sophia nodded, shot ra a nce, and stayed silent Emmett nced at them both, sensing his mother¡¯s concession This oue was not too bad! It seemed there was a silver lining to his son¡¯s injury after all At the hotel, Leah had prepared some delicacies. The table wasden with Elio¡¯s favorite food and his beloved red wine. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Elio, your trip back home really wasn¡¯t easy, and since ra couldnt apany you, how about I join you for a drink? Would you mind?¡± Chapter 223 Chapter 223 ¡°No need.¡± Elio downed the drink in his wine ss in one go, then turned to Leah, ¡°Are you sure you can do this without leaving any trace for the Melendez family to find if they start investigating in the future?¡± Leah waved her finger, filling his ss again, ¡°Of course! If I fail to handle this thing perfectly. I¡¯d be the one to me if anything goes wrong in the future! By that time, even if I have married Emmett, he¡¯ll kick me out. All my hard work would go down the drain!¡± Elio stayed silent, frowning. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you think that way¡± Leah chuckled, ¡°I originally wanted to work with Taylor! We¡¯ve met once already.¡± ¡°Taylor?¡± Elio raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why would you look for him?¡± ¡°Why, to help him win ra, of course! Didn¡¯t you know? ra is the apple of Taylor¡¯s eye!¡± ¡ª ¡°Back in the day, Taylor¡¯s mom thought ra wasn¡¯t good enough for her son, so she arranged for him to lose his memory, forgetting all about ra! To make sure everything went ording to n, she even arranged for people to pressure ra¡¯s dad into paying his debts. When he couldn¡¯t pay, they forced ra to be a surrogate. All of this was orchestrated by Taylor¡¯s mom.¡± Elio was taken aback. No wonder¡­ He had been puzzled about how ra got tangled up with the Melendez family. After all, the gap between ra and the Melendez family was just too big, and they shouldn¡¯t have any connection at all! But now everything made sense after Leah¡¯s exnation. ¡°So, would Taylor¡¯s mom mess up with ra if ra and Taylor got back together?¡± With what she did back then, if ra married Taylor wouldn¡¯t her life be miserable? Leah raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re right! So that¡¯s why it¡¯s n B. I don¡¯t want to be that cruel. I still want to help you and ra.¡± ¡°If ra and Taylor got together, their life would be bitter for sure! Taylor is too submissive! He might stand up for ra at first, but he¡¯d get tired of it eventually.¡± Elio clenched his fist and put down his wine ss, ¡°You¡¯re really stooping low to get Emmett!¡± ¡°How can you say I¡¯m stooping low? I¡¯m just going for the best option for me!¡± Leah shrugged, ¡°I have to admit, I¡¯m not as noble as you, watching the one I love in someone else¡¯s arms! I¡¯m more possessive; the one I love must be mine.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re gonna ruin ra!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re willing to marry ra and help me resolve the obstacles that are hindering me, I won¡¯t give her a hard time anymore. I won¡¯t care where she goes then. If you don¡¯t ept her, she¡¯ll naturally go back to Taylor¡¯ Leah smirked, ¡°Makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Sense, my ass!¡± Elio was a bit mad, ¡°You had it all nned out when you came back, didn¡¯t you? You came back just to snatch ra¡¯s man! You probably had it all figured out when I asked for your help!¡± Chapter 224 Chapter 224 ¡°Man, who knew Emmett would turn out to be such a dish? Leah was all aflutter just thinking of Emmett¡¯s face. ¡°The first time Iid eyes on Emmett I was smitten! Head over heels, you get me?¡± Leah got up and fetched a pile of photos from behind the desk. ¡°Look, these are all the snaps I had taken of Emmett on the sly!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see them.¡± Elio brushed them off. Unfazed, Leah picked up the photos one by one, caressing them gently. ¡°Ive fantasized countless times about him lying beside me, tenderly talking to me with affectionate words¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gone off your rocker!¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve gone off my rocker! I don¡¯t need you to tell me that¡± Leah shot back at him, ¡°And you¡¯re Mr. Normal, huh? What have you done for ra, huh? You hid a kid for ra! Ever thought of the repercussions? What if the Melendez family finds out the whole story? What will happen to the Milburn family then?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Elio bit his lip, looking down. Indeed his actions had been risky. ¡°We¡¯re all cut from the same cloth, aren¡¯t we? Leah looked at the photo of Emmett and smiled, I¡¯ve said it before, I¡¯m going to marry Emmett, and nobody can stop me! And ra, she¡¯s not good enough for Emmett. Even if I hadn¡¯t shown up, they wouldn¡¯t have been happy! Over time, their marriage was bound to hit the rocks.¡± Elio rubbed his forehead, ¡°Tell me, what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Obviously, you should use your connections to force ra to leave Emmett and be with you!¡± ¡­ra won¡¯t leave the Melendez family for the sake of her two kids.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s where your skillse in! You¡¯ve done so much for ra, and she owes you one! As long as their rtionship hits a snag. you don¡¯t have to worry about the rest! I don¡¯t need you to directly cause their divorce, just create a split between them!¡± Leah¡¯s n was all worked out. She wanted to have multiple options! If one path didn¡¯t work, she moved on to the next. She was determined to reach her goal. ¡°But how can you be sure, if Emmett and ra divorce, he¡¯ll marry you? You should know Emmett has some quirks. He doesn¡¯t like women, can¡¯t even stand them, except for ra!¡± ¡°You can leave that to me, I¡¯ve got it sorted!¡± So you¡¯ve nned all this.¡± Elio was truly stunned by Leah¡¯s audacity! He had thought Leah was just causing a ruckus, his main worry being Leah bbing about the kid. Turned out¡­ Leah ned topletely take ra¡¯s ce! ¡°nning on ying stepmom to Aiden and Alex? That¡¯s no cakewalk.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ra would never leave her kids behind!¡± Leah said as she worked on her nails, ¡°And I have zero interest in looking after their kids! That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided to give ra an exit, so she can leave with her kids! Then, Emmett and I can have our own kids.¡± Leah lightly patted Elio¡¯s shoulder, ¡°By the way, you¡¯ve always been quite fond of ra¡¯s kids, right? When the timees, you can naturally be their dad! I guess I¡¯m helping you fulfill your dream too¡± Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Elio gritted his teeth. He wanted to punch this woman right in the face, but¡­ he couldn¡¯t. Because he couldn¡¯t predict what Leah would do to ra next. If he punched her now, would she retaliate against ra? He couldn¡¯t take that risk. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Give it to me straight, do you really like ra?¡± Leah asked, moving closer to him. ¡°If you¡¯re just ying games, then get out now! You don¡¯t need to worry about what I¡¯ll do, I won¡¯t drag you into it. We¡¯re both Milburns, I¡¯m your sister.¡± ¡°And if I said I was just messing around, what would you do?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d definitely make ra marry the Atwoods!¡± ¡°You¡¯re both women, how can you be so cold-hearted?¡± Leah shrugged. ¡°Cold-hearted? If I¡¯m not cold to others, then I won¡¯t get what I want! If you make ra willingly leave Emmett now, I won¡¯t bother her! She¡¯s in my way, and she has taken my man.¡± ¡°We can¡¯tmunicate! You¡¯re all twisted!¡± ¡°Can¡¯tmunicate, then just make a choice! You don¡¯t need to argue with me about whether what I¡¯m doing is right or wrong, you just need to think about what you should do.¡± Leah sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve been so good to you, yet you keep going against me, I should have never told you!¡± ¡°No way!¡± Elio immediately retorted. ¡°I love ra, you can¡¯t give her to Taylor! No matter what you want to do, I¡¯m all ears! You just need to promise me not to contact Taylor anymore!¡± Leah made an OK sign. ¡®Absolutely! If I can help my big bro, why not?¡± ¡°And, you can¡¯t hurt ra in the process! Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for not warning you.¡± Leah lightly touched Elio¡¯s chest and smiled. ¡°Elio, don¡¯t be mad! I actually have no ill will towards ra! I just want her to leave Emmett, and that¡¯s it!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to ra about it! As long as she leaves, it¡¯s good?¡± ¡°Yep! If she leaves, I won¡¯t bother her anymore.¡± Elio frowned, his mind in chaos. He regretted it now. Why did he let Leah help in the first ce! Now it was all messed up. Taylor drove straight back to the Atwood¡¯s. As soon as he got out of the car, he saw his mothere out of the house. ¡°Taylor? Why are you back now? Did something happen at thepany?¡± Taylor squinted and tightly gripped his mother¡¯s wrist. ¡°Mom, tell me, what did you do when I was in the hospital after the car ident?¡± Teresa was a little surprised. ¡°What are you talking about? When you were hospitalized because of the car ident, I did my best to take care of you! You were very weak at that time, and the doctor said your injuries were very serious. I nearly freaked out!¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking.¡± ¡°¡­ Then what do you want to know?¡± Teresa¡¯s eyes trembled slightly, but she still pretended to be calm. ¡°Are you asking about the doctor who treated you back then?¡± Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Taylor furrowed his brow and said, ¡°The Milburn family¡¯s doctor treated me, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Teresa nodded. ¡°At the time, the situation was extremely urgent. If it weren¡¯t for the Milburn family¡¯s family doctor¡¯s excellent skills, ah, I would have really lost you! Whenever I think about that time, I still feel scared.¡± ¡°And you instructed the Milburn family¡¯s doctor to make me lose my memory, right?¡± Teresa looked at her son in surprise, furrowing her brow. ¡°What are you talking about? Your amnesia was caused by the car ident hitting your head. How could I have made you lose your memory? Do you know how much trouble your amnesia has caused us? Ourpany almost went bankrupt that year. How could I joke about our family¡¯s affairs?¡± ¡°Where did you hear these things from?¡± Teresa held her son¡¯s hand tightly, which had be as cold as ice. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to other people¡¯s nonsense. They just want to see us turn against each other!¡± Taylor took a few steps back and leaned against the wall with one hand. ¡°I just want to know the truth¡­¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth!¡± Suddenly, Teresa remembered something. ¡®Did you go see ra? Those things you said just now, did ra tell you that?¡± Taylor stared into his mother¡¯s eyes and clenched his fists. ¡°Mom, why are you so nervous?¡± 400 ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not nervous! I¡¯m mad!¡± Teresa turned around, exasperated. ¡°That ra, when she found a rich man, she abandoned you. Now that she sees you have amnesia, she wants to use you again. Son, you can¡¯t let her fool you. What did ra say to you? Tell me, and I¡¯ll go talk to her. What does she want to do? She¡¯s making our Atwood family a mess!¡± Taylor lowered his head, feeling a headacheing on. ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Then why did you suddenly ask about this?¡± Teresa didn¡¯t believe him. After all, she had handled the matter perfectly at the time. Except for ra and the Milburn family¡¯s doctors, no one knew the truth. The Milburn family had taken a lot of her money back then, and they wouldn¡¯t reveal those old secrets. Who else could it be besides ra? ¡°I feel like something¡¯s not right about my memory loss.¡± Taylor covered his forehead with his hand, feeling dizzy. Teresa quickly supported him. ¡°Son, be good! Let it go and don¡¯t force yourself to think about it anymore. Now ra is with Emmett, and you two are no longer possible. Don¡¯t be obsessed with this woman anymore.¡± ¡°Mom¡­ but I always feel like she exists in my heart.¡± Taylor couldn¡¯t ept the fact that ra was already someone else¡¯s wife. Deep down in his heart, there was always a voice telling him¡­ she belonged to him! ¡°I know you¡¯re a deeply emotional person and easily hurt by emotions. But those things are all in the past. The facts have proven that ra isn¡¯t worth your love. You should seize the present and look to the future. There are many other women in this world. I promise, besides ra, you can choose anyone. Any woman you bring home, I¡¯ll like her, okay?¡± Teresa looked at her son¡¯s appearance, feeling very sad. After all, he was her own biological son. Taylor wanted to say something else, but he couldn¡¯t struggle anymore. He felt a darkness before his eyes, and then he fainted. Chapter 227 Chapter 227 The anxious voice of a mother echoed in the air. ¡°Taylor, Taylor! Hurry, hurry up and get the doctor from the Milburn family!¡± After the doctor finished his examination, he gave Taylor a sedative, and he finally fell asleep peacefully. Teresa immediately pulled the doctor aside and whispered, ¡°Has my son contacted you recently?¡± The doctor shook his head as he tidied up his medical kit. ¡°No! I don¡¯t usually stay at the Atwood family¡¯s residence, and I don¡¯t remember have changed contact information with him. How could he find me?¡± But why would my son suddenly bring up the car ident from years ago and his amnesia?¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The doctor was taken aback, ¡°Really? Did he say who told him?¡± ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t.¡± 4 ¡°Besides the few who were involved in the operation, no one else would know!¡± After pondering for a moment, the doctor said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just your son guessing? Maybe he brought it up to test you?¡± Teresa sighed, ¡°I wish that were the case! But¡­ I¡¯m just worried something will go wrong! If Taylor learns the truth, he¡¯ll hate me!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re doing this for his own good, aren¡¯t you?¡± The doctor chuckled, trying to reassure her. ¡°You¡¯re just feeling guilty! If he asks you anything, you need to act normal. If he senses something is off, and goes abroad to investigate, or even spends a lot of money to dig up information¡­ I can only guarantee that I won¡¯t tell anyone, no matter how much money they offer. As lor the others, I have no control over them!¡± ¡°But they¡¯re all your people from the Milburn family, can¡¯t you instruct them?¡± The doctor waved his hand and sat down, ¡°You don¡¯t understand! Our rtionships within the Milburn family had already deteriorated while the old man was alive. After his death, things only got worse. We don¡¯t stay in touch anymore, how could I speak for you?¡± ¡°But I will contact those few who knew the truth back then! And then I¡¯ll give you their contact information so you can call them.¡± Teresa frowned, clearly displeased. ¡°So I paid them hush money back then, and now they want to squeeze more out of me?¡± ¡°Whoa, Mrs. Teresa! You¡¯re wronging me with that! Have I asked you for money? I just said I can¡¯t vouch for them, not that I¡¯ll tell your son! Like I said earlier, I absolutely won¡¯t say a word.¡± Teresa waved her hand irritably, ¡°Fine, fine! I can handle this myself. You just need to keep your mouth shut, and I don¡¯t need you to interfere!* ¡°Okay.¡± The doctor picked up his medical kit, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going. If you need anything, just let me know,¡± ¡°Okay¡± Teresa stood up to see him out, then quickly returned to the room. Taylor was still sleeping, as quiet as a baby. Since he was a child, Taylor had always been a good boy, rarely going against his parents¡¯ wishes. The only time was because of ra. Taylor¡¯s mother held his hand tightly and sighed. ¡°Son, you will eventually understand your mother¡¯s hardships. You¡¯re my treasure, I would never do anything to hurt you. Everything I¡¯ve done is to make your life better, to not let unnecessary people drag you down. It¡¯smon knowledge that ra¡¯s father is apulsive gambler. If you marry her, our family will be dragged into it too!¡± Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Taylor was young and impulsive, and he tended to ce too much importance on love. For the sake of her child¡¯s future, she would rather bear the me for obstructing his rtionship N?velDrama.Org (C) content. After waiting for a while, Aiden was pushed out of the emergency room. ra ran over and grabbed her son¡¯s hand, ¡°Aiden! Mommy¡¯s here, how do you feel?¡± Aiden smiled and noticed that his grandmother wasn¡¯t there, so he quickly said, ¡°Mommy, you don¡¯t have to worry about me! I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just a small wound¡± Aiden, you look a little off, ra noticed something was wrong ¡°This wound, I actually did it myself Aiden lowered his head and carefully looked at his mother, Im sorry, Mommy! Can you not be angry? I just wanted to clear up the misunderstanding between you and grandma ra froze After a few seconds, she reg ed her senses, her eyes turning red. ¡°You silly child¡¯ How could you do such a thing! Do you know that you almost scared me to death? Mommy doesn¡¯t feel wronged. Mommy doesn¡¯t need you do this?¡±. ¡°But I want to do something for you¡± Aiden raised his small hand and wiped away his mother¡¯s tears, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t cry! Later when grandma and daddye ink 1 bullied you?¡± ra wiped away her tears and hugged her son, ¡°You silly child! You¡¯re not allowed to do this again in the fature! If you do it again, I will leave the Melendez ¡°No, Mommy, dont Aiden quickly grabbed her hand, ¡°I just got you back, I don¡¯t want to leave you again!¡± ¡°You child¡± ra¡¯s in turmoil Suddenly the door opened. Emme with oatm his hand, followed by Sophia When they saw mother and son crying and hugging each other Emmett stunned ¡°What¡¯s going ¡°Nothing, nothing¡± ra wiped away her tears, stood up from the chair, and took the porridge. ¡°Ill go freshen up first! You guys talk¡± After she left, Emmett looked at his son, ¡°What did you say? Ho did you make your mommy cry? Aiden pouted and towered his head. ¡°Mommy was worried about me! It was my fault I shouldn¡¯t have hurt myself¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that Sophia sat down beside him, feeling sorry for him, ¡°You didn¡¯t do it on purpose! It¡¯s grandma¡¯s fault for not going to the bathroom with you¡± ¡°It¡¯s not grandma¡¯s fault either¡± Aiden extended his small hand and held Sophia¡¯s, ¡°Grandma, can I make a request?¡± Sophia immediately nodded, ¡°Okay! You can ask for anything! Do you want a toy?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Aiden shook his head, ¡°I hope you and Mommy can get along well!¡± Emmett stood on the side and spoke up. ¡°You guys talk first, I go see where ra went ¡± He turned around and left, but as soon as he opened the door, he saw Matt standing at the door ¡°What happened?¡± Matt pulled out a small knife. ¡°Sir, I investigated and found that this is a pencil sharpener knife! There are traces of pencil lead on it! If I¡¯m not mistaken, someone deliberately took it apart and scratched Aiden! But I only found Aiden¡¯s fingerprints, not anyone else¡¯s¡± ¡°Deliberately taken apart? Emmett squinted slightly, ¡°Could it be that Aiden did it himself?¡± Chapter 229 Chapter 229 ¡°That room should have been unupied! And he even had to bring this de into the bathroom, only¡­ only to cut his arm.¡± he said just as ra came back. Although she had washed her face, her eyes were still red. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Emmett walked towards her in long strides. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± ra waved her hand. ¡°Well, this is the de that cut Aiden,¡± Emmett shook the de in his hand. ¡°There are only Aiden¡¯s fingerprints on it.¡± ra lowered her head after hearing this. ¡°Aiden said he did it himself.¡± .harming himself? For what reason?¡± ¡°To make me and your mother stop arguing, ra looked at Emmett and pursed her lips. ¡°You see, although children are young, they have a lot of thoughts in their minds! We can inadvertently touch upon their inner world, and we cannot predict what impulsive actions. they might take. So, Emmett, for the sake of the children, I should bear with it, and you should too.¡± Emmett looked at the razor de in his hand, feeling helpless yet finding it somewhat amusing. ¡°But it is evident that the children really like you!¡± ¡°Of course! They are my sons, ra said, then felt that something was not quite right and quickly added, ¡°Although I am their stepmother, I¡­ genuinely care for them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Emmett raised his hand to cover her mouth. ¡°In the future, at home, don¡¯t mention the word stepmother¡¯ again! You are Aiden and Alex¡¯s biological mother! If anyone says stepmother again, I will definitely get angry!¡± ra nodded. ¡®Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Emmett sighed and hugged her. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to get to this point. I know you have sacrificed a lot for the sake of the children and for me. Actually, regarding my mother¡¯s situation, I just didn¡¯t want to see you sad, and I didn¡¯t want you to think that I am an irresponsible man!¡± ¡°I understand your difficulties, so I won¡¯t be angry, nor will I make things difficult for you! Besides, I really think your mother is just protecting the children. It¡¯s normal for her to protect her own grandson. I also need to protect my children! It¡¯s the nature of every woman.¡± Emmett hugged her even tighter. ¡°You keep everything to yourself and don¡¯t tell me what you¡¯re thinking. I can only guess and be cautious around you! So, promise me, from now on, tell me everything you¡¯re thinking.¡± ra looked at him, slightly stunned. She couldn¡¯t believe that this was something Emmett, who was so imposing, would say! So, he was also cautious around her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I made you feel uneasy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I just don¡¯t know how to interact with women.¡± Emmett took a deep breath. ¡°More urately, I used to have feelings for a woman, and I thought we both liked each other, but¡­ she left! At that time, she told me that someone like me could never find true love. Therefore, when I met you and developed feelings for you, I was a little at a loss. ra was stunned. ¡°Why did she say that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Is she the reason you avoid contact with women?¡± ¡°You could say so,¡± Emmell shrugged. ¡®Since then, I¡¯ve felt that women are difficult to understand and have caused me distress! So,! began to dislike women and thenpletely avoided contact with them!¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 ra gave a helpless chuckle. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± ¡°So you think I¡¯m a useless man?¡± ¡°Of course not! You¡¯re amazing.¡± ra looked into his eyes, saying sincerely, ¡°You¡¯re the most responsible and reliable man I¡¯ve ever met! You¡¯ve saved me multiple times. Without you, I don¡¯t know where I¡¯d be.¡± ¡°But you were thinking about leaving me for Elio!¡± That was something he would never forget! ra blinked, a hint of embarrassment shed in her eyes. ¡°About that¡­ It¡¯s a long story! Elio did a lot for me, so when he said he needed me, I couldn¡¯t just say no! Besides, I didn¡¯t know you were serious about marrying me then! I thought¡­ we were just pretending¡­¡± ¡°You dummy!¡± Emmett flicked her forehead. ¡°Didn¡¯t I make it obvious? You just didn¡¯t catch on!¡± ra squinted andughed, ¡®Maybe¡¯ Mainly because I didn¡¯t dare to think about it then! You¡¯re so amazing, and the women who pursued you were all better than me! I¡¯m just an ordinary girl, how could I dare to think about such things? I was afraid that people would think I was daydreaming!¡± ¡°Do you dare to believe it now?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Sometimes she still felt like she was dreaming. ¡°You have to believe it.¡± ¡°Okay, noted.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Emmett held her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the ward! I need to have a serious talk with Aiden and make sure he understands that he can¡¯t do such foolish things in the future.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on him! After all, he did it because of me¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got it.¡± Taylor felt like he had a long dream. In the dream, ra was wearing a wedding dress, so beautiful. She was walking towards him with a full smile. But when he was ready to go up and greet her, he found himself unable to move! Looking down, his mother was holding him back. *Son, you can¡¯t go! ra is deceiving you! She¡¯s not a good woman!¡± Taylor pushed his mother away and rushed towards ra! Just as he was about to touch her, Emmett¡¯s face suddenly appeared. ¡°ra is mine!¡± ¡°No! No¡­ She¡¯s not!¡± Taylor opened his eyes sharply! The white celling was a bit dazzling, so he quickly raised his hand to block it. ¡°Son, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± Teresa quickly walked over when she heard him, ¡°How are you feeling? Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡± Taylor shook his head, his brows furrowed. ¡°Sweetie, ever since your car ident, you¡¯ve been like this, it¡¯s really worrying. I¡­ I¡¯m really scared that one day you¡¯ll just leave me!¡± Teresa said, tears welling up in her eyes, ¡°Children are a mother¡¯s life, and you mean more to me than my own life! I just want you to be well, healthy, find a good girl in the future, have a child and start your own family. Can you understand my worries?¡± Taylor licked his lips, ¡°Mom, do I really like ra? Back then, was she the one for me?¡± ¡°God!¡± Upon hearing this name, Teresa couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°You¡¯re too naive! I¡¯ve spoiled you since childhood, hoping to shield you from all troubles and difficulties! So you were easily deceived by ra because you were clueless about many things in life!¡± Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Taylor Atwood turned to his mother, ¡°Did you see ra with another man?¡± ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t know about that? Think about it, if ra was a good girl, why would I have stopped her froming to our house? Wouldn¡¯t I be happy to see you two in love?¡± Teresa gently patted her son¡¯s hand, ¡°Even if we don¡¯t mention ra, do you know what kind of man her father is? He¡¯s a gambler! When he¡¯s broke, he forced ra to give him money!¡± ¡°But ra is a poor soul! Maybe her liking for money isn¡¯t her true intention!¡± ¡°But can you ept a woman who could sell herself for money at any moment?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Taylor fell silent. ¡°I know ra can¡¯t control her own fate, but the Atwood family is a decent family! We can¡¯t let people gossip about us! What your father and grandfather built is the fruit of their blood, sweat, and tears! If you really marry ra, her greed could quickly ruin our family¡¯s wealth! I can¡¯t just stand by and watch her destroy our family, destroy your father¡¯s legacy.¡± Taylor bowed his head, ¡°So, did you really cause my memory loss?¡± ¡°No!¡± Teresa denied firmly, ¡°You¡¯re my son, how could I do anything to harm you? I just want what¡¯s best for you!¡± ¡°I understand, Mom! You go on, I need some quiet time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Teresa nodded, tucking him in, ¡°You¡¯ve been unwelltely, and not in a good mood, I think you should take a break from work! Stay home and rest! You can go back to the office when you¡¯re feeling better! I¡¯ll have the secretary handle things for now, he¡¯ll call you if anythinges up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Taylor managed a weak smile. Teresa gave him a worried look before leaving the room. As a mother, she also had her own difficulties, hiding things from her son on one hand, and protecting the family¡¯s interests on the other. She knew that one day her son might discover the truth, might me her, might even hate her. But she had no choice, it was all written in the stars, all she could do was try her best to protect her son and the Atwood family. That night, ra spent in the hospital. The next day, Aiden was brought home, but Sophia Melendez insisted on him not going back to school yet for fear of infection. ¡°It¡¯s time, I need to go to the office!¡± ra washed up and was ready to head to the Melendez Group. Emmett Melendez stopped her, ¡°You didn¡¯t get any restst night, why go to the office? Go back to bed!¡± ¡°No way! The review results are being announced today, how could I, as the designer, be absent?¡± raughed and patted her chest, ¡°Look at me, I don¡¯t look tired at all! I¡¯m full of energy!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just messing around! Don¡¯t you care about your own health?¡± ¡°No way! Just let me go.¡± ra shook his arm lightly and giggled, ¡°This is my first time in charge of a design, I want to be involved all the way! Can you just let me fulfill this wish?¡± Emmett looked a little helpless, ¡°You¡¯re always like this, next time I¡¯ll really have to think about whether to let you be in charge of design!¡± She¡¯d been burning the midnight oil ever since she¡¯d taken on the task. Now that the design ns have been submitted, she still doesn¡¯t want to rest! Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Who the hell can handle this? ¡°Please¡­ I really enjoy making design sketches, give me this chance! Can I knock off early today? I¡¯ll get to bed early, make up for the sleep I lost yesterday!¡± Seeing her like that, what else could Emmett do but agree? In this world, ra might be the only one able to make himpromise. Once at the office, ra handled some paperwork, and then Ricardo delivered Emmett¡¯s schedule. ¡°Mr. Melendez is going to U-city for an inspection today?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ricardo nodded, ¡°This trip was supposed to happen a few days ago. It¡¯s been postponed so many times. But today he must go there.¡± ra tried to probe, ¡°How long will he be gone?¡± ¡°A round trip to U-city will take at least five or six hours!¡± Ricardo finished speaking and nced at ra,ughing, ¡°You won¡¯t be able to haveLambertnch with Mr. Melendez today! But he should be back by tonight.¡± ¡°Haha¡­it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not that hungry today.¡± ¡°Seeing how lovey-dovey you and Mr. Melendez are really makes me envious!¡± Ricardo pouted, ¡°It¡¯s a pity I¡¯m too busy with work, I don¡¯t have time to find a girlfriend! I¡¯ll have to ask Mr. Melendez for some emotionalpensation, or maybe he can introduce me to a girlfriend!¡± raughed, ¡°You don¡¯t know how many women there are around Mr. Melendez?¡± ¡°Right! Seems like that hope is impossible.¡± Ricardo waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯ll go get busy!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Watching Ricardo leave, ra took out her phone and dialed Elio Milburn. ¡°I should have time in an hour.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s meet in an hour.¡± Elio¡¯s voice was very low, seemingly troubled. ra was a little worried, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°But your tone is off!¡± ra bit her lip, ¡°Spill it, I can try to think of a solution! You¡¯ve always helped me, give me a chance to help you!¡± Elio chuckled, ¡°Sure, you can leave Emmett and marry me, that¡¯d be helping me!¡± ¡°¡­Elio, that joke isn¡¯t funny at all.¡± The phone went silent for a few seconds, then he said, ¡°Really? I thought you¡¯d agree! We¡¯re about to meet, let¡¯s not talk about this over the phone. I¡¯ve got something going on here, let¡¯s chat when we meet.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After hanging up, ra frowned. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was her intuition or something else, but she felt like something was off with Elio today! On Elio¡¯s end, after he put down the phone, Leah Calloway handed him a ss of red wine. ¡°You¡¯re about to see ra, you must be in a good mood, right?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t like seeing her this way.¡± Elio took a sip. ¡°Why are you so picky?¡± Leah scoffed, ¡°You want this woman, but aren¡¯t willing to do whatever it takes! Bro, then you can just wallow in your sadness alone!¡± ? Elio nced at her before walking away from the window, ¡°Remember your promise! After I take ra away, you can¡¯t have any ns for her! If you want Emmett, I won¡¯t stop you, I don¡¯t care how you get him, but when ites to ra ¨C you absolutely cannot harm her!¡± Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Leah strolled over with a grin and gave Elio a light pat on the shoulder, ¡°Didn¡¯t I make myself clear? You don¡¯t trust me at all, do you?¡± Elio shrugged off her hand, ¡°Should I trust you? I did once, let you help me! But what did you do?¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± Leah held out her hands, ¡°I helped you get what you wanted! I brought you and ra together, isn¡¯t that a good thing for you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t n on getting ra this way! I love her, that¡¯s true, but I want her to love me genuinely, to want to be with me!¡± ¡°Since when is life so perfect?¡± Leah faced his usation without a care, ¡°If ra were an ordinary woman, maybe, but she¡¯s the mother of Emmett¡¯s child! She¡¯s far from ordinary, and you¡¯re no Emmett! Without a few tricks up your sleeve, you¡¯ll never get close to ra.¡± ¤« Elio abruptly turned to leave, but Leah, in her high heels, quickly stepped in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ll remind you, if you spill my n to ra, you¡¯ll be held responsible!¡±, ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Try it!¡± Leahughed, ¡°Your parents are in my hands now.¡± Elio was stunned, ¡°You kidnapped them?!¡± No wonder they said they were going on vacation and then disappeared! He thought they had gone somewhere with no signal or were having too much fun to see his messages.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong! I didn¡¯t kidnap them, I merely invited them over!¡± Leahughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll treat them well! As long as my n seeds, I¡¯ll remember that I am of the Milburn family, bearing the Milburn blood.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Elio pointed at her, but Leah lowered his hand, ¡°Stop yelling! ra will be here soon, have you thought about what you¡¯re going to say to her?¡± H §¯ ¡°I think your chances of convincing ra to leave Emmett are slim, but you want to try! I¡¯m just reminding you not to let ra find out anything!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just scared of Emmett finding out about this, aren¡¯t you? You know how much he cares about ra! Leah, isn¡¯t stealing someone¡¯s man thrilling?¡± Leah suddenly pped her hands andughed excitedly, ¡°Yes! It¡¯s exhrating! Just thinking about it makes me happy! I won Emmett over with my cunning.Inded the top-notch man all women dream of! Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m awesome?¡± ¡°I think you need to check yourself into a mental hospital.¡± ¡°My silly brother, I think you need to see a psychiatrist even more! What kind of man gives up the woman he loves? Only you, I guess. One day you¡¯ll regret this.¡± Elio red at her, but Leah didn¡¯t care. ¡°Taking such risks, you¡¯ll only end up hurting yourself.¡± With that, he turned and left. Leah picked up her wine ss, touched up her lipstick, then let go, the ss shattering on the floor¡­ ¡°I refuse to believe that ra can outdo me! There¡¯s nothing I, Leah, want that I can¡¯t get!¡± And that included men. Chapter 234 Chapter 234 At the agreed location, ra had just sat down when she received a text from Emmett. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ra smirked and quickly responded, ¡°Getting ready to chow down! What about you? Shouldn¡¯t you be in a meeting right now?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t stop me from texting you.¡± raughed helplessly. She could imagine Emmett right now, sitting in his CEO chair. The shareholders and managers below were nervously reporting, fearing the slightest hint of dissatisfaction. Little did they know¡­ their boss was texting his wife, flirting. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. She responded with a sigh, ¡°You should concentrate on your meeting! Be careful not to let your staff discover what you¡¯re doing, or your authority will go down the drain!¡± ¡°Do you think any of them would dare to peek at what I¡¯m doing on my phone?¡± ra couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. She thought, ¡°Yeah right! With Emmett sitting there, nobody would dare make a sound, let alone notice what he was doing on his phone.¡± ¡°Alright, stop interrupting my meal! When do you think you¡¯ll be back?¡± ¡°Probably around three in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for you at the office, and we can go buy some toys for Aiden! After all, he just got hurt, and I want tofort him.¡± ra waited a bit before Emmett responded. ¡°Alright.¡± Looking at the response, ra chuckled helplessly. He could be so warm when he wanted to be, but also so cold! She put down her phone and looked out the window, soon spotting Elio¡¯s car! Not long after, he walked, dressed in casual white attire, heading straight for her and sat down on the chair opposite her. ¡°How long have you been waiting?¡± ¡°Not long.¡± ra smiled, ¡°What would you like to eat? My treat.¡± ¡°Just Blue Mountain coffee will do, thank you.¡± The Walter nodded, took the menu, and left. Looking at him, ra couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°You seem to have lost quite a bit of weight, anything going on?¡± Elio touched his own cheek and chuckled, ¡°Nothing much, I¡¯ve just been on a diet!¡± ¡°You need to diet with that figure of yours? You¡¯re not fat at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡± Elio looked at her and smiled slightly, ¡°Does Emmett know you¡¯re meeting me?¡± ra shook her head, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t tell him.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯ll get more upset if he finds out?¡± ra pursed her lips, unconsciously stirring the lemon water in front of her, ¡°Of course I am! But if I told him, I¡¯m afraid he wouldn¡¯t approve of me meeting you! Emmett is super jealous.¡± Elio smirked, ¡°Sounds like¡­you two are getting along pretty well.¡± ¡°I guess! I realized that I misunderstood him before. He¡¯s not cold at all, he¡¯s actually very passionate if he opens up.¡± Hearing this, Elio took a deep breath to alleviate some of his difort. ¡°Have you thought about the future? Do you n to continue living with Emmett like this?¡± ra was stunned, ¡°I, I haven¡¯t thought that far ahead! I¡¯m just taking things one step at a time. No matter how much I think, it won¡¯t change anything! Do I have any choice when ites to Emmett?¡± In the past, she couldn¡¯t decide whether to leave, and now she can¡¯t even decide whether to divorce or not. ¡°I think you don¡¯t n on leaving him.¡± Judging by her tone and expression when she mentioned Emmett, she had already epted Emmett as part of her family. ÁÏ Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Elio couldn¡¯t stomach the reality. For years, he¡¯s been tiptoeing around ra, taking care of her, and now she¡¯s acting like he¡¯s a stranger! But she and Emmett have only been together for a hot minute¡­ ¡°Elio, you seem a bit out of it today.¡± ra eyeballed him, feeling like Elio was a whole different person. If it wasn¡¯t for his familiar face, she might have thought he was some Elio imposter. ¡°I¡­¡± Elio paused, knitting his eyebrows together. ¡°What¡¯s up? If something¡¯s bothering you, just spit it out, okay? Is there any reason we should beat around the bush?¡± ¡°Well, here goes.¡± Elio said, ¡°I want you to divorce Emmett and be with me instead.¡± ra waspletely floored. She never saw thising from Elio! He¡¯d neverid his cards on the table like that before. ra was dumbstruck for a moment before she could react. ¡°Elio, what¡¯s gotten into you? What the heck happened? You can¡¯t just drop a bomb like that and ask me to divorce Emmett out of the blue! That¡¯s not like you!¡± ra furrowed her brows, ¡°Did something happen?¡± Elio shook his head and looked down, ¡°Nothing happened. I just¡­ I can¡¯t stand seeing you and Emmett together anymore, I want you by my side!¡± ¡°Seeing you with Emmett, it¡¯s like a kick in the gut. I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± Elio suddenly grabbed her hand, ¡°You said you owed me on¨¦, right? You¡¯d grant me any request! Well, here it is, I want you to divorce Emmett, take the kids, and start a life with me!¡± ra was taken aback. She withdrew her hand and stared at him. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°What? Are you going back on your word?¡± Elio stared back at her. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Do you really think I could just divorce Emmett and run off with you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Elio fell silent. The answer was obvious in his mind¡­ no way! ¡°Emmett and I are on good terms now, the kids are happy.¡± ra said, ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Elio! I might have to let you down on this one!¡± Elio¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°So, all that talk was just a bunch of hot air? You¡¯re not nning to leave with me anymore? You¡¯re just gonna overlook all the times I have helped you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, I¡¯m really grateful to you! I want to repay you, but not this way! Elio, you¡¯re still young, being with me would only bring you trouble, it might even mess with the Milburn family!¡± ¡°ra, cut the crap, you¡¯ve fallen for Emmett, haven¡¯t you?¡± Although Elio didn¡¯t want to hear the answer, he couldn¡¯t help but ask. And sure enough, ra hesitated. ¡°Why? What¡¯s so great about him? Where was he when you needed help, when Alex needed a father? Just because he forced his way into your heart, you fell for him? What¡¯s the deal here?¡± ra blinked, wanting to say something. But suddenly she didn¡¯t know how to put it into words or where to start. Chapter 236 Chapter 236 In the end, she could only bow her head, whispering, ¡°Sorry¡­ no matter if you think I¡¯m a low life or ungrateful, I just want a peaceful life! Now, being with Emmett, I feel very secure. Going to work in the morning,ing home at night, spending time with my kids, designing blueprints; this is the life I dream of! I don¡¯t want to change.¡± ¡°But have you ever thought about what would happen if Emmett found out the truth? You¡¯ve been lying to him all these years. Would he hate you? And would he let me off the hook, the aplice?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell him! I n to keep this a secret for the rest of my life!¡± ra had considered that this would involve Elio. He was innocent! No matter how willful or fearless she was, she couldn¡¯t let Elio be a thorn in the Melendez family¡¯s side. ¡°You¡¯re so naive, thinking you can keep this secret forever! Is this possible? As the kids grow up or whatever may happen in the future, any one of these can expose you!¡± *¡­* ra kept her head down for a moment, then suddenly said, ¡°Alright then! If I get caught, you¡¯ll say I forced you to do it! me everything on me! I am, after all, the mother of two kids, and he probably won¡¯t¡­ kill me! At most, he¡¯ll hate me and kick me out of the house.¡± ¡°So, all in all, you won¡¯t leave Emmett, right?¡± ra bit her lower lip, ¡°Sorry, I¡­¡± ¡°Alright! I get it,¡± Elio suddenly stood up and walked away. Just then, the waiter brought the coffee he had ordered. Elio left without even looking at it. ra watched him get into his car and only snapped out of it when he was out of sight. Suddenly, her phone rang. Looking down, she saw it was Leah calling. ¡°ra, are you N?velDrama.Org (C) content. with my brother?¡± ra pursed her lips, ¡°No, he just left.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? From your tone, did you guys fight? My brother missed you so much, he even flew all the way back from overseas, and you guys start arguing as soon as you meet?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t argue, it¡¯s just¡­ he¡¯s a bit upset,¡± ra raised her hand to massage her temples, ¡°Try to talk some sense into him for me. I¡¯m not suitable for him! His family background is so good, it would be super easy for him to find a woman much better than me!¡± ¡°But matters of the heart aren¡¯t up to him,¡± Leah sighed, ¡°You think I haven¡¯t tried? I have, but it didn¡¯t work! His heart is set on you, and that¡¯s something I can¡¯t change no matter what I say! Before he came to see you, we talked about it. I told him that you and Emmett are very much in love, and you wouldn¡¯t divorce him to be with my brother, but he just wouldn¡¯t believe it, and insisted oning here to get his heart broken.¡± ¡°I let your brother down.¡± ¡°Forget about it. My stubborn brother is such a headache!¡± Leah sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s do this, when I see him, I¡¯ll talk to him again. Don¡¯t worry about this, let me clear things up with him, and then I¡¯ll call you!¡± ¡°?? ? ; ra took a sip of her lemon water, her feelings quite mixed. ¡°That¡¯s all we can do for now! If he has any reckless ideas, stop him from doing anything stupid! I know Elio well, He¡¯s very persistent and always likes to fight with himself!¡± Chapter 237 Chapter 237 ¡°Alright, ra, just chill out.¡± After hanging up the phone, ra paid the bill and left the restaurant, Meanwhile, in U city, Emmett put down his phone and took a careful look at the PPT made by Lambert. He nodded approvingly, ¡°Meeting adjourned.¡± Everyone breathed a sigh of relief seeing the rxed expression on his face. Lambert approached with some documents, cautiously saying, ¡°Mr. Melendez, how about we grab a bite together? I¡¯m not sure if I may have this honor!¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Emmett nced at his watch, ¡°Nothing fancy, I just want to discuss the new project¡¯s designs with you privately, don¡¯t call anyone else.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Lambert quickly nodded, immediately turning to make preparations. Emmett also stood up, straightening out his clothes. Ricardo chuckled softly at his side, ¡°Mr. Melendez, if you¡¯re dining with Lambert, do I need toe?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°Not at all! I¡¯m just afraid I might interrupt your conversation.¡± N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°You¡¯re one of us,¡± Emmett exited the meeting room. Ricardo was taken aback, then chuckled and quickly followed. Arriving at the restaurant prepared by Lambert, Emmett immediately handed over the few design drafts made by ra. ¡°Take a look, how are these designs?¡± Lambert carefully took them and nced over, ¡°The creativity is great, who¡¯s the designer?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that for now, how about I let her be in charge of thepany¡¯s designing department?¡± ¡°That would depend on the main direction of the project. I had a quick look just now, the innovation is good, butcking of practicality, seems like a newbie. Lambert cautiously said in front of Emmett. ¡°She indeed is a newbie,¡± Emmett chuckled. He brought the designs to Lambert because Lambert has great talent in architectural design. He was the one who took a leap of faith in-hiring Lambert initially andter sent him to the U city branch. ¡°For someone who managed to catch Mr. Melendez¡¯s eye, this designer can¡¯t be just any ordinary person, right? I¡¯d like to meet them!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have the chance in the future. The reason I asked you out for a meal is to see if you¡¯d be willing to take on an apprentice?¡± Lambert eximed in surprise, ¡°An apprentice? Mr. Melendez, we don¡¯t usually take apprentices in this line of work.¡± ¡°What if this person is my wife?¡± Lambert jumped up from his chair in shock, ¡°Ah? Your wife? The Mrs. wants to learn architectural design?¡± Emmett waved his hand, ¡°Calm down, sit down first. I¡¯ll respect your opinion. If you¡¯re not willing, I won¡¯t mention it again. We¡¯ll just have our meal as usual.¡± ¡°Wait! Since it¡¯s the Mrs., how could I possibly not help? If the Mrs. has any questions, feel free to reach out to me!¡± Lambert chuckled, ¡°All the achievements I¡¯ve had in this industry are due to Mr. Melendez¡¯s trust and praise! This is something I will never forget.¡± ¡°So, ording to what you¡¯ve said, I take it that you¡¯ve agreed.¡± Chapter 238 Chapter 238 ¡°Quit it, it¡¯s such an honor to discuss design ns with the CEO¡¯s wife! But¡­howe I never heard that you¡¯re hitched? Not even an invite to the wedding makes me feel a bit left out, Mr. Melendez!¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t have a wedding.¡± Ricardo chimed in, ¡°The boss¡¯ wife thought we were too swamped at work, so she put it off. Now she¡¯s working at the headquarters, but not many folks even know her true identity!¡± Lambert was taken aback. After all¡­he thought any woman marrying Emmett would want the whole world to know! He couldn¡¯t believe there was a woman who¡¯d keep her marriage under wraps. ¡°The boss¡¯ wife must be a real knockout, right? Can¡¯t be just anyone who could snag Mr. Melendez.¡± ¡°She¡¯s pretty average,¡± Emmett couldn¡¯t help but smile thinking of ra¡¯s face, ¡°You¡¯ll see when you meet her!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got me all curious! Can¡¯t wait to head back to HQ and have a look!¡± Lambert said, then something struck him, ¡°Oh! It just hit me! The new project at the headquarters is using a new designer¡¯s n, could that be the boss¡¯ wife?¡± Ricardo nodded, grinning, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s the boss¡¯ wife!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen the design, it¡¯s truly outstanding! Top-notch work from all aspects.¡± ¡°Mm, I pointed out a few practical construction issues to her,¡± Emmett took a sip of his wine and loosened his tie, ¡°After all, she¡¯s a newbie, so she¡¯s a bitcking in that area. Just like you said, she does have some rookie problems.¡± ¡°But the boss¡¯ wife definitely has potential!¡± Lambert pulled out the design ns again, ¡°While the construction is indeed challenging, the lighting of the building would be the best! The honeb designs the boss¡¯ wife adopted solve the lighting problem for north-facing units.¡± Emmett smiled, ¡°Lambert, you¡¯re indeed the best in design! I can only point out minor problems, the real progress wille from you. Please take care of my wife.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯ll do my utmost to assist the boss¡¯ wife!¡± ra returned to thepany, feeling a bit down. She wanted to vent to someone but¡­she realized she didn¡¯t have a single female friend to confide in. Before the surrogacy, she was always dodging debt and didn¡¯t dare to reveal her true identity. After giving birth, she was filled with fear! So, she never had any besties all these years. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. *Sigh¡­¡± raid her head on the desk; she was so tired from yesterday that she fell asleep. If it wasn¡¯t for a coworker knocking for documents, she might have slept the day away. After handing over the documents, ra checked the time, it was already two in the afternoon. Emmett should be back in an hour! ra checked her phone, no messages from Elio! Leah hadn¡¯t called either. She started to worry. Even though Elio wouldn¡¯t usually do anything impulsive, if he hurt himself because of her, she¡¯d feel incredibly guilty! Chapter 239 Chapter 239 ra was contemting whether to text Elio when Emmett¡¯s call came in first. ¡°What are you up to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the office, nothing much.¡± ¡°Come down for a sec.¡± ra was puzzled, ¡°Come down for what? You¡¯re not back already, are you?¡± She rushed to the window and sure enough, Emmett¡¯s car was parked right there! ¡°Howe you¡¯re back so early? You should¡¯ve given me a heads-up!¡± ¡°If I had, there wouldn¡¯t be any surprise,¡± Emmett chuckled, ¡°If you were seeing someone else, I¡¯d have caught you red-handed.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ra replied helplessly, ¡°Caught being unfaithful? You sure that¡¯s a surprise and not a shock?¡± ¡°Shock it is then,¡± Emmett waved at her from downstairs, ¡°Come on down, I¡¯ll take you to Toy Town.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± ra quickly hung up, dashed downstairs, and hopped into his car. Seeing her cautious demeanor, Emmettughed, ¡°What are you doing? Acting like you¡¯re guilty of something!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be seen.¡± ¡°So, what if they see us? We¡¯re getting married eventually, they¡¯ll find out sooner orter.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t get why ra was being so careful. ¡°When I¡¯m worthy of standing next to you, it¡¯ll be different. Most people will think I¡¯m with you for your money when we announce our marriage! The rest will think it¡¯s a prank!¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so hard on yourself! I love you, not because of who you are or what you have!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got my pride! I want people to admire us as a perfect couple when I stand next to you! To say that I can add color to your life! I don¡¯t want them to think in the end that you chose me because you made a mistake.¡± Emmett was at a loss trying to understand her perspective. He took out a few cans of coffee beans from the trunk. ¡°Do you like coffee? This is a special product I brought back, very rare! They can only produce like ten cans a year.¡± ra took a look, ¡°So this is pretty valuable, huh? It would be a waste to let me drink it! I only drink coffee for the kick.¡± Back in the day, she had to work several jobs at once just to make ends meet! Time was always scarce, she had to cut back on sleep and rely on coffee for a boost. ¡°Stop pulling all-nighters! It¡¯s bad for your brain,¡± Emmettughed looking at her head, ¡°You¡¯re already slow enough as it is.¡± ra gave him a look and chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not slow.¡± ¡°Just not smart enough, right?¡± ra knew she couldn¡¯t argue with him. In the hotel, Elio silentlyy on the couch, not uttering a single word. His phone was tossed onto the carpet, and the cigarette butts had burned a few holes in the carpet. After sorting things out, Leah opened the door to this sight. ¡°Bro, you¡¯re not nning to burn this ce down, are you?¡± Ello gave her a nce, said nothing, and continued smoking. ¡°Can you stop smoking already! The room is filled with smoke, how am I supposed to sleep?¡± Leah walked over, snatched the cigarette from his hand, and put it out, ¡°Is ra really worth all this?¡± Chapter 240 Chapter 240 ¡°You just don¡¯t get it!¡± ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t,¡± Leah dropped her purse and sat down next to him. ¡°Actually, I saw thising even before you talked to her. Emmett is such a catch; no sane woman would ever let him slip away. ra has Emmett¡¯s baby; how could she just easily go with you? She was in contact with you before because she didn¡¯t know the child was Emmett¡¯s. And she thought you could help her, you were of value to her.¡± Upon hearing this, Elio refused to ept it and immediately red at Leah. Leah shrugged and said, ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t have said that. It pisses you off. But isn¡¯t that the truth? You have to ept it.¡± ¡°Just mind your own business and do whatever you need to do,¡± Elio said, standing up to leave.. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Raising an eyebrow, Leah asked, ¡°Where are you going? To see ra again?¡± ¡°Why are you so damn stubborn! I¡¯ve made it very clear, why do you still think ra would agree to leave with you? Let me tell you, the only way for you to be with ra is to follow my n!¡± ¡°You will only hurt her; you won¡¯t consider her feelings,¡± Elio understood that when it came to these tactics, he was no match for Leah. Even he and ra combined were no match for Leah! So, he wanted to get ra away from both Emmett and Leah¡¯s schemes as soon as possible. No one could predict what the future would be like. ¡°Listen to you!¡± Leah frowned, pulling Elio back onto the couch. ¡°We¡¯re family. After you marry ra in the future, she will be my sister-inw. Even if I marry Emmett, she is Emmett¡¯s ex-wife, and that won¡¯t change our rtionship as siblings. As long as you want to marry ra, I won¡¯t hurt her.¡± ¡°What you¡¯re doing now is hurting her!¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re sure ra and Emmett can live happily ever after until they grow old?¡± ri Leah fiddled with her newly manicured nails, ¡°Maybe after a few years, Emmett will lose interest in ra and dump her. Then ra will be crying all day and can do nothing about it. If such a day really comes, she should thank me now.¡± Elio sneered, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Emmett will go after other women one day?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ra. I can ept it, I can be ruthless, but can she?¡± ¡°Any other woman thates near Emmett, whether innocent or not, I won¡¯t show mercy. I¡¯d rather kill ten thousand by mistake than let one go,¡± Leah had clearly envisioned her life after marrying Emmett. ¡°Huh, you¡¯re the cruelest!¡± Elio felt a chill just hearing this. He thought he should take ra and her child and run away as soon as possible, that would be the wisest choice. Taylor had been lying in bed all day and finally couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. He had originally nned to follow his mother¡¯s advice, to recover his memory through ample rest, but being in the bedroom made him feel suffocated. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to the office.¡± After getting dressed and grooming himself, he went downstairs after washing up, only to find his mother watching TV in the living room. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to get some rest?¡± Teresa immediately stood up and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the company! I¡¯ve already asked your secretary to handle it!¡± Chapter 241 Chapter 241 ¡°He¡¯s clueless, I¡¯m a bit on the edge! Guess I¡¯ll have to go back myself.¡± Teresa held onto her son, ¡°Are you okay? I had the doctor check on you yesterday. He said you¡¯re overworking your brain, which could bring back those headache episodes! Plus, you thinking too much could make things worse! I wish you¡¯d take a break and spend some time with me.¡± Taylor gently patted her hand, ¡°I¡¯m good! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll stop if I feel off.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Well¡­ okay! Drive safe.¡± Taylor grabbed his keys and hit the road to the office. On the way, he dialed Leah¡¯s number from the business card. ¡°I¡¯m quite interested in that coboration you mentioned. We could discuss it further.¡± ¡°Mr. Atwood, you¡¯re quite the romantic, aren¡¯t you? Of course, we can talk. When are you free?¡± Taylor paused, then replied, ¡°I¡¯m always free! But, about what you said¡­ can you provide some¡­ proof? Can¡¯t just take your word for it!¡± Leahughed softly, ¡°Of course I have proof! You¡¯ll see when you decide to work with me! Everything I¡¯ve said about the past is true! It might shatter your world, but it¡¯s the real deal!¡± ¡°What I want to know is, what¡¯s your end game? Looks like you¡¯re standing up for ra because of what my mom did, but you¡¯re also trying to mess with her life by spreading that scandal!¡± ¡°Mr. Atwood, you¡¯re a smart guy, can¡¯t you figure it out?¡± ¡°¡­ You want Emmett.¡± Leah yed coy, ¡°I thought I made it pretty clear!¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re just your pawns.¡± ¡°Not entirely! After all, I told you the truth that¡¯s been haunting you, didn¡¯t I? You¡¯ve been searching for the truth all these years, must¡¯ve been rough. I heard you pulled a lot of strings to dig it up!¡± Leah sighed, ¡°Too bad, without me being a Milburn, you¡¯d never find a thing! Your mom really spent a fortune to cover this up!¡± Taylor stayed silent. ¡°After I found out, I wondered why your mom would rather pay than ept ra! Then I realized it must be because of ra¡¯s father! I get a mom¡¯s love for her son, but it¡¯s not right to stand in the way of love! Especially knowing how much you loved ra!¡± Taylor¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened. ¡°ra went through a lot that year! Now she¡¯s avoiding you, probably because of the trauma! As a woman, if I went through what she did, I¡¯d be scared to see you too.¡± ¡°How do you know she suffered so much?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a video!¡± The screech of brakes rang out! Taylor hit the brakes, stopping in the middle of the road. ¡°What did you say? You have a video from back then?!¡± ¡°Yes, I specifically got the video for you to see.¡± ¡°I want to see it!¡± Leah chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t rush! Of course, you¡¯ll see it, why else would I get it? But¡­¡± Chapter 242 Chapter 242 ¡°But what?¡± ¡°I need to reach my goal first! Otherwise¡­ Taylor, I don¡¯t help people for free!¡± Taylor gritted his teeth, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Simple, just do as I say.¡± In the Melendez family¡¯s yard. Sophia was sitting in the gazebo drinking water when Patrick Melendez walked over. ¡°How¡¯s Aiden¡¯s injury?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Patrick just came out of Aiden¡¯s room, ¡°The doctor changed his medication, and his wounds are healing well.¡± Sophia nodded, ¡°Then I can rest assured.¡± ¡°You spoil these two kids too much! They get a little hurt, and you act as if it¡¯s a matter of life and death!¡± ¡°Of course, they¡¯re my grandkids!¡± Sophia poured him a ss of water and said, ¡°Aiden and Alex are so pitiful. If I don¡¯t love them, nobody will!¡± Patrick sat down and looked at her, ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t treat ra like that.¡± Sophia paused, ¡°You also think I¡¯ve gone too far?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not judging you, just saying you should be polite.¡± Sophia sighed, ¡°I do it for the kids! Do you think I should find Aiden and Alex¡¯s biological mother?¡± Patrick looked at her, frowning, ¡°Why would you want to find her?¡± ¡°To see if she can reconcile with our son! This way, Aiden and Alex would have their biological parents with them, right? Then I would be at ease!¡± ¡°What about ra?¡± ¡°Why do you care about her? She has her own child; she should go back to where she belongs!¡± Patrick thought for a moment and waved his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s appropriate! Since Emmett has married ra, and the kids all like ra, you should stop meddling!¡± Sophia stood up, ¡°I¡¯m nning for the kids¡¯ future! We¡¯re old and don¡¯t have much time left. When we¡¯re gone, and Emmett is busy with work, those two kids will be at ra¡¯s mercy!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think ra is as bad as you think.¡± ¡°Of course, she won¡¯t show her true self now! We¡¯re still here, what dare she do? What I¡¯m worried about is, if one day¡­the kids don¡¯t- have us around!¡± Patrick took a sip of water and pulled his wife to sit down, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry so much! At least now the family is harmonious, and the kids are all healthy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Sophia thought that this method could work. ¡°I¡¯ll try to find the kids¡¯ biological mother! If she can truly make Emmett fall for her and divorce ra, won¡¯t that be a good thing? All the current problems can be solved! If it doesn¡¯t work, we lose nothing, at most we just use our connections!¡± ¡°Do you really want to do this? Aren¡¯t you afraid that your son will be angry when he finds out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m his mother! How could I possibly be afraid of him? Besides, everything I do is for him.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re doing this for your son, you should listen to his opinion!¡± Sophia waved her hand, ¡°Listen to his opinion? He¡¯spletely smitten by ra now, he has lost himself, he will definitely take ra¡¯s side!¡± Chapter 243 Chapter 243 ¡°I reckon your bias against ra is because you just don¡¯t like her, so no matter what she does, you think there¡¯s something off! Perhaps, Aiden and Alex¡¯s birth mom can¡¯t meet your standards too.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± Sophia retorted, ¡°No matter what, that woman is the mother of those two kids! If she doesn¡¯t love them, who will?¡± Patrick took a sip of water, stood up, and said, ¡°Ah, forget it! I can¡¯t deal with you women¡¯s issues! I just wish we could have some peace and quiet at home, with no more drama.¡± Sophia pouted, ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about the kids! I¡¯ve been thinking about it these days, so I can¡¯t sleep at night!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger, why not just kick back and enjoy your twilight years? Emmett is doing a great job running thepany, and both grandkids are healthy and happy, I really don¡¯t get why you¡¯re worried,¡± Patrick sighed deeply, ¡°I¡¯m going fishing with some friends, you figure it out.¡± He was not cut out for dealing with suchplex issues. Under Emmett¡¯s push, the review results came out quickly. And of course, it was¡­ approved! ra, holding the final design draft, was as happy as a kid with a new toy! She didn¡¯t have such a happy moment in years! Emmett watched her from the side, and a slight smile appeared on his face. ¡°You¡¯re this happy just for getting approved? If the construction ispleted, won¡¯t you lose sleep?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± ra squinted her eyes and smiled, ¡°I want to watch it being built brick by brick! Can I go to the site?¡± Emmett frowned upon hearing this, ¡°The site is dangerous, it¡¯s not for you! After work, I can drive you there to check the progress.¡± ¡°But I want more than just checking progress! I think I should participate in person, so I can know where my shorings are in my next design.¡± ¡°I see you care more about your design than me!¡± ra paused, thenughed, ¡°Are you being jealous?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I feel unbnced? I¡¯m your husband, a man! You focus all your attention on work and ignore me.¡± Emmett was a bit upset, when did he be so insignificant? ¡°I didn¡¯t ignore you! Without you, how could I have a chance to prove myself?¡± Emmett nodded, ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, I really owe you one!¡± ra even went over to give him a shoulder rub. Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°Just a verbal thank-you?¡± ¡°How about I buy you a shirt as a gift?¡± ¡°Can you afford it?¡± ¡°Although I can¡¯t afford an expensive one, I can buy a cheap one.¡± Emmett looked at her, ¡°You want me to wear cheap clothes?¡± ¡°Alright, what do you want as a reward?¡± ¡°Today, three times.¡± ra paused before understanding what he meant. Her cheeks immediately turned red, ¡°You! How can you talk about this during the daytime!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we discussing my reward? What¡¯s wrong with me making a request?¡± Emmett didn¡¯t feel ufortable at all. ¡°No way, twice at most!¡± She still has to work tomorrow! Chapter 244 Chapter 244 ¡°Just twice, okay?¡± Emmett smiled faintly, ¡°If the frequency is low, I can stretch it out a bit.¡± ¡°You! That¡¯s so unfair!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just looking out for my own interest!¡± On matters like this, he would usually stand his ground. After all, it was his personal need. ¡°I¡¯m not as clever as you, so I¡¯m always caught in your schemes!¡± ra was helpless, but her mind was still full of work, ¡°So you agree to let me go to the site?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°But you have to make sure your safetyes first! If I¡¯m not at the company, you better go with Ricardo or Matt! They are both people I trust.¡± ra nodded, ¡°Okay if you let me go, I¡¯ll listen to you!¡± Facing such an ambitious wife, Emmett didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or not! Her focus was all on work and the kids, he didn¡¯t know how much was left for him! AW Company. Taylor¡¯s health was getting worse, he was coughing constantly during meetings. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. After the meeting, his secretary brought him some medicine. ¡°Mr. Atwood, you should take some medicine! You can¡¯t keep pushing yourself like this!¡± Taylor took the medicine and nodded, ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest a bit? Thepany doesn¡¯t have anything else going on this afternoon.¡± ¡°No need, I can still hold on.¡± Taylor walked from the meeting room to his office, sat down, and looked at the documents on the table. Suddenly, he saw a familiar name on it¡­ ¡°ra? When did she be the designer for the Melendez Group? I thought she was the secretary of the Melendez Group.¡± ¡°Recently, they made Ms. Calloway a designer, and the review department praised her design a lot,¡± The secretary handed him today¡¯s newspaper, ¡°The Melendez Group even ns to promote her, they announced that the next project will also be designed by Ms. Calloway!¡± Taylor looked at the news, and there was ra, full of self-confidence. For some reason, her smile seemed so familiar! Maybe before his amnesia, she used to smile at him like this! So energetic, so confident. ¡°Mr. Atwood, do you want me to reach out to Ms. Calloway?¡± Taylor waved his hand, ¡°No need, she now¡­ doesn¡¯t want to see me.¡± He still hadn¡¯t figured out what the past was all about, and he didn¡¯t know who was telling the truth between his mother and Leah. What could he say to her at this point? He waspletely unaware of the grievances she had endured back then. ¡°Mr. Atwood, let go of the past! Ms. Calloway is now with Emmett, and our AW Company is in opposition with the Melendez Group, if you go find Ms. Calloway, it will be detrimental to ourpany! Plus¡­ your wife would be upset.¡± Taylor looked up at him, his brow furrowed, ¡°Don¡¯t I have the right to make my own choices? Do I always have to act ording to my mother¡¯s wishes? Do I have to do whatever she says!¡± ¡°Mr. Atwood, don¡¯t get too worked up, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t understand how I feel right now! You haven¡¯t lost your memory; you can¡¯t understand how much I want to know about the past!¡± Chapter 245 Chapter 245 What exactly had ra been through during that period? ¡°Mr. Atwood, I¡¯m worried about your health. You¡¯re always zoning out while looking at Ms. Calloway¡¯s photos, and you suffer severe headaches whenever you recall the past. This isn¡¯t good for your health.¡± Taylor said, ¡°Regardless, I need to know the truth about ra.¡± Why did he still have such vivid memories of her even after losing his memory if not for his deep love for her? He felt that he must have had some sort of rtionship with her! ¡°Is there anything I can do to help? I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°There is,¡± Taylor pulled out a photo and handed it to him, ¡°This is Leah, she¡¯s blood-rted to the Milburn¡¯s, a well-known medical family. Check her out for me, I need the details.¡± The secretary nodded and took the photo, ¡°Got it.¡± Taylor waved him off, ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired. Oh, and if my mother contacts you, tell her I¡¯m only focusing on work now and have lost interest in ra. And don¡¯t mention my health.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Watching his secretary leave, Taylor weakly picked up the pill bottle which was on the table.. He couldn¡¯t afford to remain sick. If he were to pursue ra, he needed to recuperate. In the evening, Aiden and Alex finished school. Aiden left the school with his backpack, while Alex followed, sucking on a lollipop. ¡°Alex!¡± Suddenly, a familiar voice called out. Alex turned around, his face lighting up with surprise! ¡°Mr. Milburn!¡± Hearing the voice, Aiden also looked over. He saw Alex about to run towards a stranger and quickly grabbed him, ¡°Alex! Who is this?¡± ¡°This is Mr. Milburn!¡± Alexughed, pulling Aiden along, ¡°The person I always tell you about!¡± Noticing the resemnce between Aiden and Alex, Elio couldn¡¯t help but marvel, ¡°You two are really hard to tell apart!¡± ¡°Yes! Aiden and I look very alike,¡± Alex, seemingly fond of Elio, hugged his leg, ¡°Mr. Milburn, I missed you! Why did you onlye now?¡± Elio chuckled and patted her head, ¡°Mr. Milburn only just got some free time.¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like me anymore, that you found other kids.¡± Elio looked helpless, ¡°How could that be? You¡¯re my favorite.¡± Aiden, watching from the side, frowned, This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hello, Mr. Milburn!¡± He stepped forward, lifting Alex off Elio¡¯s leg, ¡°Thanks for helping out my mom and little brother?¡± Elio furrowed his brows, crouching down to talk, ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much! I still remember you as a kid.¡± When the Melendez family sent their young master to the car, they specifically asked Elio to conduct a detailed check-up. Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Chapter 246 С Back then, Aiden was still a baby. ¡°I heard from my mom that it was Mr. Milburn who helped deliver us. ¡°¡­ ra actually told you that too!¡± Aiden chuckled and nced at the bodyguard of the Melendez family not far away. ¡°Mr. Milburn, we have bodyguards picking us up from school. If we don¡¯t leave now, they¡¯ll notice! Then dad will know that Mr. Milburn came to see us.¡± Elio was momentarily stunned. He didn¡¯t expect Aiden to be so smart and mature! Even such things he could foresee. ¡°You¡¯re such a clever kid, no wonder you¡¯ve grown up beside Emmett.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. He was so different from Alex! ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡± ¡°Then you guys should head back! Next time, I¡¯lle when you¡¯re in school.¡± Upon hearing this, Alex was somewhat reluctant to leave him, ¡°Mr. Milburn, I don¡¯t want to leave you! I still want to y with you, you take me to eat yummy food!¡± ¡°Next time I¡¯ll definitely take you out to y! Now you have to be a good boy, okay?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Alex pouted, and then reluctantly left with Aiden. Behind them, Elio watched as they got in the car, his emotionsplex. ra¡¯s kids are so wonderful, yet now they have to face a broken home! Even though he liked ra, he didn¡¯t want to see this scene. But he also knew that Leah wouldn¡¯t stop until she got what she wanted! Her intentions were not pure from the start! She¡¯s been nning this for so long, there¡¯s no way he could persuade her. Now, he didn¡¯t even know what to do¡­ On the ride home, Alex was still texting Elio on his phone. Aiden nced at the driver, pressed a button to iste the back seat from the front, and then said, ¡°Once we get home, stop contacting Mr. Milburn! Dad will find out.¡± ¡°Is dad that good? I won¡¯t let him see my phone.¡± ¡°Within the house, all the outgoing messages and calls, Dad can know if he wants.¡± Alex was somewhat surprised, ¡°Wow! That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand this,¡± Alex put his phone away, ¡°What do you think of Mr. Milburn? Doesn¡¯t he look great?¡± Aiden thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°He does look very likable to kids.¡± ¡°And he often ys with me! When mom doesn¡¯t have time for me, it¡¯s Mr. Milburn who stays with me.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s normal for you to like him,¡± What Aiden was thinking about was not these, but¡­ ¡°But didn¡¯t you say he was abroad? How did he suddenlye back?¡± This made Alex somewhat puzzled. ¡°Really! I even asked Mr. Milburn before, he told me that he won¡¯t be seeing me for a while!¡± Alex blinked. ¡°Could it be Mr. Milburn is nning to win Mom back again?¡± ¡°I guess something might have happened,¡± Aiden felt somewhat uneasy inside. Any abnormality would give him this feeling. ¡°Maybe Mr. Milburn missed me too much, couldn¡¯t resist, so he came back to see me! Aiden, you¡¯re overthinking!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m overthinking, I think you¡¯re oversimplifying! This matter may involve Dad and Mom, and I¡¯m worried that there¡¯s something between them we don¡¯t know about.¡± Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Alex nced at his brother, ¡°I think you¡¯re overthinking it, bro! Mom and Dad are all lovey-dovey right now, Mr. Milburn doesn¡¯t stand a chance!¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Aiden sat down and pulled out his textbook, ¡°Let¡¯s get back to studying! No point in worrying about stuff we can¡¯t control.¡± All they could do was help their parents by making sure Alex did well in school. At the mention of studying, Alex immediately looked gloomy. ¡°Can we take a break today? I¡¯m kinda tired.¡± ¡°No; remember our deal? Don¡¯t you want your candy next week?¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Under the irresistible temptation of sweets, Alex had no choice but to agree! ¡°Then get over here and hit the books, I saw you whispering with a ssmate during ss today.¡± ¡°I was helping the other students,¡± Alex grinned, picking up his book and walking over, ¡°She was asking me about a problem!¡± ¡°If I believe that, I wouldn¡¯t be your big brother,¡± Aiden shook his head in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s true! I was just helping others for fun.¡± ¡°I bet you have a crush on that girl in our ss!¡± Alex¡¯s smile instantly disappeared, he denied it vehemently, ¡°Are you kidding me? I was just helping her out because I¡¯m nice! She¡¯s so not my type, if anyone has a crush, it¡¯s her on me!¡± Aiden was speechless, ¡°I saw you going over to talk to her.¡± ¡°No way!¡± ¡°In that case, to avoid any distractions, how about I ask the teacher to have you sit next to me tomorrow?¡± Aiden suggested mischievously. Alex was quick to reject the idea, ¡°No way! I¡¯m with you all the time, if I¡¯m with you at school too, I¡¯ll go crazy from your nagging! I¡¯m fine with the girl! Oh, weren¡¯t you supposed to help me with my homework? Let¡¯s get started! I can¡¯t wait!¡± This was ra¡¯s first time being a site supervisor, everything was so new and intriguing. Emmett couldn¡¯t help but worry, so he canceled a couple of meetings to apany her. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m fine, but you just won¡¯t listen,¡± ra¡¯s hand was held tightly by Emmett, even on an uneven path, she didn¡¯t have to worry about falling. ¡°How can I not worry? Look at this construction site, it¡¯s full of hazards,¡± Emmett frowned, putting a hard hat on ra, ¡°As a designer, you don¡¯t really need to be here! Actual construction is someone else¡¯s job.¡± ¡°I want to learn as much as I can! If possible, I want to hear the workers¡¯ opinions. Maybe in my next design, I can incorporate what they think is good or simplify things,¡± ra smiled, ¡°If I only know how to direct from the office, I may note up with good designs. I think it¡¯s better to consider the opinions of the masses.¡± Emmett sighed, ¡°You really are dedicated.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t neglect our kids!¡± ¡°What about their dad?¡± ra went silent, her face flushing slightly. ¡°Haven¡¯t we agreed already?¡± ¡°So, I can only have your body, but not your heart, is that it?¡± Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Emmett cracked a slight smile, ¡°Maybe this is just karma biting me in the butt.¡± He had so many women trying to get his attention in the past, but he never paid them any mind! Now the tables have turned, and he¡¯s the one chasing after ra. But before ra could respond, she saw Ricardo running over from the distance. ¡°Looks like Ricardo is on the hunt for you! You go on, I¡¯ll stay put here.¡± Emmett nced at Ricardo, who was waving at him. ¡°Just stay put, don¡¯t wander off. It¡¯s not safe around here!¡± ¡°Alright, alright! I get it! Can I at least look around a bit?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Sure,¡± Hearing her reply, Emmett finally walked towards Ricardo, ¡°You seem a bit on the edge, anything wrong?¡± Ricardo was not one to rush around normally. ¡°Taylor¡¯s here! He was asking to see you at the office! When they told him you were out, he headed to the construction site! Should I ask him to wait, or¡­¡± Emmett nced at the car parked at the entrance to the construction site, biting his lower lip slightly, ¡°Do you know what he wants?¡± ¡°Not a clue,¡± Ricardo shook his head, ¡°But it¡¯s definitely not work-rted. He didn¡¯t bring his secretary, nor any documents! If it was about work, he could¡¯ve just talked to the VP, why would he insist on seeing you?¡± Emmett furrowed his brows, silent for a moment, then said, ¡°Let him wait for half an hour. I want to show ra around the site! Once we¡¯re done, you take ra back and I¡¯ll meet with him.¡± ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll go tell him now.¡± Emmett stood still for a few seconds, then turned to walk towards ra. ¡°What happened?¡± ra looked up and asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t want her to get involved with anything rted to Taylor, ¡°Once we¡¯re done here, you go back with Ricardo. I have some business to attend to, which is to meet someone.¡± ¡°Alright! You go do your thing; you really don¡¯t have to apany me! You¡¯ve got a ton of stuff to do at the office, the fact that you, the CEO, personally apanied me to the construction site is already drawing quite some attention and I¡¯d rather not be in the spotlight.¡± ¡°In other people¡¯s eyes, you¡¯re my secretary. Who¡¯s to say whether I¡¯m apanying you or you¡¯re apanying me?¡± ra rolled her eyes, knowing she couldn¡¯t convince Emmett. They walked around the construction site for a bit, checking out the actual construction work and the foundation. Thank Go d ra wore her sneakers, otherwise, she¡¯d really be worn out! She knew visiting the construction site would be tiring, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be this physically demanding! ¡°You head back first; we cane back when we¡¯re free.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ra nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll head back with Ricardo then.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Emmett watched ra and Ricardo leave, then walked towards the car at the entrance. Seeing him, Taylor stepped out of the car. He was dressed in a grey and white uniform, his face gaunt, giving off a frail vibe. ¡°Hello, Mr. Mel¨¦ndez.¡± Emmett gave a slight smile, ¡°You¡¯re not just here to say hi, are you? Spit it out.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez sure is wary of me!¡± Taylor chuckled, ¡°Given the current situation, AW Company is no longer apetitor to the Melendez Group. I thought Mr. Melendez would let his guard down by now.¡± Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Chapter 249 ¡°If you¡¯re just here to talk about that, then we have nothing to discuss.¡± ¡°Emmett!¡± Seeing him about to leave, Taylor quickly stepped in front of him, ¡°I¡¯m here to talk about ra.¡± Hearing this name, Emmett immediately frowned, ¡°There¡¯s even less to discuss about her.¡± He wouldn¡¯t let ra go to anyone! ¡°But ra doesn¡¯t love you, Emmett. Keeping her against her will won¡¯t make her happy, and it won¡¯t make you happy either!¡± Taylor hit Emmett where it hurt. ¡°Do you know about the rtionship ra and I had?¡± ¡°¡­Not interested,¡± Emmett¡¯s hand clenched in the darkness. ¡°Do you really think ra loves you?¡± Taylor asked. Emmett suddenlyughed, ¡°I don¡¯t think that matters! I don¡¯t know if she loves me, but I know she must stay by my side!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be happy, Emmett! There are so many women who like you and would do anything for you, why do you want ra? ¡°Well, I¡¯m curious why you¡¯re here talking all this nonsense to me. I remember asking ra, she said she doesn¡¯t know you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Taylor was taken aback. She didn¡¯t know him¡­ Was she really trying to forget him and start over? ¡°Mr. Atwood, weren¡¯t you suffering from amnesia? Are you getting your memories mixed up and pulling ra into it? If so, I suggest you T see a doctor. If you can¡¯t find a good one, I can help.¡± ¡°I did lose my memory, but I remember that I loved ra and ra loved me!¡± In a sh, Emmett became furious! He walked straight up to Taylor, grabbing him by the cor. ¡°I could tolerate you before, but if you dare say that again¡­ I¡¯ll do something you¡¯ll regret!¡± Taylor stared back at Emmett, not backing down even though he knew he was at a disadvantage. ¡°Emmett, do you know what happened between ra and me?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°I told you; I¡¯m not interested!¡± ¡°But ra will never forget me! And I will recover my memory!¡± Taylor gritted his teeth. ¡°As soon as I remember what happened between ra and me, I¡¯ll make her change her mind!¡± Before Taylor could finish speaking, Emmett punched him in the face. He stumbled backward, eventually losing his bnce and falling to the ground! ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re in my league when ites to women?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying topete with you, I¡¯m just saying she¡¯s rightfully mine! I love ra, and ra loves me.¡± Emmett¡¯s eyes were filled with anger. He marched forward, raising his fist¡­ ¡°Emmett!¡± Suddenly, ra¡¯s voice rang out! Both Emmett and Taylor turned to look at her. Why was she here? Emmett thought Ricardo had already left with him. ¡°Taylor, are you okay?¡± ra saw the blood on Taylor¡¯s face and quickly went over to help him up, ¡°Do you need me to call an ambnce?¡± Taylor nced at Emmett and gave a faint smile, ¡°No need.¡± ? ? ? = At that moment. It seemed as though Taylor was the victor, and he, Emmett, was the loser. Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Chapter 250 ra was taken aback before realizing something was off. She quickly let go of Taylor¡¯s hand and briskly walked towards Emmett, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with the punching! Taylor just recovered from a car ident, what you did¡­that¡¯s not cool, man!¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s my bad, huh?¡± Emmett looked at ra, his eyes deep andplicated. ra knew he was pis sed, but¡­she couldn¡¯t just ignore the injured Taylor! If it wasn¡¯t for Ricardo identally spilling the beans, she wouldn¡¯t even know that Emmett was meeting Taylor! ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was your fault!¡± ¡°Your words earlier seemed to suggest otherwise.¡± ¡°No that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± ra quickly rified, ¡°I don¡¯t regard Taylor as someone special! I just think he¡¯s vulnerable right now, like the elderly and children! Do you get what I mean?¡± Hearing this, Taylor¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, ¡°ra, you don¡¯t need to be afraid of him! He can¡¯t hurt me! I know you care about me; you don¡¯t have to fear him!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ra looked at him, ¡°Where¡¯d you get the idea that I care about you? We¡¯ve already cleared the air!¡± ¡°ra, what happened was because of my mom, not me!¡± Taylor was desperate to exin. He tried to reach for ra¡¯s hand, but before he could touch her, Emmett pushed him away. ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet, ra is my wife now.¡± Wife¡­ The word made Taylor feel dizzy. ¡°You guys, you got married?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ra nodded, walking over to Emmett and taking his hand, ¡°So stop bothering me! I¡¯ve said it before, let bygones be bygones. Whether it was your mom or you who arranged it, it¡¯s in the past. We can¡¯t turn back time! Taylor, take care.¡± With that, she started to leave with Emmett. Taylor tried to catch up, but Emmett suddenly turned and stared at him- ¡°I¡¯m running out of patience.¡± Before he could react, Emmett and ra had already driven away. Behind them, Taylor closed his eyes tightly, clenching his fists. His phone rang in his pocket. Taylor pulled it out and answered. ? ?? ?? ?? ? ? ¡°I guessed right, didn¡¯t I? ra won¡¯t leave Emmett voluntarily! If you want her, you must follow my n!¡± ¡°But your n will hurt ra!¡± ¡°Ah, you hopeless romantic! How can you have ra if they don¡¯t break up? Can you really stomach her being with both of you?!¡± Taylor didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Since you can¡¯t handle that, ra has to leave Emmett! If you think that will hurt her, I can¡¯t help you! Haven¡¯t you tried to get ra to leave Emmett of her own ord?¡± Leahughed, ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t work.¡± Taylor clenched his lips, saying, ¡°Give me more time! From the way ra looked at me just now, I can tell she still has feelings for me! I will make her willinglye with me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a grown man, apany CEO, and yet you can say something so childish! If you were a woman, would you give up a catch like Emmett?¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Taylor scowled and said, ¡°ra isn¡¯t like that!¡± ¡°But hasn¡¯t ra made a choice between you and Emmett? Otherwise, she should be standing by your side now!¡± ¡°Snap out of it! ra isn¡¯t going toe running back to you! You hurt her so badly before; I¡¯m a woman, so I know why she¡¯s keeping her distance from you now! But I¡¯m sure she still has you in her heart.¡± Taylor thought of ra¡¯s eyes just now; he didn¡¯t see much longing or love in them, and it seemed she was just determined to cut ties with him. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if what I¡¯m doing is right or wrong.¡± ¡°Then let me ask you, do you think Emmett will stay with ra forever? Don¡¯t you know Emmett has had a woman before; he even had a kid with her?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t they just a surrogate that the Melendez family hired?¡± Isn¡¯t thismon knowledge in the business world? ¡°The Melendez family said surrogate, and you believe it! You¡¯re so gullible! No wonder you believe everything your mom says.¡± ¡°Emmett is a yboy with specific fetishes! He¡¯s being so nice to ra now because he wants her to fallpletely for him! Once ra really falls for Emmett, he¡¯ll torture her until she can¡¯t take it anymore! Just like hisst woman.¡± Taylor clenched his fist, ¡°I can¡¯t let ra be in danger!¡± ¡°See, you¡¯re getting it! Try to show up around them more often, try to make Emmett misunderstand and let Emmett see you with ra! Got it?¡± ¡°Mhm¡­ I get it.¡± The car ride home was very quiet. The silence somehow made ra feel uneasy. She has nothing to feel guilty about; where¡¯s this uneaseing from? ¡°Emmett¡­¡± After a while, ra couldn¡¯t help but speak up. ¡°What is it?¡± Emmett¡¯s response was cold and utterly different from usual. Now ra was even more sure he was mad. ¡°Can you stop being like this? Taylor and 1-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear about your past.¡± ¡°¡­but that¡¯s all in the past! Emmett, I¡¯m here with you now!¡± Emmett looked at her, ¡°Is your heart with me too?¡± ra was taken aback. She knew she should nod but hesitated because ra didn¡¯t want to lie to Emmett. ¡°Taylor still has a ce in your heart.¡± That was a certainty. The way she rushed to protect Taylor earlier really hurt him¡­. Emmett hadn¡¯t felt this kind of heartache in a long time. ¡°It¡¯s just a kind of respect for the past! After all, I¡¯m not like Taylor; I don¡¯t have amnesia; I have memories of Taylor in my mind! So what do you want me to do, get surgery and lose my memory too?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°You should forget all your memories with him.¡± Emmett¡¯s face was still cold and gloomy, and even the atmosphere around him was filled with his anger. ¡°Emmett, I think we should discuss this properly! Not you talking to me with this reckless attitude! I feel like no matter what I say, you won¡¯t listen, so our dialogue is pointless.¡± ¡°You keep talking, but you¡¯re just defending Taylor; I¡¯m not stupid and I can get your point! But remember, you are my wife, Emmett¡¯s, not Taylor¡¯s!¡± Chapter 252 Chapter 252 ¡°I get that I¡¯m your wife, but you need to check your attitude.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying I screwed up?¡± Emmett had never been so delicate with anyone in his life; hell, he¡¯d given ra his all. But she leaned towards another man. How was he supposed to swallow that? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ra knew they¡¯d end up in a shouting match if things kept going this way. So, she took a deep breath to cool her jets. ¡°Emmett, I goofed. I shouldn¡¯t have been covering for Taylor earlier. I should have checked on you first.¡± ra made the first move, grabbing his hand. ¡°This is thest time, I swear. I won¡¯t do this again, okay?¡± Emmett shot her a look, ¡°Are you sure? Can you let go of your past with Jaylor?¡± Even without knowing the nitty-gritty, Emmett could guess they must have been head over heels. Otherwise, ra wouldn¡¯t give a damn about Taylor. He knew ra was a person with deep feelings and a warm heart. It must have taken a lot from her to let Taylor in. For this reason, he was scared ra still had feelings for Taylor. What would that make him? A wrench in their rtionship? ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± ra said with augh, leaning her head on his shoulder. ¡°I know you¡¯re just green with envy.¡± ¡°I am not!¡± Emmett instantly denied it. But it made raugh. ¡°Emmett, you always say I¡¯m a lousy liar, but aren¡¯t you the same? Even a chump like me can see through you.¡± Emmett turned his face away, ¡°I¡¯m not jealous! Taylor can¡¯t hold a candle to me, be it vying for you or in terms of professionalpetence. He doesn¡¯t even make my radar.¡± Sure, Taylor¡¯spany was apetitor to the Melendez Group, but that¡¯s because no otherpany could hold a candle to the Melendez Group. The business world knew the Melendez Group was untouchable. ¡°Okay, okay, you¡¯re the top-dog!¡± ra said, looking at him. ¡°You¡¯re not mad anymore, right?¡± ¡°You think you can sweet-talk me just like that? You messed up today; you got to face the music.¡± ra raised an eyebrow, ¡°Alright then, what kind of punishment are you thinking of?¡± Just as she finished her sentence, an idea of punishment crossed her mind, but Emmett beat her to it- ¡°Four times!¡± ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you think of anything else?¡± ra shrieked, ¡°Emmett, I¡¯m deadbeat! Don¡¯t you get tired?¡± Don¡¯t guys start losing interest in that stuff once they hit 30? And doing it every day, doesn¡¯t he feel worn out? ¡°If the punishment isn¡¯t heavy enough, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t learn your lesson!¡± Emmettughed, ¡°You asked for it, so you got to go along with whatever I say.¡± ¡°Or else I might do something to Taylor!¡± That name always gave ra the heebie-jeebies, ¡°Fine, fine, fine, I¡¯ll let you have it four times! But not too long each time, maximum¡­ maximum forty minutes!¡± Otherwise, she¡¯d be dead on her feet! ¡°That¡¯s not for you to decide!¡± It¡¯s like amb walking into the lion¡¯s den; the lion decides how it wants to eat, right? Chapter 253 Chapter 253 ra was in a bind. But thank goodness that¡¯s all in the past now. Taylor was such a pain in the ass, and it seemed like he couldn¡¯t sit still for a minute. She¡¯d made it crystal clear to himst time. And she couldn¡¯t believe Taylor didn¡¯t realize that if Emmett really got pissed and decided to drive his company to bankruptcy, it wouldn¡¯t be a far-fetched possibility! Why did he have to stir up such a storm¡­ Taylor came home, looking all spaced out. He slumped on the couch, not in the mood to talk or move. Teresa, hearing themotion, came down from upstairs. ¡°Son, what¡¯s the matter? Are you feeling sick?¡± She asked anxiously, looking at Taylor, ¡°Do you need me to call a doctor?¡± Taylor nced at her and shook his head, ¡°No need, sit down.¡± ¡°Is there something you wanted to tell me?¡± Teresa was a bit worried. After all, it wasn¡¯t a small matter if her son was suddenly so severe and wanted to talk. ¡°There¡¯s something I wanted to chat about.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Teresa asked, straight to the point, ¡°About ra, right?¡± Taylor nodded slightly, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing much to talk about! ra is just an old friend of yours, and now you should stay away from her as far as possible! You can¡¯t have any ties with her anymore! Because of her, you¡¯ve already neglected so muchpany business; how can you face your father with this!¡± Taylor lowered his head, ¡°You always say ra is chasing me, then why would she reject me? Why is it that I¡¯ve made it clear that I want to be with her, yet she always avoids me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been to see her?¡± Teresa sensed that they had met. Taylor decided not to hide it anymore¡­ ¡°Yes! I like ra; that¡¯s a fact you can¡¯t change no matter what! Even though I don¡¯t have your blessing, I know I love her. She¡¯s in my heart!¡± Teresa¡¯s face changed instantly. ¡°What¡¯s so good about ra? She¡¯s already done so much to hurt you; why do you still like her? Don¡¯t you know that she¡¯s Emmett¡¯s girlfriend now?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Teresa was shocked, ¡°Then you still¡­¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°But I told you I love her, and that¡¯s something nobody can change! I can¡¯t leave her, nor can I forget her!¡± Taylor stared at his mother, ¡°If you can¡¯t ept us, then I¡¯ll run away from home! Just pretend you don¡¯t have a son!¡± Teresa was so angry she wanted to p him, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. ¡°Give up on ra Son, she¡¯s just not worth your affection!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my decision. I think ra is great, even better than others.¡± ¡°ra must have seduced you again!¡± Teresa got up, ready to confront ra. Taylor quickly stopped her, ¡°Why is that? Isn¡¯t it good that I¡¯ve found happiness and am with the person I love?¡± He just didn¡¯t understand how things hade to this! Looking at it now, what Leah said seemed increasingly possible! ¡°Son, you don¡¯t understand! ra¡¯s father is a gambling addict; he¡¯s capable of anything! Even if our Atwood family had a gold mine, he could squander it all away!¡± Chapter 254 Chapter 254 ¡°Just because of that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good!¡± Teresa sighed, tightly holding her son¡¯s hand, ¡°You¡¯ve lost your memory; there¡¯s so much you don¡¯t remember! Since it¡¯s all forgotten, let it stay in the past! Isn¡¯t our life now pretty good? Why do we have to change everything because of ra?¡± Taylor looked at his mother, silent momentarily, then stood up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I can¡¯t control my feelings for ra! I like her; I want to be with her!¡± Taylor paused, then said, ¡°And I want to know what really happened in the past.¡± He didn¡¯t want to live in the dark, even if the person trying to keep him there was his own mother! That night, ra got home, and Aiden and Alex were munching on some snacks. Sophia saw ra and just paused a bit without a word. But ra walked over, taking the initiative, ¡°So you bought them snacks again today!¡± ¡°Yeah, they love it.¡± Sophia nced at ra, then said, ¡°I heard you were the one who designed this project?¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ra paused, then nodde ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Did you study this?¡± Sophia frowned, ¡°Do you know how crucial a design n is to a whole project? You may think I¡¯m being harsh, but this is not something you should be involved in! You can¡¯t just get involved in everything because Emmett spoils you!¡± ra was taken aback, not willing to back down on this.. ¡°The design was something Emmett and I worked on together! Emmett¡¯s been running thepany for years; he has a strong standing in the business world; he should know how good the design is!¡± ¡°Are you talking back to me?¡± Sophia immediately looked displeased, ¡°I¡¯m just warning you not to cross the line! I¡¯ve alreadypromised when ites to the kids, but I can¡¯t let you interfere with the company! Emmett is still young, he might make mistakes because of your influence, but as his mother, I can¡¯t let that happen.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ra wanted to say something, but she noticed Aiden and Alex both watching her¡­ She worried the two little kids would get worried if they kept arguing now. ¡°Are you thinking about how to go tell on me to Emmettter? Saying I bullied you?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t!¡± ra just smiled, ¡°You have a point; why would I go tattle? You¡¯re saying all this for the company¡¯s sake, and I totally get it! I¡¯m also looking out for thepany, hoping my design can bring in more profit for the Melendez Group! And I¡¯ve never bad-mouthed you to Emmett, I swear!¡± Sophia didn¡¯t believe her, scoffing. ¡°No matter what you say, I¡¯m not scared! As an elder, it¡¯s my responsibility to point out your mistakes! If we waited until it was toote, that would really be terrible!¡± ¡°Right, I understand.¡± Sophia stood up and walked over to ra, ¡°At first, I had no objections to you marrying into the Melendez family, but now I really think you¡¯re getting out of hand! At first, you were just using the kids, but now you¡¯ve turned your attention to thepany! Do you really think the Melendez family are pushovers?¡± ra clenched her fists, forcing her emotions down. ¡°I just really enjoy designing! Emmett said I have potential; he wants me to develop in this field! I really haven¡¯t thought about anything else.¡± ¡°So I misunderstood you?¡± Sophia sneered, ¡°All in all, you know what you¡¯re doing! The kids aren¡¯t yours, thepany isn¡¯t yours, and don¡¯t get any ideas about my son! In this family, you¡¯ll always be an outsider!¡± Chapter 255 Chapter 255 ra took a deep breath, not knowing how to react other than to give a bitter smile. After a while, Emmett¡¯s car pulled up. As soon as he saw ra and his mother, he got out of the car and quickly strode over to ra. ¡°You¡¯re not criticizing my wife again, are you?¡± he asked. Sophia looked at her son and avoided his gaze. ¡°No. Ask her if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t criticize me; we were just chatting!¡± ra quickly responded. ¡°She saw the news and knew I designed the new project, so she was discussing it with me.¡± Emmett was well aware of his mother¡¯s character, and he knew ra well. He put his arm around ra and smiled. ¡°Really? I¡¯m relieved to see you two getting along. Otherwise¡­ I was actually considering moving out with you and the kids. I was worried you might not befortable with it.¡± ra felt a warm feeling in her heart as she looked at him. She knew what Emmett meant. Sophia scoffed and left. Watching her disappear from sight, ra felt helpless. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t have said that. Your mom has a strong sense of pride. Isn¡¯t that like a threat to her?¡± ¡°If she didn¡¯t pick on you, I wouldn¡¯t have said that.¡± Emmett naturally took her hand. ¡°Both you and my mother are important women in my life. If you mistreat her, I won¡¯t stand by. The same goes if she mistreats you. If we can¡¯t keep things bnced, it means we¡¯re not suited to live together.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not move out yet. At least now we have the grandparents to look after Aiden and Alex, and you can be more at ease.¡± ra also desired to move out, seeking to escape Sophia¡¯s oppressive behavior. But she was busy with work. Moving out with Aiden and Alex was like leaving them in the care of a nanny. She would miss them too much if she and Emmett moved out without Aiden and Alex. After weighing the options, ra decided to endure it! Having Emmett¡¯s parents look after her children made her feel more at ease, and she could focus more on her work. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Besides, moving out would only make family rtions worse, not change anything. She didn¡¯t want that. ¡°You¡¯re always willing topromise.¡± ¡°Why would I stir things up if I canpromise?¡± ra yfully smacked his arm. ¡°You¡¯ve had a long day; stop worrying about me! Go take a shower and get some rest.¡± Emmett chuckled. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my workout for th¨¦ day.¡± H You¡¯re not letting me off the hook, are you!¡± ¡°I neither n to nor can I let you off the hook!¡± Emmett shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re in demand! I need to wear you out so you won¡¯t have the energy to deal with other men!¡± ra was speechless. ¡°Your words make me feel like I¡¯m involved with many men at the same time¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it! You¡¯re too attractive; everyone wants to get close to you. So, I need to im you as soon as possible; that way, they can¡¯t snatch you away. ra gave him a side nce, then rolled her eyes at him. ¡°You¡¯re just making up excuses! No matter what, you always think you¡¯re right!¡± ¡°As long as you understand, that¡¯s all that matters!¡± Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Even though it waste at night, Elio couldn¡¯t catch a wink. He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking outside, his heart tied up in knots. What could ra be doing at this moment? Could she be cozying up to Emmett or looking after Alex? He couldn¡¯t help but turn around, pick up his phone, and dial ra¡¯s number, but the phone rang for a long time with no answer. Subconsciously, Elio hung up and opened his messages¡­ But just as he typed the first letter, he deleted it. Deep down, he knew what ra would be doing at this moment, but he still clung to a sliver of pathetic hope. Maybe they were arguing, or maybe they were giving each other the cold shoulder! That way, he could swoop in and take Emmett¡¯s ce by ra¡¯s side. Suddenly, as Elio was lost in thought, his phone rang. He thought it was ra on instinct and answered immediately, ¡°ra?¡± ¡°Elio, are you with ra?¡± ¡± Elio stuttered. This wasn¡¯t ra¡¯s voice. It was Leah. ¡°Or did you try to get in touch with ra, but she blew you off?¡± Leah chuckled, ¡°If you¡¯re feeling down, you can talk to me.¡± ¡°Spit it out!¡± Elio frowned. Thest thing he wanted was to hear Leah¡¯s voice. This woman was like a devil! She was constantly tormenting him, always stirring up trouble. ¡°What¡¯s with that attitude?¡± Leah¡¯s voice was tinged with annoyance, ¡°I¡¯m not begging you to work with me! I told you before, if you don¡¯t want to cooperate, just say it! I won¡¯t push you.¡± ¡°Have you been in contact with Taylor this whole time?¡± Quick as a whip, Elio made the connection, Leah softlyughed, ¡°Yes. But with your attitude, I¡¯m more and more convinced my decision to stay in touch with Taylor was the right one! Elio, haven¡¯t you grasped the situation yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you I have other options!¡± Elio clenched his fists. He was rarely this angry! Don¡¯t go too far! Leah, you should know what happens when someone is driven into a corner! You¡¯ve pushed ra to her limit! Wouldn¡¯t you be afraid of the bacsh?¡± ¡°What do I have to be afraid of?¡± Leah snorted, ¡°ra¡¯s life and death have nothing to do with me; I couldn¡¯t care less what happens to her! Besides, she¡¯s the one who can¡¯t untangle herself from Taylor; how else would I have the opportunity to make my move? Isn¡¯t that right, Elio?¡± ¡°What kind of twisted logic is that!¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s twisted or not; as long as it gets ra out of the way of Emmett, I¡¯m willing to do anything.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making me speechless!¡± Elio clenched his fist, feeling a massive headache, ¡°There are plenty of great guys in this world; why are you so hell-bent on Emmett!¡± ¡°Why are you so hell-bent on ra? Elio, you could have any girl you want if you put your mind to it. Yet, you only have eyes for ra. She¡¯s had a child with another man; she¡¯s not particrly good- looking and has no special talents or background. Why don¡¯t you find someone else to like? That way, you wouldn¡¯t be affected by any of this?¡± Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Elio clutched his fists. He really wanted to punch Leah right now, but he couldn¡¯t¡­ ¡°Elio, stop wasting your time and just listen to me. I¡¯ve told you I¡¯d rather see you with ra than Taylor,¡± Leah smirked. ¡°We¡¯re family, after all,¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to consider myself family with a dishonest person like you! Leah, for a woman to be as twisted as you are, haven¡¯t you ever considered that even if you marry Emmett, he won¡¯t love you? He¡¯s not a fool and knows exactly what he¡¯s getting into.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worrying too much about this! My rtionship with Emmett is our business; you don¡¯t need to stick your nose in it! Why are you acting like you don¡¯t want them to divorce?¡± Leah paused before continuing, ¡°I really don¡¯t get it; what¡¯s in it for you? Do you actually think you¡¯re a martyr, ready to hand over the woman you love?¡± ¡°Leah! If you can¡¯t say anything nice, then just shut up! And stop calling me!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll just contact Taylor! I promise I won¡¯t bother you with calls anymore.¡± With that, Leah was about to hang up. Elio quickly said, ¡°If you contact Taylor, I¡¯ll spill the beans to Emmett. Let him see you for who you really are! Do you think he¡¯ll still have feelings for you after knowing everything you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°Heh, go ahead! If you spill, I might just admire you!¡± Leah chuckled, ¡°You said I¡¯m a bad woman; what do you think I¡¯m capable of when cornered. Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯ve got your parents in my hands!¡± ¡°Leah! You better noty a finger on them! I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t push me, or you¡¯ll regret it!¡± ¡°Elio, I don¡¯t want to fight with you, but you¡¯re not as easy to manipte as Taylor; I don¡¯t have time to argue with you! I¡¯m exhausted; I¡¯ll take the path of least resistance! That¡¯s normal, right?¡± ¡°You always have an excuse!¡± ¡°I need reasons to do things! Elio, since you¡¯re having trouble sleeping, why not consider giving up ra? I¡¯m really tired; I need sleep! Good night.¡± With that, she hung up, not leaving Elio a chance to say anything. ¡°That Leah, I¡¯m so¡­¡± But now, he knew it was toote. The next morning, ra woke up to find the man beside her was gone. Sometimes, she really admired Emmett! How could he go on all night and still get up so early in the morning? After doing her morning routine, ra came out to see the breakfast prepared by the maid. Emmett wasn¡¯t there, probably busy in his study; the kids were not around and only Sophia was there. Feeling a bit awkward, ra said, ¡°I think I forgot something; I¡¯ll go back to the room.¡± Sophia asked, ¡°Are you nning to avoid me every time you see me?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°¡­¡± ra felt a bit guilty, like being caught doing something wrong, ¡°Of course not! I just really forgot something¡­¡± Chapter 258 Chapter 258 ¡°If you haven¡¯t done anything wrong, what are you afraid of? I¡¯m not going to bite you! Or is it because you find me difficult to get along with and don¡¯t want to hang out with me?¡±, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that!¡± ¡°Then just sit your butt down here.¡± Sophia also pulled up a chair and sat down, ¡°In the Melendez family, you can¡¯t just act as you please! You¡¯re far from my ideal daughter-inw; even if you were the apple of the Melendez family¡¯s eye, you still need to have manners! You need to know how to get along with your mother-inw!¡± ra hung her head low, listening to Sophia¡¯s lecture, silently vowing to herself, I definitely won¡¯te downstairs this early again! I¡¯d rather skip breakfast than get a scolding! She knew that no matter what she did, Sophia would always find a way to criticize her, as if to assert her authority as the matriarch of the Melendez family. ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t think that much into it!¡± Sophia scowled, ¡°I¡¯ve thought it over. To help you take better care of the kids, you¡¯ll be the one making breakfast from now on!¡± ¡°Me?¡± ra was surprised, ¡°My cooking might not look the best, and the taste might not be up to par either!¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re trying to weasel out of this?¡± ¡°¡­No, not at all, it¡¯s just that¡­I¡¯m really not that good at cooking. I¡¯m afraid Aiden and Alex might not like what I make!¡± ¡°Whether they like it or not is their business. Whether you¡¯re willing to cook or not is yours! Besides, just because you suck at cooking doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t learn, right? Are you nning on having people take care of you for the rest of your life?¡± with stor ra quickly responded, ¡°You¡¯re right! I¡¯ll start trying to make breakfast starting tomorrow!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got two kids now; you need to learn how to take care of them and provide them with a bnced diet!¡± ra nodded, ¡°I will!¡± She was reaching her breaking point. Where the heck is Emmett? Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Unable to hold back, ra sent Emmett a text, saying she disliked eating breakfast alone, and asked him to join her. Sure enough, not long after, Emmett emerged from his study. ¡°You¡¯re up early!¡± Emmett said with a grin, ¡°I thought you¡¯d sleep in, especially afterst night-¡± ¡°Emmett, don¡¯t you dare finish that sentence!¡± Her face was turning red.. Sophia, on the side, was all ears. ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t say it!¡± Emmettughed, then asked his mother, ¡°Are Aiden and Alex awake?¡± ¡°They¡¯re up; they¡¯re getting ready.¡± Sophia nced at her son, ¡°By the way, you probably don¡¯t know since you just came down, but ra and I have agreed that she¡¯ll be in charge of making breakfast from now on!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Emmett was taken aback and turned to look at ra. Other than an awkward nod, ra didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°I disagree.¡± Emmett said bluntly, ¡°Breakfast is crucial to starting the day right. Why are you pushing this onto ra and give her a hard time?¡± Sophia quickly retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to put her in a tough spot! I just think since Aiden and Alex will always have to live with you two, if ra can¡¯t take care of the kids, how can I be at ease?¡± ¡°No matter where we live, we¡¯ll always have nannies and chefs around, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± Under the table, Sophia couldn¡¯t help but clench her fists. She was certain ra must¡¯ve snuck off and spilled the beans to Emmett! Chapter 259 Chapter 259 ¡°Can a chef¡¯s food everpare to a mom¡¯s homemade meal? I just want the kids to feel the warmth of home! They¡¯ve been unfortunate enough to grow up without a mother. Now that they finally have one, can¡¯t you, as their mom, cook them a meal?¡± ¡°I remember growing up eating chef-cooked meals all the time, and I turned out fine! I don¡¯t have any psychological issues.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Seeing their argument was about to explode, ra quickly intervened. ¡°I think cooking could be fun; she just wants me to practice! Emmett, stop getting Mom upset; I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°I see; now that you have ra as a wife, you don¡¯t care about your mother anymore!¡± Just as Sophia finished speaking, Patrick Melendez came downstairs. He sensed the tense atmosphere in the dining room. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Sophia nced at her husband but said nothing. ra smiled and said, ¡°Good morning, Dad.¡± ¡°Mhmm.¡± Patrick nodded, sitting next to his wife. ¡°Why can¡¯t you guys talk things out? Why does it always have to be so tense?¡± Emmett spoke up. ¡°Well, ask Mom why she won¡¯t leave my wife alone.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Patrick looked at her. Sophia turned away. ¡°I just thought ra should learn to cook and make breakfast for the kids. What¡¯s wrong with that? Isn¡¯t cooking a skill a woman should have? You know our family situation. Aiden grew up without a mom and never tasted her cooking. I just hope she can give the kids more motherly love. Is that wrong?¡±. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to meddle in the younger generation¡¯s affairs?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sophia frowned but remained silent. Patrick turned to ra. ¡°You too. You shouldn¡¯t bother him with small things like this. Do you want to see them arguing?¡± ¡°No!¡± ra immediately denied it. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell Emmett anything!¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Dad, I know some things without ra telling me. Mom always picks on ra when she sees her; I¡¯m not blind or deaf.¡± Hearing this, Patrick looked at Sophia again. Sophia put down her cup of milk, clearly displeased. ¡°So if she does something that I¡¯m not satisfied with, can¡¯t I voice my opinion? You¡¯re my son; she¡¯s my daughter-inw; I¡¯m the elder here with more experience and insight. I just gave a reminder, is that considered malicious?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you not to meddle in the younger generation¡¯s affairs.¡± Patrick despised family disputes and said sternly, ¡°From now on, no one in this house is allowed to trouble others! If I find out, I¡¯ll have to take action! Everyone should mind their own business!¡± ra immediately nodded. ¡°I understand. Mom and Dad, don¡¯t be angry! It¡¯s all my fault, not Mom¡¯s. Emmett misunderstood that I don¡¯t like cooking, but I actually love it! I¡¯ll start cooking from tomorrow!¡± Chapter 260 Chapter 260 ¡°Alright, everyone starts chowing down! Aiden and Alex will be down any second.¡± Sophia let it go and picked up her cup again. Emmett wanted to say something, but ra subtly tugged at his sleeve, hinting at him to zip it. Shortly, Aiden and Alex came down. So, the dinner ended with everyone fussing over the kids. On their way to work, ra was engrossed in the documents in her hand, as if she wasn¡¯t the one who just got sted.¡± The one who was antsy and disgruntled was actually Emmett. ¡°This won¡¯t do if my mom keeps this up; it¡¯ll mess up our rtionship.¡± ra nced at him and suddenly burst intoughter, ¡°You¡¯re talking all deep and stuff¡­ Nothing¡¯s going to rock our boat.¡± ¡°If this keeps up, my mom¡¯s behavior is going to go off the rails.¡± Emmett knew his mom¡¯s nature all too well. From the looks of it, despite his and his dad¡¯s repeated warnings, his mom showed no signs of backing down! It seems like things are only going to go downhill from here. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Oh,e on, don¡¯t let this get under your skin! I admit, whenever I get a scolding, I feel down in the dumps, but I¡¯ve never held it against you! And I won¡¯t let this mess with my mind!¡± ra waved the blueprints in her hand, ¡°I¡¯m swamped right now; I don¡¯t have time for this. I just hope my designs can rake in more dough for the Melendez Group! I can¡¯t be bothered with family drama.¡± Emmett frowned at her, ¡°Are you really not bothered, or do you have some kind of game n? I feel like you don¡¯t really care about me, so you don¡¯t care what my mom says about you.¡± ra shook her head, ¡°If I let this get to me, it¡¯ll only sour the atmosphere at home! I want the kids to grow up in a happy family. What would they think if they came home to see me and their grandma bickering?¡± ¡°I always feel you¡¯re so easygoing because you don¡¯t really care about me.¡± ra fell silent momentarily, took a deep breath, and voluntarily ced her hand in his, ¡°We¡¯vee this far¡­ Do you think I don¡¯t care about you enough?¡± ¡°Not enough.¡± ¡°Emmett, when did you be so insecure?¡± ra arched an eyebrow, ¡°I remember you being a proud man who would never let anyone get to him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re different; you¡¯re my wife.¡± She was the only woman Emmett had ever loved. Emmett¡¯s sudden deration of love always left ra a bit flustered. ¡°I¡¯ve said so much about my mom, but you¡¯re acting like it¡¯s no big deal.¡± ra shrugged, ¡°I just think it¡¯s not worth stirring up awkwardness over this! Your mom¡¯s just looking out for you She wouldn¡¯t reallyy a hand on me, right? So why should I nitpick and even tell you about it to upset you?¡± Emmett waved his hand, ¡°Forget it; I can¡¯t convince you.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re just looking out for me, thinking for me.¡± ra leaned into him yfully, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a grown-up; I know what I should and shouldn¡¯t do! We should try to understand and tolerate our elders!¡± Chapter 261 Chapter 261 ¡°You¡¯re always such a ray of sunshine.¡± With a yful roll of her eyes, ra Calloway replied, ¡°Well, I reckon I¡¯m pretty happy as it is! As long as no one bugs me or tries to steal my joy, I¡¯m golden.¡± ¡°Would you be scared to lose me?¡± asked Emmett Melendez, looking into her eyes. ¡°Absolutely!¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Out of all the time I¡¯ve known you, that¡¯s the sweetest thing you¡¯ve ever said to me.¡± ra just shook her head, a smile ying at her lips. Once at the office, ra had a meeting with people from the design department. Just as she stepped out of the conference room, her phone rang. It was Elio Milburn. ¡°I¡¯m sick; can youe over?¡± ra was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re sick? What¡¯s up? Got a cold or something?¡± ¡°Yep, and my stomach¡¯s acting up too.¡± ra nced at her watch and asked, ¡°Which hospital are you at? I can head over right now.¡± ¡°Belevolence Hospital.¡± ¡°I should be there in about half an hour.¡± ra had a ton on her te, but hearing that Elio was ill, she couldn¡¯t help but worry. After all, whenever she or her kiddo was under the weather, Elio would always rush over in a heartbeat. ra didn¡¯t tell Emmett; she grabbed her car keys and hit the road. The traffic was smooth, and she made it in less than half an hour. When she saw Elio, Leah Calloway was also there. ¡°ra! Finally, you¡¯re here! Please talk some sense into Elio; he¡¯s been so stubborn.¡± Leah sighed, ¡°He insisted on drinkingst night, gotpletely wasted, and passed out on the balcony! He¡¯s been skipping meals and only drinking, living like he¡¯s in a fog.¡± Frowning, ra walked over to Elio and said, ¡°Elio, you¡¯re a doctor; don¡¯t you know what¡¯s good and bad for your health?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me; you have Emmett. Do you even care about me?¡± ra was taken aback. ¡°That¡¯s not the same thing! You¡¯re making no sense. Just because I¡¯m with Emmett, does it mean I can¡¯t care about anyone else?¡± ¡°Exactly! Ever since you¡¯ve been with him, you¡¯ve given him all your heart! I can see it clearly!¡± Elio was so agitated that he tried to stand up from his chair. Leah quickly stopped him: ¡°You¡¯re not well; ra came to see you, and you¡¯re being rude! You¡¯re going to hurt ra¡¯s feelings.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ra motioned to Leah to stop. ¡°In the past, Elio¡¯s kindness towards me I¡¯ve kept it all in my heart! Every single time, every single act, I never forget, so when he¡¯s sick, of course I had toe.¡± ¡°ra, then I¡¯ll leave you two alone; call me if you need anything!¡± Elio nodded, and ra could only say, ¡°Alright, see youter!¡± Once Leah was gone, the room was left with only Elio and ra. ¡°Elio, I¡¯m confused; what are you trying to do?¡± She knew Elio had a unique personality, but he had never hurt her. ¡°You already know!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ra was at a loss for words. ¡°Didn¡¯t I make it clear to you when I was abroad? You even wished me well, and now you¡¯ve changed only a few monthster? Have you changed your mind?¡± Elio didn¡¯t beat around the bush: ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve changed my mind; I don¡¯t want to let you go to Emmett!¡± Chapter 262 Chapter 262 ¡°I¡¯ve never been your possession; how can you say you¡¯re giving me away?¡± ra suddenly resented Elio at this point: ¡°I appreciate you, and I know you¡¯ve helped me a lot, but¡­ I hope you can respect me.¡± ¡°You think I don¡¯t want to respect you? I just now¨C¡± His words hung in the air as he abruptly stopped speaking. ra was somewhat puzzled. ¡°Could it be that someone¡¯s threatening you?¡± But she didn¡¯t understand; she hadn¡¯t crossed anyone. Apart from Emmett perhaps taking her for granted, why would anyone else target her? ¡°I can¡¯t say anything right now.¡± ¡°So there really is someone threatening you?¡± ra pushed, forcing Elio to meet her gaze. ¡°Speak up! Elio, is there something you can¡¯t tell me?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Elio mped his mouth shut. ¡°No one¡¯s threatening me.¡± ¡°But your behaviour isn¡¯t normal.¡± ra could clearly see this. Elio turned around and said, ¡°In a nutshell, I want topete with Emmett for you; I want to be with you!¡± ¡°Have you ever thought about how hard it is for me in the middle?¡± ra calmed herself down, trying to avoid escting the conflict with Elio. ¡°I¡¯m already married to Emmett, and he treats me well. You expect me to divorce at your say-so; what is marriage to me then? Child¡¯s y?¡± H H ¡°Besides, Emmett hasn¡¯t done anything wrong in this situation. From the start, I hid Alex¡¯s existence. My deal with the Melendez family was a straightforward cash-for-goods exchange; I volunteered. I have no reason to resent Emmett, so I can¡¯t do anything to hurt him!¡± ra frowned. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t married Emmett and started living as husband and wife, I might have considered you. But it wouldn¡¯t be because I have feelings for you, but because I appreciate all you¡¯ve done for me and your care for Alex! I hope you can understand my situation! You keep calling me over; I sneak around to see you; I already feel guilty towards Emmett!¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ve fallen in love with Emmett?¡± ra simply nodded. ¡°If you must put it that way, then I¡¯ll tell you, I do have feelings for Emmett; I don¡¯t rule out the possibility of falling in love with him! At least right now, he holds a very important ce in my life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Elio looked at her in shock, a hint of loss shing in his eyes. ¡°Why? Why, after all these years by your side, can¡¯t you love me? You know I want more than friendship!¡± ra lowered her head and said, ¡°I can only say I¡¯m sorry; I really am, but what you¡¯re asking of me now, I can¡¯t do it.¡± The Melendez Group After chatting with a supplier, Emmett returned to his office and nced at the schedule Ricardo had sent him. He had about an hour and a half; he could call ra up to discuss some matters. He had to seize every opportunity to help ra break into the design industry as soon as possible. That way, no one could gossip behind her back, and more importantly, she could clearly define her career path! He pressed the office phone button. ¡°Get ra in here.¡± Ricardo was startled by this request: ¡°Ms. Calloway isn¡¯t in the building; she¡¯s out!¡± Chapter 263 Chapter 263 ¡°She stepped out?¡± Emmett raised his eyebrows. I thought she had a meeting today, right? Is anything special going on that she needs to bustle out?¡± Ricardo shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure myself, but her meeting¡¯s probably over. Maybe she has some stuff to take care of.¡± Emmett waved his hand dismissively and said, ¡®Alright, gotcha. I¡¯ll give her a ringter, you do your thing.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Mr. Melendez.¡± After Ricardo left, Emmett immediately dialed ra¡¯s number, only to find no one answering! He wasn¡¯t suspecting anything; he was just worried ra might be in a pickle! So Emmett decided to shoot her a text. Just as he was about to type, ra called him up. ¡°You were looking for me?¡± ra asked. ¡°Where did you run off to? You didn¡¯t even let me in on it.¡± ¡°Oh, my face felt kind of off, so I went to grab some toner. It took me a while to pick one.¡± ra chuckled. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m heading back now!¡± ¡°Your face felt off?¡± Emmett mused, ¡°Alright,e back first; we¡¯ll talk then.¡± After hanging up, Emmett looked at his phone, his inner puzzle intensifying. ra didn¡¯t seem like the type to go shopping during work hours! So, she must be telling porkies. But why? What would ra need to hide? Could it have something to do with Taylor Atwood? Emmett got up, heading to Ricardo¡¯s office. Upon seeing him, Ricardo immediately stood up and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up, Mr. Melendez? If you need me, just buzz me, and I¡¯lle over!¡± ¡°No biggie. Keep an eye on Taylor these couple of days; see what he¡¯s up to and who he¡¯s meeting.¡± ¡°Is AW Company being a pain in the neck again?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve got other fish to fry.¡± Ricardo nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have someone look into it.¡± ¡°Also, if you notice ra sneaking off without telling anyone, especially without telling me, let me know, then have someone tail her.¡± Ricardo paused, stealing a nce at Emmett, before nodding, ¡°Got it, Mr. Melendez.¡± Emmett turned on his heel and left, leaving Ricardo in a cloud of confusion. Could it be that Mr. Melendez and Ms. Calloway have something fishy going on? ¡°Could Ms. Calloway be ying away from home?¡± Ricardo muttered to himself before quickly covering his mouth and ncing around; thankfully, no one heard him. ¡°Ugh, that Ms. Calloway really doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for her. What¡¯s so great about Taylor? He¡¯s miles away from Mr. Melendez. I really don¡¯t get women¡¯s taste.¡± ra hurried back to thepany, deleting all the call logs from Elio.. As soon as she walked in, she saw Ricardo seemingly waiting for her. ¡°Ms. Calloway, Mr. Melendez wants to see you.¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± ra was about to leave. Ricardo suddenly stopped her, mysteriously saying, ¡°Ms. Calloway, I don¡¯t know exactly what¡¯s going on, but¡­ Mr. Melendez is definitely a catch! You better appreciate him!¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ra paused, then gave a slight smile and said, ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°Just now I noticed Mr. Melendez seemed a bit down. When you talk to him, be careful! Men, especially the kind like Mr. Melendez who value their dignity, usually need to be treated with kid gloves.¡± Tunderstand; thanks, Ricardo!¡± Chapter 264 Chapter 264 ra approached Emmett¡¯s office door and took a deep breath. Before she even got the chance to knock, the office door swung open. Emmett nced at her, his lips parting slightly. ¡°Come in.¡± ra nodded and followed him in. Emmett closed the door and settled back into his chair. ¡°Where did you go?¡± ¡°I went to buy skin toner.¡± ra felt a sense of guilt as soon as she lied, especially after Emmett¡¯s query. She was even more unsettled. ¡°Skin toner? Why did you go shopping without telling me? Also, when did you leave, where did you go, and which mall did you buy from?¡± ra felt flustered by his questions and kept her head down. ¡°At the specialty counter in the mall across the street¡­ Emmett, did I upset you? I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have gone out during work hours!¡± ¡°You should know that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking.¡± ¦§ ¡°Did you go meet someone? I think you could just tell me the truth about this! I¡¯m not restraining your freedom; I just want to know what you¡¯ve been up to! Otherwise, you just suddenly disappear from the office! Who knows if you¡¯re in danger or just out shopping and dining? So do I go looking for you or what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ra kept her head down. ¡°I don¡¯t need an apology!¡± ¡°I will definitely not go out suddenly like this again; I¡¯ll definitely call you the next time I leave the office.¡± ¡°So who did you meet this time?¡± Emmett¡¯s face darkened. ra knew she couldn¡¯t hide it anymore; she had to tell the truth, ¡°Elio.¡± ¡°Elio?¡± Emmett frowned and stood up straight from his chair. ¡°Isn¡¯t he abroad? Howe he¡¯s back all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure why he came back! He just called me, said he wanted to see me, said he was sick in the hospital with no one to care for him, so I¡­¡± ¡°So you went to take care of him?¡± ¡°No, I just went to take a look! I was gone for less than two hours in total; it takes an hour to go back and forth to Belevolence Hospital.¡± Emmett was clearly still unsatisfied, but looking at her demeanor, she probably wasn¡¯t lying. ¡°You know, I have issues with him.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°I know!¡± ra said helplessly, ¡°But Elio really helped me a lot in the past; without him, I might not have made it till today! In my eyes, he¡¯s my lifesaver; there¡¯s nothing going on between us!¡± ¡°But you said before you wouldn¡¯t see him again!¡± ¡°What would you do if it was you?¡± Emmett looked at her and said, ¡°Even if I had to go, I would tell you!¡± ¡°But you would still get angry, right?¡± ra whispered, ¡°If I didn¡¯t tell you, if you didn¡¯t find out, then I wouldn¡¯t have made you angry, and you wouldn¡¯t know about this. Today we could all stay in a good mood.¡± Emmett was almost infuriated by her logic. ¡°You really have your own way of thinking!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ra immediately apologized. Emmett rubbed his forehead. ¡°Forget it, you went to see Elio; what¡¯s wrong with him? Elio is a doctor himself; why would he need you to when he¡¯s sick?¡± go Chapter 265 Chapter 265 ¡°Elio got hammered tonight.¡± ¡°Seems like he¡¯s really got the hots for you.¡± Emmett squinted. ¡°Need me to squeeze out some time to meet him?¡± ra shook her head frantically and said, ¡°No! Emmett, if you¡¯re angry, you can blow up at me, but you can¡¯t go after Elio! I¡¯m the one who owes him; I didn¡¯t exin our rtionship clearly and made him misunderstand; these are all my messes! It¡¯s not his fault at all; you can blow up at me!¡± Emmett huffed coldly, ¡°Did you think about me when you were protecting Elio?¡± ¡°I have no romantic feelings for Elio! We¡¯re just friends!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re aware of Elio¡¯s feelings for you, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I know! But isn¡¯t it okay as long as I don¡¯t feel the same way about him? Emmett, you¡¯ve been around the block, and I believe you understand that what I owe Elio is hard to repay! Besides, he hasn¡¯t done anything to hurt me; how could I just cut him off so easily?¡± Emmett looked into her eyes, fell silent for a moment, then said, ¡°Forget it; I don¡¯t want to argue about this! I¡¯ll let it slide this time, but next time Elioes to you, you have to tell me!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ra nodded hastily. ¡°Also, if Taylor contacts you, you must tell me.¡± Hearing Taylor¡¯s name all of a sudden, ra was taken aback. How did the topic shift from Elio to Taylor? ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± ¡°I was nning to continue teaching you today, but we¡¯re out of time now! Go do your thing; I have a meeting to attend.¡± ra nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be off, Mr. Melendez.¡± She lowered her head and left the office, finally taking a deep breath. This kind of anxiety and fear-she didn¡¯t want to experience it for a second! But rtionships were just thatplicated. Emmett was such a possessive guy¡­ She didn¡¯t even know what to do anymore. When ra got back to her office, it wasn¡¯t long before Ricardo knocked and came in. ¡°This is the report from the construction site today! Are you going to check out the siteter? If you are, I can go with you.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Sounds good!¡± ra got up and took the files from him. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about the site; it¡¯d be great if you coulde with me.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez asked me to keep youpany; of course I¡¯ll listen!¡± Ricardo smiled, then suddenly lowered his voice and asked quietly, ¡°Earlier, was Mr. Melendez really mad?¡± ra puckered her lips and sighed helplessly, ¡°Yeah! Emmett chewed me out.¡± ¡®But Mr. Melendez does this because he¡¯s worried about you! He cares about you; that¡¯s why he¡¯s so concerned about where you go.¡± ¡°I get all that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blow it with Mr. Melendez! I¡¯ve been around him for a long time, and I¡¯ve never seen him care about anyone like this! No matter if it¡¯s men or women, he usually couldn¡¯t care less! Plenty of women tried to get close to Mr. Melendez by all means, but he was never swayed. As a man, I really admire his self-control! A good man like this is hard toe by; you¡¯ve got to cherish him.¡± Chapter 266 Chapter 266 ra couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. ¡°Deal! I¡¯ll keep your advice in mind! Thanks, Ricardo.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me! I think you¡¯re a genuinely good person; I just don¡¯t want you to miss out on a good guy! If I were a girl, I¡¯d probably want to be your love rival!¡± Ricardo said, and he burst into laughter himself, ¡°Too bad I¡¯m a guy!¡± ¡°Well, then you should strive to be asmitted as Emmett.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of beingmitted?¡± Ricardo retorted, ¡°Do I have a handsome face like Mr. Melendez? Do I have the social status that Mr. Melendez has? Mr. Melendez ismitted, and he¡¯s hailed as the most eligible bachelor! But if I¡¯mmitted, people will just think I can¡¯t find any other woman!¡± ¡°You sure don¡¯t mince words about yourself.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it; it¡¯s the truth! Anyway, as long as you get my point, Get ready, and I¡¯ll take you to the construction site.¡± After Ricardo left, ra mulled over the conversation, then took out her phone and found Emmett¡¯s number. Hesitating for a moment, she decided to send a text. [I¡¯m sorry, I know you¡¯re upset about Elio. It¡¯s all my fault! I didn¡¯t consider your feelings! I promise it won¡¯t happen again, okay?) After sending the text, ra was nning to change her shoes and head to the construction site with Ricardo. Unexpectedly, Emmett called back immediately! ¡°You know you were wrong?¡± ra was taken aback. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in the middle of a shareholders¡¯ meeting?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And¡­and you¡¯re able to call me?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe that Emmett would just casually call her during the meeting! ¡°I paused the meeting¡± ¡°Emmett, you¡¯re really¡­ ra started, but found herself at a loss for words. The man was truly insane. ¡°Be careful when you¡¯re at the construction site with Ricardo Stay clear of any dangerous areas! Don¡¯t think you can handle everything; remember you¡¯re a woman.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ra smiled faintly and said, ¡°Thanks for your concern, Mr. Melendez! I¡¯ll head to the site now. You should get back to your meeting!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Emmett responded softly before hanging up. Looking at her phone, ra felt a pang of guilt. Emmett was so focused on her, yet she was entangled in so many emotionalplications. It really wasn¡¯t fair to him. ¡°Looks like I really need to sort out my romantic issues! And I need to have a clear conversation with Elio.¡± When Leah returned to the hospital and pushed open the door to the ward, she saw Elio lying in bed, receiving an IV. His eyes were closed, and his brows were furrowed. ¡°What, ra left again? You see, you¡¯re not that important to her! It¡¯s only you who are clinging on.¡± Elio didn¡¯t respond, as if he hadn¡¯t heard her. ¡°Are you upset? Well, don¡¯t take it out on me! I didn¡¯t do anything to upset you! You got drunk; I didn¡¯t make you do that. ra¡¯s attitude towards you is not because of me.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have returned.¡± ¡°Well, you can go back!¡± Leah sneered, clearly not pleased: ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you to stay here! You¡¯re still hung up on ra; what does that Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. have to do with me?¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t framed ra, would things have turned out like this?¡± Chapter 267 Chapter 267 ¡°You¡¯re not making any sense!¡± Leah eximed, ¡°All I want is a decent husband; why is that wrong? ra is standing in my way. Am I not allowed to do something about it? You¡¯re just mad because you have a soft spot for her, and now you¡¯re ming me!¡± Leah waved her hand dismissively and said, ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. I¡¯ll find someone else to discuss the Emmett situation with. After all, you¡¯re not the only man who¡¯s interested in ra.¡± With that, Leah made the decision to leave. Ignoring his own physical state, Elio quickly stood up and grabbed Leah. ¡°Who are you nning to talk to? I won¡¯t allow it!¡± ¡°See, you¡¯re ming me again and not letting me work with others. Do I have to listen to you all the time?¡± Leah threw off his hand and said, ¡°If we weren¡¯t rted, I wouldn¡¯t even bother seeing you! There are plenty of people in this world who can work with me. Even if no one helps me, I can still get ra away from Emmett. Don¡¯t tter yourself.¡± ¡°I agreed to work with you; what else do you want?¡± ¡°But there¡¯s been no progress at all!¡± Leah scoffed and said, ¡°Alright, you think about what to do next. I¡¯m off to have tea with Emmett¡¯s mother.¡± Elio frowned. ¡°You¡¯ve even got Emmett¡¯s mother on your side?¡± ¡°Of course! Did you think I was stupid enough to rely solely on you?¡± Leah pointed a finger at his chest and said, ¡°Just, so you know, I will seed. No one can stop me, not ra, not you.¡± With that, she walked out of the hospital room with a triumphant smile. Elio clenched his fist and punched the wall in frustration. This had to be the worst moment of his life! And it was all his own fault! If he hadn¡¯t gotten Leah involved in the first ce, he wouldn¡¯t be in this mess. But he can¡¯t turn back time! At the construction site, ra was chatting amiably with the workers, her hard hat in ce.. Ricarde stayed close by, not daring to wander too far. ¡°Do you think theplexity of this building is manageable?¡± ¡°The moreplex the design, the greater the challenge! Sure, it looks nice, but it¡¯s not necessarily as safe as a simpler building.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ra nodded and jotted down their points: ¡°How do you think we could improve the safety of the building?¡± ¡°Keep it simple!¡± replied a worker, chuckling and munching on his lunch. ra feltforted by their down-to-earth attitudes. She didn¡¯t want to be stuck in the office doing theoretical work all the time. By interacting with the workers on the field, she felt she could learn more. Despite the asional misguided opinion, as the workers might not have all the facts, there were still many valuable insights to be gained. After a series of questions, ra walked over to Ricardo with her notebook. ¡°This construction is progressing so fast. Could there be any quality issues?¡± ¡°Absolutely not; you can trust us! We use top-notch equipment and workforce, so the speed is totally normal.¡± ra nodded and asked, ¡°By the way, how¡¯s the batch of wood my friend provided? Have we started using it?¡± Chapter 268 Chapter 268 ¡°I¡¯ve already used it, and it¡¯s great! I¡¯ve told Mr. Melendez that if you can keep bringing this kind of quality, we might just be in for the long haul. After all, she¡¯s one of your friends; why not do business with her?¡± ¡°Here, don¡¯t call me Mrs. Melendez! It¡¯d be bad if someone heard.¡± ra didn¡¯t want too many people to know her identity. They might think she¡¯s just after Emmett¡¯s money or that she¡¯s not fit to stand by his side. Even though that was true, she didn¡¯t want to be the talk of the town. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll watch it next time!¡± Ricardo chuckled, squinting his eyes. ¡°By the way, have you ever had a beef with the Quintin Group?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°The Quintin Group? Don¡¯t know them from Adam!¡± ¡°That¡¯s weird; the main source of this batch of wood came from the Quintin Group¡¯s port! Their port usually only serves them, so this wood should be theirs too! Are you sure you don¡¯t know them?¡± ra was taken aback. Leah hadn¡¯t mentioned that the wood was from the Quintin Group; She just asked her to help make contact. ¡°I¡¯m in the dark here! A friend asked for help, and I said yes.¡± ¡°So your friend¡¯s not from the Quintin Group?¡± M ra shook her head. ¡°No, but what she¡¯s got going on with the Quintin Group behind the scenes, I wouldn¡¯t know.¡± All she knew was that Leah was Elio¡¯s rtive, and her work was probably rted to the Milburn family. But it never crossed her mind why someone in the medical field would have wood to sell. Ricardo¡¯s question threw her for a loop. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ra asked cautiously, ¡°If there¡¯s something wrong with the wood, I can get my friend to handle it! Don¡¯t hold back just because she¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°No, no! The wood is surprisingly good.¡± Ricardo paused. ¡°Mr. Melendez thinks, with the quality of this wood, it should sell like hotcakes! Why do they need you to y middleman?¡± ¡°Well, maybe they just want to work with the Melendez Group!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve considered that! But the Quintin Group¡¯s recent moves seem to involve you! They even reached out to Taylor.¡± Ricardo nced at her and said, ¡°This Mr. Atwood¡­ he¡¯s not going to cause you trouble, is he?¡± ¡°No way! Maybe it¡¯s all a coincidence! Tell Emmett not to worry so much! He¡¯s done enough for me; don¡¯t waste more time! I have no beef with the Quintin Group; they won¡¯t target me! Before joining the Melendez Group, I had no enemies, and not many people knew about me and Emmett.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ry your words to Mr. Melendez.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ve said my piece! Mr. Melendez¡¯s meeting should be over by now.¡± Ricardo nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡± ra got in the car, and Ricardo drove her towards downtown. She nced out the window. Suddenly, she saw two familiar figures! It was Sophia Melendez and Leah! Why were they together? ra quickly looked again, but they were gone. She rubbed her eyes, making sure no one was there. Did she see something wrong? Chapter 269 Chapter 269 In the cafe, Leah walked in and immediately pulled out a chair for Sophia, showing extreme respect. ¡°Sweetie, you don¡¯t have to do all this! We¡¯re just here for a chat; you¡¯re making me blush!¡± Leah chuckled, ¡°I feel a deep connection with you and I greatly value our rtionship!¡± ¡°Wow! Howe you¡¯re so different from that other guy with the samest name?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Sophia waved her hand, ¡°I heard this coffee shop has great coffee; I¡¯ve been wanting to check it out. I didn¡¯t expect you to read my mind!¡± A spark of light shed in Leah¡¯s eyes, yet she maintained her respectful smile and said, ¡°You casually mentioned that you like coffee during our brief chatst time, so I picked this well-reviewed ce.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful! I just said it in passing, yet you took it to heart.¡± Sophia looked at Lea?, nodding in satisfaction, ¡°If my son could find a wife like you, I¡¯d ask for nothing more. I worry about him every day.¡± She let out a deep sigh after saying that. Leah asked purposefully, ¡°Thest time we talked, you mentioned that your daughter-inw wasn¡¯t treating your grandson well?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not terrible, but I always feel like she¡¯s pretending!¡± The very thought of ra made Sophia frown, ¡°How could a stepmother be s? loving, so affectionate? It¡¯spletely illogical! I always feel like she¡¯s just putting on a show for my son or trying to trick me! I¡¯m getting old, and I have to think aboutN?velDrama.Org (C) content. my grandchildren. They¡¯re young! If I¡¯m not around one day, and nobody¡¯s got their back, and my son is still head over heels for that woman, what will happen to my grandkids? Have you seen those news stories? Stepmothers were abusing children, and even the biological fathers did nothing! I¡¯m terrified.¡± ¡°Exactly! I see those news stories all the time! And your concerns are totally justified! A stepmother can¡¯t be as loving as a real one.¡± Sophia sipped her coffee, ¡°Now when I talk to my son about these things, he defends that woman like a madman. Can I trust him? He¡¯s willing to fall out with me, his own mother, for her. When I¡¯m gone, can he suddenly change for the sake of his children? I think that woman is just waiting for the day toe! She pretends to be a good mother now, creating an illusion that she has no ulterior motives and treats the kids well. But once I¡¯m gone, she¡¯ll seize power!¡± ¡°Ah, people can be unpredictable!¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°Do you¡­want to bring back the children¡¯s biological mother?¡± Sophia hesitated momentarily, then nodded, ¡°Yes, Thave such a thought! But I know my son will definitely object! That womanpletely bewitches him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much! There¡¯s always a solution for this.¡± Leah knew she shouldn¡¯t push too hard to avoid arousing suspicion, so she changed the subject, ¡°Here, try this! I bought some pastries, and you can take some home for your grandkidster.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful!¡± Sophia grinned, ¡°Then thank you! If you have time,e to the Melendez family! I¡¯ll take good care of you!¡± Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Leah nodded and said, ¡°Sure thing! Once I get this pile of work off my te, I¡¯ll definitely head over.¡± By then¡­ she wasn¡¯t sure what role she¡¯d be ying. ra repeatedly returned to the office, reying the earlier scene. That was totally Sophia and Leah! She was pretty sure her eyes weren¡¯t ying tricks on her. After some thought, ra pulled out her phone and dialed Leah¡¯s number. The phone rang a few times before Leah picked up. Before ra could even get a word in, Leah chirped, ¡°ra! What¡¯s up? Why¡¯d you ring me?¡± ¡°Nothing much, just wondering where you¡¯re at?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m obviously at the hospital looking after Elio! He just dozed off, and I went to the pharmacy to grab some medicines for him.¡± At the hospital, ra rubbed her forehead, ¡°Ah, guess Imust¡¯ve seen wrong. Thought I spotted you on the street just now!¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯ve been at the hospital the whole time. You had barely left when I got back! Elio was in a mood and had a bit of a tantrum! I was actually about to call you. Did you guys have a fight or something?¡± ¡°¡­No, we didn¡¯t fight. He¡¯s just not in the best mood.¡± ¡°Ugh, ra, you¡¯ve got to cut Elio some ck! He¡¯s been spoiled rotten since childhood and always got whatever he wanted! But he ran into a brick wall with you; of course, he¡¯s not feeling great! Plus, he¡¯s done a lot for you in the past. Try to see it from his perspective, and then you¡¯ll get why he¡¯s upset.¡± ra bowed her head and replied, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°ra, I know you¡¯re not the ungrateful type! I shouldn¡¯t be butting in on your issues with Elio, but seeing him like this, it¡¯s hard for me to keep my mouth shut. Don¡¯t be mad at me, okay?¡± ¡°Why would I? I owe Elio, and now I can¡¯t take care of him myself, and you¡¯re picking up the ck. If anything, I feel bad for you, and I¡¯m not mad at you ¡°That¡¯s good to know! I really like you, ra; I genuinely want to be friends with you! No matter what happens with you and Elio, my feelings for you won¡¯t change.¡± ra smiled, ¡°Mm, I won¡¯t let things with Elio affect our rtionship! After all, you¡¯ve helped me out big time before! I¡¯ve got some stuff to deal with, so I¡¯ll let you go! Take good care of Elio, and call me if anythinges up.¡± §ä§Ñ§Ü§à ¡°Will do!¡± After hanging up, ra slumped over her desk, sighing. ¡°I really need a break! Even my eyesight¡¯s going downhill.¡± N?velDrama.Org (C) content. It was a busy day, filled with meetings in the afternoon. ra handled thepany¡¯s architectural needs and nned to start sketching designs the next day. Before leaving work, she remembered to pack a few architecture books into her bag. Emmett¡¯s call came in just as she was leaving the office. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you in the underground parking lot.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ra quickly packed up her stuff, rushed to the elevator down to the parking lot, and sure enough, Emmett¡¯s car was parked there. ¡°Huh? Are you driving yourself today? Ricardo¡¯s not chauffeuring you around?¡± ¡°Yep, Ricardo said he had a date, so he asked for the day off.¡± Chapter 271 Chapter 271 ¡°What? Ricardo¡¯s got a girlfriend?¡± ¡°Set up by his family.¡± Emmett Melendez said after he fired up the car and drove off. At the mention of Ricardo, ra Calloway was evidently concerned. ¡°Ricardo¡¯s a catch. Why would he need to go on a blind date?¡± Emmett nced at her, ¡°You think Ricardo¡¯s a catch?¡± ra finally got it, ¡°Oh my god! You¡¯re so touchy! When I said Ricardo¡¯s not bad, I was just being objective. Can you stop twisting my words? What could possibly happen between me and Ricardo?¡± ¡°But you never know! Maybe I should get a female assistant to watch you.¡± ¡°Emmett!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just pulling your leg.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ra made a face, ¡°That¡¯s not funny at all! You seem to have zero trust in me like I would cheat with any man! Do I have zero credibility in your eyes?¡± ¡°Except for Elio Milburn and Taylor Atwood, I trust you with other men.¡± ¡°I have nothing with them¡­¡± ¡°Dare you to say you never had the hots for Taylor?¡± ra blinked and didn¡¯t answer. She didn¡¯t want to lie or deny her past feelings for Taylor.¡± It was real! ¡°ra! What¡¯s with the silent treatment?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want to talk about the past! What¡¯s done is done. Why dig up the past?¡± ¡°¡­ You always have excuses, even more than men!¡± Emmett stepped on the gas and quickly arrived at the Melendez family home. The car carrying Alex and Aiden also arrived as they exited the car. The two lively kids jumped out of the car and ran towards ra. ¡°Mommy! I missed you so much!¡± Alex was always being affectionate. Aiden looked somewhat speechless, ¡°Alex, you¡¯re acting like a girl.¡± The girls in his ss always had the words miss you, love you on the tips of their tongues! ¡°I¡¯m just being honest! I really missed you!¡± Alex stuck out his tongue. ¡°Hmph! Well, I missed Daddy.¡± Aiden ran to Emmett, and Emmett bent down to pick him up. ra sighed, ¡°Aiden, don¡¯t mind Alex. He¡¯s always like this!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stoop to his level!¡± ¡°Good boy!¡± Alex didn¡¯t care about what others thought of him, and he justughed, ¡°Mommy, I want candy!¡± ¡°Why do you want candy again?¡± ¡°I behaved well at school today! Can you reward me with a piece?¡± ra frowned, ¡°No! I know you too well! You must have eaten a lot at school, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know.¡± Before Alex could respond, Sophia Melendez popped out from nowhere. She yanked Alex away, ring at ra, ¡°He just wanted a piece of candy, and you scold him! What kind of mother are you?¡± Emmett immediately frowned, ¡°Mom! Too much candy will give Alex a toothache!¡± ¡°So what? Can¡¯t you talk to him nicely? Do you have to get angry? What if your actions cause psychological harm to my grandson? Who¡¯s going to be responsible?¡± ¡°Granny! Stop ming Mom; I won¡¯t eat it!¡± Alex quickly said, realizing the trouble he caused. Sophia held Alex tightly, sneering at ra, ¡°Look at that! A child is more sensible than you! My grandson is so good to you, and you¡¯re still unsatisfied! And you, as their biological father, are just chasing novelty!¡± Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Sophia took Alex and left. Aiden quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m going to exin things to Grandma! Don¡¯t get pissed off, guys!¡± Emmett clenched his fists, ready to follow. ra held him back, ¡°Hold on! Don¡¯t start another fight with your mom because of me! I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s really crossing the line now! No matter what you do, she¡¯s never satisfied!¡± N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°She¡¯s probably just worried about the kid. And I did do something wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have been so strict with Alex.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re doing it for the kid¡¯s good! If everyone spoils him as my mom does, what is he going to turn into?¡± ra tightly held his hand, smiled, and said, ¡°Every family needs someone to be strict and someone to be lenient! I don¡¯t mind being the strict one! You don¡¯t need to get involved! You¡¯ve had a long day at work. Go take a shower and rx, don¡¯t bother with your mom.¡± ¡°¡­ra, howe you¡¯re so patient!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal!¡± Besides, she wouldn¡¯t know how to handle things if she didn¡¯t hold back. She couldn¡¯t possibly reveal the truth to everyone, could she? In the children¡¯s room, Alex could tell something was off with Aiden as soon as he walked in. He cautiously said, ¡°Aiden¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me! I don¡¯t have a little brother who¡¯s so thoughtless.¡± Aiden turned his head and started doing his homework. Alex had no choice but to swallow his fear and walk over, ¡°Aiden! I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out this way! I just¡­just wanted candy¡­¡± piece of ¡°But you ate all my candy at school! Why did you have to ask Mom for more when you got home? You know grandma always looks for chances to criticize Mom and make things difficult for her, and you just gave her one!¡± Alex hung his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault¡­I won¡¯t ask Mom for candy anymore!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the candy or you not considering how hard mom works!¡± Aiden was still unwilling to forgive him, ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to smooth things over between Grandma and Mom, but you just make things worse!¡± ¡°So whatever you say, I¡¯ll do it, okay?¡± Alex went over and tugged at Aiden¡¯s sleeve, shaking it, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at me anymore! I really know I was wrong! I also exined to Grandma.¡± ¡°Did grandma listen to your exnation?¡± Alex shook his head, ¡°No¡­.grandma just kept telling me that mom is a stepmother and I shouldn¡¯t listen to her¡­.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t get the adult world! Isn¡¯t it great that we¡¯re all getting along at home?¡± Aiden sighed like a little adult, ¡°All right, I don¡¯t want to scold you anymore! Just don¡¯t cause any more trouble! You¡¯ve seen the situation at home, and it¡¯splicated enough already. You need to be more careful.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Seeing Aiden¡¯s improved mood, Alex immediately snuggled up to him, ¡°I know I¡¯m not as smart as you, so I¡¯ll listen to you from now on! Whatever you tell me to do, I¡¯ll do it! I won¡¯t cause Mom any more trouble!¡± ¡°Good, now get started on your homework.¡± Aiden handed him a workbook. Seeing the homework, Alex¡¯s face immediately fell into despair. ¡°When will I not have to do homework anymore?¡± ¡°You have to keep learning! Even when you grow up, you can¡¯t stop learning!¡± Aiden nced at him and forcefully pulled him to the chair, ¡°Every time we bring up homework, you make that face! If you studied well, these problems will be easy for you! If you don¡¯t understand, you can ask me!¡± Chapter 273 Chapter 273 What else could Alex do besides shut up and take it? ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°Start doing your homework! I¡¯m going to check on Granny after I finish mine, then I¡¯lle back and help you with whatever you don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Sure! You better get going then.¡± As luck would have it, he could ck off a little. Aiden saw right through Alex¡¯s intentions, ¡°Wait till I get back; I want to see how much homework you¡¯ve done! Don¡¯t you dare think you can y with your toys as soon as I¡¯m out the door!¡± In her room, ra quickly changed clothes, showered, and reviewed the meeting notes. To avoid disturbing her, Emmett went to the study to hold a video conference. They both were busy for a few hours. Emmett finished his meeting first, and when he entered the bedroom, he found ra still taking notes seriously. He took a closer look¡­ She had drawn several chart frameworks. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°You¡¯re rushing this¡­ You¡¯ve got plenty of time!¡± Emmett took the pen from her hand, ¡°Go to bed early! You have work tomorrow and must apany me to a cocktail party.¡± ra was startled and asked, ¡°Huh? What party do I need to attend?¡± Her identity was known to only a few people! ¡°The Melendez family¡¯s old friend, the herty family¡¯s heir, Whitlock herty, is getting married, and I need to bring a date. I can¡¯t possibly¡­ take another woman, can I?¡± ra was a bit worried, ¡°If I go, wouldn¡¯t our rtionship be exposed?¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t overthink it!¡± Emmett said helplessly, ¡°I mostly want you to meet the herty family. Whitlock herty and I go way back. He won¡¯t mind you and won¡¯t spill the beans. As for others¡­ Besides being my wife and a designer, aren¡¯t you also my secretary? That¡¯s how I¡¯ll exin our rtionship.¡± ¡°Will they believe it?¡± Emmett pulled her into his arms, ¡°You¡¯re just too nervous! They haven¡¯t even started suspecting, and you¡¯re already scared!¡± ¡°Leave everything to me; you just need to be with me.¡± Other than nodding, ra had nothing more to say. ¡°Hey, speaking of which! You said you and Whitlock herty go way back; howe I¡¯ve never heard you mention him before?¡± She didn¡¯t remember ever meeting the guy! ¡°He¡¯s always been abroad and probably wouldn¡¯t have returned if not for the wedding! He¡¯s only staying for a few days, and I¡¯ll leave again after the wedding.¡± ra nodded, ¡°All right, I listen to you!¡± Emmett ran his fingers through her hair, ¡°Go to sleep! I¡¯m pooped.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll sleep now.¡± ra blinked, initially nning to read after he fell asleep. But she was so tired that she fell asleep right away. She slept in Emmett¡¯s arms till morning. ra opened her eyes, looking somewhat vexed. She had nned to draw some diagrams and discuss them with her colleagues in the design department at the office today. ra couldn¡¯t help butin a bit as she said, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, and I haven¡¯t finished drawing.¡± On the other hand, Emmett pulled her back into his arms with augh, ¡°Since you haven¡¯t finished, then we should¡­¡± Chapter 274 Chapter 274 ¡°No way!¡± ra realized his intentions and immediately covered her chest, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m too tired¡­¡± ¡°But you still want to draw design sketches, which means you still have energy! This is my fault, and I should have worn you out!¡± ¡°But I¡¯m working hard for yourpany, right?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t need a diligent employee, and I want a¡­ a wife who can satisfy me.¡± As soon as Emmett finished speaking, he was already on top of her¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ get off¡­!¡± He wanted her yesterday, but she seemed genuinely exhausted. Today¡­ he definitely wouldn¡¯t let her go. The following day, the sunshine spilled in, warming the whole room. ra turned over and immediately felt pain. She quickly opened her eyes, only to realize it was already morning! It was time to go to work! ra immediately got up, and Emmett walked in from outside before she could rush into the bathroom! Seeing ra, heughed, ¡°Why are you up so early? I thought you would sleep in, and I didn¡¯t even wake you.¡± ¡°What! Why didn¡¯t you wake me? I have a meeting this morning, beingte as a designer is very rude!¡± ¡°What are you scared of? I can cancel the meeting Emmett went over, pulling her into his arms, ¡°You were so tired, sleeping so soundly. How could I bear to wake you for a meeting?¡± ra was helpless, ¡®I don¡¯t want to be the topic of conversation! I just want to be an ordinary employee! Never mind other people; even your mother will look down on me if I don¡¯t work hard! Emmett, I don¡¯t want that.¡± ¡°I understand what you mean, but that doesn¡¯t mean you must overwork yourself! I don¡¯t want you to do that.¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°When I met you, you had nothing, and I didn¡¯t despise you, right?¡± raughed and leaned into his arms, ¡°But that was different! At that time, I didn¡¯t think of having any special rtionship with you, and I didn¡¯t care how others saw us! I just thought of myself as a secretary, I didn¡¯t consider whether I was worthy of the CEO.¡± Emmettughed, ¡°So you didn¡¯t notice the hints I was giving you back then?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°You hinted at me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Emmett was helpless with this woman! He really wondered why he fell in love with such a woman in his life! It was fine that she didn¡¯t understand romance, but she didn¡¯t even notice his hints! He would have said it directly if he had known this would happen! He was just afraid of scaring her off. ¡°Oh goodness, I can¡¯t chat with you anymore! I¡¯m really going to bete!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush! Finish breakfast, and I¡¯ll personally take you there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, and I n to head to the construction site after the meeting. I can grab something to eat on the way! Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ra rushed into the bathroom after speaking. Emmett could only sigh helplessly at the door. This woman was extraordinary! If it were any other woman, they would probably be pleased! How many people are still eager to strive for their careers? But maybe there¡¯s just this one fool, and he happened to meet her! Chapter 275 Chapter 275 ra dashed to the office. She wasn¡¯t sure if Emmett¡¯s greetings or something else held things up, but the scheduled meeting was dyed for an hour. She still made it. She quickly slipped into her high heels and formal wear, then picked up her folder and headed for the meeting room., Ricardo caught up with her on her way, saying, ¡°Ms. Calloway, no need for you to go to the construction site today. I can handle it myself.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ra was puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree on this before?¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to hesitate; just spit it out.¡± ra knew there must be a reason for his hesitation, ¡°In front of me, you don¡¯t need to be like this. Not many people in thispany know about my rtionship with Emmett; you don¡¯t have to treat me as a boss; just regard me as a regr secretary or a newbie designer.¡± Ricardo reluctantly said, ¡°It¡¯s because Taylor is also going to the site; I¡¯m afraid your meeting might upset Mr. Melendez. Last time he¡­¡± Taylor? ra puzzled, ¡°Why would he go to our site? He¡¯s not even coborating with ourpany.¡± ¡°Because Taylor bought a house there, and this house was the one that caused us trouble before. Taylor said, if we want him to let go of this house, we have to¡­¡± ¡°We have to what?¡± ra frowned, ¡°Just spill it! You¡¯re making me nervous!¡± ¡°We have to let you speak with him in person.¡± H M ra never thought that Taylor would openly confront the Melendez family! ¡°Mr. Melendez just found out about this, so he asked me to inform you not to go to the site today. He¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°Do you know how Emmett ns to handle it?¡± Even though ra knew she shouldn¡¯t interfere, she couldn¡¯t ignore this! ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Ricardo confessed his inability to help.. -ra really wanted to punch Taylor in the face. He used to be very rational, never doing anything this crazy, but now¡­ ¡°Did he get hurt?¡± ¡°Ms. Calloway, you should listen to Mr. Melendez,¡± Ricardo couldn¡¯t help but defend Mr. Melendez, ¡°Mr. Melendez has made many changes for you; he wouldn¡¯t have to if he didn¡¯t love you. As it stands, Mr. Melendez doesn¡¯t ask anything of you, and you don¡¯t have anything that would make Mr. Melendez so troubled. So, you should understand the implication. Although I don¡¯t know what happened between you and Mr. Taylor¡­¡± ra bowed her head, ¡°I know what you¡¯re saying.¡± ¡°Then you should pretend not to know about this. If Mr. Melendez says don¡¯t go, then don¡¯t go. Just follow the normal workflow. Don¡¯t make Mr. Melendez worry about you anymore.¡± ¡°All right, I decided not to go! Let¡¯s go to the meeting; I have an idea about this.¡± Ricardo nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good! Mr. Melendez will be relieved knowing your indifference towards this matter.¡± ra watched Ricardo leave happily and heaved a sigh. urina vilor.. Why does she always run into this kind of stuff? It was Elio before, and now it¡¯s Taylor¡­ Chapter 276 Chapter 276 The meeting dragged on for over an hour, and when it finally ended, ra returned to her office. She had thought she was in for a rough ride today, but it turned out smoother than she had expected. ra had nned to open herputer and organize Emmett¡¯s schedule, but her mind was elsewhere as she sat in her chair. After some hesitation, she decided to head to the break room instead. Staring at Taylor¡¯s number on her phone, she turned the device off and rubbed her temples. Just as she was stuck in her thoughts, a call from Emmett suddenly came through. ra stared at the name shing on the screen and hesitated momentarily before answering. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Where are you?¡± Emmett¡¯s voice sounded a bit stern. ra paused before answering, ¡°I¡¯m in the break room making some coffee. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°You¡¯re in the break room?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ where else would I be?¡± ra retorted, then realized the underlying meaning in Emmett¡¯s words. She frowned, ¡°You¡¯re not having me watched, are you?¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°No, I just needed a file from you, and you weren¡¯t in your office, so I called.¡± Emmett¡¯s tone had softened quite a bit, ¡°Besides, even if I were keeping an eye on you, you do have quite several admirers; I have to stay on my toes,¡± ra sighed, ¡°Come on¡­ what file do you need? I¡¯ll bring it to you right now.¡± ¡°No need; I already sent Ricardo to fetch it. Just finish your coffee and get back to your office.¡± ¡°All right¡­¡± ¡°Should I get you an assistant to help you out with these things?¡± ra couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°Have you ever seen a secretary who needs an assistant? Isn¡¯t that just asking for rumors?¡± ¡°So what if they do? You¡¯re my wife. And besides, you¡¯re a designer as well. What¡¯s wrong with having an assistant?¡± ¡°Forget it, and I¡¯m not used to having someone wait on me. It feels awkward. raughed, ¡°Plus, I¡¯m not so busy that I need someone to help me out. Let¡¯s save thepany some money.¡± Emmett chuckled, ¡°What¡¯s this? Already looking out for your husband¡¯s wallet?¡± ¨C ¡°Money should be spent wisely.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more worried seeing you exhausted.¡± ra was taken aback and never knew how to react to Emmett¡¯s sudden sweet talking. ¡°Okay, get back to work.¡± Just as Emmett was about to hang up, ra blurted out, ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ra hesitated briefly before asking cautiously, ¡°Where¡­ where are you right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m out dealing with some things.¡± ¡°Who are you with?¡± Emmett suddenly went silent. As ra was about to ask again, Emmett cut her off, ¡°No need to worry, just focus on your designs. I¡¯ll be back once I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ just remember to eat lunch, don¡¯t skip meals because you¡¯re too busy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried about me?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Emmett chuckled, ¡°I will definitely obey your orders.¡± ¡°Emmett¡­ ra rolled her eyes, ¡°When did you be so smooth?¡± ¡°Ricardo told me that women like to hear these things.¡± ra was speechless. That Ricardo¡­ What apetent secretary! He could handle anything! ¡°Do you like hearing these things?¡± Yes. ra couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°It just feels a bit off hearing these words from you.¡± ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll just have to say them more often then; it won¡¯t feel off anymore!¡± Emmettughed softly, ¡°I¡¯lle find you once I¡¯m done ¡°All right then!¡± Chapter 277 Chapter 277 ra returned to her office, plonked her phone down, and grabbed the design draft off the table. Maybe Ricardo was onto something. The more she meddled, the moreplicated things got! Some things might have been resolved eons ago without her being all up in their business. ¡°Ah, screw it. Work is more important. As for the rest¡­I don¡¯t want to think about it!¡± In a caf¨¦ near the construction site. Taylor had been waiting for God knows how long before Emmett¡¯s car pulled up. He walked into the caf¨¦. Besides Taylor, there wasn¡¯t a single soul in there, not even a waiter. Guess Taylor was all prepared for today. Emmett smiled, ¡°Mr. Atwood, I thought you¡¯de looking for me sooner.¡± ¡°Sorry to let you down. I probably should¡¯ve found you earlier!¡± Taylor greeted him, ¡°Mr. Melendez, I¡¯m honored you could make it today.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have all day. Spit it out.¡± Emmett ignored his outstretched hand and plonked himself down on a chair. Taylor¡¯s hand hung in the air momentarily before he smoothly drew it back, slightly embarrassed. He turned around and sat opposite Emmett. ¡°Mr. Melendez, I¡¯m into ra.¡± Emmett¡¯s hand, reaching for his cup, paused, and with some surprise, he said, ¡°Oh? I¡¯m curious, what about ra do you like?¡± ¡°We were an item before. My mom caused a ruckus when I got into an ident, and that¡¯s when we broke up! No, to be more precise, I never broke up with her! I just lost my memory and forgot about her.¡± ¡°Have you told ra about this?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, I have.¡± ¡°And have you regained your memory?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Emmett suddenlyughed, ¡°So, you¡¯re here asking me to hand ra over to you?¡± Taylor furrowed his brows, ¡°ra is not a thing that can be given or taken. I¡¯m just hoping you could help us!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this something ra should decide herself? If she¡¯s always been in your heart, why need my help?¡± Emmett spread his hands wide, ¡°I¡¯ve never restricted ra¡¯s freedom, let alone locked her up. If she loves you, she can go find you!¡± Taylor clenched his fists, ¡°There¡¯s a misunderstanding between us!¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Is this misunderstanding caused by me?¡± Emmett put down his teacup and stood up, ¡°Mr. Atwood, if you want to pick a fight with the Melendez Group over this, don¡¯t me me for not being merciful!¡± As he turned to leave, Taylor hurriedly ran a few steps to catch up and grabbed Emmett. ¡°Name your conditions, and I¡¯ll agree! I just want ra! Emmett, you can¡¯t be with ra anymore; you¡¯ll hurt her!¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow as if he had heard a funny joke, ¡°Hurt her? I don¡¯t know where you got that from.¡± ¡°Do you know¡­¡± Taylor¡¯s speech was cut off midway. ¡°Know what?¡± ¦° *** Do you know that I¡¯m the one in ra¡¯s heart, that she¡¯s always loved me! She bore so many injustices because of me in the past, but she still kept vigil at the hospital. Mr. Melendez, can you ept a woman who doesn¡¯t have you in her heart?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a mind reader. How would you know if I¡¯m not in ra¡¯s heart?¡± ¡°Has she ever said she loves you?¡± Emmett¡¯s body stiffened instantly. Chapter 278 Chapter 278 No¡­ She never said it. Seeing Emmett¡¯s reaction, Taylor felt a pang in his heart. ¡°ra is a nice girl. She might be by your side because you¡¯ve been good to her. She doesn¡¯t want to hurt you. But whether she loves you¡­ that¡¯s hard to say. Emmett, you¡¯re rich, powerful, and wealthy but can¡¯t buy a person¡¯s Heart. So why chase after ra? You can find someone who loves you¡± ¡°She never said she loved me, but she never said she loved you N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. either.¡± ¡°She did,¡± Taylor returned to his seat, picking up a talking doll. ¡°This is what ra gave me for my birthday. Listen.¡± He pressed the switch on the doll, and ra¡¯s sweet voice flowed out¡­ Taylor, happy birthday! It¡¯s been tough for both of us; I know it¡¯s even harder for you with all the pressure from your parents. But even so, you¡¯ve chosen to stay with me. I¡¯m really touched! I don¡¯t have anything precious to give you right now, so I¡¯ll give you a promise. I won¡¯t let you down as long as you don¡¯t let me down! And¡­ I love you.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, you should recognize ra¡¯s voice, right? I hope you can let us be.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t even know how he left the coffee shop or returned to the office. It wasn¡¯t until ra tapped him on the shoulder that Emmett returned to reality. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ra was delivering his schedule when she noticed him standing at the office door looking lost. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Emmett stiffly moved his lips and walked back to his desk. ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± ra noticed his odd behavior and asked with concern. ¡°It¡¯s a season change; take care of yourself. If you¡¯re not feeling well, go see a doctor. Don¡¯t push yourself. It¡¯s not just you suffering and you have two kids at home. It¡¯s not good if they get sick.¡± Emmett nced at her and murmured, ¡°Hmm, did you need something?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just delivering your schedule!¡± ra ced the schedule on his desk and reached out to feel his forehead. But Emmett avoided her touch! Feeling awkward, ra retracted her hand. ¡°¡­If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll leave first. There¡¯s a design team meetingter, and I need to prepare.¡± Although she didn¡¯t know why Emmett behaved this way, ra knew she was not good atforting people, so she left to avoid the awkwardness. However, as she reached the door, Emmett suddenly spoke, ¡°You and Taylor¡­¡± Upon hearing the name, ra froze. ¡°What kind of rtionship did you have?¡± ¡°¡­ Why are you asking this all of a sudden?¡± ra¡¯s eyes darted away, ¡°What kind of rtionship could we have? We were just ordinary friends.¡± ¡°ra, why won¡¯t you tell me the truth?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just telling you the facts! When we were registering our marriage, you knew it was my first time getting married, so what could my rtionship with Taylor possibly have been?¡± ¡°¡­Today, Taylor and I had a long talk.¡± Emmett looked into her eyes. ¡°Did he talk about me?¡± ¡°What else could we possibly discuss.¡± Chapter 279 Chapter 279 ¡°No way! He doesn¡¯t remember me at all Did Taylor get his memory back? ra staggered back a few steps, Impossible! His mom told me straight up he won¡¯t recover in this lifetime-¡± Her words halted in the middle of her sentence. Her eyes met Emmett¡¯s, and ra instinctively lowered her gaze. ¡°So, you guys were lovers before but broke up because of his mother¡¯s interference?¡± ra hesitated before answering, ¡°If you want to put it that way, I can¡¯t really argue. I wouldn¡¯t say we were a real couple, and we didn¡¯t have approval from our families, just some mutual feelings at most! Taylor and I never really did anything intimate; even our kisses were limited to the forehead. His mother couldn¡¯t stand me to the point of hurting her own son! I knew if I stuck around, he¡¯d be the one getting hurt in the end, so I backed off.¡± ¡°And your child¡­ ¡°Not Taylor¡¯s.¡± Emmett furrowed his brows, ¡°ra, what¡¯s your past really like?¡± He couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine! ¡°Nothing but a shit show! Emmett, I don¡¯t want to revisit my past; please respect that.¡± The air in the office seemed to freeze. After a long silence, Emmett finally spoke, ¡°You can leave.¡± Without a word, ra left his office. Just as the door closed, she heard the sound of a vase shattering! Ricardo, not far off, had heard it too. He hurried over, ¡°What¡¯s up with Mr. Melendez?¡± ra shook her head, ¡°I have no idea.¡± ¡°Did Taylor cause trouble again?¡± Ricardo looked at ra, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop mentioning Taylor in front of Mr. Melendez? Did you plead on Taylor¡¯s behalf again?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t! I didn¡¯t mention Taylor at all, but Emmett brought it up! And I didn¡¯t lie to him and just answered his questions.¡± ra was also clueless about why Emmett was so pissed. Was she supposed to be happy about her past? If she could choose, she¡¯d want to avoid it too! How many people are born into wealth like Emmett? ra rubbed her temples, ¡°Never mind, let him cool down a bit and don¡¯t bother him!¡± She walked away, leaving Ricardo standing there, helpless. When would these two stop hurting each other? A calm, sit-down conversation could solve so many issues. ra was totally out of it, sitting in her office, lost in thought. Time flew by, and it was time to clock out; employees began to leave the office one after another. ra stood up, rubbed her numbed legs, and opened the office door. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Suddenly- A figure was blocking her door. ¡®Emmett? What are you doing here¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m off work. I figured I¡¯d give you a ride home.¡± Emmett frowned, then turned to walk ahead. ra paused momentarily, then quickly grabbed her bag and followed him. They rode the elevator down to the underground parking lot, and only after getting into the car did ra carefully ask, ¡°Are you not mad anymore?¡± Chapter 280 Chapter 280 ¡°Do you want me to stay angry?¡± ¡°Definitely no!¡± ra pursed her lips slightly. ¡°I just don¡¯t know how to exin to you everything that happened before-¡± I don¡¯t care about the past anymore,¡± Emmett said. ra looked into his eyes, ¡°Why are you suddenly so forgiving¡­¡± ¡°Because, in fact, everything happened because I didn¡¯te into your life earlier than Taylor. Otherwise, these problems wouldn¡¯t exist.¡± ra didn¡¯t know how to respond momentarily but felt warm inside. ¡°Emmett, am I worth all this for you?¡± Others had always looked after him, but he was willing to make concessions for her repeatedly. If she were an outstanding woman, it would be okay, but¡­ Thinking about herself, ra found it ridiculous. ¡°Are you worth it? Haven¡¯t I already made my decision? Do you need any other answers?¡± Emmett reached out and took her wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s go home. Aiden and Alex are waiting for you.¡± ra nodded, ¡°All right! Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°Failed again?¡± Facing Leah Calloway¡¯s questioning, Taylor lowered his head, silent. ¡°Is this your so-called sincerity?¡± Leah was obviously impatient, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this is all you got!¡± Taylor frowned, ¡°Can¡¯t you give me some time? As long as ra and Emmett break up, that¡¯s good enough, right?¡± ¡°Do I have to wait for you for ten or twenty years?¡± Leah sat on the chair, pouring herself a ss of water with frustration, ¡°I can¡¯t wait any longer. It seems you can¡¯t do it, and our cooperation ends here!¡± With that, Leah was about to leave. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Taylor blocked the door, ¡°No! I can¡¯t let you hurt ra with others! She¡¯s mine, and I¡¯ll find a way to get her away from Emmett.¡± ¡°What promises have you made to me? Now you¡¯ve talked to ra and Emmett, but no one cares about you! How can I still believe you?¡± Leah nced at him and sneered, ¡°But that¡¯s normal. ra is with Emmett now. It¡¯s normal that she doesn¡¯t want to bother with you!¡± ¡°ra is definitely not that kind of woman!¡± ¡°Why are you getting so worked up?¡± Leah poked his chest with her fingertip, ¡°All the excuses are useless now; I¡¯ve given you a chance, but now ra ignores you; that¡¯s the fact!¡± Taylor clenched his fists, ¡°So you, can¡¯t you let them be together?¡± Leah looked at him and suddenlyughed, ¡°What are you saying? Mr. Atwood, are you still a child? If I marry Emmett, everyone knows how much I would benefit! Although ra has nothing, you still can¡¯t let go. Emmett is such an excellent man, and women are crazy about him! You want me to let go? Maybe in the next life!¡± ¡°If you still have any tricks, use them immediately. I want to make it clear to you that not only you want to cooperate with me, I will choose the person who benefits me the most! Instead of wasting time with me, you might as well think of other ways!¡± Chapter 281 Chapter 281 With that, Leah Calloway pushed him away and stormed out of the room, Taylor Atwood stood there for a few seconds, then abruptly threw a punch at the wall. ¡°Emmett Melendez is such a pain in the ass!¡± Frowning, Taylor pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number. ¡°Mom, I need to talk to you. Now.¡± Upon arriving back at the Melendez family¡¯s mansion, ra and Emmett walked in to find Alex tugging at Aiden to y a game while Aiden had a helpless yet obliging look on his face. Seeing their parents, Alex shouted out in surprise and ran towards them. ¡°Mom!¡± ra bent down to pick up Alex. Aiden also slowly walked over, ¡°Hey, mom and dad¡± ¡°Good boy.¡± ¡°Mom, Grandma went to buy us snacks again! And she took us both with her!¡± ¡°You always get excited when ites to food.¡± ra pinched Alex¡¯s nose. Emmett picked up Aiden and asked him in a deep voice, ¡°Did you finish your homework?¡± N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Aiden nodded, ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Once we¡¯re done with our work, we¡¯ll take you guys on vacation abroad.¡± Before Aiden could respond, Alex was already cheering. ra shook her head helplessly. Her son was not so great with his studies, but he was enthusiastic about y! ¡°Vacation? Are you nning to take Aiden and Alex away from me?¡± Suddenly, Sophia Melendez¡¯s voice cut in. ra instinctively looked over, then quickly averted her gaze. Emmett, however, was not afraid of Sophia and directly nodded, ¡°Yes, they¡¯re about to have a long break. It would be beneficial for them to see the world.¡± ¡°I have no objections to them going abroad, but you two can¡¯t take them alone! Your dad and I shoulde along too.¡± After Sophia finished, she gave ra a pointed look, ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas. I¡¯m not implying anything. You two don¡¯t really take care of them usually. You might not be able to handle it if you suddenly have to. I¡¯lle along and help.¡± Emmett frowned and said, ¡°But this trip is to strengthen our family rtionship.¡± ¡°Am I not a part of the family?¡± ra quickly interjected to prevent them from arguing, ¡°If Sophia wants toe, that¡¯s great! was just thinking about how to take good care of the kids. Having their grandma with them, there would make it more fun for them.¡± Sophia obviously didn¡¯t appreciate the sentiment and let out a cold snort, ¡°Today, I took the kids to the bakery and ran into that young girl. Even though she¡¯s young, she¡¯s already a mother of two, very mature and gentle! I think a woman like that is more suitable to be my Emmett¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote to think about that now.¡± Emmett retorted. ra stood there looking a bit awkward, ¡°Mom, I have some work to do at the office. I¡¯ll go to my room!¡± ¡°Go ahead! I understand if you don¡¯t want to see the kids.¡± After saying that, Sophia turned around and left,pletely disregarding ra. Emmett clenched his fists, ¡°Can you keep enduring this? How long will this go on?¡± ¡°If I can endure it for a while, then I will. Besides, I¡¯m usually not at home, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ra gently stroked Alex¡¯s head, ¡°As long as I see that the kids are safe and someone is protecting them, I¡¯m already very satisfied. Chapter 282 Chapter 282 ¡°What did you say?¡± Emmett didn¡¯t catch that.¡± ¡°Nah, nothing. Let¡¯s attend the study and have a video conference in an hour.¡± Emmett nodded in agreement. Suddenly, Alex tugged at her sleeve, ¡°Mom, I need to tell you something.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Today, when Grandma and I went to the bakery, we saw thatdy we had met before. She talked with Grandma for quite a while.¡± ¡°¡­Thedy we met before?¡± Alex nodded, ¡°Yeah, that one-¡± But ra cut him off before he could finish. ¡°You always beat around the bush when you speak. Have you finished your homework yet?¡± Alex pouted, ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Then hurry up and do it!¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯m going to do it now.¡± ¡°Off you go.¡± ra put Alex down and headed inside with Emmett. Halfway, Emmett couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Do you know thedy Alex was talking about?¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not sure who he¡¯s talking about. But I have many ssmates and friends. It could be someone Alex has met before and just happened to run into at the store today.¡± ¡°But how would Alex know your friends?¡± ¡°Of course, he would.¡± ra defended instinctively, ¡°Sometimes I meet some friends when I pick up Alex from kindergarten. Alex has a good memory; he would recognize them if he¡¯s seen them before.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I thought there was a friend you hadn¡¯t told me about.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°No¡­ I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± raughed awkwardly, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We should get ready for the meeting. It¡¯s an important one, and we can¡¯t bete.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t press further Late at night, Emmett went to the study for a meeting with Ricardo. ra sneaked into Alex¡¯s room. Luckily, he and Aiden were still awake. They were thrilled to see her. ¡°Mom, why are you here?¡± Alex jumped into her arms excitedly. Aiden seemed to sense that ra had something to say, ¡°Should I go to another room?¡± ¡°¡­I need to ask Alex something.¡± Then I¡¯ll go take a shower.¡± After Aiden left the room, ra asked, ¡°Thedy you met today, is she the one we met overseas before?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Alex nodded excitedly, ¡°She even bought us a lot of different pastries! Grandma chatted with her for a long time.¡± ra felt uneasy. After all, Elio Milburn had repeatedly warned her to be careful of Leah. She didn¡¯t take it seriously then, but now it seemed Leah was not just contacting her after returning to the country. The encounter at the bakery was too coincidental! ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong? Are you upset because she bought me pastries?¡± Alex asked quietly. ra stroked his hair affectionately, ¡°Of course not. But you should eat less of it, and it¡¯s too sweet and bad for your teeth!¡± ¡°I knew it! You should be happy if someone buys food for me! Thatdy is really generous, and she let us choose anything!¡± Alex squinted his eyes happily, then tilted his head as if thinking of something, ¡°But¡­ Mom, why does she always tell Grandma that she wishes she had kids like Aiden and me? She said it several times today! Is she trying to take us away because we are too cute?¡± Chapter 283 Chapter 283 ra said helplessly, ¡°You¡¯re such a worrywart, but no one wille and take you and Aiden away. Now, go take a bath and hit the hay soon. And remember, don¡¯t spill the beans about this to anyone, especially your dad, got it?¡± Alex nodded, ¡°Got it. Even if Dad bribes me with ten candies, I won¡¯t squeal.¡± ¡°Not even for twenty candies.¡± Alexughed, ¡°Gotcha. Night, Mom.¡± ra sighed helplessly. Back in her room, ra looked at her phone, wondering if she should call Elio. Or should she ask Leah directly? To avoid making Emmett green with envy, she made sure he was busy in the study before sneaking off to the suite to call Elio. The phone rang a few times before he picked up. ¡°Calling me thiste, aren¡¯t you afraid of making Emmett jealous?¡± ¡°I have something to ask you.¡± ra went straight to the point, ¡°Has Leah been with you these days?¡± Elio was silent for a few seconds before answering, ¡°Why are you suddenly asking about her?¡± ¡°Because Alex said he saw Leah and Emmett¡¯s mother together today, they seemed to be chatting well.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve been swampedtely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine then. Maybe I¡¯m just overthinking.¡± ra felt a bit awkward, ¡°Aboutst time, I¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin anything to me; you¡¯ll leave Emmett sooner orter. I¡¯ll wait for you toe back to me.¡± He then hung up. ra looked at her phone, feeling troubled. Why was Elio¡¯s tone so strange now, and why was he so confident? Did he know something else? Or was there a secret between him and Leah? This thought made ra uneasy. Suddenly, her bedroom door was opened. Emmett walked in, looked at ra, and frowned, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ra put away her phone, ¡°The bath¡¯s ready. Why don¡¯t you go take a shower?¡± Together?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already taken one.¡± ra waved her hand, ¡°You go first. I have something to ask youter.¡± Emmett sensed something was off, so he sat down next to her. ¡°You go shower first. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Emmett put his arm around her shoulder, ¡°Whatever you want to ask, I think it¡¯s important.¡± ra rolled her eyes, ¡°Actually, I just wanted to ask, does your mom often go to that cake shop?¡± ¡°Cake shop?¡± Emmett raised his eyebrow, ¡°The one Aiden and Alex love?¡± N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°Yep.¡± ra nodded. ¡°She goes there pretty often. Because Aiden loves it, and my mom spoils him, so she always buys from there.¡± Emmett looked into her eyes, ¡°What¡¯s up? Is she giving you a hard time again?¡± ra quickly waved her hand, ¡°No way! You¡¯re overthinking things.¡± ¡°If¡¯she ever does anything to upset you, let me know. Don¡¯t bear it alone.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Emmett reached out and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, ¡°I¡¯ll go take a shower now,¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Watching his retreating figure, ra suddenly asked, ¡°Emmett! Have you been in touch with Aiden¡¯s birth mothertely?¡± Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Emmett stiffened for a moment and then slowly turned around. ¡°Why are you asking this all of a sudden?¡± Realizing she had been impulsive, ra quicklyughed awkwardly, ¡°Just forget what I asked! I don¡¯t even know what got into me. This question just popped into my head!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I won¡¯t contact her.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t think too much and felt ra seemed a bit uneasy. ra inwardly scolded herself for being so impulsive! She had actually asked Emmett this question directly! How long could she keep her secret if her lie were discovered and Emmett started digging? It was already bad enough for her, but it could even drag Elio into it! If Emmett discovered that Elio helped her hide the child and kept it secret¡­ She didn¡¯t dare to imagine what Emmett would do! He already had some dissatisfaction with Elio¡­. It seemed she had to do a bit of digging before she could draw any conclusions! She couldn¡¯t just suspect people without any ra pursed her lips, found Leah¡¯s phone number, and sent a message over. evidence. After hanging up the phone, Elio nced at Leah, who was eating beside him and frowned. ¡°Did you do something to ra?¡± ¡°Me? You should¡¯ve seen I¡¯ve been swamped with work these days.¡± Leah shrugged, ¡°And you promised me you¡¯d bring ra back, so why would I need to do anything?¡± Elio didn¡¯t believe her. His biggest regret now was letting her take ra¡¯s ce! ¡°If you want to marry Emmett, don¡¯t make decisions rashly! If I¡¯m not mistaken, ra is already suspicious of you.¡± Leah raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°Oh? What did you say to her?¡± ¡°If I had said something, would I be here warning you now?¡± ¡­ It must be Taylor, then!¡± Leah stood up immediately, ¡°I¡¯ll go find him!¡± Elio nced at her dismissively, stating, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before Taylor is unreliable! From what you told me, he¡¯s a pushover who can¡¯t stand up to his mother! Do you think your threats will work on him? He might have feelings for ra, but he¡¯s got too much on his te, too many things to consider.¡± ¡°Not like you, right?¡± Leahughed, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t taken control of your parents, I doubt any other methods would¡¯ve intimidated you.¡± ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d be scared by controlling my parents?¡± Elio sneered, ¡°You won¡¯t kill them, and you won¡¯t so easily control them! Do you think they¡¯ve spent years in business for nothing?¡± ¡°Then you¡­¡± Elio¡¯s gaze turned to the window, his voice low, ¡°¡­I really want to be with ra.¡± In his life, he had only ever had feelings for ra! The pain he felt when he decided to let her go and give her to Emmett was something only he knew! Elio knew Leah was just an excuse! In the end, it was he who wanted ra, and it was he who couldn¡¯t let her go! N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Hearing this, Leah felt uneasy. She walked over to Elio, hesitated briefly, then asked, ¡°Can you tell me the truth? What¡¯s so good about ra? Why are you so hung up on her? Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Elio might not be on the same level as Emmett, but he¡¯s still a hot single guy who¡¯s got plenty of attention! Any other woman would be over the moon to get a chance with him. But ra was just not into him! And now, Emmett is wrapped around ra¡¯s little finger too! Leah is racking her brains, trying to figure out what¡¯s so special about ra! These guys really don¡¯t mind a woman who once sold herself for money? ¡°You¡¯ll never understand her appeal,¡± Elio said, standing up and heading back to his room, leaving Leah in the dust. Just as Leah was about to go after him, her phone buzzed with a new message. [Are you free tomorrow? I¡¯d like to see you!] It was from ra¡­ Leah hesitated momentarily before typing back. [What¡¯s up?] [Nothing much, just feeling a bit downtely. Thought we could grab a coffee and chat.] [All right, I¡¯ll make some time. See you tomorrow.] [Good night.] Putting down her phone, Leah clenched her fists. Time to make a move! ra¡¯s reaction was quicker than she anticipated! ¡°ra, you¡¯re not clever enough. You can¡¯t beat me.¡± That night, ra barely slept a wink. She racked her brain on her bed, wondering how to approach Leah without raising any suspicions. The next morning, ra got up and went downstairs to find Sophia handing out pastries to Aiden and Alex. Pastries again¡­ Why did pastries keep popping up in her life? ¡°Mommy!¡± Alex greeted her enthusiastically. ra smiled and walked over. ¡°Morning, Mom.¡± Sophia nced at her. ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°Actually, I was thinking of stopping by the pastry shop after work today to pick up some for the kids. That way you won¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to go!¡± Sophia sounded reluctant. ¡°You should take care of yourself! if you have time, spend it with the kids. Don¡¯t waste it on insignificant stuff like this, and don¡¯t try to butter me up.¡± ra could only offer an awkward smile and take a seat. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. After breakfast, Aiden pulled ra aside. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Mommy, why do you suddenly want to go to that pastry shop?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Seeing her hesitate, Aiden just said, ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll ask Grandma to take me today and secretly record everything. So you don¡¯t have to go yourself, but you can still know what Grandma did there, who she met.¡± ra was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected Aiden to be so smart¡­ ¡°That¡¯s settled then. I¡¯m off to school, Mommy!¡± Aiden waved and ran off, ra stood there for a moment before breaking into a smile. She was truly blessed with a son as smart and considerate as Alden! ¡°Are you daydreaming? It¡¯s time to go.¡± Emmett had somehow walked over and draped an arm over her shoulder. Snapping back to reality, ra nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± After reaching the office, ra held a meeting with the design department. Back in her office, she started arranging Emmett¡¯s schedule. ncing at the clock, it was almost time for her meeting! For some reason, ra was feeling a bit jittery. Chapter 286 Chapter 286 After wrapping up her work, she hastily grabbed her bag and booked it to their agreed meeting spot. Upon arrival, she spotted Leah¡¯s ride parked outside, with Leah just making her exit. ¡°ra!¡± Leah hollered at her with a warm wee. ra gave an awkward chuckle before strolling over. ¡°Sorry to drag you away from your hectic work schedule to hang out with me,¡± she apologized. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it!¡± Leah dismissed with a wave of her hand. ¡°I honestly see you as my own sister! If you¡¯re feeling low, it¡¯s only right for me to be by your side. I haven¡¯t forgotten that solid you did for me.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Seeing Leah¡¯s generosity and grace, ra couldn¡¯t help but question if she was being overly sensitive. ¡°Let¡¯s head inside and chat,¡± Leah suggested, leading ra into the caf¨¦. She ordered ra¡¯s favorite coffee as soon as they sat down. ¡°remember you like this one.¡± ¡°Thanks, it¡¯s sweet of you to remember my favorite.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a habit from my work! I deal with many people, and if you can¡¯t remember these small details, it¡¯s hard to win them over, Leah admitted, sighing, ¡°Making a buck these days is no walk in the park. All this running around I do, it¡¯s just to keep thepany afloat! You¡¯re so lucky to have Emmett as your rock. I wish I could find my own rock soon.¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing. You¡¯ll find someone for sure,¡± ra reassured. ¡°Enough about me! What¡¯s got you down in the dumps? Spill the beans.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not really a big deal, but Emmett¡¯s mom doesn¡¯t seem to like me that much. I¡¯m wondering if there¡¯s anything I can do to get on her good side?¡± Leah was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re trying to win her over?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± ra confirmed, ¡°Emmett and I are married with a kid, so splitting up is off the table. We just have to put up with each other. Between Emmett and me, it¡¯s all good. It¡¯s just my personality doesn¡¯t seem to be her cup of tea. It¡¯s been bothering me, and I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s the issue! Why not get her something she likes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure what she¡¯s into! But she seems to have a sweet tooth for pastries, always hitting up this, bakery.¡± ra dropped this hint, ncing at Leah. Leah paused briefly, then chuckled, ¡°When ites to pastries, you¡¯re barking up the right tree! I know a ce with killer pastries. Let¡¯s get some for you. to take home to her. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be over the moon.¡± ra observed Leah¡¯s reaction, which didn¡¯t hint at any guilt. Could it be that she was overthinking? ¡°Then give me the address of the ce! I¡¯ll swing by tonight and grab some.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll send it to you right away,¡± Leah took a sip of her coffee. ¡°I haven¡¯t lived through it, but just hearing about your rtionship with Emmett¡¯s mother sounds like a minefield! You definitely need to tread it carefully! One wrong move could spark a family feud! If your husband¡¯s understanding and caring, that¡¯s one thing. But if he¡¯s overly devoted to his parents and neglects his wife¡­ then the wife always ends up getting the short end of the stick!¡± ra nodded in agreement. ¡°True! But I¡¯m lucky; Emmett¡¯s always been supportive and knows how to smooth things over at home. I don¡¯t know what did to deserve such a perfect husband!¡± Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Hearing that, Leah¡¯s hands clenched tight under the table. But she kept a cool facade. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re so lucky! Marrying Emmett is a dreame true for many people!¡± ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t really care about wealth or power; I can do without all that. But with the love and care Emmett shows me, I really feel like I¡¯ve chosen the right husband.¡± Leah smirked. Of course, she knew ra was just showing off their love! But their lovey-dovey act was about toe to an end! ra wouldn¡¯t be so lucky for long! ¡°You and your husband are sweet. I wish I could have such a marriage.¡± ¡°Everyone meets their person; just chill.¡± Seeing Leah hold no suspicion, ra felt more at ease and guess it was just her overthinking! Emmett swung her office door open five minutes after ra returned to the office. ¡°Where were you just now?¡± ¡°I met a friend,¡± ra answered casually, so Emmett didn¡¯t suspect a thing. ¡°Next time, introduce me to your friends.¡± ¡°Sure thing! When she¡¯s done with her busy schedule!¡± ra smiled at him, ¡°My friend is so envious of our rtionship! Do you think I did a lot of good deeds in my past life to meet you in this one?¡± ¡°You¡¯re especially sweet today.¡± Emmett smirked,ing over to hug her from behind, ¡°I suddenly remembered the question you asked mest night when I was in the meeting.¡± ra¡¯s heart sank, ¡°What question fromst night? I can¡¯t remember!¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Aiden¡¯s birth mother.¡± ¡°¡­I was just asking casually!¡± ¡°But I think you were serious.¡± Emmett nibbled on her ear, ¡°Are you worried she¡¯ll return? Worried I¡¯ll fall in love with her again, worried my mother will like her more because she¡¯s his real mother.¡± ra blinked. Truth be told, she hadn¡¯t thought that much! N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. She just remembered Elio warning her about Leah, and now Leah was showing up more often, so she felt something was off. ¡°My wife is only you.¡± ra suddenly felt interested. She turned to look at Emmett, ¡°Then let me ask you, hypothetically, just hypothetically, what if your mother threatened to kill herself to make you marry another woman?¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about that.¡± ¡°Think about it now.¡± ¡°Unless you betray me, you¡¯re my only wife.¡± Emmett smiled, then said, ¡°ra, have a baby for me! That way, I¡¯ll feel more secure.¡± ¡°Why are we suddenly talking about this?¡± ra wasn¡¯t ready yet. They were supposed to be talking about his mother¡­ ¡°Aren¡¯t these two things rted? You¡¯re actually worried my mother will force me to marry Aiden¡¯s birth mother. But, if you and I have a child, that thought would be nonexistent in my mother¡¯s eyes, right? If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t our child have a stepmother if she forced me to marry another woman? My mother would have to weigh the pros and cons; she would have to consider whether it¡¯s truly necessary!¡± Chapter 288 Chapter 288 ¡°¡­¡± ra opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.. His words made a strange amount of sense! ¡°ra, I¡¯m smarter than you give me credit for.¡± ¡°Mhmm.¡± ¡°But I won¡¯t force you! I¡¯m just expressing my opinion.¡± He said, but his hand was already sneaking its way under ra¡¯s clothes. Before she could react, his lips were already on hers. ¡°Hey! Emmett¡­ This is an office! Ricardo might walk in!¡± ¡°Click¡­¡± The next second, Emmett locked the office door. ¡°Now he won¡¯t walk in.¡± ¡°¡­But it¡¯s daylight. We¡¯re in the office¡­¡± Before ra could finish, Emmett had already made his move. She let out a scream, pounding on his chest. Was this his real motive? They were just having a normal conversation; how did things take such a sudden turn?! After a scorching battle, ra could barely stand. Emmett, however, was fresh as a daisy, tidying up his clothes. ¡°Tired? Why don¡¯t you take a break? I¡¯ll have Ricardo cover for you today. Say you¡¯re feeling unwell and need to see a doctor.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°No way!¡± ra¡¯s cheeks were still flushed, ¡°You¡¯ve been in my office for over an hour; if I leave after you do, even Ricardo will know what¡¯s up!¡± Emmett smiled, ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? He already knows about us.¡± ¡°¡­No!¡± ra blushed even harder, ¡°¡­I¡¯m not leaving!¡± ¡°And you think Ricardo wouldn¡¯t suspect something seeing you like this?¡± Emmett reached out and tousled her hair, ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? You¡¯re my wife.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point, and I¡¯d rather stay in the office all afternoon than leave.¡± ra retorted, ring at Emmett/ He didn¡¯t seem to care, leaving her to clean up the mess. ¡°Do you want me to tell Ricardo not toe to your office this afternoon?¡± ¡°No need!¡± ra red at him, ¡°Don¡¯t say anything. Just get back to your own office!¡± Emmettughed, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll meet you in the underground garage tonight.¡± He reached the door, then suddenly turned back, ¡°I might have gotten too excited earlier and worn you out; if you feel unwell, let me know! I¡¯ll have a doctor check on you.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, just go!¡± She would¡¯ve kicked him out if her legs weren¡¯t so weak. His heartyughter echoed in her ears, and she wished she could sew his mouth shut. ra lightly patted her leg, wincing, ¡°I can¡¯t handle it! Just becausest night wasn¡¯t enough doesn¡¯t mean you need to chase me to the office today!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, there was a knock on the door. ra jumped, startled, Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Ricardoughed from outside, ¡°Mr. Melendez sent me to ask what you want to eat.¡± He strolled in casually, then looked at ra, asking without thinking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face? It¡¯s so red. Are you running a fever?¡± Chapter 289 Chapter 289 ra Calloway quickly covered her face while saying, ¡°No, nothing! I might just be feeling a bit hot.¡± ¡°Hot? Could it be hot in this weather? Besides, we have air conditioning in the office.¡± After suddenly connecting the dots, Ricardo replied, ¡°Hold on, did Mr. Melendez just drop by?¡± .. ra wished she could find a hole and crawl into it right now. ¡°Did I guess right?¡± Ricardo still hadn¡¯t entirely grasped the situation, mumbling to himself, ¡°Mr. Melendez is really something, leaving just now but to have mee to ask you what you want to eat.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Well¡­I¡¯m not hungry, and I don¡¯t feel like eating anything. You go ahead! No need to bring me anything.¡± ra tried her best to change the subject. ¡°Mr. Melendez might not be happy about that! You should eat something! We¡¯re going to do a site inspection this afternoon. Are youing?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ra blurted out, remembering her current situation, ¡°Um¡­maybe not today. I¡¯ll go next time.¡± Seeing her react this way, Ricardo felt a bit thrown off. He initially thought ra woulde along. After all, she seemed really keen on it before. ¡°Okay.¡± Ricardo turned around and walked out of her office. At the door, he suddenly realized! Earlier¡­maybe Mr. Melendez and Ms. Calloway did more than just kiss, which is why Ms. Calloway¡¯s face turned red. So perhaps Ms. Calloway is feeling a bit weak now, so she declined! Ricardo pped his hands. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that earlier? Good heavens¡­this, this is too exciting¡­¡± Taylor Atwood was restless in his office. He didn¡¯t even feel like holding today¡¯s meeting because Leah had sent him some surveince footage from the hospital. In the video, ra was tugging at his mother¡¯s sleeve, pleading with her, only to be pushed down again and again. And then she got up, pleaded again, and got pushed down again¡­ He was all too familiar with his mother¡¯s figure and had a tech person confirm that the footage wasn¡¯t doctored. So ra really did a lot for him back then. Taylor suddenly got up, and his secretary immediately asked, ¡°Mr. Atwood, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Cancel the meeting, I need to go home.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The secretary looked troubled, ¡°The meeting today is quite important. It¡¯s been postponed several times already. It¡¯s not suitable to reschedule it again!¡± ¡°Then you hold it in my ce.¡± The secretary quickly waved her hands, ¡°No way, Mr. Atwood! I¡¯m just a secretary; taking over like this will raise suspicion! Ourpany is already in a shaky situation, with all sorts of spection from the outside. It¡¯s really not suitable for any more rumors.¡± Taylor frowned, ¡°Anyway, I have to go. You deal with the rest.¡± Ignoring any objections, he just walked out. Behind him, the secretary called Teresa. ¡°Mr. Atwood just left quickly; he said he needed to go home! We can¡¯t cancel the meeting now. What should we do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic; I¡¯ll talk to him when he returns! He might be dealing with some mental problems. I¡¯ll help him sort it out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± The secretary sighed in relief and then said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your news.¡± After hanging up the phone, she was still worried and informed the assistant below, ¡°Tell the shareholders that the meeting might be dyed for a while. Mr. Atwood is not feeling well. He will be back after seeing the doctor.¡± ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Taylor sped home in his car. Teresa was already waiting for him at the door. When he arrived, she asked, ¡°Son, what happened?¡± Chapter 290 Chapter 290 ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are you nning on keeping this secret forever?¡± Taylor snapped at her. ¡°Why¡¯d you have to treat ra like that? You knew I loved her. You knew I¡¯d be devastated if the truth came out!¡± Teresa took a step back, shocked and scared. ¡°What¡­what do you know?¡± ¡°I know everything!¡± Taylor pulled out a surveince tape and threw it at her. ¡°Have a look for yourself! I bet you¡¯ve forgotten what you did!¡± Teresa didn¡¯t reach out to catch it, but the glimpse of the screen was enough to drain the color from her face. ¡°No way, this can¡¯t be! Someone¡¯s trying to sabotage our rtionship!¡± Teresa quickly grabbed his arm, ¡°Taylor, listen to me. When you were in the hospital, ra was already with another guy! She was never loyal to you. How could I let her stay with you?¡± Taylor stared at his mother, unable toprehend the reality in front of him. ¡°You¡¯re still trying to lie to me? You really think I¡¯m a puppet you can manipte?¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°No! Taylor, listen to me!¡± ¡°I have. I¡¯ve been listening to you for years!¡± Taylor brushed her hand off. ¡°I trusted youpletely, never doubted you. But what am I to you? What am I!¡± Teresa covered her face, sobbing. ¡°Taylor, everything I did was for you! Why would I hurt you? Why are you doubting my love for you? I¡¯m your mother. I raised you and protected you from all the hardships, not ra! And now you¡¯re using me of another woman?!¡± Taylor shook his head, stepping back. ¡°This is too much¡­ You¡¯re too much¡­ This home is too much for me! I can¡¯t imagine what else you might do to me, what else you want to control! What am I if I can¡¯t even protect the woman I love? What separates me from a loser?¡± ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re a loser? Did ra say something to you?¡± Teresa was also getting worked up. ¡°I¡¯m going to find her! We¡¯ll bring her here, and I want to ask why she¡¯s messing with my son. What does she want!¡± Taylor grabbed her arm, ¡°What are you nning on doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to find her; beg her to leave you alone!¡± ¡°Do you think you haven¡¯t hurt her enough?¡± Taylor covered his face, sinking to his knees. ¡°You¡¯re both women. Do you know what kind of pressure ra was under? I was herst hope, but you cruelly took that away from her! If you hadn¡¯t interfered or lied to me, ra wouldn¡¯t be like this now! You ruined her! You ruined a girl¡¯s life! Has afortable life made your heart so cold, so ruthless, so indifferent? How would you feel if you were in ra¡¯s shoes?¡± Teresa¡¯s mouth opened, but no words came out. ¡°Forget it. Nothing I say will make a difference! Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have done what you did and wouldn¡¯t be covering it up now. You haven¡¯t shown a shred of remorse. Mom, I¡¯m so disappointed in you!¡± Chapter 291 Chapter 291 ¡°Taylor, let me exin!¡± Seeing him turn to leave, Teresa hurriedly rushed over to grab him, ¡°I¡¯m only doing all this for your own good!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s only good if I think it¡¯s good.¡± Taylor¡¯s eyes were full of despair for this home as he stated, ¡°I¡¯m suffocating here. I¡¯m literally choking! If you still want me as your son. stop meddling in my business with ra, or I¡¯ll nevere back home.¡± He shrugged off her hand and strode away. Teresa stumbled after him a few steps but couldn¡¯t catch up. She knew her son was really pissed this time. But¡­ should she just let ra marry into the family? Teresa clenched her fists and turned back to make a phone call. ¡°Hey¡­ is there any way to alter someone¡¯s memory? I want to erase his recent ones.¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s too risky! Last time it was because of the car ident, we could do the surgery then, but it¡¯s only been a short time you want to do it again. First, I¡¯m worried his body can¡¯t handle it. The gap is too short! Second¡­ will he cooperate?¡± ¡°But if this goes on, if he learns all the truth, I can¡¯t bear the consequences! He had a big fight with me today, I¡¯ve thought about it a lot, and I don¡¯t know any other good solutions¡­¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the deal, you figure out a way to get him to behave, then I¡¯ll give him a check-up and assess whether he can undergo surgery again.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Teresa immediately agreed and said, ¡°Remember, no one else can know this time! Doesn¡¯t the Milburn family always y it safe? Why are there problems when ites to my affairs?¡±- ¡°I hate to see it too.¡± The other end of the line chuckled, ¡°Anyway, now that it¡¯s happened, we just need to take it one step at a time! Things will work themselves out.¡± Teresa scoffed, ¡°Easy for you to say when it¡¯s not your problem.¡± ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t be like that; I¡¯m trying my best to figure out a solution! That¡¯s settled, then. If possible, I¡¯ll hurry up and do the second surgery for him, eh? But this time, you can¡¯t let him find any clues! Better yet, don¡¯t let that ra show up again.¡± A hint of hatred shed in Teresa¡¯s eyes. ¡°I know what to do.¡± Indeed, ra stayed in the office for the whole afternoon. Luckily, there was a lot of work to do, and she drew some more design sketches. Except for Ricardo, no one else noticed anything amiss. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. In a blink of an eye, it was time to clock off. She stood up and walked around, ensuring everything was as usual before she dared to go to the elevator to the underground car park. When the door opened, she saw Emmett Melendez leaning against the car, smiling at her.. ra¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red as she said, ¡°You¡¯reughing!¡± ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± Emmett strode over to her, ¡°I feel particrly good today; can¡¯t I be happy?¡± ¡°Of course, you can be happy. I¡¯ve been stuck in the office all day! Ricardo must know something since he wanted me to go on-site, and I didn¡¯t!¡± ra muttered to herself as she opened the car door and got in. Emmett smiled, ¡°Okay, next time, not in your office. Then I¡¯ll tell people you¡¯re busy and need to stay in my office, can¡¯t go out. How¡¯s that?¡± ra immediately widened her eyes, ¡°There¡¯s a next time? I don¡¯t want a next time!¡± She really couldn¡¯t keep up with Emmett¡¯s energy! Every day apart from work, she had to satisfy his¡­ needs. Chapter 292 Chapter 292 ¡°You look like you need use some exercise,¡± Emmett sat down and said thoughtfully, ¡°I¡¯ll find you a personal trainer.¡± ra red at him, ¡°Could youy off a bit? I¡¯m already exhausted every day.¡± Seeing her genuinely upset. Emmett took hold of her hand and stated, ¡°All right, all right, I messed up! I¡¯ll tone it down.¡± As the car pulled up to the Melendez family¡¯s house, they saw Aiden reading and Sophia Melendez ying with Alex. Upon seeing them. Sophia nced at ra and walked to her son¡¯s side, and asked, ¡°Emmett, my birthday is in a few days. Can you go to a party with me?¡± Emmett instinctively looked at ra and smiled, ¡°Sure, what kind of party? I¡¯ll have ra prepare in advance!¡± Upon hearing this, Sophia immediately frowned. ¡°Just go alone! Ugh, they don¡¯t even know ra. It would be awkward for her! It¡¯s enough if you go with me. It won¡¯t take long. Half a day would suffice.¡± ¡°If ra doesn¡¯t go, I won¡¯t go.¡± ra felt awkward, knowing she would be the target if Emmett disagreed! ¡°Emmett, just go with Sophia!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t go to any event where I can¡¯t bring my wife,¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°If there really is such an event, I don¡¯t think I should go!¡± ¡°She¡¯s right. The people at the party don¡¯t know me. Our rtionship hasn¡¯t been made public yet, and it would be really awkward if I go!¡± ra quickly signaled Emmett, ¡°Just agree; it¡¯s not long, and it¡¯s your mom¡¯s birthday. Consider it sucking up to her!¡± With ra¡¯s persuasion, Emmett finally nodded, but he felt a bit upset. Sometimes he really wanted to know what ra was thinking! Can¡¯t she see that Sophia¡¯s goal this time was to get him to meet other women?! Was she not jealous at all? Or, just like Taylor said, she was just submissive to him but didn¡¯t love him. Otherwise, why would she quickly push him to other women? Thinking about this, Emmett¡¯s eyes cooled down, and he strode forward. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ra noticed his displeasure but didn¡¯t understand why¡­¡­ Shouldn¡¯t she persuade him at this time? Would he get angry if she were respectful to his parents? Behind her, Sophia watched her son leave, then snorted coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t think that you can win my favor by doing this! There¡¯s a gap between people! You women who marry into wealth not only can enjoy glory and wealth but also have to tolerate the demands of this status! Don¡¯t think that by marrying into a wealthy family, everything is yours.¡± ¡°I understand. I don¡¯t think like that¡­¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but I must remind you!¡± Sophia nced at her and sneered, then walked away. Soon, Aiden came over and took her hand. ra instinctively lowered her head¡­¡­ ¡°Mom, Grandma went to the dessert shop today but didn¡¯t see thatdy! I heard Grandma seemed to be calling her. Thedy said she was busy today and didn¡¯t go to the dessert shop!¡± ¡°¡­you even thought of this!¡± ra was surprised that Aiden was so clever. Aiden, however, smiled calmly and said, ¡°I know Grandma¡¯s friends very well. She had only recently met thatdy! So, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s her.¡± Chapter 293 Chapter 293 ra gently stroked her son¡¯s hair, ¡°You¡¯re such a smart kid! You¡¯re nothing like Alex, who spends all his time stuffing his face with sweets and fooling around.¡± ¡°Oh, and I haven¡¯t told Alex about this. I¡¯m afraid he might mess things up! So, it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t tell him either. Otherwise, all Granny needs is a few words or a handful of sweets, and she might be able to weasel something out of him.¡± ¡°Got it Mom!¡± Aiden nodded while he was turning to leave. But he only got halfway before he paused, turned back to his mom and whispered, ¡°Mom, are you and Dad¡­going to get divorced because of this woman?¡± ra was dumbstruck as she said, ¡°Your dad and I will always be there for you!¡± Aiden, while hanging his head, retorted, ¡°But in the TV shows, when a womanes into the picture, the parents start arguing, and then they get divorced,¡± ra could feel his worry! Aiden was more thoughtful, unlike Alex, who was carefree¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Have you ever seen me and your dad fight?¡± Aiden pouted, ¡°But Granny is always causing you trouble; I need to figure out a way to make Granny like you.¡± Make Sophia like her? ra pondered for a moment, suddenly recalling what Emmett had said before! ¡°Aiden, what if¡­ I mean, just if your dad and I had another baby, would you be upset?¡± ¡°No,¡± Aiden answered quickly, shaking his head without hesitation, ¡°Why would I be upset? As long as it¡¯s not like Alex, who hates doing homework.¡± raughed. In the end, Aiden was still just a child! ¡°You go read your books! I¡¯m going back to my room. Granny might get suspicious if she sees us alone together for too long.¡± ¡°Okay, bye, Mom.¡± Aiden scurried away, and as ra watched his retreating figure, she felt conflicted. Would she really have to have another child to improve her rtionship with Sophia? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. 1 ra walked into her room and heard the sound of watering from the bathroom. Emmett was showering. Looks like he won¡¯t be bothering her tonight! ra opened her workptop, but her phone started ringing before she could even log in. She nced over¡­ it was a foreign number and one she didn¡¯t recognize. Was it a prank call? Hesitating for a moment, ra answered anyway. A familiar male voice came through. ¡°You thought you were rid of me, huh?¡± ra¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°How¡­ how could you¡­¡± ¡°Still contacting you, am I?¡± the man sneered, ¡°You really think I¡¯d let you off the hook?¡± Panicked, ra nced at the bathroom, ¡°What do you want? You¡¯ve got your money. Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d disappear?¡± ¡°Haha, disappearing would just make things easier for you, wouldn¡¯t it? You little devil, I never thought you¡¯d end up with Emmett, let alone marry him! And you¡¯re trying to ditch me now? So, now that you¡¯ve married into a rich family, you don¡¯t need a father anymore, huh?¡± ¡°You have the nerve to call yourself my father! What have you ever given me? How many times did I almost die because of your debts, getting beaten up by your debt collectors? Where were you then? And now you want to y the father card?¡± ¡°Enough of your nonsense! Get me a million dors right now!¡± Chapter 294 Chapter 294 ¡°A million? Even selling me off wouldn¡¯t cover it!¡± ra clenched her fists, wishing she could be by his side right now! Given the option, she would have preferred to never exist in this world rather than having a father like him. ¡°You may not have it, but doesn¡¯t Emmett? I see all the little tricks you two have been pulling!¡± ¡°You¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving you three days to get me out here! Or I will spill everything to Emmett, tell him you had a kid with another man, and sold yourself out! Let Emmettpletely cut you off! Don¡¯t believe me? Try me!¡± With that, he hung up. ra stared at her now dark phone, with her feelings out of control. She threw the phone away and angrily ran her fingers through her hair! If she was not so worried about Aiden and Alex, she would really want to go down with that man! Not long after, Emmett came out of the bathroom and noticed ra¡¯s grim face. He walked over, asking concernedly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ra returned to reality, quickly shaking her head, ¡°Nothing, just thinking about the design draft. Are you done showering? I¡¯ll go now.¡± She then quickly dashed into the bathroom. Emmett looked at her retreating figure, a bit puzzled¡­N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. He could clearly see the panic in ra¡¯s eyes just now. Did something happen again? Emmett frowned, suppressing his thoughts. He had promised to trust her, so he shouldn¡¯t be making these assumptions. Maybe she really was just thinking about her design draft¡­.. Emmett was toweling off his hair, about to call Matt to ask about tomorrow¡¯s itinerary. Suddenly! There was a knock on the door. Emmett went to open it, and standing there was his mother. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s up?¡± It waste, and she wasn¡¯t asleep. So Emmett figured she must have something important to say. Sure enough, his mother nced around, asking, ¡°Where¡¯s ra?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the shower.¡± ¡°Thene with me. I have something to say to you.¡± Emmett was taken aback, asking, ¡°Is there something ra can¡¯t know about?¡± Sophia said helplessly, ¡°Why are you so smitten with ra? I¡¯m your mother! Can¡¯t I have a word with you?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want ra to overthink. Just say what you want to. There are no secrets between us!¡± Seeing that he didn¡¯t want to go with her, Sophia pulled him, ¡°Come with me; let¡¯s talk. You can tell her if you want, it¡¯s up to you. But I don¡¯t want to see her! Are you really going to choose ra over your own mother?¡± Emmett took a deep breath, nced at the bathroom, and followed his mother. Sophia led Emmett to the study and made sure to close the door. Emmett looked at her, a bit confused, ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. ra isn¡¯t here now.¡± ¡°I found Alex¡¯s birth mother.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always had an issue with ra not being the twins¡¯ biological mother! Now that their real mother is also here, I hope you can meet her.¡± Emmett immediately refused, ¡°Why should I meet her? We just had a child. Strictly speaking, we haven¡¯t even seen each other.¡± Chapter 295 Chapter 295 ¡°Cool your jets! I didn¡¯t set you guys up to tie the knot or anything. I just thought that as their birth mom, it wouldn¡¯t hurt for the kids to meet her.¡± ¡°And where does that leave ra? How would you feel about me if you put yourself in her shoes?¡± Sophia frowned, clearly not pleased. ¡°She hit the jackpot when she married into our family. What¡¯s there toin about?¡± ¡°You¡¯re losing your cool!¡± Sophia scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m already being generous by not kicking her out! How could letting the kids meet their birth mom upset her?¡± Emmett chuckled.sarcastically as he said, ¡°Bottom line, I won¡¯t go, and neither will my kids! If you can¡¯t understand my dilemma in this matter, then I¡¯ll take the kids and move in with ra.¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes widened in panic, ¡°What are you implying? Are you going to abandon me, your mother? What on earth has ra done to have you so smitten? Am I not thinking for the best of your children?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re acting in the children¡¯s best interest. And if you ask Aiden and Alex, they wouldn¡¯t want to meet their birth mom either!¡± ¡°What kid wouldn¡¯t want to meet their birth mom?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed how much Aiden and Alex love ra? They see her as their own mother.¡± Sophia scoffed and retorted, ¡°No matter what, she isn¡¯t their biological mom!¡± ¡°But they get along so well. Why mess with that?¡± Emmett suddenly had a thought and he asked, ¡°Did that woman say something to you?¡± Sophia immediately denied, ¡°She doesn¡¯t even know who I am! I just discovered that she¡¯s Aiden and Alex¡¯s birth mom.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a coincidence.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about this ever since I found out. After much consideration, I think it would be better for the kids to live with their birth mom. No matter how good ra is, she¡¯s still a stepmom, and I just can¡¯t shake off the worry!¡± Emmett frowned, unable toprehend his mother¡¯s actions. ¡°Is it so hard to see ra and me living harmoniously as a family?¡± ¡°What family! The kids¡¯ birth mom hasn¡¯t even returned yet!¡± ¡°I want to rify something. I have had absolutely no contact with Aiden and Alex¡¯s biological mother. Therefore, their rtionship with her remains unknown to me. Despite any emotions they may have towards her, I have no intention of interacting with her in any way. My sole focus is ra, and that is non-negotiable.!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just stubborn! I bet that ra has been feeding you nonsense.¡± Sophia scolded him, looking like she was at her wits¡¯ end. ¡°Right, I do love ra!¡± ¡°But ra¡¯s a divorcee with other kids. Aren¡¯t you worried that her kids wille after your estate when they grow up? She has no connection to our Melendez family but might end up with your inheritance!¡± ¡°ra¡¯s kids are also my kids. What¡¯s wrong with them having the right to inherit my estate?¡± Sophia pointed at her son, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re really going to be the death of me!¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°ra and I are legally married. Just like Aiden and Alex have the right to inherit ra¡¯s estate. Naturally, my estate is also hers.¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re really going to be the death of me! I can¡¯tmunicate with you, and I¡¯ll go find ra.¡± As Sophia turned to leave, Emmett grabbed her and said, ¡°You can talk to her, but let me warn you. If ra gets upset or even divorces me because of this. I¡¯ll nevere back home again!¡± ¡°You would even abandon your own mother for that woman?¡± Chapter 296 Chapter 296 ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t need you. It¡¯s just that your stubbornness makes it impossible for me to put up with you. You were insistent on having someone as a surrogate, I agreed to that once, and now you¡¯re even meddling in my marriage. Am I still your child?¡± ¡°You¡¯re young; you don¡¯t understand my good intentions. You¡¯re my own flesh and blood, and I wouldn¡¯t deceive you, let alone harm my grandchild.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to hurt them, you should respect our wishes. What¡¯s happiness? What¡¯s genuinely good for us? It¡¯s only good if you think it¡¯s good, right?¡± Sophia was left speechless with frustration, ¡°I can¡¯t get through to you¡­ Just butt out of this. Pretend I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± With that, she turned and stormed off. Emmett frowned deeply, feeling like the day he¡¯d move out of this ce wasn¡¯t far off. His mother just kept being pushy. Sooner orter, ra would pick a fight with him over this. Honestly, if the shoe were on the other foot and ra¡¯s mother treated him this way, he would¡¯ve hit the roof by now! She¡¯s already put up with so much, and yet his mother never considered her feelings. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s probably for the best if they live separately. Back in their room, ra had just showered. Seeing Emmett walk in, she smiled and handed him a cup of coffee from the table, ¡°I just made this coffee, have some.¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Why the sudden act of kindness? Out with it! What happened?¡± ra chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s nothing really, just¡­ I want to bring my father back to the country.¡± ¡°Why do you suddenly want to bring him back? Didn¡¯t you say he¡¯s always giving you a hard time?¡±. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s definitely a pain in the ass, but he¡¯s my dad! I don¡¯t have any other family in this world, so I thought I¡¯d bring him back. Don¡¯t worry; he won¡¯t be living with me, and I¡¯ll just stay in the country.¡± Emmett looked at her as if trying to glean some clues from her eyes. ¡°What on earth happened? You¡¯re acting odd today!¡± ra nervously ran a hand through her hair, trying to act nonchnt, ¡°I just suddenly thought of it¡­ Plus, my father called me earlier. He seemed pretty decent like he¡¯s turned over a new leaf.¡± Emmett frowned slightly and nodded. ¡°At his age¡­ It¡¯s not easy being alone overseas. If people found out, they¡¯d think I¡¯m a horrible daughter. Plus, he can¡¯t hurt me now that I have you.¡±¡± ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s all there is to it?¡± ¡°Absolutely! What else could there be?¡± Emmett frowned, but despite his doubts, he nodded, ¡°If you say so, then I¡¯ll let hime back.¡± ¡°Thank you for always considering me.¡± ra didn¡¯t want her father to return, but she had no choice! She couldn¡¯t let Emmett know this secret. She didn¡¯t care, but this might drag Elio Milburn into it! She had to keep this secret at all costs. ¡°By the way, where did you go just now? Is there something going on at thepany?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing. My mom called me over.¡± Emmett initially wanted to tell her about Aiden and Alex¡¯s biological mother, but in the end, he didn¡¯t. ¡°Oh, what did you guys talk about?¡± ¡°Just about the kids¡¯ studies. My mom loves her grandkids and has poured her heart and soul into them. Chapter 297 Chapter 297 ra said, ¡°I need to double-check the final design draft one more time; it might be up for review by everyone tomorrow. I got to go deal with it now, and you should hit the hay early if you¡¯ve got nothing else to do.¡± With that, she headed for herputer. Emmett watched her retreating figure, a sense of unease creeping up¡­ He didn¡¯t deliberately keep the news about the kid¡¯s biological mother from her, he just felt it was too harsh to spill the beans. ra might seem easygoing, but she was thoughtful. She¡¯d brought up the topic of the kid¡¯s biological mother before. If she wasn¡¯t bothered, she wouldn¡¯t have asked. He walked over to her, ¡°I got something to tell you.¡± ra looked up, a sense of tension creeping up, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± A sinking feeling hit her, fearing that Emmett might have discovered something¡­ ¡°I wanna talk about us leaving the Melendez family.¡± ¡°Again, with that? Did your mom say something to tick you off?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just that living with them is a real pain, and both Aiden and Alex think Grandma¡¯s being too bossy! A visit over the weekends should do. You know how much of a bummer grandparenting is.¡± ra pondered momentarily at him, then asked, ¡°Did your mom bad-mouth me again?¡± Otherwise, Emmett wouldn¡¯t have brought up the separation again. ¡°No, really, no!¡± Emmett sat next to her, reaching out to rub her hands,¡± want our family to be peaceful, not always at odds, which is not what you are constantly giving in leads to.¡± raughed happily as she said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°No need to exin. I get it. I-admit I can¡¯t mediate between you and my mom. That¡¯s why distancing ourselves is the only solution I can think of.¡± ¡°Also, it might not be as bad as you think. Once we start living separately, my mom might feel relieved and even change her attitude toward you. Who knows?¡± ra pondered awfully, ¡°If you think it¡¯s necessary, I¡¯ll go with it.¡± Emmett lifted ra¡¯s chin and kissed her lightly, ¡°All right, don¡¯t burn the midnight oil after you finish checking the design. I won¡¯t bother you tonight.¡± ra smiled, thinking she¡¯d definitely wait for him to fall asleep before going to bed. Otherwise, he might take action out of the blue, and she would have to pay the price. She¡¯d had enough of that in the past! N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Emmett returned to bed. After a while, ra heard his steady breathing. She took a deep breath and shifted her focus back to her design draft. Suddenly! An app notification popped up on her phone, indicating that her period was three dayste! ra was taken aback. How could this happen? She¡¯d been so swamped at work recently that she¡¯d forgotten about her period. She wasn¡¯t pregnant, was she? ra fearfully nced at the sleeping Emmett and quickly deleted the reminder on her phone. She thought to herself that she¡¯d sneak out to buy a pregnancy test right after handling her work stuff tomorrow morning. ra tried to refocus on her design draft, but the reminder kept shing in her mind. Chapter 298 Chapter 298 What if¡­ what if I really am pregnant? What do I do then? Emmett was totally stoked about having a baby. He wouldn¡¯t be down for an abortion. But do I really want another kid? She still had no idea how to break the news to him at the right time without messing things up with Elio. ra gently rubbed her belly, and she felt like a baby was inside her. Is this what they call a woman¡¯s natural maternal instincts? The next morning. After ra got up and cleaned up, she walked downstairs and saw Sophia chatting with Alex, with sweets in her hand. One look and she knew Sophia was spoiling Alex with sweets again. ra wasn¡¯t really cool with her spoiling the kid like that, but it wasn¡¯t her ce to say anything right now. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re up?¡± Alex spotted her and rushed over to hug her tightly. She picked Alex up and said, ¡°You naughty boy, why are you eating sweets again? You should have a proper breakfast in the morning. You can¡¯t always eat so many sweets, which hurt your teeth.¡± Before she could finish, Sophia interrupted, looking pissed, ¡°Are you not happy that I gave him sweets? He¡¯s a kid. What¡¯s wrong with wanting sweets? We¡¯re not kids anymore, so we don¡¯t crave sweets.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She didn¡¯t dare to talk back, so she just forced a smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m just worried about his teeth. And Alex has been eating too many sweets¡­¡± ¡°So now you¡¯re talking back?¡± Sophia was about to flip the table, ¡°Let me tell you, ra, they¡¯re my grandkids, don¡¯t act like you¡¯re their mother!¡± She bit her lip, not knowing what to say. ra knew she couldn¡¯t argue with her or talk back, so she just shut up and sat down. When Emmett wasn¡¯t around, Sophia always had to act all high and mighty. If Emmett was there, she wouldn¡¯t dare to speak like that. ra didn¡¯t reply, and Sophia asked, ¡°Do you know who Aiden and Alex¡¯s biological mother is?¡± She was taken aback, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you understand or not, I¡¯m just telling you she¡¯s back in the country, and I n on letting them meet her.¡± I was a bit stunned and didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Whether you have an opinion or not, you can¡¯t stop the kids from seeing their mother!¡± Aiden spoke first, ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t want to see any ¡®biological mother¡¯. I only have one mother!¡± Alex said, ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t want any ¡®biological mother¡¯!¡± As soon as he said that, he saw the warning look in Aiden¡¯s eyes. Alex immediately shut his mouth and started eating his toast. Sophia waspletely absorbed in her ns, ignoring Aiden and Alex¡¯s reactions. ¡°They¡¯re still young and don¡¯t understand howplicated things are. They think the person they see daily is the closest to them. But a birth mother is a birth mother, a stepmother can¡¯t rece that. I think you need to understand that.¡± ra nodded, ¡°I understand. When do you n on taking them to see her?¡± Chapter 299 Chapter 299 ¡°I haven¡¯t made up my mind yet; I¡¯m just saying. Don¡¯t get your panties in a twist over it. I¡¯m just letting them meet. I didn¡¯t say she¡¯s gonna tie the knot with our family or anything.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Sophia pursed her lips, ¡°Look, I may not be your biggest fan, but for the sake of my son, I¡¯ll ept you as his wife. As long as you don¡¯t stick your nose in our business too much or fill my son¡¯s head with unnecessary nonsense, you can keep ying house with him.¡± ra just kept her head down and continued her breakfast, not giving her the satisfaction of a response. Sophia took ra¡¯s silence as eptance of her words, which pleased her. After all, it could push her ns forward. After breakfast, she headed to the office. ra had been in the office for a while before Emmett finally showed up. There was an urgent meeting first thing in the moming at thepany, so Emmett barely had a break before he had to get back to the grind. Seeing Emmett looking beat, ra stood up and led him to sit down on the couch, ¡°You look beat. Why don¡¯t you take a breather? Matt¡¯sing to see you in a bit. I¡¯ll let him know.¡± Emmett waved her off, ¡°It¡¯s cool. I gotta be at the quarterly meeting today. Thepany found some discrepancies in the books. If I don¡¯t take it seriously now, it might set a bad precedent.¡± ra began massaging his shoulders casually, ¡°So, did you figure out who screwed up the ounts yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got Matt on it. He¡¯s been digging into a few people for metely. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll get to the bottom of it soon.¡± ra chuckled, then said, ¡°Oh, speaking of which, I have a friend I need to meet today. She¡¯s a girl, and she¡¯s feeling down and wants to chat. Can I go see her for a N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. bit?¡± Emmett eyed her, ¡°You sure it¡¯s a ¡®she¡¯ friend?¡± ¡°Absolutely! If you don¡¯t believe me, I can have her talk to you.¡± Emmett pulled her into his arms, ¡°Well, if you say so, I trust you. You wouldn¡¯t cheat on me. I mean, come on, with a catch like me, who else would you even look at?¡± raughed at hisment, ¡°I wonder who was the one getting all jealous back then, couldn¡¯t even stand me looking at other guys.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different! Even now, I¡¯d get mad if you look at other guys. You should only have eyes for me!¡± ra said helplessly, ¡°Only you! Look at me. If I¡¯m not working, I¡¯m helping you schedule stuff. When do I have time to look at other guys? Besides, they¡¯re nowhere near as good-looking as you.¡± Emmett nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Keep saying stuff like that. I love to hear it.¡± ¡°So, can I go see my friend or what?¡± ¡°Can I even say no at this point? I was hoping to have lunch with you, but if you¡¯ve got ns, that¡¯s fine. Just try toe back early. Want me to have Matt drop you off?¡± ¡°No need; I drove myself today.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Emmett looked at her, then suddenly asked, ¡°By the way, did my mother give you a hard time this morning? Or say anything to you?¡± ra shook her head, ¡°Nope, she was just chatting with her two grandsons. I grabbed something to eat and came to work.¡± ¨C Emmett knew she might be lying because he knew his mother too well. If he wasn¡¯t home, she might give ra a hard time. Suddenly, Emmett gripped her hand tightly, and while looking at her with a serious look, he said, ¡°Whatever my mother says, it doesn¡¯t represent what I think. We share different opinions.¡± Chapter 300 Chapter 300 ra was a bit taken aback by his sudden seriousness, then she smiled. ¡°I get it. I¡¯ve been with you for so long. If I still don¡¯t get your character, wouldn¡¯t I be aplete dunce?¡± ¡°As long as you get it. I need to head back to the office. You should go ande back early. I¡¯lle home with you tonight. I want to show you our new house. I¡¯ve had Ricardo prepare everything. It¡¯s not far from the beach.¡± ra was itching with anticipation at this. She absolutely adored beach houses. Living in such a house, when she was feeling down or had something on her mind, she could just step outside, feel the sand under her feet, and gaze at the boundless sea. This was the kind of house she always dreamt of having. ¡°Great!¡± Emmett gave a slight nod, then left his office. Once she was sure he was gone, ra took out her phone and dialed a number. The other party picked up. ¡°Hello, ra.¡± It was Leah Calloway! ¡°What¡¯s up? I want to meet with you. Right now!¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Something happen?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather tell you in person.¡± ra walked over to the window and looked outside. Leah seemed to sense something was wrong, paused for a few seconds, and then said, ¡°All right, let¡¯s meet at our usual spot.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After hanging up, ra grabbed her bag and left the office, driving to the agreed-upon meeting ce. As she pushed open the door, she saw Leah sitting by the window, marking up some documents. ra walked over, and Leah looked up, saying, ¡°ra, you got here so fast? I thought you might be late because of the traffic. I didn¡¯t drive; I took the subway.¡± ra wasn¡¯t in the mood for small talk. She sat down and asked straight away, ¡°Did you meet with Emmett¡¯s mother?¡± Leah was taken aback, ¡°Emmett¡¯s mother? How could I have met her? I¡¯ve never been to the Melendez family.¡± ra frowned, ¡°Oh, are you going to y dumb? She already told me.¡± ¡°Told you what?¡± Leah shrugged innocently, ¡°ra, I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. What about Emmett¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°Stop ying dumb!¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know! I¡¯ve been so busytely, you see, I even brought my documents for our meeting! Is there a misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Misunderstanding? Do you think I¡¯m that easy to fool? You¡¯ve been meeting with Emmett¡¯s mother behind my back, haven¡¯t you? What are you up to?¡± Leah threw up her hands in exasperation, ¡°Wait a minute, I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re suddenly using me?¡± ¡°Quit ying innocent!¡± Leah took a deep breath, ¡°You guys had me pretend to be Alex and Aiden¡¯s mother, and I helped. Now you¡¯re saying I contacted Emmett¡¯s mother on my own? I really didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± ¡°Of course! Could it be that Emmett¡¯s mother mistook me for the boys¡¯ mom?¡± ra¡¯s eyebrows knitted together. That might be possible. ¡°ra, believe me, I really didn¡¯t do anything. If I did, what would be my motive? How could I possibly want to rece you?¡± ra looked into her eyes; she didn¡¯t seem to be lying. But all these coincidences made it hard for her to believe it was just a coincidence. ¡°Do you remember that bakery? Emmett¡¯s mother likes to buy pastries from there.¡± Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Leah blinked, suddenly understanding, ¡°Oh, you mean thedy who¡¯s always decked out in designer gear?¡± ¡°Yes! She¡¯s Emmett¡¯s mother.¡± Leah nearly jumped out of her seat, ¡°Holy cow! What a coincidence! I swear, I had no clue, and I only had a bit of small talk with her.¡± While she was speaking, ra was watching her, feeling that she didn¡¯t seem to be lying. ¡°Once, I bought all the pastries, and she couldn¡¯t get any, so I gave her some. That¡¯s all we talked about.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm¡­¡± ra nodded. ¡°I can still go buy pastries after work, right? Bumping into her was totally unexpected. If it bothers you, I won¡¯t go there anymore, okay?¡± N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ¡°It¡¯s not that serious!¡± Leah¡¯s face showed a hint of annoyance. ¡°I find this whole thing baffling. Even if you suspect me, I need a motive! What do I gain from getting close to Emmett¡¯s mother? I told you before, I have someone I like. Besides, you and Emmett already have a kid. I couldn¡¯t be clearer about that.¡± ra bit her lip, opened her mouth, but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°And why would I, an unmarried woman, have any thoughts about him? Despite his wealth and power, we have nothing inmon!¡± ra frowned. She had to admit that Leah had a point. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I might have been too impulsive. My apologies.¡± = 1 Leah acted innocent. ¡°ra, I can¡¯t ept your apology. I feel insulted. I¡¯ve always treated you like my best friend!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± -4 2 ¡°After I came back home, you¡¯re the only one I could talk to about my feelings. But you think I¡¯m scheming against you, that I¡¯m trying to steal your husband. That¡¯s just absurd!¡± With that, she stood up to leave. ra hurried after her, ¡°I apologize. I misunderstood you in a moment of impulsiveness¡­¡± Leah pretended to be very upset, opened her mouth, but swallowed her words¡­ ¡°Nevermind, I know Emmett is great, and your concerns are normal. I should be more understanding. Life in high society is tough. Just stop suspecting me, that¡¯s all!¡± ra clenched her fingers. ¡°Mm-hmm¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll never go to that pastry shop again. If Emmett¡¯s mom contacts me, I won¡¯t reply. Can you trust me now?¡± ra was a bit embarrassed by her words¡­. She realized she might have jumped to conclusions without any solid evidence, which wasn¡¯t fair to Leah. Leah patted her hand. ¡°ra, is that all there is? If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll head back to the office.¡± ra nodded slightly, ¡°All right. I¡¯m really sorry about today. Also, could you not tell your cousin about this? I worry he might get upset, considering he¡¯s always been so good to me, and now I¡¯m suspecting his cousin¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I get it, and it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Leah even smiled at her,forting her, ¡°I¡¯m not the kind to make a big fuss over small things. What¡¯s past is past. Your trust is more important than anything else. Back home, you¡¯re my only good friend. We still have plenty of time to hang out together!¡± ra said, ¡°All right.¡± Leah took a deep breath and started heading for the door. Suddenly, she turned back to ra, ¡°By the way, since Emmett¡¯s mom has said so much, does she know who I really am? If she continues investigating¡­ will she discover my fake identity?¡± Chapter 302 Chapter 302 ¡°I really can¡¯t make head or tail of this¡­ His mom never discusses anything with Emmett, and I¡¯ve no clue how she found out about you.¡± Leah faked a smile, ¡°Well, that¡¯s just peachy!¡± ¡°But don¡¯t sweat it. I¡¯ll try my best to keep you out of this! If all else fails, I¡¯lle clean about who I am.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°No way!¡± Leah eximed immediately after ra finished her sentence. ra was taken aback¡­ ¡°What I mean is¡­ Elio Milburn is also involved in this. If Emmett finds out not only has Elio been lying to him, but more than once, and he even brought me here to cover up, we¡¯d be in his bad books for good! No more easy street for us! You must keep this under wraps no matter what!¡± ra sighed, ¡°That¡¯s been my worry all along. I¡¯ve tried to feel Emmett out before, and he hates being lied to.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ so does anyone really!¡± ¡°But we¡¯re stuck now! If I knew it¡¯de to this, I¡¯d never have dragged Elio into this mess¡­¡± Leah took ra¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°I know it sounds selfish, but Elio loves you! He shouldn¡¯t get hurt because of your issues with Emmett.¡± Mentioning Elio, ra felt a pang of guilt¡­. ¡°He¡¯s been down in the dumps all the time for you, even turning down blind dates arranged by the family. If you let Emmett take revenge on him, my cousin would be crushed!¡± ra pursed her lips, lowering her head. ¡°You don¡¯t know the situation in our family. Most of them don¡¯t like Elio, always giving him a hard time! They might even seize this chance to kick him out of the family.¡± ra never thought it would be this serious. She was thinking that if push came to shove, she would tell the truth and beg Emmett to let Elio off the hook. But now it seems she really can¡¯t take the risk unless she¡¯s 100% sure because it¡¯s not just her own fate at stake! ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I got it covered, and I¡¯ll never forget what he¡¯s done for me.¡± Leah nodded. She couldn¡¯t care less about any of that as long as ra doesn¡¯t admit she¡¯s the mother of the two kids.. ¡°As for the issue between him and me¡­ Leah, I need a favor. Could you please talk some sense into him? Tell him to let me go. He¡¯s so great, and he deserves a good wife, not wasting his time on me!¡± ¡°Ah! If only he would take that to heart. Do you think I haven¡¯t tried? Nothing works!¡± ra tightly clenched her fingertips, feeling at a loss of what to do. ¡°You don¡¯t know, the Milburn family, they¡¯re stubborn! I can kinda understand him; it¡¯s like me and the guy I like. I know giving up would be better for everyone, but I just can¡¯t let go!¡± ra lightly pursed her lips. The guilt inside her made her feel suffocated. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault! I was too impulsive back then, only thinking about myself, which led to all this. I should take most of the me.¡± ¡°Forget it! ra, don¡¯t beat yourself up. I know you didn¡¯t mean it. When I get back, I¡¯ll try to talk him around when I have the time and help him move on. I gotta go to get a meeting. We¡¯ll catch upter. if you need anything, just give me a shout.¡± ¡°Yeah, goodbye!¡± Back at thepany, Ricardo noticed ra seemed out of sorts and followed her. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Did you have another spat with the boss?¡± ¡°Huh? So if I¡¯m not all smiles, you think I¡¯ve had a row with Emmett?¡± Ricardo chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m just worried, you know. When Mr. Melendez gets mad, none of us can catch a break!¡± Chapter 303 Chapter 303 ¡°Don¡¯t worry; we barely fight anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s so good. Oh, by the way, your design draft has been epted. The director of the design department told me there were basically no big issues. He¡¯s looking for you!¡± Til go see himter,¡± ra said, ready to head back to her office. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Instead of leaving, Ricardo followed her in. ¡°Did you know? Taylor Atwood has run away from home.¡± ¡°Taylor?¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°Why would he run away? Do you know?¡± ¡°Apparently, he had a fight with his mom, and he even ditched an importantpany meeting. His mom¡¯s out there looking for him, and no one knows where Taylor is.¡± ra was about to ask more questions but then remembered Ricardo worked for Emmett. She shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s none of my business. I was done with him ages ago. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let Emmett get mad over Taylor again.¡± Ricardo came over and sighed, ¡°Speaking of, Taylor¡¯s really a hopeless romantic. I really have no idea what¡¯s so charming about you that both Mr. Melendez and Taylor are so into you?¡± ra didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. She looked at him helplessly, ¡°What kind of answer are you hoping to get from me? Maybe I¡¯m just naturally charming.¡± Ricardo stuck out his tongue, ¡°I think your biggest charm is your approachability. I always thought Mr. Melendez¡¯s wife would be high and mighty, with Mr. Melendez¡¯s backing. I thought she would stand tall and speak with authority. But now¡­ I can joke around with you, and you won¡¯t get mad.¡± ¡°Why would I get mad? Besides, I only married Emmett; I didn¡¯t be him. If he divorces me one day, I¡¯m still that ordinary secretary.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez is smitten with you now. There¡¯s no chance he¡¯ll divorce you!¡± Ricardo waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If there¡¯s any other woman around Emmett, I¡¯ll let you know first. No one¡¯s gonna mess with your rtionship.¡± raughed at him, ¡°When did you turn into my man? If Emmett finds out, he¡¯ll fire you.¡± ¡°Then please keep it a secret, don¡¯t tell Mr. Melendez. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll make me a mute.¡±- ra looked at him and took a deep breath, ¡°You¡¯re not here to chat, are you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just want to get close to my boss.¡± ¡®I think you want to see my reaction to Taylor running away, don¡¯t you?¡± Ricardo was caught off guard and awkwardlyughed, ¡°Why would you think that of me? It¡¯s really not like that. I just wanted to chat with you!¡± ra suddenly thought of something and raised her eyebrows at him, ¡°It isn¡¯t Emmett who sent you here to ask, is it¡­¡± ¡°Absolutely not! I haven¡¯t even seen Mr. Melendez yet! His meeting has been going on all the way till now, and he didn¡¯t even have time for lunch. I heard it¡¯s going to take another two hours to finish. I¡¯ve already had lunch prepared, waiting for him toe out of the meeting room!¡± Chapter 304 Chapter 304 ra let out a sigh, ¡°Being a CEO is no walk in the park!¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a ton of stuff to deal with every single day!¡± She sat down, ncing at her design draft, ¡°If you¡¯re not busy, I¡¯m gonna go chat with the design director about this.¡± ¡°Oh, no worries, I¡¯m good. You go ahead.¡± Ricardo watched ra leave, then quickly ducked into a corner to shoot a message to the CEO. [Boss, chill, ra didn¡¯t react to Taylor at all. She doesn¡¯t seem to give a damn about it.] A few secondster, Emmett replied with a simple okay. Meanwhile, in the conference room, Emmett looked at the message from his secretary and cracked a smile, causing the shareholders in the room to breathe a sigh of relief. After all, a smiling CEO usually meant no major issues. If he was all serious, then they might be in for some trouble. Once Leah got back to the office, the first thing she did was call for Elio. After a while¡­ Elio slowly pushed open her office door, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about ra, of course. She came to see me earlier. Looks like my n might need to be moved up. Any news on your end? If not¡­I might have to start ying matchmaker with her and Taylor.¡± Elio frowned, mming his hand on the table, ¡°Are you still trying to set her up with Taylor? Leah, watch it! I have my limit. If you mess with him, you¡¯re gonna get it too! Even if you do marry Emmett, I won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡± Leah stood up, grinning at him, ¡°Easy there, tiger. I¡¯m just trying to give you a chance here. You still have time to win ra over before my n kicks in. Just speed things up a bit. We all win, right? Don¡¯t act like I¡¯m forcing you into this. By the way, if you do end up with ra, you can thank me for that.¡± Elio snorted, ¡°I know exactly what you¡¯re up to! I¡¯m just warning you, ra is the love of my life. If you mess with her, you¡¯ll answer to me!¡± Leah patted his shoulder, chuckling, ¡°Why are you doing this? We¡¯re cousins, and we share the same blood. Is it worth it to fight over ra?¡± ¡°Hell yeah, it is!¡± Leah looked at him helplessly, ¡°I tried to talk you out of it, you know. Maybe you should let ra go. She¡¯s a mother now. How can she be good enough for you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not for you to decide.¡± ¡°If you could just let go, things would be so much easier. I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about your feelings!¡± Elio gritted his teeth, clenching his fists. If the person in front of him wasn¡¯t a woman, he would¡¯ve punched her already. Leah, of course, noticed his anger, but she wasn¡¯t bothered. Because he wouldn¡¯t dare toy a hand on her now! ¡°Honestly, I still don¡¯t get what you guys see in ra¡­ She¡¯s average-looking and has average skills. At best, she¡¯s kind-hearted. But what¡¯s the use of that in this world?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand, you sneaky woman!¡± Leah shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t bother trying to understand. We¡¯re all living in this world, chasing after our own dreams. Maybe ra¡¯s dream is to¡­ live a guilt-free life while I¡¯m after fame, wealth, and powerful men. He has to be the top dog!¡± Chapter 305 Chapter 305 ¡°You¡¯ve totally lost it!¡± Elio said with a look of disgust. If she hadn¡¯t had something on him, he would¡¯ve thought even looking at her was a waste of time. How did he not notice how ambitious she was when they were in the family together? If he had realized it then, he wouldn¡¯t be in this mess now. ¡°Actually, I should thank you! You helped me find a man who¡¯s worthy of me.¡± Leah brought it up on purpose. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Elio snorted. He wouldn¡¯t dare ept this woman¡¯s gratitude. Leah asked, ¡°Do you think if I tell ra that you did it on purpose to drive a wedge between her and Emmett, she would still trust you?¡± ¡°What¡­ What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to do anything! I just want you to know how much you mean to ra. She¡¯s just using you, but you fell for it.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Leahughed, picking up the wine ss on the table and taking a sip. ¡°She never loved you from the start, and you were always the one chasing her. But I can¡¯t me you; compared to Emmett, you do fall short! If I were a woman, I wouldn¡¯t choose you either.¡± ¡°ra is not the kind of woman you think she is!¡± ¡°Oh, what kind is she then? She¡¯s so noble in your heart, and I¡¯m like dirt, right?¡± ¡°At least you know your ce.¡± ¡°But this noble woman still chose Emmett over you. She knows how much you¡¯ve done for her over the years! If she had a conscience, how could she reject you?¡± ¡°I did it willingly! I didn¡¯t force her!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that crap. If you were really happy to let her be with Emmett, why are you meddling now?¡± Elio swallowed hard. She was right. Leah turned to look at him, ¡°In the end, you just can¡¯t let go! Why lie to yourself? Life is short. You¡¯re human now, but who knows what you¡¯ll be in the next life! If you love her, you should be with her. That¡¯s the truth!¡± Elio didn¡¯t want to talk to her anymore, ¡°We¡¯re not the same kind of people! What do you want from me?¡± ¡°Nothing much¡­ I just came up with a n that would make you and ra a married couple in reality! I¡¯m too impatient to wait for you to slowly persuade ra! I want it fast! Let her lose all her backing in the Melendez family once and for all! Both Emmett and her two children will feel ashamed because of her!¡± El¨ªo certainly didn¡¯t expect her to use such a trick! ¡°You know what you¡¯re doing! You¡¯re a woman, too. This is ruining ra¡¯s reputation for life!¡± Leah shrugged indifferently, ¡°What does that have to do with me? How much is her reputation worth? Besides, if I don¡¯t destroy herpletely, how can I get into the Melendez family? If you won¡¯t do it, someone else will.¡± Elio clenched his fists, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°When this is over, I can let your parents go. It¡¯s up to you! I won¡¯t force you if you don¡¯t want to do it. If you do, make up your mind quickly. I don¡¯t want to drag this on!¡± With that, Leah returned to her seat, put down her ss, and focused on her files, no longer engaging in conversation with Elio. Elio left in anger, mming her door behind him. After leaving the office, he called ra, but she didn¡¯t pick up after several rings. Elio knew she was avoiding him, but he didn¡¯t know what to do¡­ Chapter 306 Chapter 306 He knew Leah wasn¡¯t kidding around, but if he really did it, ra would never forgive him in her lifetime. But if he didn¡¯t do it, someone else would¡­. He knew Leah wouldn¡¯t give up easily; she had to achieve her goal. Elio stood there, caught between a rock and a hard ce. After a while, Elio gathered up the courage to send ra a message. [Hey, I might be leaving the country, can we meet onest time?] He waited for a while, but there was no reply. Elio felt a bit down, hung his head, and left the office. ra was in the office sorting out documents. Her phone buzzed a few times, but she was too busy to check it. Before she could finish sorting the documents, Ricardo walked in, ¡°Can we postpone the afternoon meeting? Mr. Melendez looks really wiped out. Let¡¯s give him a break.¡± ra quickly nced at the schedule, ¡°We¡¯ve already postponed two meetings for three days. If we postpone again, some managers from overseas won¡¯t be able to make it back in time.¡± ¡®Ricardo frowned, ¡°But I¡¯m worried Mr. Melendez can¡¯t take it¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll print out all the meeting documents as soon as possible. And I will make sure they are super detailed. This way, Mr. Melendez doesn¡¯t have to talk much and can rest during the meeting.¡± ¡°All right, you have a lot on your te, juggling design work and secretarial duties.¡± ra took a deep breath, ¡°Well, it¡¯s just part of the job! Mr. Melendez is sacrificing his rest time, and my stuff is nothing inparison.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°You go ahead, and I¡¯ll notify everyone about the meeting.¡± After Ricardo left, ra bit her lip and sneaked a white box out of her drawer. She had bought it on her way back from meeting Leah. She was worried that people would see her with it, so she put it in her bag and went to the restroom¡­ Just as she entered and hadn¡¯t taken out the test strip, her phone rang. She nced at it; it was Emmett. For some reason, ra¡¯s heart jumped, and she almost dropped her phone. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Your secretary just told me you¡¯re preparing the documents for me yourself? No need. I¡¯m not tired. The design department has a lot going on today, and it¡¯s mentally draining. You should take a break.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± From his tone, it seemed like he hadn¡¯t found out anything. ra was slightly relieved, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Preparing documents won¡¯t take up too much time, and if it can help you, it¡¯s worth it.¡± ¡°Are you worrying about me?¡± Emmett chuckled, ¡°Saving some energy for tonight¡­¡± ra¡¯s cheeks turned red, ¡°Where are you? Aren¡¯t you afraid others will hear you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alone in my office. Are youing over?¡± ¡°Absolutely not! I have a lot of work to do; I can¡¯t chat with you right now, and you should stop chatting and get some work done!¡± After ending the call, ra nced at her phone unintentionally. She just noticed that Elio had called and sent a message. ra hesitated for a moment, looked at the test strip in her hand, and decided to take the test before replying to Elio. Otherwise, if someone found this test strip, no matter how she exined, it would be useless. Word would spread quickly in the office, and it wouldn¡¯t take long for Emmett to hear about it. By then, no matter what she said, she wouldn¡¯t be able to cover up the truth. Chapter 307 Chapter 307 But she¡¯s still not sure if she¡¯s knocked up or not. Hopefully not, then all her worries would be for nothing. ra slipped in quietly and locked the door behind her. That was the longest five minutes of her life.. The first line showed up pretty quickly. But, thank God, there was only one line. ra leaned against the wall, took a deep breath, and hid in the restroom to avoid being spotted. She quickly cleaned up, tossed the test stick into the trash can, and hightailed it out of there. Just as she was heading for the office door, she heard the secretary calling her name. ¡°ra, Mr. Melendez is asking for you.¡± ¡°Is he on break?¡± ¡°Not usually, but Mr. Melendez says he¡¯s missing you.¡± The secretary chuckled, teasing in a low voice, ¡°Did you put Mr. Melendez under your spell or something? Even during meetings, he wants to see you, get some alone time.¡± ra shot him a re, blushing, ¡°If you keep teasing me, I¡¯m gonna tell Mr. Melendez you¡¯re harassing me.¡± Hearing this, the secretary immediately raised his hands in surrender, ¡°Don¡¯t do that! Mr. Melendez might kick me out of thepany, and you¡¯re his favorite now. I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t tease you anymore, okay?¡± ¡°I was just joking. Why would I actually tell him? Where is he? I¡¯ll go now.¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the lounge next to the conference room; you should hurry, there isn¡¯t much time left. Don¡¯t let Mr. Melendez wait.¡± ra nodded, adjusted her clothes, and headed forward. At the door, she needed some mental prep. Otherwise she felt a bit guilty. She can¡¯t let Emmett find out she used a pregnancy test. But then again, even if he found out, it wouldn¡¯t matter. She wasn¡¯t pregnant. What¡¯s there to be scared of? She knocked on the door, and when she heard Emmett¡¯s voice, she walked in. But before she could react, she was pulled into a hug. ¡°Ah!¡± ra yelped in surprise, calming down only after catching a whiff of Emmett¡¯s scent. ¡°Why¡¯d you scare me like that?¡± ¡°What, thought it was some other guy?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re overthinking! Anyone would be startled by such action.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t want to hear any of that, and he silenced her with a kiss. ra squirmed a bit but was cornered and couldn¡¯t move!Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Other than epting his irresistible passion, she couldn¡¯t do anything else. The kiss ended. Emmett wiped his mouth with satisfaction, ¡°I¡¯m swamped right now, but I¡¯ll try to finish everything during office hours, then take you to see the new house.¡± ra¡¯s lipstick was smeared all over her face. She quickly wiped it off, ring at him yfully. ¡°Can you not do this at the office? If others see, they might think I¡¯m seducing you since they don¡¯t know about us!¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be scared of? If they find out, they find out! I don¡¯t care; you¡¯re the one who¡¯s too conscious about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still learning in the design department, and I don¡¯t want people to think I¡¯m getting special treatment. If they find out I¡¯m your wife, they might avoid me and be afraid of offending me. I just want to maintain a normal rtionship with them, learn from each other, and grow together. Chapter 308 Chapter 308 ¡°Did anyone in the design department take a shine to you?¡± Emmett sauntered over, slinging an arm around her waist. ¡°I¡¯ve got my nose in the grindstone. I haven¡¯t thought about that. Plus, what could I possibly do under your watchful eye?¡± ¡°So, if I¡¯m not around, you¡¯d have other ideas?¡± ¡°You¡¯re always ready to think the worst of me. Fine, I¡¯m not going to exin!¡± Emmett grinned, ¡°I love it when you get all huffy like this!¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, it¡¯s not cool to treat your subordinate like this during work hours. Can¡¯t I even voice my objections?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just openly expressing my love for you. Given enough downtime, I¡¯d spoil you rotten.¡± At this, ra took a step back, ¡°Are you pulling my leg? I¡¯ve got things to do this afternoon. I really can¡¯t¡­¡± Seeing the woman in front of him spooked by his words, Emmett didn¡¯t know whether to admire his own charm or think she was just jumpy. He nced at his watch, ¡°I¡¯ve got to hit the conference room. Wait for me at the office after work. Don¡¯t wander off. If I don¡¯t hear from you or receive any messages, don¡¯t leave. I¡¯m taking you to see our new ce today.¡± ra nodded, ¡°All right!¡± Emmett gave her a peck on the cheek before leaving with a satisfied grin. ra rolled her eyes, then remembered the message Elio had sent her earlier. After some hesitation, she went back to her office and called him back. After a few rings, Elio picked up. ¡°I feel terrible! ra, am I dying?¡± Hearing this, plus Elio¡¯s weak voice, ra got a fright, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened? Where are you?¡± ¡°L¡­ I have no idea, and I feel so sick¡­ ra, I might be dying.¡± With that, he hung up. ra was scared witless. She immediately dialed Leah. Leah didn¡¯t seem to know about this. Her voice sounded normal, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, ra?¡± ¡°Elio seems to be in trouble¡­ He didn¡¯t exin clearly when he called me and then hung up. He said he might be dying. Do you know where he is?¡± ¡°What?¡± Leah¡¯s voice rose, ¡°Oh my God! What¡¯s wrong with him now? I¡¯ll call him right away!¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use calling him now; he probably won¡¯t pick up. If I¡¯m right, he might have fainted.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to his ce to check right now!¡± Leah was about to hang up when her secretary seemed to say, ¡°You can¡¯t leave! This is crunch time.¡± Upon hearing this, ra took a deep breath, ¡°Forget it! You¡¯ve got enough on your te at the office. I¡¯ll go to his ce and I¡¯ll keep you posted.¡± ¡°If you find him, you must let me know immediately! I¡¯lle over once my meeting is over.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°All right.¡± After hanging up, ra looked at her phone, feeling a pang of guilt. Emmett trusted her so much, but now she had to go find Elio. She couldn¡¯t abandon either of them. Emmett was her husband, while Elio was the one who once saved her. She was truly torn! Chapter 309 Chapter 309 But now that Elio¡¯s life was on the line, ra couldn¡¯t give a damn about Emmett¡¯s potential wrath. ra grabbed her bag and bolted. She didn¡¯t even make it to the front door before running into Ricardo. ¡°Where are you off to in such a rush, Ms. Calloway?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got stuff to deal with. A friend of mine is sick; I¡¯ve gotta go see him.¡± Ricardo eyed her panicked expression, ¡°Want me to tell Mr. Melendez? He knows a bunch of top-notch doctors, so he might be able to help.¡± ra knew what he was getting at. She hesitated for a moment, then blurted out to Ricardo, ¡°It¡¯s a guy friend I¡¯m going to see. If you don¡¯t want Mr. Melendez to blow a fuse, you better keep it to yourself!¡± ¡°A guy friend?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not gonna betray Mr. Melendez! But the guy once did me a favor, so I¡¯ve gotta return his kindness!¡± Ricardo was taken aback, obviously not anticipating such bluntness from ra, leaving him stuck between a rock and a hard ce. But if Mr. Melendez finds out, I¡¯m toast!¡± ¡°Rx. If you don¡¯t tell him anything, he won¡¯t know. Let¡¯s keep this under wraps. I¡¯ll be back as soon as I finish lending my friend a hand.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Ricardo nodded; after all, ra had made things pretty clear. ¡°If Mr. Melendezes looking for me, you¡¯ve gotta get a hold of me right away. I¡¯ll be back ASAP! Can you smooth things over and buy me some time?¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± ra hightailed it to Elio¡¯s ce in her car. But when she got there, she found the door locked. She knocked, but no one answered, so she quickly dialed Elio¡¯s number. The phone just kept ringing, but no one picked up. She could faintly hear a ringtone from inside. So was Elio really home? ra pounded on the door, ¡°Elio! Elio! Open up! Wake up, Elio!¡± Just as she was about to call the police, the door opened. ra stood there, surprised, looking at Elio, who had just opened the door. He didn¡¯t look like he had passed out. ¡°You called me¡­ you said you were on yourst legs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m at the end of my rope.¡± Elio grabbed her arm, ¡°ra, you¡¯ve got toe with me today!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ra instinctively backed away, feeling that something was off. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, and you have toe with me!¡± ¡°Why? I¡¯m married to Emmett; I can¡¯t go with you. Elio, I know I owe you big time, but I can¡¯t repay you like this.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Elio held her hand tightly, ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice! You¡¯re here now, and I can¡¯t let you go.¡± ra struggled, trying to pull her hand free, ¡°Elio, have you lost your marbles? Let go of me! I¡¯m not going with you! I won¡¯t!¡± ¡°Whether you like it or not, I¡¯ve gotta do this!¡± Elio squinted, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ra. Whether you hate me or curse me, I don¡¯t have a choice!¡± ra saw him pull out a cloth, covering her mouth and nose. She wanted to say something, but suddenly everything went ck, and she lost consciousness. After several rounds of meetings, Emmett was wiped. Even though he had been sitting, his back and legs were killing him. Chapter 310 Chapter 310 After the meeting, he stood up immediately, and as soon as he walked out of the meeting room, he saw a worried-looking Ricardo, ¡°What are you up to?¡± After seeing Emmett, Ricardo looked even more worried, ¡°Mr. Melendez, is your meeting over?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Emmett said, ¡°Go find ra; we¡¯re going house hunting today.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ but Ms. Calloway said she hadn¡¯t finished her work today.¡± Ricardo stuttered. Emmett noticed his odd behavior. He looked at Ricardo and said, ¡°Spit it out; don¡¯t beat around the bush! I hate being lied to!¡± Ricardo was now caught between a rock and a hard ce, ¡°Um¡­¡±¡± He wiped the sweat off his forehead, looking a bit terrified. ¡°Mr. Melendez, I don¡¯t know where ra went¡­ she said she was meeting a friend today.¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°You mean she left?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ricardo lowered his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Melendez, I couldn¡¯t stop her.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°ra told me not to tell you; she was afraid you¡¯d be mad.¡± Emmett frowned and walked to the window, immediately pulling out his phone to call ra, but he couldn¡¯t get through no matter how many times he tried. Just as he was about to check ra¡¯s car location, his phone rang. Emmett immediately looked at it, thinking it was ra, but it turned out to be his mother. Emmett frowned and answered the call anyway. ¡°Son, when are youing home today? I have a special guest for you.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the guest? I¡¯m busy now; handle it yourself!¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? I told you it¡¯s a special guest, so you muste meet them.¡± Sophia Melendez said mysteriously, ¡°You won¡¯t regret meeting them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time! I¡¯m busy; I¡¯ve gotta hang up.¡± Emmett hung up the phone and nced at the secretary, whose hands were shaking, ¡°You¡¯reing with me to find ra. If we don¡¯t find her today, you¡¯re in trouble!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Melendez¡­¡±. ¡°What are you still standing there for? Go find her now!¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m on it!¡± Ricardo quickly went to check the surveince cameras. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Emmett sent a message to Matt, and within a few seconds, Matt replied, ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± Emmett clenched his fist. For some reason, he couldn¡¯t shake off the unease that something big was about to happen. ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± In the car in front of the airport, Leah Calloway looked back at ra, who was passed out in the back seat. Just as Elio was about to speak, Leah¡¯s interrupted him, ¡°Since you just took her away like that, aren¡¯t you afraid Emmett will find her soon? I told you to create a misunderstanding, not take her away!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t taking her away more in line with what you want?¡± ¡°This is really risky! Emmett has eyes all over the world, so it shouldn¡¯t be hard for him to find you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have my own secret hideouts; he won¡¯t find me.¡± ¡°But in this case, he¡¯ll be looking for ra, right? I think you should just get involved with her, then I¡¯ll take some pictures.¡± Elio immediately cut her off, ¡°I have to listen to you even on this? I¡¯ve taken her away; now it¡¯s your job to make Emmett yours.¡± ¡°Of course, you have to listen to me.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t handle Emmett at this point, it just means you¡¯re not the wife Emmett has in mind. You might as well face reality!¡± Chapter 311 Chapter 311 ¡°You¡­¡± Leah was so pissed off by his behavior that she was left speechless. I¡¯ve already brought her here. The ne¡¯s gonna take off in an hour, so whatever happens next isn¡¯t my problem!¡± Leah clenched her fists, furrowing her eyebrows, struggling to find the right words. She never thought things would turn out this way. Her original n was to make Emmett misunderstand rapletely and then give up on her, and then she would appear at the right time. But now, if ra suddenly disappeared, Emmett would definitely not give up looking for her. And then, what was she supposed to do? Should she help Emmett find ra? That would be a way to get close to him. ¡°No way! You should stick to the original n. Didn¡¯t you always want ra to be your girl? I¡¯m all set!¡± Elio frowned, ¡°You seem to have everything nned out!¡± Of course, I¡¯ve even arranged the media and booked the hotel! If you don¡¯t want to be seen by the media, I can have them only take body shots of you; there¡¯s no need to show your face.¡± Elio suddenly looked a bit strange. He tightly gripped the steering wheel, pondering for a moment before slowly saying, ¡°I can¡¯t sleep with her right now. I¡¯ve been having some health issuestely because of too much drinking.¡± Leah widened her eyes in shock, ¡°Are you kidding?¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± Leah was getting impatient, ¡°Then just pretend to sleep in the same bed with her, you don¡¯t have to do anything!¡± ¡°But how can I? ra would hate me when she woke up.¡± ¡°I think your main concern is that ra won¡¯t forgive you. But didn¡¯t I tell you that you can stay anonymous. If you don¡¯t want to do it; I can find another man.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°What¡¯s there for me to be afraid of? Do you think I¡¯d be scared aftering this far?¡± Elio gritted his teeth, ¡°You just want ra gone, right? I¡¯ve already taken her away; what else are you not happy about?¡± ¡°I want to see you ruin her with my own eyes to make sure Emmett will never think about her again!¡± Leah smirked as a malicious glint appeared in her eyes, ¡°I can¡¯t let any threats to me exist!¡± Elio looked at her, thinking she was beyond saving. ¡°Letting me y ra¡¯s stand in was a mistake. Do you think I¡¯d make the same mistake again?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°How can I be sure you won¡¯t bring ra back to Emmett someday? What will I do then? You¡¯ve got to understand! I don¡¯t just want to be by Emmett¡¯s side for a while; I want to be his wife, to be with him for a lifetime!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad!¡± ¡°If you think I¡¯m mad, then so be it. I don¡¯t give a damn about what people think.¡± Leah pulled a card out of her bag and handed it to him, ¡°This is the room I¡¯ve booked. Take her there now, and I¡¯ll notify the paparazzi. Don¡¯t you dare pull any tricks; your parents are still under my control!¡± Elio clenched his fists, wishing he could kill the woman in front of him right there and then. Leah saw that he didn¡¯t immediately take the card, so she waved it in front of him, ¡°Don¡¯t want to take it? No problem; Taylor Atwood is still waiting for my message! I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be thrilled; after all, he wants ra more than you do.¡± Hearing this, Elio snatched the card from her, ¡°So all I need to do is take a photo with her, right?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± ¡°Then, after taking the photo, I can take her out of the country, right?¡± Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Leah shrugged, ¡°Well, that¡¯s none of my business then. Whatever you guys decide to do in the future, that¡¯s on you.¡± Elio clenched his fist. He didn¡¯t want to do this, but he had no other choice. ¡°When the timees, you can tell ra that as long as she doesn¡¯t go back to Emmett, I can still help her get her two kids back. After all, by then, Emmett and I will have our own kid! Having them around will just get in my way!¡± With that, Leah pushed the car door open and got out. Elio looked at the room key in his hand and then at the unconscious woman in the back seat. He clenched his fist, ¡°ra, what am I supposed to do with you? If I had known it woulde to this, I never would have¡­¡± But it was toote now. He knew Leah wouldn¡¯t let ra off easily. She would get what she wanted. Suddenly! ra¡¯s phone, which was in her bag, rang again. Emmett¡¯s name was on the disy. Elio was expressionless. He hesitated for a moment, then pressed the power button to turn off her phone. Things had alreadye this far; he had no other choice. Elio looked at her, gently stroking ra¡¯s cheek, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t hate me when you wake up. This is the best solution I coulde up with. I will make it up to you for the rest of my life.¡± He couldn¡¯t find her. He still couldn¡¯t find her! Emmett had almost turned the entire city upside down, but he still couldn¡¯t find ra. How could she just disappear in such a short amount of time? ¡°Did she say anything else before she left?¡± Emmett called Ricardo over and asked sternly. ¡°Mrs. Melendez said she was going to see a friend who seemed to be sick¡­ she didn¡¯t say anything else.¡± Ricardo was a bit uneasy. He bit his lip and then continued, ¡°She also mentioned¡­ that because the friend was male¡­ she didn¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°A man?¡± ¡°Yeah, Mrs. Melendez was probably afraid you would misunderstand.¡± Emmett furrowed his brows. Could it be Taylor? Or Elio? Aside from them, there were no other men that ra would risk deceiving him to meet. ¡°Go to the Atwood family; have them hand over Taylor immediately!¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Melendez!¡± After Ricardo left, Emmett dialed Elio¡¯s number. It rang a few times before Elio picked up. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°Mr. Melendez, what a surprise! What can I do for you?¡± Emmett was not in the mood for small talk; he asked directly, ¡°Is ra with you?¡± ¡°ra? How could she be? I¡¯ve been trying to invite her out, but it¡¯s been tough; she¡¯s always with you. I even asked her to have dinner once, but she declined, afraid it would upset you.¡± Emmett shut his mouth. Elio didn¡¯t sound like he was lying. Elio casually asked, ¡°What¡¯s up? She¡¯s not answering your calls? Did you guys have a fight?¡± Emmett furrowed his brows, drumming his fingers on the desk, ¡°If she contacts you, let me know immediately!¡± He had no time for idle chit-chat with Elio. ¡°Sure, if she calls me, I¡¯ll tell her to contact you.¡± Emmett hung up immediately, got up, and was about to leave when he felt something was off. Elio seemed a bit tense earlier. He was trying to cover it up, but Emmett could tell. He took out his phone and dialed Matt¡¯s number, ¡°Keep a close eye on Ello. If anything unusual happens, let me know immediately!¡± Chapter 313 Chapter 313 ¡°Yes, Mr. Melendez.¡± Just as Emmett was feeling frustrated, Sophia called again, but he declined without hesitation. But a whileter, his phone showed a call from Aiden. With a slight hesitation, Emmett answered the call, and Aiden¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Dad, why haven¡¯t you and Mome back yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bit tied up, so I might get back a bitte.¡± ¡°Are you guysing back at all? Grandma insisted we meet a woman, iming she¡¯s our biological mom.¡± At this, Emmett immediately frowned, ¡°Listen to me, whatever your grandma does, you and Alex just ignore her! Find an excuse about studying or something; I¡¯m on my way back!¡± ¡°Got it, Dad.¡± After hanging up, Emmett immediately made a U-turn and headed home. Upon arrival, he spotted a red car parked in his yard. This definitely wasn¡¯t a Melendez family¡¯s car! ¡°Son, you¡¯re finally back.¡± His mother hurried out as soon as she spotted his car with a smile on her face, ¡°I knew you¡¯de back. Come, let me introduce you to Leah.¡± Leah? Emmett stared at the vaguely familiar face before him, his expression darkening, ¡°Why are you here again? Didn¡¯t I tell you to vanish from the kids¡¯ lives?¡± After he spoke, Leah¡¯s eyes instantly welled up. She backed away in fear, hiding behind Sophia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I didn¡¯t n on disturbing your lives. Meeting your mom was an ident. If this is causing trouble¡­ I¡¯ll leave right now.¡± As she finished, she tried to leave, but Sophia grabbed her, turning to her son. ¡°What the hell are you doing? She¡¯s their biological mother; are you nning on lying to them and saying that ra is their real mother?¡± ¡°The kids are old enough to know who their mother is; I don¡¯t need to lie! But I will never have anything to do with this woman! Even if I didn¡¯t have ra, I¡¯d never let her step foot in my house, let alone marry her!¡± Leah¡¯s face turned pale. She looked like a lost and pitiful kitten. After seeing him act like this, Sophia got even angrier. ¡°Leah¡¯s a girl who bore your two sons; is it right to talk to her like this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem with it!¡± ¡°It must be ra spoiling you! You can¡¯t even manage basic manners now! Is this how your father and I raised you?¡± ¡°Sorry, my manners aren¡¯t for just anyone.¡± Emmett turned to Leah, ¡°Leave! Now!¡± After hearing this, Leah seemed shocked, quickly nodding. ¡°I¡¯ll leave right away; don¡¯t be angry, and don¡¯t fight with your mom. This is all my fault¡­ Sophia, don¡¯t be angry because of me. I did ept the money before, even though I was desperate.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°But I agreed to the transaction; I shouldn¡¯t be here now. This is my fault. Stop fighting; I¡¯ll leave right away.¡± Chapter 314 Chapter 314 As she spoke, tears trickled down her cheeks and dropped onto her clothes, making her look very pitiful. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. But that didn¡¯t make a dent in Emmett¡¯s heart. His heart would never waver for any woman other than ra. This time, Sophia didn¡¯t hold Leah back. She got straight in the car and left. Sophia¡¯s annoyance deepened as she watched Leah disappear into the courtyard. ¡°What on earth is wrong with you? Has ra done something to you? Leah is the mother of your kid!¡± ¡°But she took our money! It was a transaction; I have no feelings for her.¡± ¡°But she is the child¡¯s biological mother!¡± ¡°I know! So what?¡± Sophia stomped her foot in frustration. ¡°Only Leah will think about the future of the two kids; ra will not give a damn!¡± Emmett replied, ¡°I think they get along fine.¡± ¡°You two don¡¯t have kids together now, but if you did, what would happen to Aiden and Alex? I can¡¯t always look after them as their mother. ¡°Their father is still alive! Even if ra doesn¡¯t care, do you think I¡¯ll abandon them?¡± Sophia sighed, ¡°You¡¯re always busy at the office; can you take care of the home?¡± ¡°it¡¯s fine as long as ra takes care of the home!¡± Sophia retorted angrily, ¡°ra is good to the kids because she¡¯s pretending! There¡¯s no way that woman would genuinely care for them!¡± ¡°Do you think Leah would be good to the kids?¡± ¡°Of course! Aiden and Alex are her own flesh and blood!¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t think so! I don¡¯t want this to happen again; this is thest time! If Leahes to our house again, I¡¯ll make her leave the country and never let here back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too harsh! Don¡¯t Aiden and Alex have the right to see their biological mother?¡± ¡°But Aiden and Alex don¡¯t want to see her. Do you know why I came back? It was Aiden who called me.¡± Sophia was taken aback, ¡°That¡¯s because he hasn¡¯t had contact with his biological mother; once he lives with her, Aiden and Alex will ept her. Blood is thicker than water!¡± ¡°None of that matters to me. I have things to do.¡± Emmett said as he turned to leave. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, half-turning to look at Sophia. ¡°Because of this, I¡¯ve decided to move out with ra and the kids. You and Dad can enjoy your golden years here.¡± Sophia was shocked, ¡°No! Aiden and Alex can¡¯t leave me!¡± ¡°But you always force them to see people they don¡¯t want to see. I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll affect their mental well-being.¡± ¡°You¡­ you¡­ I think you¡¯re blinded by ra! Whatever she does is right; whatever I do is wrong.¡± Emmett closed his mouth gently, ¡°You¡¯re being too suspicious of ra.¡± ¡°She had bad intentions when she married into the Melendez family. Who is biologically rted to the kids here, her or me as the kids¡¯ grandmother? I¡¯m telling you, you don¡¯t listen to me, you¡¯ll regret it someday!¡± if ¡°I never regret anything! Mom. You¡¯ll have to deal with the consequences of this. I don¡¯t want our rtionship to strain over this again, and I believe Dad wouldn¡¯t approve of your actions either.¡± Chapter 315 Chapter 315 After dropping that bomb, Emmett just hopped into his car and drove off. Sophia was so pissed off that she started cussing out loud, not giving a damn about her image. ¡°ra! You¡¯re such a pain in the ass, but I won¡¯t back down! The Melendez family still has their elders around!¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. After leaving the Melendez family¡¯s mansion, Leah went straight back to the office. Before long, she saw a call from Sophiaing in. She already knew that Sophia wouldn¡¯t give up easily. She took a moment to calm herself down before picking up the phone. She could hear the urgency in Sophia¡¯s voice, like she was worried about pissing her off. ¡°Where are you now, sweetie? I¡¯lle find you right now.¡± ¡°Sophia, you don¡¯t need toe. I don¡¯t want to upset Emmett anymore. I¡¯m at the hotel packing up, ready to leave the country.¡± Leah managed to choke out these words and even shed a couple of tears, trying hard to hold back the rest. ¡°Leave the country? Honey, don¡¯t make any rash decisions.¡± ¡°You had a fight with Emmett because of me. I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Sophia was desperate to keep her from leaving and blurted out, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything I do is in the best interest of my grandson. I¡¯ll only rest easy knowing his kids¡¯ biological mother is by his side.¡± Chapter 316 Chapter 316 ¡°Plus, like Emmett said, I chose to do those things. I even got paid for it. So your family doesn¡¯t need to take the me. As for the kids, I¡¯ve let them go. I can¡¯t see them anymore.¡± ¡°What are you even talking about, kiddo?¡± Sophia blurted out, ¡°Where are you? Let¡¯s meet up and talk. You¡¯re not going to ignore what I have to say, are you?¡± Leah hesitated before answering. ¡°If youe to see me and Emmett finds out, won¡¯t that just cause more trouble between you two? It might affect your rtionship as mother and son. It¡¯s not worth it for you to go through all that for me. ¡°What do you mean ¡®not worth it¡¯? Even if we fight, he¡¯s still my flesh and blood. And that ra is just some poor woman who suddenly became all high and mighty!¡± A small smile yed on Leah¡¯s lips. ¡°In my eyes, you¡¯re a million times better than her! You¡¯re the real mother of the kids. Of course I want you to be with my son!¡± ¡°But I¡­¡± ¡°No buts! Don¡¯t do anything rash, okay? Let¡¯s meet up and talk. Tell me where you are now, or else I¡¯m really going to get angry!¡± Leah pretended to hesitate before telling Sophia her location. Then she hung up the phone, put it down, and headed straight for the parking garage to get her car and head to the hotel. On the way, Elio called. Leah didn¡¯t want to answer, but she was worried something might¡¯ve happened on his end, so she picked up. ¡°What¡¯s up? I¡¯m kinda busy right now, so cut to the chase.¡± ¡°What are you busy with?¡± Elio asked, ¡°Are you nning to screw ra over again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just following my n. What can I do to her? Isn¡¯t she with you? Did you get the photos?¡± ¡°Got them. I had the reporter edit me out.¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Leah smirked, ¡°That¡¯s your call. I don¡¯t care. All I want is for Emmett to get the wrong idea about ra. Nothing else matters.¡± Elio tried to say something else, ¡°But¡­¡± Leah didn¡¯t have time for this. She hurriedly said, ¡°We¡¯ll talkter. I can¡¯t talk right now.¡± -She hung up and arrived at the hotel she was meeting Sophia at. Leah was in such a hurry that she didn¡¯t even bother parking properly. She rushed into the hotel suite and quickly pulled out a suitcase, stuffing clothes in it to make her act more convincing. ¡°Mr. Melendez, this man hasn¡¯t booked a room at our hotel, but he¡¯s visited several times. Here are his check-in records.¡± Emmett took the records and checked them. Each time, Elio seemed to be in a rush and didn¡¯t stay long. But why would Elio be here if he hadn¡¯t booked a room? Emmett handed the records back to the manager, ¡°Are you sure this guy hasn¡¯t booked a room here?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m certain. Our hotel operates on a real-name system. There¡¯s no chance we missed it.¡± ¡®Then whose room was he visiting? Can you provide me with their information?¡± Although the manager seemed a bit uneasy, he didn¡¯t deny Emmett¡¯s request. He just nodded nervously, ¡°Sure, just give me a moment. Our system¡¯s a bitplicated. We have professionals who handle this.¡± ¡°Alright, just make it quick. I don¡¯t have much time.¡± The manager nodded and left. Matt whispered to Emmett, ¡°Mr. Melendez, do you want me to do a little detective work?¡± ¡°No need. I trust the manager will provide with the urate records.¡± Emmett was confident the manager wouldn¡¯t dare hide anything from him. He sat down on a couch in the hotel lobby, waiting for the results of the manager¡¯s investigation. Suddenly, Emmett saw a familiar figure. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Isn¡¯t that Elio? ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Emmett shot up from his seat and made a beeline for him, stopping Elio in his tracks. Clearly, Elio was taken aback to see Emmett. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I came all the way here just to look for you! ra said she needed to meet a friend. Is that friend you?¡± Elio paused, then shook his head. ¡°No, didn¡¯t I tell you I¡¯m swamped today? There¡¯s no way I could meet up with her. Besides, there¡¯s nothing left to talk about between us. You two are married now; I¡¯ve gotta keep my distance to avoid stirring up trouble.¡± Emmett studied Elio¡¯s reactions but couldn¡¯t find anything amiss. In fact, when Emmett really looked at Elio, he found his demeanor too natural, showing no signs of deceit. ¡°Did ra contact you recently?¡± Elio shrugged. ¡°No, she only told me earlier that because you¡¯re the jealous type, she can¡¯t keep in touch with me as often. She¡¯s afraid it might tick you off.¡± Emmett¡¯s gaze was fixed on Elio¡¯s face, fearing he might miss any subtle changes in his expression, but to his disappointment, there were none. Elio¡¯s calmness left no room for doubt. He even turned the tables on Emmett. ¡°Did you lose ra? Did you two have a fight or something? ra¡¯s got a fiery temper, so I hope you can give her some leeway.¡± This irked Emmett. ¡°I can handle my own affairs! Don¡¯t talk as if ra is yours!¡± Undeniably, Elio wished ra was his. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡± ¡°She¡¯s my wife, so we¡¯ll decide how we want to live our lives!¡± Elio gave an awkward smile. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯ve got things to deal with upstairs. If there¡¯s any news about ra, I hope you could let me know. Just to put my mind at ease.¡± Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Emmett stayed silent. Elio figured he was just wasting his time. He shrugged, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be on my merry way, Mr. Melendez.¡±. He shot a nce at Emmett before leaving the room. After watching him leave, Emmett shot Matt a look. Matt immediately got the hint, ¡°I¡¯ll have someone tail him ASAP, Mr. Melendez. No need to worry.¡± Emmett simply nodded. With ra missing, he was on pins and needles. He worried that his unique status might have pissed off the wrong person. He didn¡¯t even want to think about the consequences if someone kidnapped ra for business reasons and not because of some petty squabble. No, he had to find ra immediately! ra felt like she was in a dream. She dreamed about her dading back for money and Emmett finding out the truth. If it weren¡¯t for the soreness in her shoulder when she turned, she might still think she was dreaming. ra opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, feeling dumbfounded for a while. ¡°Where am I?¡± She quickly got up and scanned the room. She was certain she¡¯d never been there before. There was only one door in the room. ra quickly opened it and found a maid at the door, who bowed at her sight. ¡°Hello, Ms. Calloway, may I assist you?¡± L ra asked, a little puzzled, ¡°Can you tell me where I am? How did I end up here?¡± She remembered being with Elio, but what happened afterward was a total nk. Despite her best efforts, ra couldn¡¯t recall anything. ¡°Ms. Calloway, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re not going to harm you. We¡¯re here to take care of you. You just need to stay here.¡± ¡°Stay here? Who told you to take care of me?¡± ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯ll know when he gets back.¡± ra was a little confused, so she decided to go out and see where she was. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. But as she was about to leave the vi, the maid suddenly stopped her, ¡°Ms. Calloway, he said you can¡¯t go out! If you need anything, just tell me.¡± ¡°Are you restricting my freedom?¡± ra frowned at the maid, ¡°Is this ¡®he¡¯ you¡¯re talking about Elio?¡± After all, she¡¯d gone to meet Elio before she passed out. She could guess that much. As the maid was about to answer, footsteps came from the living room. ¡°You¡¯re quite sharp, ra.¡± It was Elio¡¯s voice! ra¡¯s brow furrowed as she watched him warily, ¡°What did you bring me here for? Let me go!¡± After seeing her reaction, Elio felt a pang in his heart, ¡°Are you wary of me, ra? Have I ever hurt you?¡± Looking at the hurt in Elio¡¯s eyes and recalling his past help, ra felt guilty, and her guard dropped a little. ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I¡¯m just confused about your sudden actions. I don¡¯t understand why you did this.¡± ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Elio looked her in the eye, making it impossible for ra to avoid his gaze. ¡°Elio, can you just tell me the truth? Stop making me guess. Emmett will be furious if he finds out I sneaked out! I told his assistant I¡¯d be back soon, so he¡¯d help me cover this up. If Emmett finds out, he¡¯ll be in hot water too!¡±,¡± Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Elio frowned, ¡°I bet Emmett already knows! It¡¯s already the afternoon of the next day.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Elio showed her his phone, and sure enough, it was the next day. ra immediately stood up to leave, but Elio grabbed her, ¡°You can¡¯t go! Someone¡¯s out to get you. It¡¯s dangerous out there! You¡¯re safe here!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it, if you¡¯re looking out for me, you should tell me everything.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you yet; you just need to stay here. I¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got me all confused. I don¡¯t know who¡¯s out to get me or why I can¡¯t leave.¡± ra was anxious, but it was clear Elio wasn¡¯t nning on letting her go. ¡°If you trust me, just rx here: Once it¡¯s safe, I¡¯ll bring you back to Emmett.¡± ra took a deep breath and frowned, ¡°Fine, give me my phone back. I need to call Emmett and let him know, or he¡¯ll be searching all over for me. If he finds this ce, I¡¯m afraid he might blow a gasket at you.¡± Elio¡¯s mood suddenly turned sour, ¡°So you think I can¡¯t protect you and only Emmett can?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. If Emmett finds out I¡¯m missing, it¡¯s normal for him to look for me, isn¡¯t it? If I don¡¯t tell him, he¡¯ll still be searching, won¡¯t he?¡± Elio didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Why are you being so unreasonable? I just don¡¯t want you to get dragged into this. If Emmett knows I¡¯m with you, will hee after you or me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about all that. I just want you safe.¡± ra took another deep breath, ¡°You know how Emmett is; he¡¯s capable of anything. If you¡¯re really looking out for me, let me tell him. Emmett won¡¯t hurt me!¡± Elio scoffed, ¡°Who do you think hurt you?¡± ra was speechless, ¡°Can¡¯t you just tell me straight? Elio, what¡¯s happened to you?¡± She remembered Elio as a bit prickly but fundamentally good. If he wasn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t have helped her when they didn¡¯t know each other that well. But now ra was finding it harder and harder to read him. ¡°Do you think I want this? Do you know how much it hurts?¡± Elio clenched her wrist, forcing her to look at him. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Ever since you left, I¡¯ve been alone in that empty house. Without your frequent phone calls checking in on me, I suddenly feel like an orphan!¡± ra was taken aback, and she felt guilt welling up inside her. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten so used to your presence over the years that sometimes leven feel like we¡¯re married and that we have a cute kid. But what about you? Do you realize how much you¡¯ve hurt me? You¡¯ve completely wrecked my life!¡± ra was at a loss for words. She had plenty to say, but she was unable to say it. ¡°But I know you¡¯re happy now with the Melendez family, with two kids by your side, so I let you go!¡± ra fell silent. ¡°If there was no danger, I wouldn¡¯t havee back to find you! I¡¯ve already let you be with Emmett. No matter how much it hurts, I won¡¯t regret it.¡± ra bit her lip, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elio. It¡¯s all my fault! I know you¡¯re trying to help, but you have to let me tell Emmett. He¡¯ll worry!¡± ¡°So you still don¡¯t trust me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it! I¡¯ll call him, and I won¡¯t tell him I¡¯m with you, okay? I just want to let him know I¡¯m safe.¡± ¡°No way, you can¡¯t contact anyone right now!¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 320 Chapter 320 ¡°ra, I¡¯ve even put my parents¡¯ safety at risk for you. Just stay put here for a while, and when things cool down, I¡¯ll let you go back. Then, I¡¯ll exin everything to him.¡± ¡°¡­Emmett wouldn¡¯t betray me! I just need to have a word with him. Even a text message would do!¡± ¡°In the end, you just don¡¯t trust me!¡± Elio turned cold, ¡°Then just stay here! If you think Emmett can come to rescue you, then just wait and see!¡± With that, he turned to leave. ra rushed to stop him, ¡°You can¡¯t leave me here! Let me go; no matter the danger, I¡¯ll face it myself!¡± Elio¡¯s lips tightened, ¡°It¡¯s not up to you!¡± Two days! Two full days without any news of ra. Now, the whole Melendez Group was on edge, as President Emmett was about to lose it! Ricardo, delivering documents, gently knocked on the door, only-daring to enter when he heard a sound from inside. Before he could speak, Emmett asked directly, ¡°Any news of ra?¡± Ricardo shook his head, stepping forward to ce the documents on the table, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ this is all my fault. I should¡¯ve stopped her from leaving.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ? Emmett rubbed his forehead, gesturing for him to leave. But Ricardo, seeing his haggard look, felt extremely guilty. ¡°Mr. Melendez, Mrs. Melendez must be fine. Please eat something. I heard from the canteen staff that you haven¡¯t touched the food they sent these past few days! This can¡¯t go on; we still have no news of Mrs. Melendez. You¡¯ll fall sick like this¡­¡± ¡°Right now, apart from the news of ra, I don¡¯t want to hear anything else! I don¡¯t have an appetite; you go do your work!¡± Emmett appeared disheveled, with stubble covering his face and a hoarse voice, a stark contrast to his usual vibrant self. Ricardo knew the importance of ra to the president. It was this that made him feel particrly guilty. If only he could have stopped ra from leaving, maybe none of this would have happened¡­ Suddenly, Emmett stood up from his chair and reached for his car keys. ¡°I need to go out. If there¡¯s anything, call me, especially if there¡¯s news about ra. Get in touch immediately!¡± Ricardo nodded but worried he might have an ident while driving, ¡°Where are you going? Let me drive you; you haven¡¯t eaten these days. I¡¯m worried about you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, and I won¡¯t let anything happen to me until I find ra!¡± Emmett¡¯s face darkened, and he strode out of the office. When his phone rang, he had just reached the ground floor; he hadn¡¯t even left thepany.. It was a news alert. Normally, Emmett wouldn¡¯t have paid any attention, but the headline made him pause. ra! Why was her name here? Emmett immediately clicked on the news headline; he stood still, frozen in ce. ¡°Elio getting married? Rumor has it his bride-to-be is the secretary of the Melendez Group, named ra!¡± ¡°Shocker! Elio¡¯s fianc¨¦e turns out to be the ex-girlfriend of AW Company¡¯s president! The news link also included a photo depicting a woman and a man lying in bed. Although the man¡¯s face was obscured, Emmett was certain that woman was definitely ra! Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Could it be that ra really went behind his back to meet Elio? This realization left Emmett a bit lost. He kept telling himself, this can¡¯t be true! It must be someone stirring up trouble! At times like this, he should stay cool! Emmett quickly dug up Elio¡¯s number, but before he could dial, his mother¡¯s call came in first. Frowning, he answered, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Have you seen the news? That ra is with Elio. Do you know about this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the news, but make sure the kids don¡¯t see it!¡± ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t let them see it. They are good-hearted kids, still too young to understand these things!¡± Emmett rubbed his temples, about to respond, when the voice of Sophia Melendez came through the phone. ¡°Knowing that the woman they call mom did something like this will also affect them!¡± ¡°This hasn¡¯t been confirmed! I believe ra wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡± Sophia snorted, ¡°Son, why won¡¯t you ept it? This woman is no good! She¡¯s crafty and seems nice to Aiden and Alex, but what she¡¯s really up to, we have no clue!¡± Emmett felt a headacheing on, his hand propped against the wall. He was dizzy ¡°I won¡¯t easily believe anyone until this matter is settled!¡± Hearing this, Sophia got even more worked up, ¡°You¡¯re still defending her? Didn¡¯t you see the photos? I¡¯m sure it¡¯s ra.¡± ¡°Photos can be faked!¡± ¡°Son, listen to your mom. You should divorce this woman as soon as possible. The further away from her, the better. Otherwise, your life will only get worse.¡± Emmett¡¯s brow furrowed, and his mind was in chaos. ¡°Today she¡¯s with Elio; tomorrow she could be with someone else. Are you okay with being deceived?¡± ¡°I said I haven¡¯t verified the authenticity of this matter! I won¡¯t easily believe the media.¡± Even though Emmett said that, his hand was clenched into a tight fist. That silhouette, he knew it too well¡­ Even if ra turned to ashes, he would recognize her! ¡°When will you let this go? Do you need to see it for yourself? As long as I¡¯m around, the Melendez family can¡¯t ept such a woman! You need to divorce!¡± Emmett didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he hung up the phone. Right now, he didn¡¯t want to listen to anyone. He just wanted to find ra and have her exin. Soon, news came from Matt. His reply made Emmett¡¯s mood even heavier. ¡°Mr. Melendez, this photo is not doctored. I had someone check it carefully. It¡¯s a genuine shot.¡± Emmett clenched his fist tighter, the veins on his hand protruding. He kept calling Elio from another phone, but the line was always busy. ¡°Find him! I want to know where Elio is now!¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Emmett gave the order to the bodyguard. He hadn¡¯t been this mad for a long time; his tone was so harsh that it startled the bodyguard. ¡°I understand, Mr. Melendez; I¡¯m on it!¡± ¡°Let me out, let me out! Elio, I want to see Elio!¡± Chapter 322 Chapter 322 ra kept banging on the vi door, but no one responded. Other than the maid from before, she had no one to talk to. However, ra was sure there were plenty of people outside. They were just pretending not to hear. ¡°Ms. Calloway, stop yelling. Elio isn¡¯t here. No matter how loud you scream, he won¡¯te, the maid said. ra frowned at the maid, ¡°Then let me out. I really have an emergency. I can¡¯t stay here. If you really care about Elio, let me go¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, the maid looked ufortable 1 just follow Elio¡¯s orders. If he tells me to stay with you, I have to. I can¡¯t do anything else¡­¡± ¡°But you can call him, right? Call him I want to talk to him!¡± ¡°Elio is busy right now, I¡¯ve sent him a message, but he didn¡¯t reply ¡®Did you two n this together? Do you want to trap me here? ra thought this was a possibility The maid lowered her head. ¡°Ello just wants to ensure your safety ¡°I have two kids out there, I can¡¯t stay here I need to contact Elio now If you don¡¯t call him, I¡¯ll go on a hunger strike! If Elio wants to fight me, I¡¯ll fight back.¡± The maid seemed scared, and she didn¡¯t want to be responsible ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll call him in front of you. If Ello picks up. l give you the phone. If he doesn¡¯t it means I¡¯m not lying to you, okay?¡± ra nodded. Fine, call him now The maid took out her phone but ra wasn¡¯t interested in the call. She just wanted the maid¡¯s phone So, she took her chance and rushed to the maid Clearly, the maid didn¡¯t expect ra to grab the phone ra snatched it and ran into the bathroom, locking the door behind her! She dialed Emer¡¯s number on the phone while the maid kept banging on the bathroom door Ms Calloway give me back my phone You¡¯re making things difficult for me¡± ¡°Ms Calloway, open the door or have to break it down¡± ¡°Ms Calloway, can you hear me? Don¡¯t make Elle angry He¡¯s almady been really busy because of your But ra wasn¡¯t going to listen to the maid Her only thought was to contact Emmett and let him know she was being held captive by Elio. She couldn¡¯t care less about anything else she had to get out of here She had to escape However, ra found out that although she had sessfully dialed the number, there was no sound on the other end She hung up and dialed again, but it was still the same That¡¯s when the maid spoke up. ¡°Ms. Calloway it¡¯s useless to have my phone it can only call Elio ra frowned. Herst hope was gone She smashed the phone against the wall in anger, ¡°What the hell do you want? Why are you holding me here?¡± ¡°Ms. Calloway, hasn¡¯t Elio already told you? He¡¯s doing this for your own good!¡± Chapter 323 Chapter 323 ra gripped her phone tightly, ¡°What does he mean, ¡®it¡¯s for my own good¡±? He just wants me to be his property.¡± ¡°Elio is really trying to protect you.¡± ¡°I know I owe him, but that doesn¡¯t mean he can disregard my feelings! I¡¯m a person, not a pet, and he can¡¯t just strip me of my A few minutester¡­ The maid barged straight in by breaking the door. Seeing ra sitting on the floor, she walked over helplessly. ¡°Ms. Calloway, you should listen to Elio.¡± freedom.¡± ra looked up at her, ¡°Fine, you want to force me? Then I won¡¯t eat, drink or talk from now on! If Elio wants me, he can have my dead body!¡± After school, when Aiden and Alex got home, they instantly sensed that something was off. Their grandma seemed different than usual, so he cautiously asked, ¡°Did Mom and Dade home yet?¡± Sophia nodded slightly, ¡°Hmm, they might be busy today.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Aiden nodded thoughtfully, but his eyes were filled with questions. Sophia pulled Aiden aside, speaking cautiously, ¡°Aiden, Grandma has something to tell you.¡± Aiden had a bad feeling, ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s up? Did Mom argue with you again?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s that your mom might note back anymore, but your dad will find you a new mom; she¡¯ll be much better than your previous one!¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hearing this, Aiden frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t want a new mom. I only want ra to be my mom.¡± Sophia sighed, pulling him into her arms. ¡°Grandma knows you¡¯re both good kids, and you never had a mom since you were little. It must have been really tough on you. But you have to understand ra is just your stepmom. Your biological mom is still alive. Don¡¯t you want to see her?¡± Aiden really wanted to spill the truth, but he worried his parents had other ns, so he yed dumb. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see my biological mom. I¡¯ve never met her; she never raised me!¡± ¡°Silly boy, no matter what, she¡¯s still your mom! How about this? Listen to grandma. I¡¯ll arrange a meeting between you two in a few days, then you can decide.¡± Sophia believed that blood ties would definitely have an appeal. Once Aiden truly met his biological mom, he¡¯d naturally develop feelings for her. It¡¯d be easier with Alex; after all, Alex had been with his mom since he was little, and he¡¯d probably be thrilled once he heard the news. The problem now was Aiden. Sophia was still afraid he wouldn¡¯t ept it. As expected, Aiden was full of resistance. ¡°I don¡¯t want a new mom. Grandma, can you bring ra back? If you don¡¯t like her, I can make her change. You tell me what you don¡¯t like about her, and then I¡¯ll talk to her about it.¡± Sophia sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like her. It¡¯s that she¡¯s not qualified to be your mother.¡± ¡°But mom treats me really well. Why isn¡¯t she suitable?¡± Aiden tilted his head, looking at Grandma. This is adult stuff, and you¡¯re too young to understand. I¡¯ll exin it to you when you¡¯re older. Now, go study with Alex.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Aiden nodded, a shit ton of questions swirling in his head. He was afraid of putting his foot in his mouth, so he headed back to his room. Once the door was shut, he nned to give his father a ring. His little bro Alex was munching on some sweets, eyeballing Aiden, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? You look down in the dumps.¡± ¡°Something¡¯s up with Mum and Dad. Granny just told me she¡¯s gonna find us a new mum¡­¡± At that, Alex shot up from his chair, ¡°A new mum? Why?¡± Aiden frowned, looking like a carbon copy of Emmett. ¡°I don¡¯t have all the details! But I reckon something big must¡¯ve gone down.¡± ¡°Then go ask Mum!¡± ¡°I tried calling her, but she didn¡¯t pick up. Dad hasn¡¯t called me back either.¡± ? This was beyond Alex¡¯sprehension. He could only guess if there was some beef between Granny and Mum, considering they never got along. ¡°I¡¯ll go ask Granny.¡± Alex grinned, ¡®Granny¡¯s sweet on me. She¡¯ll spill the beans.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Aiden shook his head, ¡°No dice this time. I just asked her, and all she said was about finding us a new mum. She didn¡¯t give me the skinny.¡± This made him even more worried! Usually, Granny was the type toy it out straight. But this time, she chose to keep mum. This definitely wasn¡¯t small potatoes! Aiden sat on the edge of the bed, staring at his phone. No response for ages had him on pins and needles. Aiden sighed, ¡°If Grannyes, tell her I¡¯ve hit the sack.¡± Alex nodded, puzzled, ¡°Why? Are you heading out?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m gonna find Dad. I need to get the lowdown on this.¡± Alex made a face and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just tell it like it is? New mum, old mum, we only want our real mum.¡± ¡°No can do!¡± ¡°Why not? You said Granny didn¡¯t like ra because she thought she wasn¡¯t our real mum. So if we tell granny ra is our real mum, isn¡¯t that sorted?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just b. Mum told us we can¡¯t let the cat out of the bag unless she does first.¡± Alex frowned, his little face full of confusion, ¡°This won¡¯t work, that won¡¯t work, I¡¯m all out of ideas!¡± ¡°I¡¯m all at sea too; that¡¯s why I want to find Dad. Remember, don¡¯t let slip that I¡¯ve gone to find Dad, got it?¡± Alex nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do as you say. But you gotta keep me posted.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Inside the hotel suite. Elio pushed open the door and walked in, immediately spotting Leah Calloway busy with something. Leah saw him and stood up, ¡°You did well. I thought you might pull a fast one¡­¡± Elio frowned, looking pissed off, ¡°I¡¯ve done as you asked. Can I take ra now?¡± Chapter 325 Chapter 325 ¡°No can do! It¡¯s not the right time. Emmett might still be sniffing around. If you guys leave the country now, it¡¯ll only draw his attention. Better toy low at home. By way, where¡¯s ra? Hand her over to me.¡± the Hearing this, Elio was quick to object, ¡°No way! How can I trust you with ra? What if you have ulterior motives?¡± Leah shot back with sarcasm, ¡°You¡¯re so sweet on ra, thinking about her every little need! If she doesn¡¯t end up falling for you, all these efforts would go down the drain!¡± ¡°Cut the crap. What do you want?¡± ¡°Nothing much. Emmett¡¯s started his investigation. Be careful, don¡¯t let him catch you. I won¡¯t be able to help you then!¡± Elio frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t need your meddling.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°But I have to warn you, if Emmett finds out and you spill the beans, throw me under the bus, I can¡¯t guarantee your parents¡¯ safety¡­¡± ¡°You!¡± ra raised an eyebrow, ¡°You know me, I¡¯m a regr mad-hatter! No one can stand in the way of what I want to do!¡± Elio got the message. He said, ¡°If that¡¯s all, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Where are you headed? Do I need to get someone to watch your back?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y innocent. I know you just want to control ra. Let me tell you, no chance! As long as I¡¯m around, you can¡¯ty a finger on her!¡± Leah shrugged, ¡°All right, since you¡¯ve seen through me, no point ying coy. I¡¯m just worried Emmett might find ra. If that happens, my n will go up in smoke! I can¡¯t afford any hups!¡± ¡°What could possibly go wrong? The news is out already, didn¡¯t you see?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true.¡± Leah smirked, chin up, ¡°Emmett was supposed to be mine! ra¡¯s not his match. Everything¡¯s perfect now, and you just need to keep ra safe, stop her from messing up my n, then it¡¯ll be even more perfect!¡± Elio was in no mood for small talk. He gave her a cold stare. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m off.¡± ¡°What, in a rush to find ra?¡± ¡°What¡¯s it to you that I¡¯m in a rush for?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my brother! I¡¯m just looking out for you. Honestly, as your sister, I suggest you get ra pregnant during this time! That way, she can¡¯t leave you.¡± Elio snorted, ¡°I¡¯m a man of principles. I don¡¯t take advantage of others!¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying all this for your own good. Think about why Emmett¡¯s after her. Isn¡¯t it because they have two kids? If she loved Emmett from the start, she wouldn¡¯t have run to you, right?¡± Elio frowned, giving her aplex look, ¡°I don¡¯t need your advice.¡± ¡°Looking at you, I mean well.¡± Leah spread her hands, ¡°All right, since you want to y the righteous guy, I won¡¯t bother you.¡± Elio turned to leave, and as soon as he stepped out, he saw a bunch of missed calls on his phone. The calls were from the servant, and without thinking, he knew ra wouldn¡¯t have stayed put. But he was at a loss. If ra shows up, his parents¡¯ safety would be at risk. Chapter 326 Chapter 326 If Emmett found ra, Leah would be pissed. At that moment, his parents were still under her thumb, so he didn¡¯t dare to make a move. He could only let ra bear the brunt. ¡°Mr. Melendez, we¡¯ve found Elio¡¯s location. He¡¯s at this hotel.¡± Matt sent the location to Emmett. Emmett didn¡¯t have time to think twice, and he immediately hit the road. But when he got to the hotel, it was closed. He was puzzled and walked in. The receptionist greeted him politely, ¡°Hello, sir. Our hotel is not in business today.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Emmett asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, sir. That¡¯s what the management told us. They didn¡¯t give a specific reason. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The receptionist replied. Emmett knew something was fishy. He immediately asked Matt to track down the hotel¡¯s management. In less than half an hour, the hotel¡¯s manager drove over in a flurry. Seeing Emmett, he immediately nodded and bowed, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°I had no idea Mr. Melendez would being today. My apologies. I have other hotels, and I can arrange for you to stay there if that¡¯s OK?¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why can¡¯t I stay here? Why is this hotel closed?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not actually closed,¡± the manager exined, ¡°Someone booked all the rooms, so we don¡¯t have any avable for other guests. I kept the receptionist on duty in case the guest who booked the hotel had any requests.¡± Seeing Emmett silent, the manager nervously asked, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to stay at another hotel, I can negotiate with the guest and see if they can spare a room for you.¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°Can you bring that person out to meet me?¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. The manager was taken aback, ¡°I can¡¯t decide that, but I can ask for you, see if they¡¯re willing to meet.¡± -1 Before he could finish, a ck car pulled up at the entrance, and a man got out. Emmett looked over, and it was Taylor Atwood. Clearly, Taylor was surprised to see Emmett, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°I was about to ask you the same thing. Is ra¡¯s disappearance anything to do with you?¡± Taylor said, ¡°I was invited here. You didn¡¯t set me up, did you?¡± Emmett quickly realized, ¡°Looks like someone wants to frame you.¡± Taylor raised an eyebrow, ¡°Frame me? Do you mean that news? Emmett, let me tell you, even though I don¡¯t want you and ra together, I believe in ra¡¯s character!¡± Emmett was silent for a moment, not wanting to waste more time with Taylor. All he wanted was to find ra. *ra would never do such a thing; I¡¯m sure she was set up. The guy in the news, I think he¡¯s just doing this because he can¡¯t get her love!¡± Emmett nced at him, not bothering to argue further, and turned his attention to the hotel manager. The manager immediately took out his phone but couldn¡¯t get through to the other party. Emmett clenched his fists and called Matt, ¡°Send people to search the entire hotel, every nook and cranny, leave no stone unturned!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Melendez.¡± Hearing this, the manager realized the gravity of the situation, ¡°Mr. Melendez, what¡¯s going on? Just tell me straight. Let¡¯s see if I can lend a hand¡­ Chapter 327 Chapter 327 ¡°I don¡¯t need your help!¡± After Emmett spat those words, he turned to leave. Taylor was quick to follow. ¡°Emmett! Did you hear what I just said? Do you really doubt ra?¡± Emmett turned his head, shooting him a nce. ¡°Stop fussing over ra. She¡¯s my wife, not yours.¡± His patience with Taylor had reached its boiling point. With ra missing and all this news, Emmett had a lot on his te, so he was not in the mood to deal with Elio. But that didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d let other men openly express their love. ¡°She¡¯s your wife, and you couldn¡¯t protect her! If you had, why would we have all this news?¡± Emmett gave him a scorching look, his eyes filled with anger. ¡°Do you know ra values her reputation? She cares how people perceive her, and now with all this happening, she must be devastated!¡± Emmett didn¡¯t want to waste any more time on him. He picked up the pace to leave. But Taylor wasn¡¯t ready to let him go. He quickened his steps, blocking Emmett¡¯s path. ¡°Don¡¯t you walk away! You haven¡¯t told me how you n to handle this!¡± Emmett shot him an annoyed look. His patience was nearing its end. ¡°Disappear from my sight now!¡± Taylor was taken aback by his attitude. After all, even when he¡¯d openly dered his intention to take ra, Emmett had never lost his cool like this. Today he really seemed pissed off. But Taylor clenched his fist and stayed put. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I won¡¯t go! It¡¯s clear now that you can¡¯t protect ra or give her a stable life. So hand her over to me!¡± N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Emmett squinted at Taylor. ¡°I know this situation is bothering you. If it leads to a fight, ack of trust, then let her go.¡± Emmett had tried his best to suppress his anger, not wanting to get entangled with Taylor. But Taylor always pushed his buttons, and Emmett couldn¡¯t hold back his rage any longer. He grabbed Taylor¡¯s cor. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, get out of here now!¡± Taylor was too frightened to say a word. Emmett flung him aside, then strode out of the hotel.. Taylor stood there, taken aback. Then something urred to him. He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed a number. It was picked up swiftly. ¡°Mr. Atwood, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°Did you nt that news?¡± Taylor cut to the chase. He didn¡¯t have time for small talk! ¡°Yes, that was my doing. Didn¡¯t I say? If none of you can make ra willingly leave Emmett, then don¡¯t me me for taking action!¡± ¡°Do you realize the impact of what you¡¯ve done on ra?¡± Taylor shouted anxiously. ¡°Her reputation means a lot to her! She values it highly!¡± ¡°What does that have to do with me? If you guys know ra so well, why couldn¡¯t you prevent this from happening?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Leah¡¯sughter echoed over the line. ¡°Mr. Atwood, you didn¡¯t think I was joking in our conversation, did you? I told you, I have to have Emmett.¡± ¡°What did you do to ra?¡± ¡°ra is my only obstacle. I have to remove her! If you guys can¡¯t help me convince her, then I have to take action myself!¡± Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Taylor clenched his fists and asked, ¡°So, you¡¯ve chosen to team up with Elio? You¡¯re handing ra over to him?¡± ¡°Yeah, Elio can help me spread the news. I chose to trust him.¡± ¡°No way! I won¡¯t let you do this! Where¡¯s ra? Tell me, and I¡¯ll trade the whole Atwood family for her!¡± ¡°The Atwood family? Even if you threw yourself in with the whole Atwood family, I wouldn¡¯t give a damn!¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Then I¡¯ll spill the beans to Emmett! I¡¯ll make sure you crash and burn!¡± Leahughed as if she had heard the funniest joke, ¡°If I remember correctly, Emmett just met you in the hotel, didn¡¯t he?¡± Taylor was taken aback, ¡°So, this was all part of your n?¡± ¡°Exactly. I just wanted you and Emmett to have a little chat. I want to let you know that ra is in my hands. Did you get it? You can tell Emmett, but you¡¯ll never get ra!¡± ¡°What are you nning to do with ra?¡± ¡°What I¡¯ll do entirely depends on my mood. If I¡¯m in a good mood, I¡¯ll let her go. If I¡¯m not¡­ well, that¡¯s a different story.¡± Leah said and sighed to herself. Taylor frowned, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be real. I¡¯m just inches away from sess. If anyone dares to-mess with my n right now, I swear I¡¯ll do whatever it takes!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hurt ra. I won¡¯t tell Emmett,¡± Taylor had no choice but to back down. Leah chuckled, ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±. ¡°No!¡± Taylor quickly softened his tone, ¡°You¡¯ve already released the news, so why keep ra? Please, hand her over to me. I¡¯ll take her away, and we¡¯ll disappear without a trace, never to bother you again.¡± ¡°Do you take me for a fool?¡± Taylor said seriously, ¡°I swear! I won¡¯t tell Emmett. You know how much more I love her than Emmett. I want her more. Once I have ra, I won¡¯t let her go back to Emmett!¡± ¡°You¡¯re treating ra like an object, like you can just whisk her away. Doesn¡¯t she get a say?¡± Tll keep her confined somewhere. I won¡¯t let her disrupt your n, okay? Just let ra go. Tell me where she is, and I¡¯ll pick her up.¡± Leah bit her lip, ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stake the entire Atwood family on it! If I break my promise you can do whatever you want to the Atwood family!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t afford any slip-ups in this. But don¡¯t worry; I won¡¯t need ra for much longer. Once I marry Emmett, she¡¯ll be free.¡± Leah hung up the phone, and no matter how many times Taylor called, she didn¡¯t pick up. Eventually, she turned off her phone. Taylor was so furious that he smashed his phone to the ground. He had to help ra; he couldn¡¯t let her get hurt. When Elio returned to the vi where ra was being held, the servant ran up to him before he could even enter the door. ¡°Elio, Ms. Calloway hasn¡¯t eaten or drunk anything. You need to check on her. She can¡¯t keep going like this! She¡¯s leaning against the wall and looks like she¡¯s about to pass out!¡± Elio¡¯s face turned serious, ¡°Quick! Get a doctor, now!¡± The servant nodded and hurried off, locking the door behind him as he left. Chapter 329 Chapter 329 When Elio pushed the door open, he saw ra in the corner. She was curled up with her arms wrapped around her knees, not reacting even at the sound of the door opening. He rushed over, ¡°What¡¯s up? You¡¯re giving me a heart attack.¡± Only then did ra lift her head slightly, ¡°Let me out.¡± Elio clenched his fists, looking at her and saying, ¡°Why can¡¯t you get what I¡¯m saying? You don¡¯t trust me. You think I¡¯ll hurt you.¡± ra looked away, not wanting to meet his gaze, ¡°Whether, I trust you or not, I don¡¯t want to talk about it anymore, but I need my freedom now! What you¡¯re doing is illegal!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just trying to protect you, ra. I¡¯ve done so much for you, but I can¡¯t put my parents in danger.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you tell me the whole truth then? I just want to know why! Why do you say I¡¯m in danger? Why involve your parents?¡± ¡°Because someone is threatening me using my parents to make you leave Emmett. Elio blurted out in a rush. ra was stunned before her heart sank, ¡°Is it Leah? Is she the one making you do this?¡± Elio clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her!¡± ¡°I knew it, I knew it.¡± ra suddenly felt a wave of darkness before her eyes, and her body started to fall backward. Elio quickly caught her, anxiously shaking her arm, ¡°Wake up, wake up, get a doctor, quick!¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Soon, the servants brought in two doctors who hurriedly checked ra, with Elio staying by her side. Thankfully, she was okay! The doctor put her on a drip, then turned to Elio, ¡°She can¡¯t keep starving herself like this. Her health is already not great. If she continues, it could cause permanent damage, which is irreversible.¡± Elio nodded quickly, ¡°Understood.¡± The doctor looked at Elio and then at ra, hesitating before saying, ¡°If you guys are fighting, it¡¯s really not the best time. Your wife, or girlfriend, is in the first three months of her pregnancy. If anything goes wrong, it¡¯s very easy for her to miscarry! Don¡¯t let yourself have any regrets!¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that she¡¯s pregnant?¡± Elio was frozen in ce, feeling like he¡¯d been struck by lightning at the news. The doctor was taken aback by his reaction, ¡°You didn¡¯t know about the pregnancy? No wonder!¡± Elio grabbed the doctor¡¯s arm tightly, ¡°Are you telling me this is true?¡± ¡°She really is pregnant.¡± The doctor nodded, ¡°It¡¯s been about a month, but without precise tools, I can¡¯t be sure. You should take good care of her.¡± Elio was stunned, standing there without moving. ¡°Whether or not this child is kept, it will have a significant impact on this woman. I just found out her health condition is terrible, and she has many scars on her body. Have you been abusing her?¡± Elio immediately pulled up her clothes. Indeed there were many scars, but they all looked old, making him feel even worse. ¡°These injuries weren¡¯t caused by me. Before, her father was in debt all over town, and the creditors would alwayse for her when they couldn¡¯t find him. Since she couldn¡¯t pay them back, they beat her.¡± Chapter 330 Chapter 330 chapter! He found out all that on his own; ra never spilled the beans to anyone else. The doctor sighed after hearing it all and said, ¡°Damn, poor kid, you must cherish her. I just examined her and found that she¡¯s as fit as a fiddle; there shouldn¡¯t be anything wrong. But she can¡¯t be starving herself anymore.¡± Elio Milburn nodded, ¡°Thanks, doc.¡± The servant escorted the doctor out and closed the door. Elio sat by the bed, watching ra with her eyes still closed. She was knocked up, definitely carrying Emmett Melendez¡¯s kid, but at this point, even with her being pregnant, he couldn¡¯t have sent her back to Emmett. He could only quarantine her her¨¦pletely and make sure Emmett couldn¡¯t find her or let Leah Calloway discover her. He simply couldn¡¯te up with any better solution. He touched ra¡¯s cheek and lowered his head, his eyes filled with sadness. ¡°Why can¡¯t you stay with me? Can¡¯t you see how much I care about you? It¡¯d be so great if the bun in your oven was mine! I like Alex, and I¡¯d love your child; we could go back to how things were!¡± ra was lying in bed, her eyes tightly shut. ¡°If Emmett hadn¡¯t shown up, I really think you would¡¯ve gotten used to me and would¡¯ve stayed with me, even if it was just to give Alex aplete family! But fate¡¯s a bitch; everything¡¯s changed!¡± Elio held ra¡¯s hand tightly. Suddenly, a new thought dawned on him. Leah¡¯s words shed through his mind. What if the kid ra was carrying was his? Would Emmett then give her up? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Could he then go back to the old days of living in harmony with ra? He immediately got up and called the servant over. ¡°What¡¯s up, Elio?¡± ¡°Tell the doctor who was just here; he can¡¯t spill the beans about ra being pregnant to anyone else! If he lets the cat out of the bag, all my efforts will be wasted!¡± The servant nodded and assured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already given him a heads up, and I¡¯ve got something on him; I believe he won¡¯t spill the beans! Besides, I brought him here blindfolded; he wouldn¡¯t know his way back even if he wanted to sell us out!¡± ¡°Good.¡± Elio frowned. His emotions were mixed. The news of ra being pregnant was a real kick in the teeth! ¡°ra, what the hell am I supposed to do? If I pulled the wool over your eyes, would you never forgive me? Would you¡­ hate me?¡± Elio always thought of himself as not being selfish, but that time, he really wanted to do something for his own desires. Emmett left no stone unturned; he even sent people to look for Elio overseas, but they still couldn¡¯t find a trace of him. His secretary called, ¡°Mr. Melendez, we¡¯ve checked all the properties under Elio¡¯s name; we even went to each one, but we still can¡¯t find him or ra.¡± Looks like Elio might have taken ra to someone else¡¯s ce, or maybe some hotel. Chapter 331 Chapter 331 ¡°Keep searching; find all the ces ra has been!¡± ¡°You want to activate the full search system? This might cost the head office a lot. The full search system hasn¡¯t been fully activated yet; using it prematurely might invalidate our previous tests.¡± ¡°Are you questioning me?¡± The secretary quickly replied, ¡°Not at all, I¡¯ll fire it up right away.¡± After hanging up the phone, Emmett went back to his bedroom. He pushed open the door. ra¡¯s presence was still there, but she was gone. Emmett touched the bed sheet; his feelings were a tangled mess, whether it was sadness or frustration. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Emmett quickly got up to answer it, only to see his mother standing there. Disappointment shed in his eyes. ¡°Yeah, at a time like this, ra was obviously being held against her will; how could she possibly return on her own?¡± he thought. Sophia Melendez asked ¡°Son, do you have a moment? I¡¯d like to talk to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood; I don¡¯t want to talk!¡± Emmett knew what his mother wanted to talk about, but he had no time for anything else right now. Sophia Melendez sighed, ¡°Son, I know you¡¯re upset about ra, but you can¡¯t Jet this pull you down. Thepany needs you; Aiden and Alex need you too.¡± ¡°My wife is missing; shouldn¡¯t I be looking for her? I know you don¡¯t like ra, but she¡¯s my wife now! You should understand that.¡± ¡°Of course. I understand. I wasn¡¯t a big fan of ra, but I never forced you two to divorce. If not for this, I¡¯d even think your rtionship with ra was really good.¡± Emmett bit his lip lightly and said, ¡°Our rtionship has always been good.¡± ¡°ra¡¯s in this state, and you still say your rtionship is good? You¡¯ve seen the news; she is not a good influence on my grandsons. How can I trust her with the kids?¡± Emmett felt a headacheing on. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. All he wanted now was to find ra; he didn¡¯t want to hear anything else. ¡°You should know that the kids¡¯ early education and family background are extremely important; you can¡¯t risk their future, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Then how can you be sure ra can be a good mother?¡± I¡¯m not sure, but she¡¯s my wife.¡± Sophia frowned, ¡°No matter how good ra seems, she¡¯s just a stepmother, don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to think about this now; let¡¯s talk when I find ra. If there¡¯s nothing else, I need to rest!¡± Sophia quickly followed him into the room, ¡°Why won¡¯t you meet the children¡¯s biological mother? Leah is a good girl; although her social status isn¡¯t up to our family¡¯s standard, it seems like you two were meant to be!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so!¡± ¡°If you weren¡¯t meant to be with her, then how did you end up with two lovely children like Aiden and Alex? You should marry her for the sake of the children; they¡¯re your biological sons!¡± Emmett suddenly turned around and said, ¡°If you¡¯re so fond of Aiden and Alex¡¯s biological mother, why don¡¯t you live with her? I won¡¯t stop you!¡± ¡°You¡­you¡¯re going to be the death of me! What has ra done to you that you¡¯vepletely lost your mind?¡± Emmett frowned, not willing to listen to his mother¡¯s nagging anymore. Sophia was so angry that her hand was shaking, ¡°They say men can¡¯t stand being betrayed, but you seem to not care at all!¡± ¡°The truth isn¡¯t clear yet! I don¡¯t believe ra is that kind of person.¡± ¡°How could she not be? The news has already reported it. How could it be fake? If people find out ra¡¯s real identity is your wife, the daughter-inw of the Melendez family, can you imagine what the Melendez family would look like now? What would people think of us?¡± Chapter 332 Chapter 332 ¡°I don¡¯t give a hoot about what others think of me; all I know is, I have to find ra! Until I hear her say she¡¯s into someone else, there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯m giving up!¡± How on earth did she end up with such a stubborn son? Everyone knew Leah was far superior to ra in every way, and she was the mother of their two kids. So why couldn¡¯t her own son see that? Seeing that his mother was about to go on another rant, Emmett grabbed his keys off the table and made a beeline for the door. Sophia tried to catch up with him but was a second toote. All she could do was shout after him, ¡°Listen here; there¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting ra back into this house! Not unless I¡¯m six feet under. And I swear, I won¡¯t let her anywhere near Aiden and Alex!¡± Emmett acted like he hadn¡¯t heard a thing and drove off. He was beat those past few days. He¡¯d nned to go home and feel ra¡¯s presence, but his mother wouldn¡¯t stop nagging him. Suddenly, Emmett felt utterly homeless. Losing ra had turned his world upside down. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Suddenly! His cell phone on the passenger seat rang. It was his secretary. He picked it up right away. ¡°Any news?¡± ¡°Nothing on ra¡­ But we¡¯ve made arrangements to bring ra¡¯s father back to the country, as you instructed. Should we postpone it?¡± Emmett frowned. ¡°Bring him back.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand. Also, Mr. Melendez, you need to take care of yourself. Eat something. Where are you? I can have something sent over.¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯m not hungry.¡± || ¡°Mr. Melendez, all this is my mistake.¡± ¡°No use crying over spilt milk. The main task now is to find ra!¡± He hung up and gripped the steering wheel tightly, unable to vent his frustration. These days, every time he closed his eyes, ra¡¯s face appeared in his mind. After the news had broken, he tried to stay cool and not let it affect him. But he was a man; wasn¡¯t he bound to waver? Especially given ra¡¯s past rtionship with Elio. When Taylor Atwood asked if he trusted ra, he admitted he was unsure. ra had once considered marrying Elio. Although it didn¡¯t happen, he couldn¡¯t be sure. When ra woke up, the first person she saw was Elio. It took her a few seconds to gather her thoughts. Elio asked gently, ¡°Awake? How do you feel? Want me to get the doctor?¡± ra frowned. ¡°Just let me go. No need for a doctor.¡± ¡°You¡¯re that eager to leave? Even if I told you it could kill my parents?¡± ¡°I told you from the start that I don¡¯t need to leave. I just need to talk to Emmett, so he won¡¯t worry. But your opposition makes this whole thing fishy. Now I have to leave, or I won¡¯t eat or drink!¡± ¡°Is it worth it to protest me by risking your health?¡± ra sat up with effort. ¡°What are you really up to? Can¡¯t you just tell me? In my heart, you¡¯ve always been my best friend and my strongest support. But now, I don¡¯t understand you at all!¡± Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Elio hung his head, a look of unease in his eyes. ¡°My parents are under Leah¡¯s control. If I let you escape, she¡¯ll definitely hurt them!¡± ra eximed in surprise, ¡°She¡¯s already controlling your parents?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elio¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Bringing her in as a substitute was a mistake! But it¡¯s too late to turn back now.¡± ¡°You can; we can fight Leah together.¡±) Elio shook his head, ¡°No! Leah is relentless, and her ns are meticulous. We¡¯re no match for her right now!¡± ¡°Then you should let me go to Emmett. I need to discuss this with him! Don¡¯t worry; once I talk to Emmett, he¡¯ll consider your parents. We can secretly find out where she¡¯s keeping them and rescue them!¡± Elio looked at ra¡¯s anxious face. His heart was a mix of emotions. He gave a bitterugh, turned his face away and said, ¡°You trust Emmett so much, but not me..¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of trust. Emmett and I are married, and we have Aiden and Alex! Now Leah wants to take my ce; how can I agree to that?¡± Seeing that Elio didn¡¯t respond, ra quickly added, ¡°I¡¯m not saying this because I me you; you came up with this plot to deceive Emmett for my own good!¡± ¡°I really had no other choice¡­¡± ¡°I understand, but now it¡¯s impossible to hide this. If I disappear again, wouldn¡¯t that really let Leah rece me? You said it yourself that Leah is cunning. She would never treat my children kindly!¡± When she mentioned Aiden and Alex, ra got even more anxious. But Elio countered, ¡°Other than here, nowhere else is safe! We don¡¯t know anything about Leah¡¯s n; she might have other arrangements. Just listen to me, okay?¡± ra sighed; it seemed her words fell on deaf ears. ¡°Stay here and rx. We¡¯ll deal with this after everything is over! If Emmett really is as you say, then Aiden and Alex will be fine. They¡¯re his children too; he wouldn¡¯t let anyone hurt them, right?¡± ra frowned, ¡°No matter what i say, you won¡¯t let me leave, will you?¡± Elio lowered his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ra turned her face away, not wanting to look at him, ¡°You¡¯ve made up your mind, what else is there to say? Please leave. I need to rest!¡± ¡°Can you eat something?¡± Elio stood up and brought over some pastries and food. ¡°At least eat a little. The doctor said if you keep going without food, you may get sick. Your health is already bad as it is; don¡¯t ignore it just because you¡¯re mad at me. ¡°I¡¯m not eating!¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ra pulled the nket over her head, not even wanting to listen to him anymore. Elio was starting to get anxious, his expression turning serious. ¡°In the end, you just want to be with Emmett, using Alex and Aiden as excuses! ra I never wanted to force you into anything, but you¡¯re sidelining me. Don¡¯t me me then!¡± He suddenly stood up to leave. ra immediately sat up and called out to him, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Leah wanted me to work with her, but I refused! If you keep wanting to leave as soon as you wake up, then I have no choice. I¡¯ll have to agree to work with her!¡± Chapter 334 Chapter 334 ra frowned, not expecting Elio to say something like that to her. ¡°Elio, what do you take me for?¡± ¡°And what do you take me for? You onlying to me when you need something? Now that you have Emmett, you¡¯re just ignoring me!¡± ¡°If I really wanted to ignore you, why would I fall into your trick ande here? I don¡¯t get what you¡¯re trying to do! Can¡¯t you just tell me straight up? Leah is just an excuse for you, isn¡¯t she? If you want, I can contact Emmett to help your parents!¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I don¡¯t want to! ra, you know exactly what I¡¯m thinking¡­¡± Elio¡¯s face turned a bit pale, ¡°You ask me what I want, then I¡¯ll tell you what I want. I want you! I want to build a family with you!¡± ra could feel Elio¡¯s agitation; she stepped back in fear. Then, in the next second! Elio suddenly pushed her onto the bed, and ra¡¯s face began to turn pale. Seeing her terrified eyes, Elio suddenlyughed, ¡°You know what? Sometimes I wonder why I should be a gentleman. I could have you right now and make you my woman!¡± ¡°Elio! If you do anything to me now, I¡¯ll choose to die in front of you!¡± ¡°You were already nning to starve yourself!¡± Elio clenched his fists, and the chill he exuded made ra shiver. ¡°I¡¯m not going to starve myself anymore; can you let me go? I¡¯m not thinking of leaving anymore; can you get up first?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Elio held her hands tightly above her head. At that time, ra was nothing but amb to the ughter! That feeling of panic made her ufortable, and ra started struggling fiercely. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Elio, I hate you! If you darey a finger on me today, I¡¯ll never forgive you for the rest of my life! I¡¯ll hold a grudge against you forever!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t let me off the hook? Have I ever let myself off the hook? Do you know how I¡¯ve been spending every day since you left?¡± ra pursed her lips, staring straight at him. Elio continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home anymore; I don¡¯t want to see the ces where Alex used to live. I don¡¯t want to visit the restaurants, amusement parks, ev the bars that I used to go to, where I took Alex before!¡± ra looked at the hoarse-voiced Elio and asked, ¡°Have you gone-mad?¡± ¡°I have gone mad! I know it myself, so now¡­ I want to let myself spiral out of control.¡± His thin lips slowly moved closer to ra¡¯s face; even though ra had used all her strength to struggle, she still couldn¡¯t change the situation. Seeing that Elio¡¯s kiss was about tond, ra closed her eyes in despair. But after a few seconds, ra didn¡¯t feel anything. The anticipated touch never came. ra opened her eyes, and Elio suddenly let go of her. He got up and walked out of the room, his steps a bit frantic, hastily locking the door from the outside. ray on the bed, still in the forced position from before. It took a while for her to slowly pull the quilt over herself. Her eyes gradually reddened, and two tears trickled down her cheeks onto the quilt. just How she wished she could see Emmett at that moment! She just wanted to hold Emmett without saying a word. Elio left the vi. After getting in the car, he received a call from Leah. ¡°Where the hell did you take ra?¡± Chapter 336 Chapter 336 For the time being, thest thing he wanted to hear was Leah¡¯s voice, so he hung up the call. When the call ended, Leah was fuming. She was extremely close to hurling her phone away. She realized that controlling Elio was no easy feat. Furthermore, she had thought that once she had his parents under her thumb, Elio would be putty in her hands. But who would¡¯ve thought, for ra, he¡¯d go so far as to disregard his parents¡¯ safety? However, things had already gone very far, and she needed to ensure ra was out of the picture for Emmett. After a brief hesitation, Leah picked up her phone and made a call, which was quickly answered. ¡°Why the hell are you calling me?¡± ¡°Guess what? I need a drug that can control people.¡± The person on the other end of the line was taken aback before bursting intoughter ¡°Do you take me for some drug guru from a novel? Do you have any idea of the mess you¡¯ve made for the Milburn family? You have the nerve to call me after you leaked the Atwood family¡¯s affairs, do you?¡± ¡°Yes, that was me! But I did it for the good of our entire family. If you give me the drug, I¡¯ll remember the favor.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have this drug, nor can I make it! Mrs. Atwood chewed me out! What else do you want? I¡¯m clueless!¡± Newell Milburn tly refused her, but Leah justughed and said, ¡°Our family¡¯s secret recipe has been passed on to you; how can you not know? Do you think I¡¯ll back down after saying this much?¡± It seemed Leah was hell-bent on getting the recipe. Newell started to worry, if he didn¡¯t agree, there would be consequences. ¡°If you agree now, I¡¯ll remember the favor. I¡¯ll consider you in the future for any good opportunities. But if you don¡¯t cooperate, don¡¯t me me!¡± ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to do anything to you; I just want that drug!¡± Time seemed to stand still. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. The voice on the other end of the line disappeared. Just as Leah thought he had hung up, Newell suddenly spoke. ¡°So, who is this drug for? Let me think about it¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you now, but you¡¯ll know soon.¡± Newell hesitated and quickly said, ¡°No way! If you use this drug to do evil, I¡¯ll be left holding the bag. I can¡¯t take on this responsibility!¡± Leah chuckled, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about anything else; just give me the drug.¡± ¡°The Milburn family is already down in the dumps; I just want to live a peaceful life! If you use the drug to harm someone, the cops wille for me. I don¡¯t want any trouble!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one will know you gave me the drug. Only our family knows about the secret recipe. I won¡¯t sell you out; who would say anything?¡± ¡°How can I be sure you won¡¯t sell me out? Your n is a mystery to me. You won¡¯t even tell me!¡± ¡°So, name your price, and I¡¯ll buy your drug. How about that?¡± Leah was running out of patience and went straight to discussing the price. However, when he heard he could profit, Newell started to show interest, ¡°How much are you willing to pay?¡± ¡°I can give you 10% of mypany¡¯s shares; what do you say?¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course! Do you think I called you just for fun?¡± However, the more sincere Leah seemed, the more worried Newell became. Unless she was nning something nefarious, why would she be willing to pay such a high price? But the 10% in shares could secure him a worry-free life after retirement. That was a huge temptation for Newell! Chapter 337 Chapter 337 ¡°Give me a few days to think it over.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the luxury of time to wait for you. One day tops, you gotta let me know by tomorrow!¡± Newell¡¯s voice was riled up, ¡°But concocting a potion isn¡¯t a walk in the park. I gotta hunt for the ingredients I need!¡± ¡°I get it. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t waste any time on you. Agree fast and start your procurement. Don¡¯t you dare mess up my ns! And if you do, don¡¯t me me for not being nice!¡± ¡°What exactly are you trying to pull? Can¡¯t you just spill the beans? Once I hand over the potion, we¡¯re on the same team. If I¡¯m going to take any risks, I should at least know why, right?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Leah chuckled coldly, ¡°Rx! No harm wille to you; we¡¯ll only be better off! Once Emmett and I tie the knot, your good days are just around the corner, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°You and Emmett? When did this happen?¡± Newell was taken aback, his spirits dampened, ¡°You¡¯re not nning on giving this potion to Emmett, are you? That¡¯s a line I won¡¯t cross! Even if you offer me all your shares, I wouldn¡¯t dare cross the Melendez family.¡± Because if the Melendez family found out, he could lose everything in an instant. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I still n on marrying Emmett. Why would harm him with this potion? I know it can cause permanent damage to the body, so I won¡¯t drag you into this! Tomorrow, you must give me an answer by tomorrow.¡± She hung up the call and was about to put down her phone when a new, unread message appeared. Leah opened it; it was from Sophia. ¡°I tried to call you earlier. You were on a call. Get back to me when you¡¯re free. I¡¯d like to discuss my son and the children.¡± Upon seeing this, Leah immediately called back. Her voice had softened from her previous cold tone. ¡°I was just on a call with thepany secretary. What¡¯s this about the children? Don¡¯t tell me they refuse to acknowledge me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem; they are your flesh and blood. They will surely acknowledge you.¡± Sophia sighed, ¡°It¡¯s just that my son is so stubborn! He even sent someone to take the children away, and it took me a lot of effort to keep the children! Let¡¯s cut to the chase! I just want to ask if you could put on a show with me?¡± ¡°A show? I¡¯m not sure I understand what you mean¡­.. Leah pretended not to understand, her tone full of worry, ¡°Maybe we should just drop it. From what I see, this has already strained your rtionship with Emmett. I really don¡¯t want to see you upset and fighting because of me¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind about those. I just want to know if you¡¯re willing to put on this act with me?¡± Leah sensed her urgency and quickly responded, ¡°Of course I am! If it allows me to be with the children, I¡¯d go through hell and high water!¡± ¡°Good! I only need your promise. Meet me at the bakery we went to before tomorrow morning, I will tell you what to do. Don¡¯t worry, I will make sure you can be with the children! I will not let ra continue to influence my two grandsons. They are still young. If they are led astray by a morally bankrupt ra, it would affect themy for the rest of their lives!¡± Chapter 338 Chapter 338 ¡°I really feel so awkward¡­ After seeing Emmettst time, I¡¯ve been wondering if I should even be here. I feel like I¡¯m messing up your lives, and I¡¯m really sorry about it¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You, my son, Aiden, and Alex are the real family here. If anyone¡¯s messing things up, it¡¯s ra!¡± Leah bit her lip, ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No more ¡®buts¡¯! I firmly believe you and my son are meant to be. Otherwise, why would you guys cross paths again in this big world?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°We met in the bakery before, and we had a good chat. Isn¡¯t that fate? Don¡¯t think about anything else. Just listen to me!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Leah¡¯s voice was shaky, as if she were indeed the mother of the kids, ¡°If you can let me return to my two sons, I will be forever grateful! I will do everything I can to repay you!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. Leave the rest to me! I¡¯ve decided that you¡¯re my daughter-inw. As for ra, I¡¯ll make sure she leaves the Melendez family!¡± In the vi, ra was alone. She got out of bed and opened her bedroom door. The servants were still standing outside as if they were afraid she would try to escape. ra knew that if she couldn¡¯t get them to let their guard down, she would never be able to escape.. The servant saw rae out and immediately bowed to her, ¡°Ms. Calloway, what can I do for you? Are you hungry? Elio has instructed us to prepare food at any time. What would you like?¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ra surprisingly nodded and even gave him a smile. ¡°I understand now. If I keep refusing to eat, the only one who gets troubled is you. If Eljo doesn¡¯t want me to leave, starving myself won¡¯t make a difference.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great to hear.¡± The servant quickly ryed the news to the chefs on standby, ¡°Get to it, guys! Ms. Calloway is ready to eat!¡± Seeing the servant¡¯s joy, ra gave him a small smile, ¡°By the way, what should I call you?¡± ¡°You can call me Nestor. That¡¯s what Elio calls me. I¡¯ve been with him for many years, practically watched him grow up.¡± ¡°Alright, Nestor. Knock when the food arrives. I¡¯m off to freshen up.¡± Nestor nodded, watching her disappear back into her room before quickly dialing Elio. ¡°Elio, Ms. Calloway hase around. She just told me she wants to eat.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s fantastic!¡± Elio felt a wave of relief wash over him. ¡°Prepare some delicious food for her right away. I¡¯lle and see her once I¡¯m done here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Elio. I¡¯ll take good care of Ms. Calloway.¡± Soon after the kitchen staff had the food ready, Nestor carried the tray and knocked on the door before personally bringing it in. ¡°This was prepared by the chef Elio personally chose for you. Do you like it? If not, we can arrange for different dishes.¡± ¡°The food looks very appetizing. No changes needed.¡± Chapter 339 Chapter 339 ra picked up the utensils and took a bite, ¡°This is so good!¡± ¡°As long as you like it,¡± Nestor responded from the side, ¡°Elio was thrilled to hear you started eating. I¡¯ve been with him for years; this is the first time I¡¯ve seen him care about a girl this much. Clearly, Elio really likes you.¡± ra chuckled softly, looking down, ¡°He¡¯s indeed been very kind to me.¡± She would admit that anytime. However, this time, he had changed. ¡°Elio lived a privileged life since childhood. As an only child, his parents pretty much catered to his every whim. He never used to think about others; he was just what you¡¯d imagine a rich young master to be. But when I came back from overseas this time, I saw the way he looks at you and how he treats you. I knew he¡¯d really fallen for you.¡± ra kept her head down, eating her food without responding. Nestor didn¡¯t mind; he even got up to fetch a ss of honey water, ¡°Drink some after you finish eating. It¡¯s nutritious. I brought it back from abroad for Elio.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ra took a sip and then nced at him cautiously, asking tentatively, ¡°Can I walk into the courtyard after I finish eating? I won¡¯t leave this vi. You cane with me.¡± Nestor hesitated, ¡°I can¡¯t decide that¡­ I should call Elio. He said he¡¯d be back once he¡¯s done with his stuff. Maybe he can apany you.¡± ra nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± She knew she couldn¡¯t make them let their guard down immediately. She had to take it slow. Even though she wanted to leave right away, she knew she couldn¡¯t rush it, or they¡¯d be rmed! Luckily, only Nestor was there now, which increased her chances of escape. It was after school at the kindergarten. The Melendez family¡¯s driver picked up Aiden and Alex. As soon as they entered the house, Aiden looked around, disappointed to find neither Mom nor Dad at home. Alex whispered beside him, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Mom for days. Dad rarelyes home too. Did they divorce?¡± Aiden quickly cut him off, ¡°Impossible! Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Alex pouted, his eyes welling up, ¡°Aiden, I miss mom.¡± Aiden furrowed his brows, hiding the sadness in his eyes. He didn¡¯t want to show his longing in front of his little brother, fearing it would upset him more. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Mom and Dad will be back once they finish their work.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say Grandma kicked Mom outst time? Let¡¯s go find Grandma and tell her we only want Mom, and we don¡¯t want any other woman to be our mom!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told Grandma, but she wouldn¡¯t listen! It¡¯s no use if you go tell her again!¡± Alex pouted, ¡°But I still want to try!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve tried to speak up for Mom when she and Grandma weren¡¯t getting along, but it only made Grandma treat Mom worse! So this time, let¡¯s just wait for them at home.¡± ¡°But can just waiting bring them back?¡± Alex suddenly burst into tears. Aiden frowned, ¡°Mom and Dad will be back soon!¡± ¡°Aiden, can you take me to find Mom? I¡¯ve never been away from her for so long. I want to hear her voice. I want her to hold me.¡± Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Aiden quickly whipped out a handkerchief and wiped away his little brother¡¯s tears. ¡°Stop crying, I¡¯m working on a n.¡± ¡°But when will youe up with a solution? Why don¡¯t we just go and find mom?¡± Aiden sighed, wishing it was that simple. ¡°But we¡¯re so far from Dad¡¯spany, We¡¯re in a private vi area; we can¡¯t find a taxi around here. We¡¯d have to walk all the way to the city center, and that would take a long time. Grandma would definitely notice if I went missing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, and I just want to see Mom!¡± Seeing that Aiden didn¡¯t have any answers, his emotions started to crumble. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Right now, Grandma doesn¡¯t know we¡¯re nning to run away. We should try to trick her, then sneak out to find Mom. We can¡¯t be rash; we need a solid n.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let Grandma get suspicious. Let¡¯s go back to our room and do our homework. If she sees us studying, she won¡¯t bother us. Then, we¡¯ll pretend to go to sleep early tonight. We can leave once she thinks we¡¯re asleep.¡± Alex nodded and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± ¡°At least this way, we won¡¯t arouse any suspicion for a few hours. If we spend those hours walking, we should be able to reach the city center and find a taxi.¡± ¡°Okay, as long as I can see Mom, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Just as Alex finished speaking, Sophia came out from the living room. Seeing the two kids, she smiled and squatted down to pick up Alex, nting a kiss on his cheek. ¡°Are you guys done with school?¡± Aiden smiled politely. ¡°Hello, grandma.¡± ¡°Oh, my good boys. Do you have a lot of homework today? Grandma wants to take you to meet someone. Is that okay?¡± Aiden interrupted before Alex could say anything, fearing his brother might spill the beans. ¡°We have a lot of homework today. Tomorrow our teacher said there¡¯s a school activity. Can we go with you another day?¡± Sophia paused, then smiled. ¡°Sure, you guys, go do your homework. You¡¯ll meet them eventually.¡± Alex looked confused. ¡°Who are we going to meet? Mom?¡± Sophia knew exactly who he meant by ¡®Mom, and her heart sank. ¡°Alex, I need to tell you something. ra won¡¯t be your mom anymore. She ran off with another man!¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible! How could mom run away? Didn¡¯t she marry Dad? Did they get divorced?¡± Aiden was taken aback. He tried to signal Alex to stop, but his brother was too engrossed in his own sorrow to pay attention. ¡°I don¡¯t want Mom and Dad to get divorced, and I don¡¯t want¡­¡± ¡°Honey, these are adult matters. You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Yeah, bro, let¡¯s not upset Grandma. Come on, let¡¯s go do our homework. You didn¡¯t finish yours yesterday, remember? The teacher said you have to make it up today.¡± Aiden quickly grabbed Alex¡¯s hand and made to leave, but Alex resisted. He wanted to tell the truth, but Aiden covered it before he could even open his mouth and dragged him away. Back in their room, Alex angrily shook off his brother¡¯s hand as soon as the door closed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me tell grandma?¡± ¡°You follow my lead, and we both keep our mouths shut.¡± Alex pouted. ¡°I just¡­ I wanted to tell her¡­¡± ¡°And that might not do us any good. It could even harm Mom! Remember what she said? We can¡¯t tell anyone, not even Dad, let alone Grandma!¡± Chapter 341 Chapter 341 ¡°We¡¯ve got one Mom, yet Granny is always trying to throw us a new one. It ticks me off. Can¡¯t I vent a little? Bro, are you cool with Granny bringing us a new mom?¡± Aiden walked over, grabbed Alex¡¯s hand, and said, ¡°No way, dude. I¡¯ve got a mom. I don¡¯t need another woman. But your tantrums aren¡¯t solving anything.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°I miss Mom too, man. I¡¯m not missing her any less than you are. But we¡¯re too young to do anything about it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to think about not causing trouble for Mom and Dad. Granny never liked our mom. If we act up, she¡¯s going to dislike Mom even more!¡± Alex pouted and nodded, not fully understanding, ¡°Alright¡­ As long as you can get me to see Mom, I won¡¯t rat out to Granny.¡± ¡°Just do your homework like usual; don¡¯t let granny catch on.¡± ¡°Do we have a n?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to Granny now and tell her I want some snacks to get her out of the way. Then I¡¯ll go check out our route. If I¡¯m not around, you can¡¯t tell anyone about our n or Mom¡¯s secret, got it? If you do, I¡¯m never talking to you again!¡± Alex nodded, and while wiping his tears, he said, ¡°Okay! Can we bring two pieces of candy when we run away from home?¡± Aiden was exasperated, wondering what was going on in his little brother¡¯s head. One moment, he was crying because he missed Mom. The next, he was thinking about candy when nning to run away. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll give you my two pieces of candy; just don¡¯t cause any trouble!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t cause trouble. If I get candy and Mom, I¡¯ll be happy!¡± Aiden looked at his little brother and chuckled, and his expression was just like Emmett¡¯s. ra thought Elio would be back soon, but he didn¡¯t return even when it was night¡­ 1 She got up and opened the door to ask Nestor, but as soon as she stepped out, she heard a car outside. ra rushed downstairs, and sure enough, she saw Nestor weing Elio at the door. Elio walked in and saw ra. His face finally lit up with a smile. ¡°I heard you started eating. Is the food good? If not, just let me know.¡± ¡°You know me, I¡¯m not picky. As long as I¡¯m full, I¡¯m good.¡± raughed and brought him his slippers. Elio felt warmth in his heart. This scene had happened before abroad; it was this gesture that made him consider marriage. ¡°I heard from Nestor that you wanted to go out for a walk. Is that so?¡± ra put down the slippers and nodded, ¡°Yes, you cane with me won¡¯t go out, just walk around the yard. Staying inside all the time makes me feel suffocated and a bit ufortable. That¡¯s not too much to ask, right?¡± ¡°No problem! As long as you¡¯re willing to stay here, I¡¯m down to apany you to explore this vi.¡± Elio extended his hand. ra hesitated, didn¡¯t take his hand, but smiled and walked out first. Elio stood behind her with a bittersweet smile on his face. He didn¡¯t say anything, just followed her out to the courtyard. This was ra¡¯s first time here. Whenever Elio returned home before, he stayed in the Milburn family¡¯s vi, She had never heard that Elio had a house like this¡­ Chapter 342 Chapter 342 ¡°Where am I?¡± ra asked, stealing a nce at him. ¡°You¡¯re in the suburbs, a ce you¡¯ve never been before! This is a house I bought earlier. I had a good friend who passed away. His parents lost their ie and decided to sell his assets.¡± ra bit her lip, secretly surveying the surroundings for a chance to escape. ¡°This vi has a great environment. I was involved in its construction, so for me, it¡¯s not just a building but a memento of my friend.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had another house,¡± ramented. Elio suddenly turned to her, ¡°Enough about the house. Let¡¯s talk about you. Howe you¡¯ve changed your attitude so suddenly? I thought you were gonna give me a hard time for a while longer!¡± ra shrugged, ¡°There¡¯s no point in butting heads with you. I¡¯ve known you long enough to know your character. If you¡¯ve made up your mind about something, I doubt I can change it, right?¡± ¡°No! Apart from this, I¡¯m easily swayed by you. But on this matter, I owe you an apology¡­¡± Elio didn¡¯t continue, and ra didn¡¯t press him. Her goal now was to get Elio to let his guard down so she could find a chance to escape. She asked, ¡°Has Leah been in touch with you recently? Do you know her whole n?¡± Elio shook his head, ¡°I have no idea. Leah and I are just rtives, nothing special. If it hadn¡¯t been for my sudden whim to find a substitute for you, Leah and I would hardly cross paths. At family gatherings, we barely exchange words.¡± ¡°Oh, so can you guess how she ns to snag Emmett?¡± A smirk tugged at Elio¡¯s lips, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t believe me? Do you think Leah and I are in cahoots, and I know everything she¡¯s up to?¡± ¡°No, I was just asking. It¡¯s just you and me here, just looking for a topic to chat about¡­¡± ¡°Leah is quite mboyant in our family, so not many people like her. The Milburn family has been doctors for generations, but she chose to follow in her father¡¯s footsteps and go into business.¡± ra nodded, ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°But she does seem to know some medical techniques, even worked in the Milburn family hospital for a bit. But she got kicked out by my grandfather, the current possessor of the family¡¯s secret recipe. Because she was only interested in stealing it.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What kind of secret recipe does your family have?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s said to be a form for an extremely toxic drug.¡± ra was confused, ¡°Can you be a bit more specific?¡± Elio chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s a drug-that can poison people, and you need to take an antidote regrly to stay alive!¡± ¡°But what does Leah want with this form?¡± ra asked, baffled. ¡°Obviously, to control people! Because if you don¡¯t get the antidote on time, you¡¯re dead meat!¡± Elio exined. ra¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°Is this drug so poisonous?¡± ¡°Definitely!¡± Elio suddenly remembered something his grandfather had told him, ¡°I remember my grandfather originally nned to pass this form on to me, but he was afraid I might go down the wrong path, so he didn¡¯t choose me to inherit it.¡± Chapter 343 Chapter 343 ¡°We better steer clear of this stuff.¡± ra crinkled her brow, wondering why such a thing even existed. ¡°Getting this recipe is like getting a certain level of power. For instance, if Imand Emmett right now, he¡¯s gotta obey me. Whatever I tell him to do, he¡¯ll do it. If I don¡¯t give him the antidote, he¡¯s as good as dead.¡± Upon hearing this, ra¡¯s heart sank. ¡°So, who¡¯s got this recipe now?¡± Leah was capable of anything. Thest time ra met her, she yed the innocent so convincingly that ra almost felt like she¡¯d wronged her. If Leah could scheme to get close to Emmett before, she could definitely use this recipe to control Emmett now. This was not okay! She needed to leave quickly and tell Emmett about this. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the recipe isn¡¯t in Leah¡¯s hands. After my grandpa died, he passed it on to his most trusted sessor. His criteria was that the person has to be righteous! The recipe can¡¯t end up in the wrong hands!¡± ra was a bit uneasy, ¡°But why pass it down at all? I feel like it¡¯s just testing people¡¯s hearts, and human nature is always unpredictable!¡± ¡°The person chosen by Grandpa won¡¯t go wrong. Otherwise, he would have destroyed the recipe rather than pass it on.¡± ¡°But everyone can be tempted as long as the conditions are right! Just like me, I consider myself a person who has never thought of hurting others. I don¡¯t have any evil intentions. But if one day, if someone threatened me with my child¡¯s life, I think I wouldpromise!¡± Elio said worriedly, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, butpared to Emmett, I¡¯m more afraid that if Leah gets the recipe, she¡¯ll use it on you!¡± ra bit her lip, her face full of worry. Elio looked at her worried expression and said, ¡°I understand your concerns. In fact, I¡¯ve been pondering over it these past few days, so I¡¯ve already asked who Grandpa passed the recipe on to.¡± ra immediately asked, ¡°So who has the recipe now?¡± Elio shook his head, ¡°Because Grandpa was afraid that others would threaten the sessor, he never revealed who had the recipe. We can only guess, but if the person denies it, no one can verify it.¡± What ¨¦lio said made ra even more uneasy. Leah must have also known how to use the recipe. Once she had it, Leah could do whatever she wanted. ¡°Forget it. Can we stop talking about Leah? Just hearing her name gives me a headache.¡± ra nodded, not daring to defy him. She needed to bepliant during this time and look for an opportunity to leave. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. So no matter what Elio said, she would nod in agreement. ra and Elio took a stroll in the courtyard. Just as they were about to head back, they saw Nestor coming over with a cup of honey water. ¡°Ms. Calloway, Elio, have some of this. I specially prepared it for you.¡± Elio didn¡¯t hesitate. He picked it up and drank half of it right away. Seeing him drink it, ra felt awkward not to take it, so she took a small sip. It was indeed sweet, different from other honey, and it must be something very precious. Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Nestor took the empty sses from them, wearing a smile, ¡°There are mosquitoes outside, so it¡¯s probably not the best idea to hang out here. If you guys want to chat, you can take a seat in the living room. I can ask the kitchen to prepare some shacks. What do you think?¡± Elio chuckled lightly and said, ¡°No need to bother. You should go rest too.¡± Nestor replied, ¡°But how can I rest if you haven¡¯t? Seeing you smile again is a relief for me.¡±. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me; I¡¯ll head back a bit.¡± Elio said. Nestor turned to ra, ¡°Ms. Calloway, you might not know this, but when you refused to eat a few days ago, Elio didn¡¯t eat either. No matter what I said, it didn¡¯t work. It drove me mad!¡± Elio¡¯s eyes shed with embarrassment, and he quickly interrupted Nestor. ¡°I just lost my appetite, and it¡¯s not because of ra!¡± Nestor chuckled, immediately understanding Elio¡¯s point, ¡°Gotcha, I overthought. I¡¯ll have someone bring some mosquito repellent over. Don¡¯t want you guys to get bitten.¡± With that, Nestor turned and went back to the vi. Elio watched his retreating figure, then turned to ra and said, ¡°He¡¯s someone I trust dearly, been with me since I was a kid. He had to leave the Milburn family because he couldn¡¯t cope with his daughter¡¯s death. But he reached out to me recently, so I asked him toe take care of you. You can talk to him directly if you need anything, just like how you would to me.¡± ra nodded and said, ¡°I understand. I don¡¯t really need anything in this vi, but for some reason, I¡¯ve been really tiredtely. I keep dozing off.¡± Elio¡¯s eyes flickered as he said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s easy to feel sleepy when there¡¯s nothing to do. You should rest more, it¡¯s good for your health. You¡¯ve been under a lot of stress with work. Take this opportunity to recuperate.¡± ra only moved her lips slightly without saying anything. After a while, Nestor came with a mosquito spray, ¡°I brought this from my hometown You can¡¯t find it here. It¡¯s really effective. Let me spray some for you.¡± As he spoke, Nestor kindly sprayed it on both of them. ra sniffed, somewhat surprised, ¡°This spray doesn¡¯t smell like other mosquito repellents, does it? The others are so pungent. This one actually smells like oranges, right?¡± ¡°I made it myself, so it¡¯s one of a kind. You can¡¯t buy it anywhere else. Because other mosquito repellents smell so bad, I ground orange peel into powder and added it, Does it smell much better?¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ra nodded, taking the spray from Nestor¡¯s hand to have a look. Sure enough, some orange peel powder was settled at the bottom of the bottle. Eliomented, ¡°Nestor, you¡¯ve been in the pharmaceutical industry for too long, even able to make your own mosquito spray!¡± Nestorughed in response, ¡°I did learn a thing or two! I, an old man, won¡¯t bother you youngsters anymore. You guys keep chatting; I¡¯ll go tidy up the kitchen.¡± After Nestor left, ra rubbed her temples, looking very tired Chapter 345 Chapter 345 ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel a bit beat. We should call it a night. It¡¯s gettingte, and isn¡¯t it about time you hit the road, right?¡± Elio paused momentarily, his face stiffening before he nodded, ¡°Alright, just chill out here. If you need anything, let Nestor know, and he¡¯ll get the word to me. I¡¯ll do my best to meet your requests as long as you y ball.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really have any demands right now, just hoping if you hear anything about Leah, you could clue me in. After all, this whole situation isn¡¯t just about Emmett, and it involves my two kids as well. I can¡¯t just sit on my hands and do nothing!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve watched Alex grow up since he was a rugrat. I won¡¯t let him walk into any danger. If pushes to shove, I¡¯ll take him away. I won¡¯t let Leahy a finger on him.¡± ¡°The same goes for Aiden.¡± ra quickly added, ¡°If you can bring Alex to me, could you spring Aiden too?¡± Elio nodded, ¡°Sure thing, you¡¯ve got my word.¡± ra stood still, watching Elio¡¯s lonely figure disappear into the night. She let out a soft sigh. If it weren¡¯t for Leah¡¯s high-handedness, Elia would still be the same old sunny, warm, straight-shooting yet kind-hearted Elio in her heart. As night fell, Aiden ensured the house staff had all hit the sack before cautiously nudging the already sleeping Alex. ¡°Do you still want to go find mom?¡± Alex rubbed his tired eyes, a bit bewildered as he nodded, ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Yes,e on, let¡¯s make tracks, or we¡¯ll miss our window! The next shift of guards will be taking over soon. Once they do, we¡¯re totally screwed!¡± Hearing this, Alex quickly sat up and grabbed his clothes to put on. Aiden reluctantly helped him straighten out his clothes, ¡°You¡¯ve got it backward. Once we¡¯re out there, you have to do exactly as I say. Don¡¯t do anything rash! We can¡¯t risk getting caught. If we do, everything we¡¯ve done will be for nothing. Not only will we not find Mom, but we won¡¯t get another shot at sneaking out!¡± Alex nodded vigorously, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do whatever you say.¡± Aiden grabbed his hand, ¡°Alex, we¡¯ve got to find Mom this time.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Soon, two small figures slipped out of the back door of the Melendez family¡¯s mansion. Sure enough, as they started to make their escape, several guards came to the back door. Usually, guards would be stationed at the back door after 10 p.m., so Aiden chose to make their move just after 9 p.m. This way, he could ensure that their grandparents were already asleep, and they could avoid the house staff since most of them would be off duty by 9 p.m. Aside from the few on duty at the gate, the others were gone.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Alex spoke softly from behind Aiden, ¡°Bro, this is so thrilling. I feel like I¡¯m a superhero or a detective or something.¡± Aiden nced at his younger brother helplessly, ¡°Are you seriously cracking jokes right now? Getting out of there was just the first step. We¡¯ve got a long road ahead, so you can¡¯t just stop when you¡¯re tired!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, didn¡¯t you pack candies? As long as I have candies, I can keep going.¡± Aiden felt like rolling his eyes. How could such a huge difference exist between him and his brother, who shared the same parents? He quickly pulled a candy out of his pocket and handed it to Alex, then took out his phone to check the route. Chapter 346 Chapter 346 ¡°We just keep going down this way, and remember to avoid any cars that pass. They might be ours, and they¡¯ll recognize us. We don¡¯t recognize them, so they can easily spot us.¡± Alex nodded, and while popping a candy in his mouth, he said, ¡°Sure thing, I¡¯ll stick behind you.¡± Alex and Aiden continued down the dimly litne. They didn¡¯t bump into any cars as expected, but soon enough, Alex startedgging behind, just as Aiden predicted. ¡°Aiden, I¡¯m beat. Can we take a breather?¡± Aiden checked his phone and said, ¡°Can¡¯t. We¡¯re about two kilometers from downtown, where we can hail a cab. Hang in there.¡± ¡°Two kilometers? I¡¯m really exhausted.¡± Aiden quickly handed him a candy and asked, ¡°How about now? Can you make it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no good. I¡¯ve found out that candy can¡¯t solve my fatigue. My legs are giving up.¡± Aiden had no choice but to pat his back and said, ¡°Then hop on; I¡¯ll carry you.¡± ¡°But won¡¯t you get tired, Aiden?¡± Alex pouted yet didn¡¯t move, ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll just follow behind you, just slow down a bit.¡± Aiden nodded while dialing his dad on his phone, but it kept saying the line was busy. ¡°I¡¯ve been calling since morning till now. I can¡¯t get through to our dad. Looks like he¡¯s blocked my number,¡± Aiden sighed after finishing his sentence. Alex was a bit puzzled and asked, ¡°Why would Dad block your number?¡± ¡°Given the circumstances, it¡¯s probably not Dad¡¯s doing. It¡¯s probably Grandma¡¯s.¡± ¡°Why would Grandma do that?¡± ¡°Because she doesn¡¯t want me to contact Dad! There must be some issues with Mom and Dad now, but I have no idea what it is. We¡¯ll only find out when we meet Dad.¡± Upon hearing this, Alex let out a long sigh, ¡°Finding Mom is really tough.¡± ¡°We need to keep going so we don¡¯t have to switch moms again. Victory is in sight. Just two more kilometers, and we¡¯ll see Mom and Dad!¡± Just moments ago, Alex was yawning, but hearing Aiden¡¯s words, his desire to see his mother recharged his energy. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t feel as tired now!¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. At the Melendez Group, in the CEO¡¯s office. It was rare for Emmett Melendez to be as restless as he was now. Even with a pile of contracts to sign, his eyes were glued to his phone, eagerly waiting for any. news of ra Calloway. Perhaps due to his anticipation, his phone finally rang. It was Matt. Emmett quickly picked up and asked, ¡°Any news on ra?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Mr. Melendez, we found another address for Elio Milburn. It¡¯s his friend¡¯s ce, but he bought it many years ago and never officially transferred the title, so we overlooked it before.¡± Emmett immediately stood up and said, ¡°Tell me the address. I¡¯m heading there now!¡± ¡®Mr. Melendez, it¡¯s too risky for you to go alone. I¡¯lle with you.¡± ¡°No need! Continue investigating ra¡¯s whereabouts; don¡¯t dy.¡± Chapter 347 Chapter 347 Soon after the call, Matt shot over an address. Emmett immediately grabbed his keys up and went out of the office. He noticed the address was a good stretch away from the city. If he needed to stash ra somewhere, this ce seemed bloody perfect. A feeling hit Emmett out of nowhere, and it made him realize he was getting closer to ra. He pushed the pedal to the metal, almost wishing his car could sprout wings and fly. But just as he was about to exit the highway, there was a traffic jam! Right on the path to the suburban vi! Emmett hopped out of his car to evaluate the situation. Turns out there was a car crash up front, the two parties squabbling endlessly, causing the traffic jam. ¡°I need ten grand inpensation, not a penny less! Look at my car; it¡¯s practically totaled!¡± ¡°Ten grand? Are you trying to rip me off? Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t call the cops! How¡¯s your junk heap worth ten grand? I wouldn¡¯t take your car even if you paid me five grand!¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . The two drivers were arguing up a storm in front of the toll booth,pletely oblivious to the traffic jam they caused. Emmett frowned, cut through the crowd, scribbled down ten grand on a check, and handed it over, ¡°Here¡¯s yourpensation. Now move your cars! Right now!¡± The two drivers were gobsmacked, taking a few seconds to gather their wits. One of them quickly pocketed the check and said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving right now!¡± Soon, both cars were towed, and traffic started flowing again. Emmett hopped back in his car, continuing his journey. But what he didn¡¯t notice was that someone had recognized his car and dialed a number¡­ He was only a kilometer away from the vi ording to the map. Emmett gripped the steering wheel, with a whirlwind of emotions. He felt excited but also dreaded disappointment. After all, there was no concrete evidence that Elio was hiding ra here. Finally, the vi appeared. Emmett hopped out and pushed open the door. To his surprise, the vi was unlocked. He entered the living room, looking around at the deste ce. But then, he noticed the slippers haphazardly tossed at the door as if someone left in a hurry. Emmett flipped on the lights, and what he saw next left him stunned. It was ra¡¯s clothes! Those clothes were on the couch! He remembered that ra wore those to work that day! Emmett briskly walked over, picked up the clothes, and held them up to his nose. No doubt about it! But he also guessed that Elio must have moved ra! He must have known he wasing. His phone rang again; Emmett picked up. It was Dn. ¡°Mr. Melendez, have you arrived?¡± ¡°Yeah, you should send someone over to search this vi ASAP. Look for any clues. From what I¡¯ve seen, ra must have been uwfully detained here. And I bet they left this ce in a hurry!¡± ¡®Got it, Mr. Melendez, I¡¯ll send someone right away.¡± After hanging up, Emmett clutched the clothes tightly. ra, where are you? In a secret room in the suburbs. Leah Calloway was tracking Elio¡¯s movements using herputer. Through data analysis, she also found the location of a vi. Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Leah was about to send someone to check things out when Newell buzzed her phone. She raised an eyebrow and picked up. ¡°What¡¯s up? Have you made up your mind yet?¡± Newell stammered, ¡°Are you sure about the 10% shares? How can I trust you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. As long as you can whip up the drug from the form, we can talk turkey. What do you want me to do so you can trust me?¡± ¡°Well, you could write me a share transfer agreement first. I promise you¡¯ll have the drug within a week.¡± ¡°A week is too long; I need it in three days!¡± Three days is impossible! No matter how hard you push, I can¡¯t make it happen.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the fastest you can do?¡± ¡°At least five days.¡± ¡°All right, five days it is! I¡¯ll have my secretary, Ryan, draw up the share transfer agreement and let him give it to you. That¡¯ll put your mind at ease, right?¡± Hearing Leah¡¯s assurance, Newell hesitated, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re really desperate for this drug! You¡¯re certain I¡¯ll agree? You¡¯re just missing this drug for your n, right? But I want to remind you onest time, never use this drug on anyone from the Melendez family, or we¡¯ll both end up in the soup!¡± Leahughed smugly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, didn¡¯t I tell you before? My end game is to marry into the Melendez family; I wouldn¡¯t harm them. Just hand me the drug and enjoy your life with the shares!¡± ¡°I still want to say¡­¡± Leah cut him off, ¡°Chill, I won¡¯t stab you in the back. After all, we¡¯re in the same boat now! Just deny you ever had the form if anyone asks!¡± Newell seemed to want to say more but eventually said nothing and hung up. Everything seemed to be going ording to Leah¡¯s n, and soon she¡¯ll be Mrs. Emmett. ra will bepletely under Leah¡¯s thumb and erased from Emmett¡¯s world. Everything was set. She just need to eliminate ra! Thinking of this, Leah¡¯s smile faded. The real thorn in her side wasn¡¯t ra, but Elio! He was so protective of ra, and he was smart, even knowing about the form. Leah was contemting whether she should take care of Elio as well! She thought Elio would y ball since she had his parents, but Elio was risking his parents¡¯ safety to protect ra! These two were major roadblocks in Leah¡¯s n! But she wouldn¡¯t let anything mess with her n. ra had to go! And maybe Elio, who was protecting ra, had to go too. She immediately got up and made a call. The other end picked up quickly. ¡°What do you want this time? I almost got into hot water because of youst time!¡± ¡°What do you think? I need your help, obviously.¡± ¡°Can you stop dragging me into this? You¡¯re all over Emmett now. I know I can¡¯tpete with him, so I¡¯ll back off willingly.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Leah bit her lip and said, ¡°This is thest time you have to help me!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you consider my feelings for once? Do you want to marry Emmett but still need my help? But you should know I¡¯ve always liked you. I never forgot you all these years. Isn¡¯t that why I agreed to help youst time?¡± Chapter 349 Chapter 349 ¡°Since you have feelings for me, why not help me out one more time?¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t keep having me doing all these shady stuff for you. If your n works, you¡¯ll get to marry Emmett. If it fails, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going be dragged into it. Either way, I don¡¯t get anything good out of it.¡± Leah smirked and asked, ¡°Are you looking for some kind of reward or something? Well, why don¡¯t you tell me?¡± Mr. Quintin seemed disappointed as he said, ¡°You still don¡¯t get it. I don¡¯t want you to marry Emmett. Can¡¯t you just drop all these schemes? Can¡¯t you just ept my proposal and stay with me? I¡¯ll treat you right. Anything you want, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± ¡°What I want is Emmett! Can you give me him?¡± Mr. Quintin was left speechless by her response! ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying¡­ You won¡¯t help me anymore? Well, I¡¯m hanging up then.¡± Leah didn¡¯t want to waste any more time on him and was about to hang up. Mr. Quintin quickly spoke up, ¡°Tell me, what do you want me to do this time? I¡¯m already in your hands, and I¡¯ll just have to ept it!¡± Leah chuckled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think you won¡¯t benefit if I seed. If I be part of the Melendez family, yourpany will benefit too.¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I want!¡± But all I need to do is to sing your praises in front of Emmett, and then the Quintin Group can easily establish a rtionship with the Melendez family. That¡¯s something many CEOS dream of. It¡¯s just a piece of cake for you.¡± Mr. Quintin muttered, ¡°Whatever, there¡¯s no point arguing with you now! All you see is Emmett, and I doubt I¡¯ll ever be in your sights¡­¡± Leah didn¡¯t have time to entertain him; she said coldly, ¡°I need to find out where Elio is. You have to find a way to lure him out.¡± ¡°Elio? I don¡¯t have any connection with him! All I know is that he¡¯s a part of your family. Isn¡¯t it easier for you to find him?¡± ¡°But he¡¯s gone into hiding. I can¡¯t go look for him, given my identity. If I approach him under my own name, he will definitely run further away. But you¡¯re different! Elio doesn¡¯t know about our rtionship. To him, you¡¯re like an invisible man. I¡¯ll give you an address. Pretend to approach him; don¡¯t let him notice you. Then, install a GPS there so I can track his location.¡± ¡°Is it that simple?¡± Mr. Quintin hesitated, ¡°But if Elio is hiding, how could he possibly show up in front of me? Even if I want to approach him, he doesn¡¯t know me. I need to at least see him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that; I¡¯ll figure something out! If you agree, I¡¯ll have someone set up a meeting with him, and then you can go and chat with him. Just kill time.¡± This time, Leah intended to take on both Elio and ra and make them both suffer! ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Aiden and Alex didn¡¯t know how long they had been walking until they saw a tall building in front of them. Not far away, a taxi was heading towards them. Aiden immediately waved his hand and said, ¡°We need a ride!¡± However, just as the car was about to reach them, it didn¡¯t stop. Alex suddenly sat down on the side of the road and said, ¡°Aiden, it¡¯s reallyte, and we might not be able to find a car. I can¡¯t walk anymore. Can you call Grandma and ask her to pick us up?¡± Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Aiden shot back immediately, with a hint of reprimand in his voice, ¡°We¡¯vee this far, and you¡¯re thinking about bailing now? Think about it, we¡¯re getting closer to Mom. Do you really want to turn back? Alex, pull yourself together! We just need to push a little further, and we¡¯ll be able to find a car!¡± *¡­Okay.¡± Alex struggled to his feet, continuing to follow Aiden. Finally, a ck car pulled up alongside them. The window lowered, and a middle-aged man smiled at them. ¡°Are you two lost?¡± Aiden instinctively shielded Alex behind him, whispering, ¡°Sir, can you take us to the Melendez Group?¡± ¡°The Melendez Group? What are you two doing there at this hour?¡± ¡°Our dad is there!¡± Alex blurted out from behind. The man¡¯s eyes widened slightly, but he chuckled as he said, ¡°Well, hop in then, I¡¯ll give you a lift. It¡¯s dangerous outside at this hour!¡± Aiden hesitated, but seeing how tired Alex was, he swallowed his suspicions and bowed politely, ¡°Thank you! We¡¯ll pay for the ride!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, just get in!¡± ra dreamed that she was kidnapped and put on a truck! The ride was bumpy, and her body swayed with the motion¡­ Suddenly, ra¡¯s eyes flew open! Confused for a moment, she got up quickly. This wasn¡¯t the mansion! If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, she was in a vehicle! Suddenly, she heard Elio¡¯s voice, ¡°You¡¯re awake! I thought the sleeping pill I gave you would knock you out till morning!¡± ¡°¡­ You drugged me?¡± ¡°Yep, but don¡¯t worry! It was just a sleeping pill; it wouldn¡¯t do you any harm!¡± Elio brushed her hair back, ¡°We¡¯re moving ces; I thought you¡¯d sleep better with a little help.¡± ra felt something was off. She retreated a bit and asked, ¡°What are we up to? Why aren¡¯t we at the mansion anymore?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just trying to keep you hidden from Leah! My guys told me she found us, so I had to move you.¡± Elio instinctively reached for ra¡¯s hand, but she pulled away. He gave a sad smile and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be this cautious. What happenedst time¡­ I promise it won¡¯t happen again. I lost control that day¡­¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not moving me because Leah is close. It¡¯s because Emmett found out where you¡¯re hiding me, right?¡± ra wasn¡¯t stupid; she figured if it was just Leah, he wouldn¡¯t make her unconscious before moving! He was probably worried she might leave a clue for Emmett, so he decided to knock her out until the next day, giving them free rein. Elio looked uneasy as he said, ¡°If that¡¯s what you believe, I can¡¯t argue. Anyway, we¡¯re almost there. If you can¡¯t sleep, we can chat!¡± But right now, ra was in no mood to chat! She hurriedly looked out the window and asked, ¡°Where are you taking me?!¡± ¡°To a ce where no one will be able to find you!¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 351 Chapter 351 ¡°Knock it off, Elio! Can you let me go?¡± When she heard that Emmett was looking for her, her heart seemed to suddenlye alive again. She didn¡¯t want to wait any longer; she wanted to see Emmett right now. But then, Elio burst outughing, ¡°You don¡¯t actually think Emmett¡¯s looking for you to give you a happy life, do you? Check this out.¡± He handed her his phone. On it was the rumor about ra and Elio. ra was shocked, ¡°What is this? You and I¡­ how could¡­¡± ¡°This is Leah¡¯s doing. If I didn¡¯t do it, she would kill my parents. This news caused quite a stir, so Emmett must¡¯ve seen it! Do you think he, a man who¡¯s lived afortable life since he was born, would ept being betrayed?¡± ra clenched her fists in anger and said, ¡°Elio, how could you do this to me? I trusted you, and this is what I get!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You can me me all you want. I ept it. But I really had no other choice! If you were in my shoes, what would you do? I couldn¡¯t just sit back and watch my parents die, could I?¡± ra was stunned. She found herself unable to speak. After a long while, her shoulders slumped in despair as she asked, ¡°Is this photo real?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you and I¡­ did we really¡­?¡± Elio opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. At that moment, ra felt like she could hear the sound of her sanity shattering. Everything was ruined. Everything she had was ruined. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Elio sensed her distress and quickly tried to calm her down, ¡°Cool it!¡± ¡°Cool it?¡± ra suddenly looked up at him, her eyes zing with fury, ¡°How can I cool it? Elio, how could you do this to me? Are you trying to drive me to suicide? Fine, I¡¯ll do just that!¡± With that, she reached for the car door. Fortunately, Elio was quick to react and stopped her. ¡°Are you out of your mind? We¡¯re on a highway; if you jump out now, it¡¯s game over!¡± ¡°Do you think I want to live anymore?¡± ¡°¡­But what about your two kids?¡± ra froze. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that Leah will take your ce and abuse your two sons?¡± Elio was genuinely afraid she would do something reckless, so he hurriedly added. Mentioning Aiden and Alex, ra started to worry. ¡°Knowing Leah, she would definitely harm the two kids! If she ends up having Emmett¡¯s baby, then Aiden and Alex are screwed. And she¡¯s so good at pretending, Leah won¡¯t be exposed easily,¡± Seeing her starting to calm down a bit, Elio immediately clung to her clothes. ¡°I know I messed up. You can yell at me; you can even hit me. If you feel bad, you can cry, but please don¡¯t do anything reckless, okay? You can punish me however you want; just don¡¯t hurt yourself!¡± After a while, ra suddenlyughed, but it was a sorrowfulugh. ¡°Everything you say is for my benefit! Elio, I should be thanking you!¡± Elio had never seen Cl¨¢ra like this before; her gaze frightened him. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, I beg you! I¡¯m not a human, and I¡¯m heartless and ungrateful; I deserve to be punished. Hit me!¡± With that, Elio grabbed her hand and smacked it against his face. Chapter 352 Chapter 352 However, ra withdrew her hand coldly. ¡°What¡¯s the use of hitting you¡­ Can we turn back time?¡± Elio hung his head. At this moment, he seemed to know nothing else to do but apologize. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ra didn¡¯t speak again, but tears silently rolled down from the corners of her eyes, sliding across her cheek and dropping onto her clothes¡­. She realized that she was not eligible to go back to Emmett anymore! At this moment, ra suddenly found that she had actually fallen in love with Emmett! But¡­ it was toote! Everything was toote¡­ 7 She stayed up all night. Emmett kept watch in front of the vi all night while Matt led people to check around. Finally, as dawn was breaking, Matt brought out the inspection report and said, ¡°Mr. Melendez, someone has been living here recently. We also found ra¡¯s DNA and fingerprints in one of the bedrooms.¡± Emmett looked up and suddenly saw a security camera at the door. He pointed to the security camera, ¡°Can you pull up the surveince footage? I need to know where they went!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve checked. All the security cameras here have been destroyed.¡± Emmett frowned. It seemed that they had made full preparations before leaving, and there must be other clues. ¡°Pull up all the surveince footage around, including the streets in front. I need to know what car they took and which direction they went.¡± Matt nodded and said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Melendez.¡± 1 Meanwhile, in a basement in the suburbs. A man rushed in. ¡°Miss!¡± Leah lifted her head to look at him. She frowned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? If you have got something to say, just spit it out. Didn¡¯t I ask you to find out where Elio is? Why are you back already?¡± ¡°We got to the vi, but we saw Emmett there too.¡± ¡°Emmett?¡± Leah stood up immediately. It seemed that he had also found this clue. ¡°Has ra been taken away by him?¡± The man shook his head, ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it¡­ Because Emmett didn¡¯t look too good, he seemed to be directing his men to do something.¡± Leah squinted her eyes. Did Elio know in advance and move ra ¨¤way? She sat back down, tapping her desk. She really underestimated Elio¡¯s ability. Turns out his connections were so wide even Emmett¡¯s side had Elio¡¯s aplices! ¡°You go check on Elio¡¯s info again. See who he¡¯s been with recently? Is there anyone helping him?¡± She must find ra before Emmett. Otherwise, all her previous efforts would be wasted. The man nodded and was about to leave. Leah suddenly stopped him, ¡°Oh, by the way, the people we caught yesterday?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve locked them up, waiting for your decision.¡± Leah nodded with satisfaction and said, ¡°Got it. Take good care of them, don¡¯t make any mistakes. They are very important to me.¡± ¡°I understand, Miss.¡± As soon as the man left, the phone on the desk rang. She saw the caller ID, and a smile spread across her face. Leah picked up the phone, ¡°What can I do for you, ma¡¯am? Chapter 353 Chapter 353 Sophia Melendez called, sounding frantic on the other end. ¡°Aiden and Alex are missing¡­ ¡°What?¡± Leah feigned shock, momentarily lost for words, ¡°How did that happen? Where did they go?¡± ¡°I have no idea. They went to their rooms obedientlyst night, but this morning, the servants found their rooms empty when they went to wake them up¡­¡± Leah bit her lower lip and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t there surveince? Check the footage!¡± ¡°I checked. They left through the back door. I thought they might have gone to find my son, but there¡¯s no sign of them on the Melendez Grouppany¡¯s surveince.¡± ¡°Well, start looking! I¡¯m going out to look for them now.¡± On the phone, Sophia¡¯s voice was hoarse; clearly, she had been crying. Leah also started crying on the phone. ¡°Ma¡¯am, they¡¯re my life. We have to find them! Please!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me! I thought you might have some clues. If Emmett finds them, I¡¯ll let you know. You should do the same.¡± ¡°I understand, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m going out to look for them now. We have to find them no matter what.¡± After hanging up, Leah immediately dialed another number. ¡°Get some people to find Emmett¡¯s sons. They¡¯re missing!¡±. ¡°Huh? Did I hear that right? Didn¡¯t you want them gone? Why are you looking for them now?¡± ¡°What do you know? The Melendez family needs help right now. Plus, I im to be their biological mother. How could I not send people to look for them when something like this happens? You guys go look for them, and act like you¡¯re worried! Got it?¡± ¡°I got it, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m a pro at acting!¡± ¡°Cut the crap, just get the job done.¡± Leah paused, ¡°After I marry Emmett, I won¡¯t forget you.¡± The other personughed and said, ¡°I know that you¡¯ve always been good to us. I¡¯ll handle this!¡± After hanging up, Leah looked at Emmett¡¯s photo on her desk, a small smile ying on her lips. ¡°Emmett, the n has started. Are you looking forward to me being your wife?¡± Emmett was busy when he saw a call from his mother. He didn¡¯t want to answer but picked up anyway because his kids were still at home. Hearing his mother crying, Emmett¡¯s heart sank, and he asked, ¡°What happened? Did something happen to the kids?¡± ¡°Did Aiden and Alexe to you?¡± Sophia¡¯s voice was nearly hysterical, ¡°They¡¯re gone. They snuck outst night. I thought they might have gone to find you¡­ ¡°To find me? They didn¡¯t call me. Aiden has a phone, and he would have called me first if he wanted to find me, right?¡± Emmett frowned, quickly checking his call history. But there were no iing calls. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ? ? ? ? ?? * All of a sudden! He checked his block list. ¡°Aiden¡¯s phone was blocked. Did you do this?¡± Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Sophia hemmed and hawed, not daring to admit, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure; maybe you blocked it yourself¡­¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°You¡¯re such a blockhead! Are you that reckless just to get what you want? Now, look what happened; both kids are missing, and you¡¯re still stirring the pot! Happy now that you have turned the Melendez family upside down?¡± After saying that, Emmett hung up the call and called over Matt, who was investigating nearby. ¡°Move it! Go find Aiden and Alex now!¡± Matt was taken aback and asked, ¡°What happened to them?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve run away from home! They must have gone looking for me, so search carefully along that route. Don¡¯t miss any corner; they might be resting somewhere because they¡¯re tired!¡±. Matt immediately responded, ¡°I¡¯m on it! Don¡¯t worry.¡± Matt immediately took a team to search for Aiden and Alex. Emmett clenched his fist and mmed it hard against the wall behind him, blood dripping from his fingers. He was extremely agitated. Now that ra was missing and his two sons were also missing, he felt like such a failure! This was the most frustrating moment in Emmett¡¯s life! ra wasn¡¯t sure where she had been taken to, but this time, it wasn¡¯t a vi. It was a single-story house. She went out to take a look, and it seemed like it was in the countryside because there were other houses around. But no one was living there; it must be an abandoned ce. Elio must have had a hard time finding this ce! After Elio finished eating, he came out and looked at ra, who was sitting in the courtyard with some heartache. He crouched down and asked, ¡°Please, could you stop being mad at me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not mad at you.¡± ra didn¡¯t blow up at him. Instead, she talked to him calmly. This scared Elio even more. If ra was emotional right now, wanting to hit him or yell at him, he wouldn¡¯t be so worried. But now, she was so calm, neither sad nor happy; this was what truly scared him! ra looked up at him and asked, ¡°Why do you think people live? And why is there so much greed and selfishness?¡±/ ¡°Don¡¯t scare me. Stop talking like that, okay?¡± ra smiled faintly, ¡°Did you know? My father called me earlier, and he said he¡¯s going back to our country. I¡¯ve been living in his shadow! It was Emmett who saved me; he went to great lengths to get my father out of the country so he wouldn¡¯t bother me anymore. I was so happy!¡± Elio looked at ra and asked, ¡°He¡¯s back again? Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll protect you!¡± ¡°I thought I could get rid of him for the rest of my life, but he told me if I don¡¯t agree to let him go back, he¡¯ll tell Emmett about the two kids!¡± Elio clenched his fist and said, ¡°That¡¯s so out of line!¡± ¡°My father doesn¡¯t know that Emmett is the biological father of Aiden and Alex. He threatened to tell Emmett that I had two children for another man.¡± Elio paused for a moment and then asked, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just tell him the truth?¡± ra bit her lip slightly and lowered her head. If she could, she would have done so already. Elio said, ¡°I can tell that Emmett has fallen in love with you. If he knew that the birth mother of the two children was actually you, wouldn¡¯t your family be reunited? I believe he won¡¯t me you for anything anymore.¡± Chapter 355 Chapter 355 ra suddenly chuckled and said, ¡°You wanna know why?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Elio raised an eyebrow. ¡°I tested the waters with Emmett before. He said he can¡¯t stand being fooled. Plus, Emmett¡¯s had a beef with you already. I was afraid that if I spilled the beans, you and your family would get dragged into it.¡± Elio didn¡¯t expect that to be the reason¡­ ¡°Emmett¡¯s always been steadfast. He won¡¯t let you off easily. At the very least, the Milburn family has totally pissed off Emmett. I didn¡¯t want to get you in trouble because of my issues.¡± Elio took a step back, ¡°So you kept quiet because of me? Because you were afraid that I¡¯d get bacshed by Emmett?¡± 2 ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it all that way¡­ I believe you helped me out of pity at first, out of kindness. No matter what happenedter, I remember you were ready to help me without hesitation.¡± After hearing ra¡¯s words, Elio was deeply moved. ¡°Without you, Alex and I couldn¡¯t have lived that peaceful life for so long. I would probably be moping around, missing my two kids, even considering ending my life¡­ It was because of you, because of Alex, that I kept going.¡± Elio hung his head, not knowing what to say. ¡°So, Elio, I¡¯ve always been grateful to you. I consider you my best friend. But I didn¡¯t expect you to do such a thing!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. I¡¯ve thought about it, and I can¡¯t really me you. Leah¡¯s been threatening you with your parents for a while now, hasn¡¯t she? You¡¯ve probably been under her thumb for a long time, holding off until now. I believe you must be suffering too.¡± Elio knew ra¡¯s understanding made him feel worse¡­ Even at this point, she could still put herself in his shoes. And him? What had he done? Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Elio was impulsive and wanted to tell her everything. But then ra suddenly stood up and asked, ¡°Can I ask you for twost favors?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°First, can you somehow make Emmett think I¡¯m dead?¡± Elio was a little confused, ¡°Don¡¯t you want him to save you anymore?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. Even if he rescues me, what then? How can I face him? I¡¯m not worthy of him!¡± Thinking of Emmett¡¯s previous help, ra felt as if her heart was being cut with a knife! The pain was so severe that she could only take deep breaths to avoid being overwhelmed. Hearing this, Elio was scared, ¡°You¡¯re not nning to do anything stupid, are you? You still have two kids!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the second favor I need from you. Leah is plotting as we speak, and my two children are definitely on her hit list! After she gets rid of me, she¡¯ll find Aiden and Alex in her way.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Elio pursed his lips, and this indeed sounded like something Leah would do. ¡°So, can you help me bring them back too? I promise I¡¯ve let go of the idea of offing myself. I need to stay strong for the sake of my two kids! But I really can¡¯t face Emmett again. I just hope to find a quiet ce to live with my two kids and live a simple life.¡± Just now, she sat here, contemting a lot. Upon learning the news, ra was utterly desperate. The only thought left in her mind was to end it all! Chapter 356 Chapter 356 But then again, ra thought, Elio had a point. What would happen to the kids if she was not around? That was her biggest worry in this world. If it wasn¡¯t for Leah, she wouldn¡¯t worry about Aiden and Alex. But now, with Leah¡¯s n about to seed, if that form was found, Emmett would be entirely under her control¡­ Thinking about this, ra was worried for her two boys. Her own safety didn¡¯t matter anymore. She couldn¡¯t let her sons get caught up in adult conflicts. Now, here she was, locked up, unable to do anything. She could only rely on Elio. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely help you with this!¡± Elio swallowed back all the words he was about to say, a glimmer of hope kindling in his heart. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. If ra went into hiding with the boys, he would be the only one who knew it. Would life go back to how it was then? Just him, ra, and the kids, like a family, looking out for each other, caring for each other. He wanted to be with ra, even if he never won her heart, even if she would never ept him, at least she wouldn¡¯t belong to any other man. That was enough! Emmett immediately drove back to the Melendez family. Entering the courtyard, he saw his parents and their eyes were red. Patrick Melendez was scolding his wife. Seeing his son return, he stopped and walked over. ¡°Son, any news from your end? Have you found Aiden and Alex?¡± Emmett frowned, shaking his head. ¡°No, Matt is out looking with a team, but there¡¯s no news yet¡­¡± Hearing this, Patrick angrily turned back to scold Sophia. ¡°This is all because of you I told you not to do this! Our family was doing just fine. Why do you always have to stir up trouble?¡± Sophia lowered her head as she said, ¡°I¡­ I was just thinking of the kids. I thought ra, as their stepmother, would neverpare to having their real mother around. That¡¯s why I¡­¡± ¡°Now, are you satisfied?! What were you thinking? Didn¡¯t you think about this? The kids are gone! This is your doing! Did you really see ra mistreating the kids?¡± Emmett nced at his mother, not even willing to say another word. Sophia felt wronged. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Why are you all ming me? Isn¡¯t this all because of ra? I¡¯ve made it clear I can¡¯t stand her. If she had any self-awareness, she would have left my son a long time ago!¡± ¡°What use is it? As long as the four of them are happy, that¡¯s all that matters!¡± Sophia furrowed her brow. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for ra, Aiden and Alex wouldn¡¯t have run away from home, and they wouldn¡¯t be missing. Patrick, you¡¯re my husband! Why are you defending this outsider, ra?¡± ¡°Am I defending her? I just want you to wake up! I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking all day! Can you focus your energy on something other than causing trouble?¡± Emmett listened to his parents arguing, not wanting to interrupt. Suddenly, his phone rang. It was Matt. Emmett immediately answered. Chapter 357 Chapter 357 ¡°Mr. Melendez, we¡¯ve found what looks like Aiden and Alex¡¯s footprints out in the suburban grasnd.¡± ¡°Which way did they go? Get after them!¡± ¡°They were heading towards the city, but once we chased after them, their footprints disappeared by the road. Looks like they hopped into a car here because their shoe soles were muddy. If they continued to walk, they would have left some marks, but there¡¯s nothing by the road.¡± ¡°Keep looking! Check every single car don¡¯t miss a one! See if they¡¯ve got two kids with them!¡± ¡°Right, Mr. Melendez.¡± After hanging up, Patrick hurried over, ¡°What¡¯s up? Any news about Aiden and Alex?¡± ¡°We found their footprints, and they were indeeding to find me at thepany Hearing this, Patrick red at Sophia. It was rare for him to be this angry at his wife. Emmett also said, ¡°This is all your fault! You insisted on having the kids meet their birth mother and wouldn¡¯t let them contact me. They might be lost now because they were trying to find me. Is this what you wanted? If anything happens to them, I swear, you¡¯ll pay!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll make me pay? What can you do? Just kill me now. I don¡¯t want to live anyway! Sophia felt wronged. ¡°None of you have ever supported me! Not my son, not you! What did I do wrong? I¡¯m just looking out for the kids! Everybody knows stepmoms can¡¯tpare to real moms!¡± Patrick took a deep breath, ¡°You¡¯re just making a scene! Their family is very harmonious. Why do you always stir up trouble?¡± ¡°Stir up trouble? I¡¯m their grandmother! Shouldn¡¯t I be considering their wellbeing? Now that there¡¯s trouble, you¡¯re ming me! If you had listened to me, none of this would have happened!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Emmett suddenly shouted, ¡°Stop fighting!¡± Startled, Sophia stepped back and fell silent. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Patrick opened his mouth to say something but finally just sighed. ¡°Arguing now is pointless; we need to find the kids! If anything happens to them, all this bickering won¡¯t be worth a damn!¡± Emmett frowned, didn¡¯t say anything, and turned to leave. Behind him, Sophia copsed on the ground and started crying, ¡°What did I do wrong? Why is fate so cruel to me? I just wanted the kids to grow up in a better environment.¡± Patrick looked at his wife; he was about to scold her, but seeing her like this, he felt pity. He bent down and helped his wife up, ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore. Don¡¯t you understand the importance of family harmony? With ra in our family, the atmosphere has always been harmonious. Why do you insist on ruining it?¡± Sophia looked up at her husband and frowned. ¡°But she¡¯s not our family, after all; the kids aren¡¯t rted to her. You think it¡¯s fine now, but what about in the future? If our son has other children with her, they may be part of the Melendez family, but what about Aiden and Alex?¡± Chapter 358 Chapter 358 ¡°You¡¯re always fussing over trivial stuff! If you¡¯re so worried, just tell them no more kids! Why create problems out of nothing? Can¡¯t you see how much Emmett digs ra?¡± Patrick was not getting involved in this chaotic mess. It wasn¡¯t because he was thick or didn¡¯t understand the difference between a birth mother and a stepmother. He just reckoned that as long as everyone was happy in the current situation, it should be left as is. He believed his son wasn¡¯t clueless. If ra really was up to no good, his son would sniff it out. And with all their time spent together, if there were any nasty intentions, Emmett would pick up on it! ! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. As a father, Emmett couldn¡¯t possibly be irresponsible about their growing environment. Patrick hadn¡¯t forcefully stopped Sophia before and had never thought it would stir up such a ho¡¯s nest. Now, it was toote to stick his oar in now! Sophia, covering her face, also felt a twinge of regret, ¡°But¡­ that news about ra, didn¡¯t you see it? Can we, the Melendez family, ept a woman like that? What about our dignity?¡± Patrick sighed, looking in the direction Emmett had left, ¡°That¡¯s young folks¡¯ business. We should keep our noses, out of it. If Emmett can stomach it¡­ Then they carry on! We don¡¯t need to meddle too much. If Emmett can¡¯t handle it, he¡¯ll cut ra off himself!¡± ¡°I reckon Emmett won¡¯t leave ra! And I can¡¯t let her tarnish our family¡¯s reputation!¡± Sophia said. Patrick frowned and pursed his lips, ¡°Still don¡¯t get it, do you? What we need to do now isn¡¯t to control their lives but to take care of Aiden and Alex with peace of mind. When will you get that?¡± Sophia pouted, ¡°After all these years with you, I realize Emmett really takes after you, always ying it by ear. Don¡¯t you get the importance of long-term nning?¡± Patrick replied, ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? As long as Emmett¡¯s with the one he loves, we should stay out of it!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let ra in our house again; we just need to pay more attention to Aiden and Alex and let them spend more time with Leah. They just need some time to adjust.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know when to quit! I¡­ I¡¯m at a loss for words! Once I find Aiden and Alex, I¡¯m heading to the retirement home; I¡¯m notfortable in this house!¡± Sophia was taken aback and asked, ¡°You¡¯re actually leaving home because of that woman, ra? I think you and your son are both hoodwinked by her!¡± Patrick casually turned his head to look at her and said, ¡°I think ra hasn¡¯t done anything wrong. After marrying into our family, she¡¯s been good to Aiden and Alex. ¡°I didn¡¯t see that!¡± ¡°Kids don¡¯t lie. If they thought ra wasn¡¯t good to them, they wouldn¡¯t like her. But look how much they adore her. That shows ra¡¯s been good to them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all smoke and mirrors! ra must¡¯ve nned this all along to butter up the kids first, then once I¡¯m pushing up daisies, she can im the Melendez family, fortune without a second thought!¡± Chapter 359 Chapter 359 ¡°Always talking about property. I swear you¡¯re paranoid or something?¡± Patrick shook his head and walked away, any previous pity already forgotten. Sometimes, he just didn¡¯t get it. Why did his wife have to act like this? ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . People always said that you got wiser with age, right? So why was she bing more stubborn? Now Aiden and Alex were missing, and she still didn¡¯t get it! After her husband left, Sophia pulled out her phone and dialed Leah, ¡°Any news on your end?¡± ¡°Still can¡¯t find the kids! I¡¯m looking/near the Melendez family¡¯s ce.¡± ¡°Let me meet up with you then. Send me the address.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Sophia quickly changed her clothes, grabbed her bag, and headed out. She thought it wouldn¡¯t take long, but it was quite a while before she finally caught sight of Leah. Leah was a mess, her clothes dirty and her appearance disheveled. Seeing Leah in this state, Sophia was even more certain she was right. This was how a mother should look! If ra knew the kids were missing now, she would probably be thrilled! Even if she did join the search, she¡¯d probably be half-hearted about it. Leah¡¯s eyes were red from crying, her worried and scared expression mirroring Sophia¡¯s. ¡°What do we do if we can¡¯t find Aiden and Alex? What do I do?¡± Leah didn¡¯t care about appearances. She just sat down on the ground, ¡°Is it all my fault? If I hadn¡¯te back to the country, if I didn¡¯t want to see them so badly if I could¡¯ve just stayed abroad¡­ Sophia cut her off and said, ¡°No ifs. Besides, you came back for Aiden and Alex; it was the best choice for them! They might not understand now, but they will when they grow up. Leah nodded, still sobbing uncontrobly. Sophia patted Leah¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Everything we¡¯re doing is for Aiden and Alex¡¯s good. Don¡¯t doubt yourself! I know you¡¯re kind-hearted; I¡¯m a mother, too. get your pain! ¡°Uh huh¡­ I¡¯ll do anything to find them!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I need to get you into the Melendez family. Recing ra isn¡¯t just for you. It¡¯s also for my grandchildren. They need their real mom to feel the warmth. Even if ra doesn¡¯t mean to harm them, she can¡¯t give themplete love¡± Leah nodded, ¡°If I can be with the kids, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Sophia nodded satisfactorily, ¡°Ever since I first met you, I felt a connection. To think you¡¯re actually Aiden and Alex¡¯s birth mom, it¡¯s like fate!¡± ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡± Leah pursed her lips. ¡°We need to find the kids as soon as possible. I have a n. If all goes well, my son will change his attitude towards you soon.¡± Leah paused, then nodded, ¡°You look tired too. You should rest. I¡¯ll go check ahead.¡± With that, she ran off. The sight of her desperate figure was just like a mother searching for her children. Unbelievable! Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Night fell¡­ ra sat motionless in the yard, waiting for Elio to return with news about Aiden and Alex. Nestor handed her a cup of honey water, ¡°ra, even if you don¡¯t eat, you should drink something to boost your energy, or you might pass out.¡± ra turned slightly, managed a small smile, and took the cup from him, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I heard you talking with Elio. I totally get how you¡¯re feeling now. My daughter was once missing, kidnapped. I had the same feeling, wishing they¡¯d taken me instead! I¡¯d give anything, even my own life!¡± ra lowered her head and said, ¡°I can¡¯t do anything here. That wicked woman is after my kids. I feel so helpless! I don¡¯t deserve to be their mother!¡± Nestor gently patted her shoulder,forting her, ¡°Don¡¯t say that. How could the kids me their own mother? You brought them into this world. You¡¯ve done nothing wrong to them.¡± ¡°But now I¡¯m powerless¡­¡± ¡°Even if you can¡¯t do anything now, I believe you, like me back then, would be willing to give your own life to protect the kids¡¯ safety, right?¡± ra sighed, ¡°Yes! Leah can take my life as long as she doesn¡¯t harm my children.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Hearing Leah¡¯s name, Nestor visibly stiffened. His face grew stern, his voice colder. ¡°Leah always creates trouble in the Milburn family. It¡¯s not the first time. Everyone in the Milburn family hates her!¡± ra frowned, staying quiet. The honey water in her hand was still warm but couldn¡¯t warm her icy heart. If something happened to the kids¡­ ra clenched her fist, gripping the cup. She would definitely leave with her kids! ¡°Nestor, could you call Elio again? I want to know how he¡¯s doing.¡± Nestor nodded, ¡°Okay, calm down. I¡¯ll call him now and let you talk to him.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Nestor turned to get his phone. Soon, Elio answered the call. ¡°What happened? Any new problems?¡± Whenever Elio saw a call from them, he always worried that Leah had done something bad to ra. ra replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just want to know if you¡¯ve found my two kids?¡± Elio hesitated slightly, then said, ¡°Sorry¡­ I haven¡¯t found them. And I just got some very bad news; Aiden and Alex disappeared while trying to find Emmett¡­¡± ¡°What? They¡¯re not in the Melendez family anymore?¡± ra felt like her brain was deprived of oxygen! ¡°Yes.¡± Elio¡¯s heart also clenched. After all, he had watched Alex grow up. How could he not worry? ¡°What about Leah? Any new news? Could Aiden and Alex have been taken by her?¡± Chapter 361 Chapter 361 ¡°I can¡¯t confirm anything yet, so don¡¯t get your panties in a twist. I¡¯ll have people look into it, and if it comes to that, I¡¯ll go see Leah myself.¡± ra hesitated before asking, ¡°Leah won¡¯t do anything to you, right?¡± Aiden and Alex were already in hot water, she couldn¡¯t let Elio join them. She had some clue about Leah¡¯s intentions, so saving someone from her might be a tough nut to crack. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to worry about that right now; I can¡¯t let those kids fall into her hands. I¡¯m protecting you to prevent her from hurting you! If she uses the kids as bargaining chips, how is that any different from you in her hands? Just leave it to me.¡±¡± After hanging up, ra started pacing in the yard, her nerves frayed. Nestor sighed helplessly behind her. ¡°Ms. Calloway, do you need anything?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anything; I just want my kids!¡± ra clenched her fists, a n forming in her mind. She would go to Leah herself and bring her kids home. If they were in danger, there was no point in her sticking around. Leah walked far enough away to make sure Sophia couldn¡¯t see her, preparing to make a call. Suddenly! Another call came in. She nced at the caller ID and saw that it was Elio. Leah chuckled coldly and answered the call. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Cut the crap! Are ra¡¯s kids with you?¡± ¡°Her kids? How would I know? Aren¡¯t they supposed to be with the Melendez family?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me! You can¡¯t possibly not know about Aiden and Alex disappearing!¡± Leah bit her lip. ¡°I know about it, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m the one who took them. You can¡¯t make assumptions!¡± Elio became even more anxious. This was exactly what Leah wanted. After all, the more desperate he was, the more likely he¡¯d dance to her tune. ¡°Right! It just came to me. They went to see Emmett Melendez. Some of my people were around there, so I¡¯ll ask if they saw anything.¡± ¡°Leah! I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re not involved in this.¡± ¡°Lower your voice! I can hear you just fine. I couldn¡¯t care less about whether you believe me or not! I remember how you spoke to mest time. Now you need me, and you¡¯re calling again? Do you think I¡¯m your servant?¡± Leah sneered; her lofty tone was evident. Elio frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not here to argue with you. Just tell me, did you kidnap those kids?¡± ¡°No! But if you want me to find them and hand them over, that¡¯s not entirely impossible. But you have to give ra to me before I help you. Think about it!¡± She hung up without giving Elio a chance to respond. After putting away her phone, Leah gazed at Sophia, who was still waiting for her in the distance, as a small smile appeared on her face. She was the puppet master in this drama; even the Melendez family, including Emmett, had to y along. She had to admit that it felt pretty good. ¡°Mr. Melendez, we haven¡¯t found them yet, but we¡¯vepared all the vehicles that passed by. Here are the suspicious ones.¡± Matt quickly handed the file to Emmett. Emmett took a nce. ¡°These are all the cars that passed byst night?¡± ¡°Yes, and none of them had passengers.¡± Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Emmett scowled as he eyed the nearly ten pages of te numbers before him. ¡°Any other progress?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Nope. We can only check one by one. My team¡¯s on it, so just hold tight.¡± Emmett balled his fists, feeling utterly powerless. Right now, he couldn¡¯t do a damn thing! Matt suddenly chimed in. ¡°I just noticed something odd when checking the surveince. A car was on the previous stretch around midnight but didn¡¯t exit until nearly 2 a.m. The road isn¡¯t short, but it shouldn¡¯t take two hours.¡± Emmett snatched the surveince screenshot from Matt, which showed a man driving alone. ¡°Find out who this is, pronto! I want him in front of me!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already looked into the car, but the guy seems to have vanished. His neighbors said he left yesterday and never came back.¡± Emmett felt a chill. Could this man have kidnapped the kids? ¡°Get me his home address now! And round up anyone connected to him. I¡¯d rather take in the wrong guy than miss a possible suspect!¡± After hanging up, Elio was about to head over to Leah¡¯s. But then Newell Milburn called. After seeing the caller ID, Elio was surprised. He hardly ever interacted with Newell. Before he could even say hello, Newellunched into it. ¡°Have you been in touch with Leah recently?¡± ¡°Nope, what¡¯s up? Leah¡¯s been reaching out?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Newell¡¯s voice was heavy, and he sighed. ¡°She¡¯s been grilling me, asking if I¡¯m the one with the family secret recipe. I can¡¯t dodge her anymore.¡± Elio asked, ¡°So, are you the one who¡¯s got the recipe?¡± Newell shot back instantly. ¡°No way! I¡¯m the ck sheep, the least aplished in our family. Granddad even said I¡¯d only be a run-of-the-mill doctor. I have no idea why Leah¡¯s suspicious of me.¡± Elio hesitated. ¡°But didn¡¯t Granddad always say you were the smartest? We all thought you¡¯d be the one to inherit the recipe; that¡¯s probably what Leah thinks too.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it! She¡¯s taken my wife and daughter hostage to get me to cough up the recipe. But I don¡¯t have it!¡± Elio clenched his fists. ¡°That damn Leah!¡± ¡°With Granddad gone and no trace of the recipe, I don¡¯t know how to prove my innocence. You¡¯ve gotta help me out, or my family¡¯s in deep trouble. Leah said she¡¯d kill them if I don¡¯t give her the recipe!¡± Elio felt helpless. He still hadn¡¯t figured out how to deal with Leah, so how could he possibly help Newell? ¡°At this point, why not just make up a recipe to buy some time and rescue your family first?¡± ¡°What? But Leah¡¯s no fool. What if she finds out?¡± ¡°Do you have any better ideas?¡± Elio paused, then suddenly said, ¡°How about this? Tell Leah the recipe is with me now and tell her toe after me.¡± Chapter 363 Chapter 363 After hearing this, Newell sighed in relief on the other end of the phone. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to help me out, then my family might make it. But aren¡¯t you scared Leah might do something to you?¡± Ive got nothing to lose, man. She, at most, can only take my life. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Newell felt a pang of guilt upon hearing this. He¡¯d called Elio to cut ties, afraid of being suspected if Leah failed. He hadn¡¯t expected Elio to be ready to sacrifice himself for his family. ¡°Just so you know, Leah won¡¯ty a finger on me for now. I¡¯ll get your family out first.¡± ¡°Uh¡­thanks, man! Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d risk your neck for me.¡± They weren¡¯t exactly close in the family. They hardly had any contact outside of family gatherings. Neweil was suddenly regretting teaming up with Leah. But he¡¯d already taken his share. There was no turning back! After hanging up, Elio gripped the steering wheel, heading towards Leah¡¯s ce. He nced back at a ck bag on the back seat, his brow furrowed. It was a gas bomb Elio had prepared a while ago, ready to go down with Leah if necessary. He was willing to do it to protect the kids. It was all his doing, and he should be the one to end it.. Night fell, and the wind started to blow. The cool breeze brushed past her cheeks, as if a storm were imminent. ra refused to go inside and waited at the door. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Elio had promised her that he¡¯d bring the kids back, and she believed him. Suddenly, Nestor rushed out from the living room, pale as a ghost. ¡°Ms. Calloway! Something¡¯s happened!¡± ra turned to look at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Elio took the gas bomb from the secret room!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Elio made that bomb himself. It¡¯s very toxic! Once it¡¯s activated, everyone in the house will be helpless! Including the one who activated the bomb!¡± ra¡¯s heart tightened. ¡°So Elio¡¯s nning to go down with Leah?¡± Nestor nodded vigorously. ¡°I think so! He¡¯s using this to threaten Leah. If it doesn¡¯t work, he¡¯ll..¡±. ra grabbed Nestor. ¡°Quick, call him!¡± ¡°I will!¡± Nestor quickly pulled out his phone, but before he could dial, ra stopped him. ¡®No, if you call him now and try to convince him toe back, he won¡¯t listen! Wait¡­¡± ra started pacing, then pointed at Nestor¡¯s phone. ¡°Text him first. Tell him I¡¯ve passed out and you can¡¯t reach a doctor. Ask him toe back quickly!¡± Nestor nodded. ¡°Good idea, Ms. Calloway!¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t respond, then try calling him. But remember, don¡¯t immediately tell him about the missing gas bomb, Pretend I¡¯ve fainted and you¡¯re panicking. Make it sound urgent!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After Nestor sent the text, they both stared at the phone for a few minutes without a reply. Nestor was getting impatient; he was about to call when suddenly¡­ Chapter 364 Chapter 364 Nestor¡¯s phone rang. It was Elio. ra motioned for him to answer immediately. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Nestor quickly hit the answer button, and Elio¡¯s anxious voice came through. ¡°What happened to ra?!¡± ¡°She fainted! I tried everything but couldn¡¯t wake her up, and the doctor¡¯s phone was off!¡± Nestor spoke and then nced at ra. ra nodded, signaling for him to continue. ¡°It¡¯s really bad; I think Ms. Calloway could stop breathing soon! Elio, hurry back and check on her!¡± Upon hearing this, Elio on the other end of the phone immediately responded. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll be right there!¡± After hanging up, Nestor exhaled heavily and looked at ra. ¡°Ms. Calloway, I can¡¯t thank you enough! You saved Elio!¡± ra bowed her head, feeling somewhat ashamed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me; I feel really guilty. Elio has done so much for me. This time, he was willing to fight with Leah for my children, so I couldn¡¯t just stand by.¡± Nestor sighed, still recovering from the shock. ¡°Elio is stubborn. Once he sets his mind on something, he won¡¯t easily change. He was like this as a kid. If he liked a toy, he wanted that toy. No matter how great the other toys his family gave him, he wouldn¡¯t even y with them.¡± ra lowered her head. She knew about Elio¡¯s deep feelings for her. But not everything could be solved with deep feelings, especially when it came to love. If you didn¡¯t like someone, you just didn¡¯t. There was nothing that could be done about it. Before, ra had considered settling down with Elio just to give her children aplete family. But after much thought, she realized that was too selfish. Elio¡¯s affection for her might have just been temporary. If he met someone he truly loved in the future, being already married with a child would ruin his happiness. So she stopped thinking that way. She knew she was partly to me for the current situation. She should have made it clear to Elio sooner or explicitly told him they wouldn¡¯t be together. ¡°After spending some time with you, Ms. Calloway, I think you¡¯re a kind-hearted girl. It¡¯s no wonder Elio is drawn to you.¡± Nestor said. ¡°Unfortunately, you already have children and a loved one. I¡¯ve tried to persuade Elio to let go, but he just can¡¯t let go of you.¡± ra smiled faintly, not wanting to continue the conversation. What was done was done, and talking more wouldn¡¯t change anything. She didn¡¯t know where Elio was right now. But soon, she heard the screech of tires outside. Elio burst through the door. After seeing ra standing at the door, he froze and frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you faint?¡± Nestor quickly chimed in. ¡°Elio, you¡¯re finally back!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Elio, don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Nestor quickly stepped forward to stop him. ra also stepped forward, her face serious. ¡°Elio, do you want me to feel guilty for the rest of my life?¡± Elio suddenly understood. He clenched his fists, not knowing how to exin his actions. ¡°I really couldn¡¯t think of any other way. I promised you that I would save your children. If I can¡¯t save them, I¡¯ll take Leah away. I dragged her into this, and I should be responsible for taking her away.¡± Chapter 365 Chapter 365 ¡°Don¡¯t always shoulder all the me, okay? I know you did all those things for me at first. I ain¡¯t ming you, so why are you piling so much guilt on yourself?¡± Elio hung his head low. ¡°But I¡¯ve messed up so much¡­¡± ra suddenly remembered the pictures from the news and instinctively stepped back. ¡°Stop bringing up the past; I don¡¯t wanna hear it! You don¡¯t need to go settling scores with Leah either. Elio, if you really want me to be happy, just let me make a call to Emmett, okay?¡± Elio¡¯s face immediately changed. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°I won¡¯t meet him! I just want to warn him about Leah. Emmett doesn¡¯t know that the kids might have been taken away by Leah. As long as he knows, he can save them.¡± Elio hesitated for a moment, as if time had stopped. After a while, he slowly took out his phone and handed it to ra. ¡°Go ahead and call him. If I can¡¯t hold onto your heart and you wanna leave, let Emmett pick you up. I may not be able to protect you, but I¡¯ll make sure those kids are safe and deal with Leah.¡± With that, Elio turned to leave, but ra quickly grabbed him. ¡°Don¡¯t be rash; won¡¯t you listen to my advice? Are you really willing to risk your life for someone like Leah? It¡¯s not worth it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about whether it¡¯s worth it or not; I screwed up, and I should take responsibility for my mistakes. My life¡¯s already a mess anyway. The woman I love doesn¡¯t love me, and the family I want isn¡¯t mine!¡± Nestor, who had been standing by, was so frightened that he grabbed Elio¡¯s clothes. ¡°Elio, think it through! Life¡¯s a one-shot deal; don¡¯t waste it! I can beg you on my knees. Please don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± With that, Nestor began to cry. He hugged Elio¡¯s legs. ¡°I lost my child, and I¡¯ve always treated you like my own son! If you do something rash, how am I supposed to live?¡± Elio bent down slightly and pulled Nestor up. ¡°Nestor, I messed up!¡± ¡°I know, I know! But sacrificing your life isn¡¯t the only way to make up for mistakes! Ms. Calloway¡­¡± Nestor finished and looked at ra. Suddenly! Nestor fell to his knees. ¡°Ms. Calloway, I beg you, save Elio. He can¡¯t die!¡± ra was at a loss, not knowing how to respond. ¡°Get up.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t get up, not until you agree!¡± Elio also went over to pull Nestor up. ¡°Nestor, don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Then promise me that you won¡¯t go after Leah again, okay? If you want Leah dead, I¡¯ll do it! Show me how to use that gas bomb, and I¡¯ll take care of it!¡± ¡°Nestor, get up.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t. I¡¯ve lived long enough; there¡¯s nothing left for me. My daughter¡¯s gone, and so is my wife. But Elio, you¡¯re still young. There¡¯s a long road ahead of you. You can¡¯t throw away your life because of a wicked person like this.¡± ra watched Nestor, and her heart began to ache. She squatted down and looked at Elio. ¡°Don¡¯t you see how impulsive your decision is? Look at how much it¡¯s hurting people!¡± Chapter 366 Chapter 366 Elio looked at Nestor with his lips pressed tight. There was a mix of emotions in his heart. ¡°If you¡¯d really kicked the bucket with Leah today¡­ Did you even consider Nestor? Did you think about me? What would be of my life? Even if you managed to rescue Aiden and Alex, how would they feel knowing someone died for them?¡± Elio hung his head, ¡°But¡­ didn¡¯t I already tell you?¡± ¡°I get that you were stuck between a rock and a hard ce,¡± ra frowned, standing up, ¡°Alright, Nestor, get up. Elio, no more going out. Stay put here today and wait for news! I am going to inform Emmett, and I trust he¡¯ll manage to save Aiden and Alex and give Leah the payback she deserves.¡± Just as ra was about to dial Emmett, a new message popped up on the phone. It was from Leah. ra frowned, ¡°It¡¯s Leah! She¡¯s sent you a message.¡± Elio quickly read it over. [My dear cousin, I know you¡¯ll be meeting ra soon. You might even have her contact Emmett when you¡¯re at your wits¡¯ end, but you should also know about the form; it¡¯s in my hands now.] Elio furrowed his brows, flipping to the next page. [Here¡¯s the truth. I¡¯ve already given Emmett the drug from the form! Tell ra for me that if she spills anything about me to Emmett, he¡¯s as good as dead. You know, besides the heir to the form, I¡¯m the only one with the antidote, but you¡¯ll never know who the heir is!] ra stumbled, falling to the ground. She¡¯d thought Leah wouldn¡¯t harm Emmett, that Leah was truly in love with him, and that¡¯s why they were at odds! It turned out that it was all for self-interest. Elio clenched his fists, looking at ra with guilt, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t stop the form incident. Things have gotten way moreplicated! Are you still going to call Emmett?¡± ra was panting heavily, seemingly not recovering from the shock. After a while, ra finally said, ¡°Give me the phone.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Elio handed over the phone, and ra immediately called Leah back. After two rings, Leah picked up. ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you understand my message?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, ra.¡± Upon hearing ra¡¯s voice, Leah paused, ¡°Oh, finally decided to give me a ring? Guess you saw my message.¡± ¡°What the hell are you up to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not up to anything, ra. I just want your husband.¡± ra¡¯s hand clenched into a fist, ¡°If you want Emmett, why did you drug him? Won¡¯t he die if there¡¯s no antidote for the form?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Leah chuckled wickedly, ¡°But, as long as tm-by Emmett¡¯s side, won¡¯t he always have a solution? ra, you know who I really am by now. I don¡¯t minding clean with you! If you want him to live and want the kids to be safe and sound, you¡¯d better swallow your pride and have Emmett give up on you as soon as possible!¡± ra bit her lip. She never imagined Leah could be so ruthless as to drug Emmett like that. Chapter 367 Chapter 367 ¡°Like this, I might let your two kids off the hook. Maybe even help bring your whole family back together! Aside from Emmett, your two sons isn¡¯t worth jack to me, don¡¯t you think?¡± ra bit her lip and said, ¡°You just want me to leave Emmett, right?¡± ¡°Bingo! I never really nned to put you guys in mortal danger. I¡¯ve told you before that you should be with Elio and not try to take Emmett from me. That¡¯s not your ce! The mistress of the Melendez family shouldn¡¯t be you. I¡¯m just trying to set the record straight here, don¡¯t you think?¡± ra furrowed her brows, trying to keep her voice steady and calm. What she needed then was to figure out exactly what Leah wanted from her. ¡°If I make Emmett utterly disappointed in me, you¡¯ll give him the antidote and let my kids go?¡± ¡°Sure thing! But you better not try to pull a fast one on me. If I catch wind of any trickery, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to pay!¡± ¡°Fine¡­ I agree! I¡¯ll call Emmett right away. I¡¯ll keep the call on record so you can hear. How¡¯s that?¡± Leah chuckled coldly, ¡°Recording? You think I¡¯ll trust that? From now on, your phone can¡¯t be hung up; you use another phone to call Emmett. I want to hear him lose all hope in you myself!¡± ra nced at Elio. Her fingers were digging deep into her palm. ¡°But you gotta let me think about how to talk to Emmett and how to make him utterly disappointed.¡± ¡°The news thing is ready-made, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯veid the path for you; you just have to say you and Elio are together now. Tell him that those photos are real and that you guys have been sneaking around. He won¡¯t doubt you!¡± After a few seconds of silence, ra suddenlyughed, startling Leah across from her. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± ¡°I¡¯mughing at how stupid I was. I totally fell for your tricks! I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t see your huge ambition. I didn¡¯t realize you were using me from the start!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t me you! If you had seen through me, where would that leave me?¡± ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯ll call him now! Since I¡¯ve lost to you, I have to admit it! But you have to keep your word; you can¡¯t harm Emmett!¡± ¡°Of course not. If he dies, what¡¯s the point of all this?¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ra put down her phone, looked up at Elio, and asked, ¡°Are there any other phones around?¡± Elio frowned, ¡°Are you really going to do this? If you do, you and Emmett¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re out of options. If following Leah¡¯s advice can save my two kids, I¡¯ll do it! It¡¯s the best choice.¡± At that point, all Elio could do was agree, ¡°There¡¯s andline in the living room.¡± ra picked up her phone and headed back to the living-room. She started dialing Emmett¡¯s number. Each digit pressed felt like a stab to her heart, the pain spreading throughout her body, almost making her pass out. Chapter 368 Chapter 368 In that moment, ra realized that somehow Emmett had be the man she deeply loved. He was part of her, woven into her very being. Leaving him then would have been like losing half her life! The phone rang twice before Emmett¡¯s deep voice answered. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± ra opened her mouth, but no sound came out. How long had it been since she had heard his voice? She¡¯d been dying to hear his voice, to connect with him every single day. But then she had to break things off with him. Emmett must¡¯ve sensed something. He asked, ¡°ra? Is that you?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ra bit her lip, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°ra, where are you? Tell me, I¡¯lle find you right now!¡± ¡°No need! I just heard you¡¯re looking for Elio.¡± ra clutched her chest, trying to sound firmer and hide her feelings from him. ¡°Of course I am! He took you away; how else am I going to find you?¡± ra closed her eyes, ¡°Can you stop looking? We¡¯ve eloped!¡± ¡°What? Eloped?¡± Emmett¡¯s voice rose, ¡°ra, did Elio force you to do this? Tell me!¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t force me! You know, I always wanted to be with him. Being with you recently made me more certain that we¡¯re not meant to be. I miss the days with Elio abroad, so I¡¯ve decided to give up on you and choose him. ¡­¡± ¡°Stop! I don¡¯t believe a word you¡¯re saying!¡± Emmett yelled over the phone, ¡°Tell me where you are! I want to see you!¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why would you want to see me? I don¡¯t want to see you. I¡¯ve made it clear. Why are you still clinging on?¡± ra couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. Her hands clenched the phone tightly, ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? I was in agony being with you. I was forced to marry you. You never asked if I wanted to!¡± Emmett roared through the phone, ¡°I don¡¯t care. Tell me where you are!¡± ¡°Don¡¯tmand me around! Emmett, can you act like a real man for once? We agreed on a sham marriage/but you forced me into a real one! I even fled abroad, and you still dragged me back! You have zero respect for me. How could I ever love you?¡± There was silence on Emmett¡¯s end. After a few seconds, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°Is everything you said true? You never loved me? Not even a little bit?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I hate your selfishness, your authoritarianism, and your habit of making decisions for me. And more than anything, I hate ying stepmom to your two kids!¡± The air seemed to freeze. Even Elio didn¡¯t say a word. ra nced at Elio, lifted her chin, and forced back the tears welling in her eyes. In that moment, she felt her heart shattering. She knew it was over between her and Emmett. They could never be together again! Maybe Leah was right. She never should¡¯ve held unrealistic expectations in the first ce. Chapter 369 Chapter 369 How great would it be if Emmett was just an average man? Even if he was broke and not so good- looking, that would have been all okay! But no, he had to be Mr. Exceptional, the unreachable height she has been chasing but couldn¡¯t achieve. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you one more time. Where are you? ra, stop ying games. I¡¯ming to get you.¡± Emmett¡¯s voice came over the phone, softer then, almost pleading. That was the first time ra had ever heard him speak like that! ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not telling you where I am!¡± A few seconds of silence followed. Then Emmett roared, ¡°Tell me now! Is Elio with you? I swear, I¡¯ll kill him!¡± ra gritted her teeth, each word stinging, ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt Elio! Emmett, it¡¯s over between us. Let¡¯s part on good terms. I don¡¯t want to see you again, nor will I look for you! Your mother doesn¡¯t like me; let her find someone she does.¡± Emmett paused, hastily asking, ¡°My mother? Did she pressure you? Tell me. I can cut her off. I¡¯d do anything for you!¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t pressure me.¡± ¡°Then why? Why?¡± Emmett¡¯s voice was nearly breaking, ¡°I refuse to believe you have no feelings for me. You clearly¡­ you clearly felt something when you were in my arms!¡± ¡°And what kind of feelings are those? Nothing but forced eptance! It could be anyone, not just you. And I¡¯d probably still pretend to enjoy it¡­¡± ¡°You¡­ ra, you¡¯re bold. I see you clearly now! You want to be with Elio, huh? I¡¯m telling you. I won¡¯t let that happen!¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. With that, Emmett hung up, as if afraid to hear her voice again. ra stared at her phone, dumbfounded. Leah¡¯s heartyughter came through the other phone, ¡°Good job! It¡¯s clear Emmett¡¯s really fallen for you. What a pity you¡¯re from two different worlds. It wasn¡¯t meant to be. Now look, you¡¯re both heartbroken!¡± ¡°Enough! I did what you asked. Now will you release my children?¡± ¡°Rx, rx. The kids are with me now. I¡¯m their mother; why would I let them get hurt? Right?¡± Leah laughed, then hung up. ra copsed backward, passing out. Her hand still clutched the corner of her dress. ¡°Emmett¡­ Emmett¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Elio panicked and shouted, ¡°Quick! Get a doctor. She¡¯s pregnant. We can¡¯t have any idents!¡± In a warehouse on the outskirts. Two small figures huddled in a corner, and with a guard every two meters outside, there was no chance for them to escape. ¡°Aiden, what should we do?¡± Aiden frowned, hugging Alex, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Mom and Dad wille for us.¡± ¡°They¡­ they won¡¯t hurt us, will they?¡± Alex was on the verge of breaking down, ¡°I¡¯m so hungry. I want something to eat.¡± ¡°Wait here!¡± Aiden gently patted his shoulder, then stood up and called out, ¡°Excuse me, is anyone there? My little brother¡¯s hungry. Could you give us something to eat?¡± Chapter 370 Chapter 370 It didn¡¯t seem like anyone outside heard, nor was there any response. Wiping away his tears with the back of his hand, Alex said, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving home again, and I¡¯m not going to look for Dad. But I really miss Mom.¡± Aiden felt helpless. Alex¡¯s speech was getting all muddled. He was so upset; there was no way he could discuss an escape n. Then suddenly, the warehouse door swung open, and a man walked in, carrying a bag of bread. He walked over and tossed the bag of bread on the ground. ¡°Eat up! You¡¯re hungry, aren¡¯t you? I can¡¯t have you starving to death now!¡± Aiden watched him, instinctively protecting Alex. ¡°Got any water? We¡¯re kind of thirsty.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with all the demands? Are you here on vacation or something?¡± The man scoffed. ¡°Rich kids, always such a pain in the ass!¡± With that, he turned and left. Aiden quickly bent down, shoving the bread into Alex¡¯s hands. ¡°Eat up.¡± Alex nodded, but when he opened the bread, he didn¡¯t eat. ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating? Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. You eat.¡± Before long, the man returned with two bottles of water. ¡°Drink up!¡± As he was leaving, Aiden blurted out, ¡°Can I ask what you¡¯re nning to do with us? If you want money, I need to call my dad. Otherwise, he won¡¯t know we¡¯ve been kidnapped!¡± ¡°Kidnapped?¡± The man sneered at him. ¡°This isn¡¯t kidnapping. We¡¯re just restricting your freedom!¡± Aiden really wanted to argue what that meant. No food, no water. Was that what they called restricting freedom? But he knew if he argued, the man might get violent. So he swallowed his words, putting on an innocent smile. ¡°So when do you n on letting us go? We don¡¯t really like our freedom restricted.¡± ¡°When we let you go isn¡¯t up to me. Just wait and see! And don¡¯t even think about trying to escape, or you¡¯ll be punished!¡± With that, he mmed the warehouse door shut. Aiden picked up the water bottle from the ground, retreated to the corner, opened it, and took a sip. It was the best water he¡¯d ever tasted. Alex took a couple of big bites of the bread, then handed the rest to Aiden. ¡°Aiden, you should eat some too. Otherwise, you might not have the strength to run if we get a chance.¡± Looking at the bread in his hand, Aiden¡¯s eyes welled up. Alex was still worrying about him. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Really, I¡¯m not. I always used to get so engrossed in my studies that I¡¯d forget to eat. I¡¯m used to it! But you¡¯re always eating at home. You¡¯ must be really hungry. Eat this.¡± Aiden put the bread back, but Alex didn¡¯t eat it. Instead, he hid it. ¡°We can¡¯t know when he¡¯ll feed us again. I¡¯m saying this. It might save our lives.¡± Aiden smiled. ¡°You finally did something that reminds me of Dad. I was starting to wonder if we both were Mom and Dad¡¯s kids. How could our intelligence gap be so huge?¡± Alex pouted. ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re mocking me?¡± Chapter 371 Chapter 371 ¡°I¡¯m just giving you props.¡± Aiden stood up, peeking outside through a gap in the warehouse. There was an open field stretching out, with crops in the distance. But he couldn¡¯t pinpoint their exact location. Even if he knew, how should he send a message? Soon, he saw people pacing outside. They were probably their captors. Alex rushed to his side, asking, ¡°Any luck? Can we make a run for it?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t look too promising,¡± Aiden said. ¡°We¡¯re no match for them. Even if we did manage to escape, they¡¯d just catch us again. If they think we¡¯re too much trouble, they might put us under sleeping pills. We¡¯re not holding any aces here.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re stuck here indefinitely?¡± ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Suddenly, Aiden looked up. There was a big hole in the roof of the warehouse. Alex followed his gaze. Surprised, he asked, ¡°Aiden, you don¡¯t expect me to climb up there and then we both make a break for it, do you?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Aiden shook his head. ¡°Even if we could climb up somehow, we¡¯d just be sitting ducks for them.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your n, then?¡± ¡°We could start a fire. Let the smoke billow out through the hole. People would notice something¡¯s up with this warehouse. If my dad¡¯s men are around, they¡¯d find us.¡± Alex chuckled and quickly nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good one! But we don¡¯t have a lighter!¡± Aiden tapped his forehead lightly, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of rubbing sticks together to start a fire?¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Alex shook his head, ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°Any word on Aiden and Alex?¡± As soon as Sophia got home, she grabbed her husband¡¯s hand and asked. She had been searching all the ces where Aiden and Alex could have gone to for a long time. But she found no cl¨²es. The kids were undoubtedly kidnapped, but there was no ransom demand. Sophia was really worried. She feared their enemies might have kidnapped the kids for revenge. Patrick shook his head. His face was serious and he was still in his work clothes. ¡°No words yet. I asked some friends to help out, but still no leads.¡± ¡°What do we do? What if they have been..¡± ¡°No way! Don¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡± Patrick cut her off. ¡°No one would harm kids for no reason. If it were our enemies, they would have contacted us. Most of the time, it¡¯s about money. We need to stay calm. We¡¯ll find them.¡± Sophia nodded, sinking weakly into the couch. ¡°They can¡¯t be in any danger! If something happened to them, I couldn¡¯t bear it.¡± ¡°Can you stop crying? Your sorrowful wails are really getting on my nerves.¡± Sophia widened her eyes at hisint, ¡°I can¡¯t cry? Do you want me dead?¡± ¡°All of this is because you insisted on separating our son and ra. Otherwise, why would our kids run away?¡± ¡°Are you ming me at a time like this? I did what I thought was best for this family. They are my own grandchildren. Do you think I would have done this if I knew it could lead to this?¡± Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Patrick nced at her and tried to say something, but the words wouldn¡¯te out. He let out a sarcasticugh, turned around, and headed upstairs. Sophia plopped back onto the couch. She was scared and didn¡¯t dare think about the consequences! Suddenly her phone rang. It was a call from Leah. Sophia picked it up right away. ¡°Any news about the kids?¡± ¡°Yes! Some friends in the neighborhood spotted them. I¡¯m on my way there right now!¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± Sophia jumped off the couch, ¡°Where did they take the kids? Send me your location. I¡¯ll send someone right now!¡± ¡°Okay, but I can¡¯t wait for you. I¡¯m going first! I¡¯m too worried about them! I¡¯m almost there. I have to be with my children no matter what!¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! How are you going to save two kids all by yourself? Tell me where it is, and then hide somewhere until help arrives!¡± Leah¡¯s anxious voice came through the phone, ¡°I can¡¯t wait. I just want to see them safe!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be rash!¡± Sophia urged, ¡°I know you¡¯re worried, but you can¡¯t alert them! If they realize we¡¯ve found their location, they might do something extreme!¡± Hearing that, Leah paused and then asked, ¡°What should I do? I¡­ I want to see them now to make sure they¡¯re safe!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as soon as we find their location, I¡¯ll get the kids out safely!¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll send you the location now.¡± Leah sent a text to Sophia. Sophia was thrilled, clutching her phone as she ran upstairs, ¡°Darling, darling, we¡¯ve got a lead on the kids. Get Emmett to go save Aiden and Alex!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Patrick rushed out of the bedroom at the news, ¡°Give me the phone!¡± In the president¡¯s office at the Melendez Group. Emmett stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, motionless, not allowing anyone to enter. Suddenly, the ring of the phone on the desk broke the silence. Emmett frowned, reached out, and picked up the phone. It was Patrick. He picked up the call and heard Patrick¡¯s excited voice on the other end, ¡°We¡¯ve got a lead! We¡¯ve got news on the kids!¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Not sure, but we¡¯ve got to check it out! I¡¯ll send you the location; get Matt there as soon as possible!¡± ¡°Okay¡± Emmett grabbed the keys on the desk and sprinted out of the office. On the way, he called Matt and Ricardo, instructing them to surround the location. What should have been a two-hour journey, Emmett made in forty minutes! The warehouse was very secluded, with farnd in front. Without precise coordinates, it would have been hard to find. Emmett had previously deployed helicopters to search that area, but the warehouse¡¯s green roof made it hard to identify from the air, allowing it to evade their search. Stealthily, Emmett approached the warehouse when he noticed smoke starting to rise from the roof. It seemed like there really were people inside! From his observation, there were quite a few people around that warehouse. They probably knew exactly who Aiden and Alex were and were nning to use the two of them to score some serious ransom money. Chapter 373 Chapter 373 Emmett wanted to bust in there immediately, but he knew he had to ensure Aiden and Alex were rescued in one shot and couldn¡¯t afford any screw-ups. Plus, he had no clue about the situation inside the warehouse. So, recklessly rushing in was off the table. Not long after, Matt quietly showed up in the field with a group of people, joining up with Emmett, ¡°Mr. Melendez, are Aiden and Alex in there?¡± ¡°They should be, unless something unexpected happened.¡± Emmett was cut off as he spotted a petite figure approaching from not far away. He thought, ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ Leah?¡± Why the hell was she there? Emmett jerked his chin toward her, telling Matt, ¡°Go get her over here. Don¡¯t let her cause a fuss!¡± Matt nodded and quickly brought Leah over. Leah looked a bit freaked out when she saw Emmett, just as flustered as she was when they first met. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I screw up again? I¡¯m just so worried about the kids, so I¡­ ¡°Did you tell my parents they¡¯re here?¡± Leah nodded, ¡°Yes, a business partner of mine didn¡¯t know the kids are mine! He told me in secret at a party that his friend had kidnapped two kids from the Melendez family, saying it would be a big pay day. I knew it had to be Aiden and Alex, so, I subtly got this address out of him.¡± Emmett furrowed his brows, ¡°Just stay here and wait. You don¡¯t need to stress about rescuing Aiden and Alex.¡± Leah quickly said, ¡°But I¡­ I¡¯m worried about them¡­¡± Emmett shot Leah a re that silenced her, ¡°What are you worried about? You think you can charge in there and save them?¡± Leah hung her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t¡­¡± Just as they were talking, the warehouse door seemed to open, and a couple of people walked out. Emmett squinted his eyes and gestured to Matt to keep moving closer. Inside the warehouse. Aiden and Alex huddled in a corner out of fear. ¡°So, you two decided to start a fire in here! Trying tomit suicide, are you?¡± ¡°We were cold.¡± Aiden quickly thought of an excuse. The man nced at the hole in the roof, narrowing his eyes, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it! Are you two trying to signal for help?¡±. ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Aiden waved his hands frantically, ¡°Alex has a cold; he said he was really cold. I figured since you guys never wanted to give us food or water, you wouldn¡¯t give us any extra clothes either. So, I started the fire¡­¡± Alex, behind him, quickly sneezed and started coughing when he heard that. Aiden quickly pointed at Alex and said, ¡°See? He¡¯s really sick. Very sick! Can you give us some cold medicine? If something happens to him, it¡¯d be trouble for you guys too, right?¡± The man hesitated but eventually turned around and left. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Just as Aiden was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a loud noise came from outside, followed by the man¡¯s painful yells. Alex was shaking behind Aiden, clutching onto his shirt tightly. ¡°Aiden, did someone get killed outside?¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense. Someone must be here to rescue us.¡± ¡°Really? Let¡¯s get out of here th¨¦n!¡± Chapter 374 Chapter 374 ¡°No can do, we have no idea what¡¯s going on out there! We can¡¯t just head out willy-nilly. Stay put here for a bit. I¡¯ll go check.¡± ¡°No way, I¡¯ming with you!¡± Alex clung onto his clothes, ¡°I¡¯d be scared out of my wits alone.¡± Left with no choice, Aiden had to take him along. They had just stepped out the warehouse door when suddenly, there was a bang. A gun was pressed at the back of the kids¡¯ heads. ¡°Nobody move!¡± A man¡¯s voice filled with rage, tinged with a hint of desperation, said, ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn, but I have to take these kids with me! Think about it!¡± Aiden got a good look, and the man turned out to be his father. Alex shouted in excitement, ¡°Dad, we¡¯re here! Help us!¡± Aiden quickly pulled Alex back, signaling him to keep his voice down. It was crucial to keep their father level-headed, not to be swayed by emotions, or he might make a rash decision! On the other side, Emmett clenched his fists and asked, ¡°What the hell do you want? Spit it out!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. I just can¡¯t stand the arrogance of you rich folks! I want you to know that life isn¡¯t always a bed of roses!¡± Emmett frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you kidnapped the kids just for that. Out with it! If someone put you up to this, I can offer you double or more. If you want money, name your price! I promise not to call the cops. Hand over the kids to us, and I¡¯ll let you walk!¡±: ¡°Let me walk? You think I¡¯d fall for that?¡± The man sneered, ¡°I¡¯vee this far. I¡¯ve lost! The lives of these kids are in my hands!¡± As he was about to pull the trigger when suddenly, the man felt a blow to the back of his head. Emmett squinted and spotted Leah, who had sneakily attacked him from behind! A gunshot rang out. Emmett rushed over instinctively; the kids were frozen in shock, sttered with blood. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you guys, okay? Anyone hurt? Call a doctor, quick!¡± Aiden stammered, ¡°Dad¡­ we¡¯re fine. It¡¯s her!¡± He pointed to Leah, who was lying on the ground. There was a gunshot wound to her belly and blood was pooling around her. Leah reached out her hand and there was a weak smile on her face, ¡°Kids¡­ are you alright?¡± Emmett furrowed his brows, ¡°Stop talking. The ambnce will be here soon!¡± ¡°I¡­ it¡¯s okay¡­ if I die, as long as the kids are safe¡­ Emmett¡­ all I ask is you look after them¡­ don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t let them get hurt anymore¡­ and don¡¯t tell them who I am¡­¡± With that, Leah passed out. Emmett was stunned for a moment, then yelled at Matt behind him, ¡°Quick, we can¡¯t let her die like this!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Melendez.¡± The car was eerily quiet. Alex had fainted from terror, and a doctor was attending to him. Aiden sat quietly next to Emmett, not saying a word. Emmett nced at him, reaching out to hold his hand, ¡°Scared the hell out of you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Aiden shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dad. This is all my fault. I took Alex and ran away from home to find you, causing all this trouble. Chapter 375 Chapter 375 ¡°This isn¡¯t on you, I¡¯m not going to me you.¡± Emmett gently stroked his hair, ¡°You protected Alex this time, and that warms my heart.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . ¡°But I think¡­I may have caused that woman¡¯s death.¡± Aiden said lowly, guilt washing over him. He had seen the woman bleeding profusely, and he was filled with self-me. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. I won¡¯t let her die.¡± Emmett closed his eyes briefly. For a moment, he was tempted to tell his son who the woman was, but he swallowed his words. ¡°Rest well when we get home; it¡¯s all in the past now.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I told you. I¡¯ll make sure the woman makes it!¡± ¡°Can I apologize to her in person?¡± ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯ll take you to see her once she wakes up.¡± Aiden nodded vigorously, ¡°I want to thank her personally for saving me. Without her, Alex and I might never have seen you again.¡± Emmett smiled, ¡°Silly boy, why would I let anything happen to you guys?¡± Aiden leaned into Emmett, then suddenly sat up again, ¡°What about my mom? Why isn¡¯t my mom here?¡± At the mention of ¡®mom¡¯, Emmett stiffened. How was he supposed to tell his sons that their mom had run off with another man? Aiden noticed his difort and whispered, ¡°Did I say something wrong again? Did you and mom have a fight? Dad, if my mom upset you, can I apologize for her? Please don¡¯t be mad at her.¡± Emmett frowned, his lips pressed tightly together, ¡°You rest for now. I have other things to deal with. Matt, pull over!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Melendez.¡±¡± Emmett gave Aiden¡¯s hand a reassuring pat, then turned and got out of the car. Aiden furrowed his brows. It seemed like Dad was going to leave Mom too! He didn¡¯t know what had happened, but he felt a real sense of crisis. Would he never see his mom again? Aiden clenched his fists, recalling what Alex had said earlier. Should he tell them the truth? Maybe that way, his mom and dad could reconcile and be together again. But mom¡¯s words echoed again in his mind, ¡®You mustn¡¯t tell anyone about this, understand?¡¯ What should he do? How could he bring his mom back? ¡°Look, look!¡± Elio rushed in from outside, handing his phone to ra, ¡°The kids have been rescued!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ra immediately rose from her chair at the news. Her heart had been in her throat all that time. Every minute without news of the kids¡¯ rescue was unbearable for her. ¡°Really! Look, it¡¯s all over the news. They were kidnapped by a ransom-seeking criminal, and then Emmett went and saved them both.¡± ¡°Did Emmett find out it was Leah?¡± Elio shook his head, ¡°No, and this time, Leah got seriously injured trying to save the kids.¡± ¡°Leah got hurt?¡± ra asked in surprise, ¡°Didn¡¯t she kidnap the kids?¡± *It seems like Leah might be ying the sympathy card this time by getting hurt.¡± Elio spected with a furrowed brow, ¡°That way, she could worm her way into the Melendez family and get their approval. You know as well as I do that a guy like Emmett isn¡¯t going to ept another woman so easily.¡± Chapter 376 Chapter 376 ra lightly pressed her lips together. ¡°Yes, this time Leah¡¯s n was really well thought out. How stupid was I? You kept telling me she wasn¡¯t a good person, but I thought you were just biased against her or overly worried about me. I didn¡¯t even notice her tricks right in front of me.¡± ¡°Never mind if you didn¡¯t see it; I didn¡¯t catch onto her ambition at first either. I thought she just wanted to squeeze you for some cash; I didn¡¯t realize she actually had her eyes on Emmett.¡± Elio angrily mmed his fist into the wall. ¡°If I don¡¯t make Leah pay, my life will be pointless. I¡¯m going to tell Emmett everything now! Even if Emmett ends up hating me, I can¡¯t let her get what she wants!¡± Elio turned to leave, but ra quickly grabbed him. ¡°prash. Emmett¡¯s drugged by Leah right now; what would it help if he knew? It would only make things worse. Just let Leah marry Emmett. I¡¯ve let it go; why can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°But she¡¯s deceiving us!¡± ¡°So what if she is? We have to admit that we¡¯ve lost. We were defeated by our own kindness and gullibility.¡± ¡°Do you ept this?!¡± ra lowered her head. What could she do if she didn¡¯t ept it? ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Alright, once we¡¯ve made a choice, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± ra pressed her lips together again. ¡°You should go rest. I¡¯ll feel better knowing the kids are safe back with the Melendez family. We can only hope Leah has the heart to return my children.¡± Elio frowned. ¡°Do you really think she¡¯ll hand the kids over to you?¡± ¡°She should. At least she won¡¯t keep the kids with her for too long.¡± Elio lowered his head and said, ¡°Alright, you should rest too. I need to go talk to Nestor.¡± ra nodded, not saying anything more. At the hospital. The doctor came out of the emergency room. He removed his mask and sighed. ¡°Ah, is anyone here rted to Leah?¡± Sophia Melendez immediately got up and walked over. ¡°I am! How is she doing now?¡± ¡°The patient is in a critical condition. She¡¯s not out of danger yet. I need one of her family members to sign here.¡± The doctor handed over the paperwork. Sophia quickly signed her name, then the doctor checked it and went back into the operating room. Soon, Emmett appeared in the hospital. He strode straight over to Sophia, then looked up at the red light still on in the emergency room. ¡°Has she note out yet?¡± Sophia nodded and sighed, ¡°No.¡± She looked at her son, speaking earnestly, ¡°Without her help, the children would be in danger. She saved Aiden and Alex! Now you should understand that a biological mother and a stepmother are not the same.¡± Emmett knew she was referring to ra. But even if ra had hurt him, he didn¡¯t want anyone badmouthing her behind her back; it didn¡¯t sit well with him. ¡°I believe that if ra were here, she would do the same.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Then she¡¯s just pretending! She would just be ying the victim!¡± Sophia scoffed, ¡°What? You still don¡¯t get it? You still want to be with ra?¡± Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Emmett frowned. ¡°I never thought about that.¡± Then he moved his lips, speaking in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll get the best doctor for Leah. She saved my kids; I can¡¯t let her get hurt. As for the rest¡­ Mom, I think you should drop those thoughts. I¡¯m not going to be with her.¡± With that, he turned to leave. Sophia quickly followed and grabbed him. ¡°You still want to mess around with ra?¡± J Emmett paused. He didn¡¯t say a word and just simply walked away. Sophia stomped her foot in frustration behind him. ¡°Listen here! I won¡¯t let her ruin the Melendez name! As long as I¡¯m around, she¡¯s not stepping foot in our house!¡± Emmett heard what Sophia said, but he was done talking about ra; even thinking about her made him sick. Emmett left the hospital and got in the car as Ricardo looked at him cautiously. ¡°Mr. Melendez, do we still need to look for Mrs. Melendez?¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t mention her in front of me again, and don¡¯t call her Mrs. Melendez anymore.¡± 1. Ricardo was surprised. ¡°Did you guys have a fight? Or are you ming her? Mr. Melendez, that news can¡¯t be true. I¡¯ve been around Mrs. Melendez for a while, and I think she¡¯s a good, innocent person; she wouldn¡¯t do something like that.¡± ¡°What if she told me herself?¡± Ricardo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh, no way.¡± Emmett smirked. ¡°I was as shocked as you when I got her call, but it¡¯s true. Let¡¯s head back to the office.¡± After looking at his stern and cold face, Ricardo didn¡¯t dare say anything else. He quickly nodded and started the car. Once at the office, Emmett went straight into it and locked the door from inside. Ricardo was pacing anxiously outside. He tried calling ra¡¯s old number, but no one picked up at first. Just when he thought he couldn¡¯t reach ra, the call suddenly went through, and ra¡¯s voice reached Ricardo¡¯s ear. ¡°Oh my God! You finally picked up. What the heck is going on with you and Mr. Melendez? You scared the life out of me.¡± ra hesitated on the other end. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I let you down.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about letting me down. What¡¯s going on with you and Mr. Melendez?¡± Ricardo asked anxiously, ¡°Mr. Melendez just told me that the news is true. How can that be? Are you lying to him? Or is there something you just can¡¯t say? Tell me, what can¡¯t you say? I¡¯ll help you.¡± ra was silent for a moment and then said softly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t say. I just really don¡¯t want to be with¡­¡±. ¡°No way! I absolutely don¡¯t believe it!¡± Ricardo said loudly, ¡°You and Mr. Melendez clearly love each other deeply. I can feel it; how could ite to this? You already know that Mr. Melendez has moneyConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . and power and he can solve any problem! You just need to tell him your troubles.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any troubles.¡± ra paused. ¡°I don¡¯t love him. No amount of power or wealth can change how I feel about him.¡± Chapter 378 Chapter 378 Ricardo was furious. ¡°Have you gone nuts? If you don¡¯t love Mr. Melendez, then who do you love? Who can be better than Mr. Melendez? Wake up and go back to him! It¡¯s not toote to fix things. I believe if you apologize to Mr. Melendez now, he will forgive you.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ve slept with other men; will he forgive me?¡± Ricardo was speechless. ¡°No way, those photos only showed you and other men from the back. You can totally say they were photoshopped.¡± ¡°No, those photos are real. I really slept with other men. I don¡¯t want to lie; I don¡¯t want to deceive him.¡± Ricardo was at a loss for words. This was too much information for him to handle. After a moment of silence, ra said, ¡°Ricardo, thank you for taking care of me at thepany during this time. I have onest request. Will you take care of Emmett for me? I know that after hearing all this, he will be upset and bury himself in work. He won¡¯t eat and will stay in the office all the time. Please try to persuade him.¡± Ricardo hesitated for a moment and then frowned. ¡°You clearly care about him. I knew you couldn¡¯t possibly not have feelings for him. Mr. Melendez is so great. How could any other manpare?¡± ¡°I just have feelings of friendship for him. We¡¯ve been together for so long, so even if it was a friend or even a pet, I would worry about them. But that¡¯s not love. I can¡¯t be with him. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve let you down.¡± ¡°Hold on¡­¡± Ricardo wanted to say something, but ra hung up the phone. Ricardo stomped his foot in anger as he stared at the ck screen of his phone. What the hell was going on? How did a loving couple end up like this? Ricardo couldn¡¯t understand why ra would choose to give up on bing Mrs. Melendez. That was what countless women dreamed of. In the evening, the doors of the emergency room finally opened, and the red light went out. Leah was wheeled out, and Sophia quickly approached her. ¡°How is she now?¡± The doctor took off his mask and smiled in relief. ¡°She¡¯s out of danger now. The bleeding has stopped. She just needs to rest and recuperate.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡± Sophia immediately followed the doctor into the ward. Leah was still in aa, so she asked worriedly, ¡°But why hasn¡¯t she woken up yet?¡± ¡°She¡¯s still under anesthesia. She may wake up after a while. If she doesn¡¯t open her eyes in the next ten minutes, shake her and call her name.¡± Sophia nodded. ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± After the doctors had attached all kinds of equipment to her and confirmed that everything was working properly, they left the ward. Not long after, Patrick Melendez arrived. He pushed open the door and saw his wife sitting by the bed. He walked over and nced at Leah, who was still unconscious on the bed. ¡°So this is the birth mother of our two grandchildren?¡± Sophia nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Patrick sighed, ¡°Hmm, I understand what you mean now. She really would sacrifice herself for the two kids. That¡¯s something a stepmother couldn¡¯t do.¡± Sophia responded, ¡°I told you so!¡± She looked at him and continued. ¡°You think I¡¯ve been causing trouble in the family and disturbing our son, but you never thought about why I did what I did. Isn¡¯t this all for the sake of the children? You¡¯re their grandfather, and I¡¯m their biological grandmother. We should both think more about their future, instead of just being happy that our son and ra are happy and forgetting about this.¡± Chapter 379 Chapter 379 Patrick nodded, giving his approval. He pulled up a chair and sat down next to Sophia. ¡°How¡¯s she doing? Has the doctor confirmed that the surgery was sessful?¡± ¡°She should be fine. The doc just said she needs to rest up after surgery.¡± Sophia replied, then she got up and shook Leah gently. ¡°Leah, Leah, wake up, wake up.¡± Patrick seemed confused. ¡°Why are you disturbing her sleep?¡± ¡°The doc said so. She¡¯s still under the effect of the anesthesia; I need to wake her up.¡± ¡°Let me help you then.¡± Patrick offered. Before long, Leah slowly opened her eyes. The white ceiling was too bright, and she quickly shut them again. Sophia heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Finally, you¡¯re awake. How are you feeling?¡± Leah slowly opened her eyes again, turned to look at Sophia, and asked, ¡°Where am I? Am I dead?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not. You¡¯ve been saved. We¡¯re at the hospital.¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Leah paused for a moment and then suddenly tried to sit up on the bed. ¡°Where are my kids? My two kids?¡± Her sudden movement pulled at her wound, causing her to turn pale from the pain and fall back onto the bed. Sophia quickly reassured her. ¡°Your kids are doing just fine; they¡¯re okay. It¡¯s you who need to take care of yourself first before you can see them.¡± ¡°Are they alright? They didn¡¯t get hurt, did they?¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re fine. You saved them!¡± Patrick chimed in. ¡°We really owe you one.¡± ¡°They¡¯re my kids. I¡¯d do anything for them.¡± Leah replied, her head lowered. ¡°When I rushed over to save them, did Emmett see? Is he mad at me for not telling him first?¡± ¡°Why would he be mad? You saved his son. He should be grateful!¡± ¡°But my presence has been a nuisance to him.¡± ¡°Nuisance? Your presence is a godsend. Don¡¯t overthink it. Just focus on your recovery. I¡¯ll have a word with him and try to get him to ept you sooner so you can be with your kids and bond with them.¡± Leah¡¯s eyes lit up at this. ¡°You mean it? I can be with my kids? ¡°Absolutely! If anyone says otherwise, they¡¯ll have to answer to me.¡± Sophia tucked Leah in. ¡°Close your eyes and get some more rest. I¡¯ll fetch the doctor to check on you. Don¡¯t worry about anything else. I¡¯ll have the housekeeper record more videos of the kids for you to watch. They¡¯re not little anymore, and they remember what you¡¯ve done for them. It¡¯ll be easier for them to ept you when the timees. Your injury is not in vain.¡± Once both Patrick and Sophia had left the room, Leah struggled to get her cell phone from under her pillow, and after sessfully obtaining it, she dialed a number. After a few rings, the call was picked up. ¡°Miss, are you okay? I was so worried! Dawson pissed me off! I only asked him to act, but he actually shot at you! Thank goodness he died right then, or if I ever found him, I¡¯d make him regret it!¡± Leah coughed weakly a few times and then whispered, ¡°I should thank him for his convincing act, The Melendez family has changed their view of me, and I think Emmett is also starting to ept me.¡± Chapter 380 Chapter 380 ¡°But aren¡¯t you injured? What did the doc say? Where exactly did the bullet hit?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure. Emmett, Patrick, and Sophia just told me I¡¯m fine and that I just need some rest.¡± ¡®That¡¯s great. What¡¯s the n now?¡± ¡°You and your guys should leave the country and hang out abroad for a while. Once things are stable here, I¡¯ll let you know. I¡¯m worried Emmett might start snooping around; it could get you guys in hot water.¡± ¡°Got it. But once we leave, you¡¯ll be all alone here. Want me to stick around and send the rest?¡± ¡°No need! If you guys stick around, it¡¯ll just be a distraction. I just saved the Melendez family¡¯s kid. There¡¯s no way they¡¯d suspect me.¡± ¡°Okay, I get it. Take care of yourself. I¡¯ll wait for your call.¡± After hanging up, Leah immediately deleted all call records, even resetting her phone to factory settings. Not long after, Sophia walked in from outside, carrying a bowl of freshly cooked soup. ¡°The doc said you can have some liquid food in a couple of hours. I¡¯ve got it all ready.¡± Thanks for caring.¡± Leah smiled weakly. ¡°Can I see the pictures of the kids? Things were pretty hectic; I didn¡¯t get a good look at them. Alex is so mature now.¡± Sophia sighed and quickly pulled out her phone to show her the pictures. ¡°Yes, Alex is very obedient around Aiden. At first, he was a bit of a rascal; he didn¡¯t want to do his homework and always wanted candy. But now he¡¯s doing great in school; he even got a perfect score last time. That¡¯s all thanks to Aiden. After school, he would finish his homework and exin it to Alex.¡± A relieved smile appeared on Leah¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s great! As long as they¡¯re doing well, I¡¯m content.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that! Aren¡¯t you doing well too? Listen, when you were in the ER, my son came to the hospital. That means he¡¯s starting to take notice of you. I¡¯ll call him back when I get home and have a good talk with him. Maybe he¡¯ll agree to let you stay at our house.¡± ¡°Really? Emmett came to see me?¡± ¡°Of course it might be a tall order to get him to ept you and marry you right away but we can take it slow, one step at a time. Don¡¯t rush. Once you¡¯re living with us, you¡¯ll have more opportunities to be around him. The closer you are, the easier it is to win him over. You¡¯ll develop feelings for each other over time.¡± Leab lowered her head, moistening her lips slightly. ¡°Actually, I never dared dream of marrying Emmett. He¡¯s out of my league; I¡¯m just an ordinary woman.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t like my son?¡± Sophia raised an eyebrow. ¡°I do like Emmett; I believe there¡¯s no one in this world who wouldn¡¯t like him once they¡¯ve met him. But the gap between us is too big. I can¡¯t imagine getting close to This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. him.¡± not? If even his mother supports you, doesn¡¯t that make things easier?¡± Sophia patted her shoulder. ¡°All you need to do now is take good care of yourself and/ wait to marry into our family.¡± Chapter 381 Chapter 381 It was now deep into the night. In the CEO¡¯s office, Emmett was still engrossed in his paperwork, throwing himself into his work without giving himself a chance to take a breather. Because as soon as he stopped, he would think of ra and the words she had said to him. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Emmett frowned and muttered, ¡°Come in.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The door opened. He thought it would be Ricardo; however, a fragrance of food wafted in. Emmett looked up to see Sophia holding a thermal sk in her hand, her face beaming with a caring smile. ¡°Haven¡¯t you knocked off yet? I¡¯ve been waiting for you at home for so long that the soup I cooked has gotten cold, so I brought it over.¡± ¡°Busy.¡± Emmett nced at his mother, pursed his lips, and said no more, continuing to focus on the documents in his hands. Sophia walked over, cing the soup in front of him. ¡°Have some. I know you¡¯re not in a good mood, but you can¡¯t neglect your health. You are the backbone of the Melendez family.¡± Emmett waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I¡¯ve already eaten.¡± ¡°Nonsense! I¡¯ve asked Ricardo, and he told me that you¡¯ve locked yourself in this office since you came back and haven¡¯t let anyone enter.¡± Seeing that her son didn¡¯t reply, Sophia continued, ¡°Is it because of ra? I knew it! Did she say something to you?¡± When her name was mentioned again, Emmett suddenly lost his patience, and he tightly clenched his fists. ¡°Can you stop bothering me? I need to work! Leave the soup here; I¡¯ll have itter. You can go back now.¡± ¡°Emmett!¡± Sophia furrowed her eyebrows as she walked over impatiently. ¡°I am your mother; who is ra? She¡¯s nothing but a woman who climbed her way up with her looks! She¡¯s not even that good- looking, and you¡¯re raging at me because of her? You treated her so well, and she betrayed you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough; stop it! I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± ¡°No, I must say this! You can¡¯t avoid this anymore! What¡¯s the big deal? Consider it like being bitten by a dog. You¡¯ve met a disgusting woman, but you can¡¯t dwell on this your whole life, right? You still need to move on. There are many good women out there waiting for you.¡± Emmett took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to discuss this anymore; I¡¯m really busy.¡± ¡°Busy with what? You¡¯re just using work as an excuse! I can see it; you can¡¯t let go of ra. But you¡¯ve investigated it and found that the news is true. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be this down.¡± Emmett suddenly stood up from his seat. ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to hear her name right now! Can you leave?¡± Sophia had never seen her son like this and was taken aback. She nodded and left, not knowing what else to say. The door closed, and the office was quiet again. However, Emmett knew that ever since ra¡¯s call, his heart could no longer be calm. The next morning, ra woke up early. Now, Elio no longer restricted her freedom, but she found herself not knowing where to go or what to do. ra walked out of the bedroom and saw Nestor busy in the yard. Upon seeing ra, Nestor immediately stopped his work and smiled at her. ¡°You¡¯re up early. Why not sleep a little longer? Don¡¯t you youngsters like to sleep in?¡± Chapter 382 Chapter 382 ra sighed weakly. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep, I have insomnia, and I miss my kids.¡± Nestor let out a puff of air. ¡°I get you; if you can¡¯t sleep, don¡¯t force it. Come, let me show you how to nt flowers. I just bought these seedlings; they¡¯ll look stunning when they bloom.¡± Nodding, ra crouched down to ept the tools Nestor handed her, and they started digging together. As they dug, Nestor tried tofort her. ¡°I know you must miss your kids like crazy, but you gotta keep your chin up. After all, both your kids are safe and sound. I saw the news too; they were both rescued. Ain¡¯t that a silver lining?¡± After taking a deep breath, ra replied, ¡°Yeah, from that angle, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°You gotta stay positive, or else you¡¯ll get stuck in your head, and that¡¯s a one-way ticket to mental illness. On the news, it was said that people struggling with mental health issues are more likely to have suicidal thoughts. It was very rming¡± ra looked up at Nestor and gave him a small smile. ¡°Thanks for looking out for me; I¡¯m okay. As long as I know that both kids are safe and back with the Melendez family, I should be able to rest easy. It¡¯s just that I miss them a ton and wanna see them.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you give Mr. Melendez a call? I reckon Elio would let you leave. He said he¡¯s not holding you here anymore; you¡¯re free toe and go.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go back, not now.¡± ra lowered her head and continued digging. Nestor squinted slightly as aplex look appeared in his eyes that ra didn¡¯t see. Soon, Elio¡¯s car pulled up, and he parked outside the house. He walked in with breakfast ingredients and was surprised to see ra gardening. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you getting some more sleep?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Nestor chimed in. ¡°Elio, you¡¯re back. You two chat. I¡¯ll whip up breakfast.¡± ¡°Alright, thanks, Nestor.¡± As Nestor left, Elio walked over to ra, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Look at you; you¡¯re so pale. Should I get a doctor to check on you?¡± While shaking her head, ra replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just feel kinda queasy for some reason.¡± ¡°Queasy?¡± Elio froze. She was pregnant, so this was normal. But Elio hesitated and didn¡¯t tell her. He didn¡¯t dare to, because if ra found out that she was pregnant with Emmett¡¯s child, wouldn¡¯t she go running back to him without a second thought? Elio admitted he was selfish; he would rather ra ept the truth and stay by his side, never to leave again. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, I feel like throwing up the moment I wake up, and also¡­¡± ra trailed off. Elio knew what she meant. Her period waste, and she felt awkward saying it out loud. Elio pretended not to get it and didn¡¯t push further. He smiled and said, ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll get you some medicer; it should help ease the ¡°Okay.¡± Then Elio handed her a phone. nausea.¡± ¡°This has all the photos of Aiden and Alex. If you miss them, have a look. I even had someone take pictures of them at school.¡± Chapter 383 Chapter 383 ¡°Really?¡± ra quickly grabbed it. After looking at the picture of two kids standing there unharmed, she finally let out a sigh of relief. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Leah? Has she given the antidote to Emmett yet?¡± She had originally intended not to get involved in anything about Emmett, but she couldn¡¯t help asking. Elio found a ce to sit down. ¡°She¡¯s been saved. Sophia has been looking after her in the hospital. I guess he should have already received the antidote. Leah won¡¯t let him die.¡± ra gave a bitter smile. ¡°Emmett¡¯s mother has never liked me. Now that Leah, the savior, is here, she must like her even more. Plus, Leah must have imed she¡¯s the biological mother of the two kids. She¡¯ll fully support Leah being with Emmett.¡± ¡°You see, it might not be a bad thing to leave such a family sooner. Emmett¡¯s mother is such a nasty woman. How could she think Leah is a good person?¡± Elio spoke with a sense of injustice for ra. ¡°You¡¯ve been treating them so well and giving them your all, even protecting them! And what did you get? She just wants to rece you. If you were with me, my mother would surely¡­¡± His words suddenly stopped, not daring to go any further!. ra smiled slightly, pretended not to hear, and continued to nt flowers. ¡°Nestor should have made breakfast. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry; you go ahead.¡± ¡°How can you be like this?¡± Elio walked over to pull her up: ¡°Go wash your hands. It¡¯s boring for me to eat breakfast alone. Apany me.¡± ra nodded. ¡°Okay, actually, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want to leave here and go back to my old home.¡± Elio frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid Emmett wille looking for you?¡± ¡°He won¡¯t!¡± ra gave a disappointed smile. ¡°You don¡¯t know, but he¡¯s very proud. Thest time I spoke to him, I hurt him deeply; he should have given up on me.¡± At the Melendez family¡¯s home. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Because of the kidnapping, Aiden and Alex hadn¡¯t been to school for the past few days. After this incident, Alex seemed to have grown a lot, and there wasn¡¯t that muchughter on his face anymore. In the children¡¯s room. Alex looked at his brother, who had just walked over, and asked in a low voice, ¡°They still haven¡¯t found Mom?¡± ¡°Um.¡± Aiden nodded and sat back on his bed. ¡°I just heard Grandma and Grandpa talking; they seemed to be saying that our mom had an affair with Mr. Milburn.¡± ¡°Mr. Milburn?!¡± Alex was shocked. ¡°That¡¯s impossible; didn¡¯t Mom reject him before?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. But judging from Grandma¡¯s agitated look, it seem¡¯s Dad believes it too.¡± Alex immediately stood up and quickly pulled Aiden. ¡°Then quickly take me to see Dad! I can exin this to him. Mom told me before that she would never be with Mr. Milburn; there must be a misunderstanding! Can¡¯t we just exin this to them?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive. Mom hasn¡¯t mentioned this until now, and we don¡¯t have the right to get involved. Calm down.¡± Aiden didn¡¯t move, but instead pulled Alex. ¡°We¡¯re just kids; we don¡¯t know the reasons for many things, so don¡¯t make things worse.¡± ¡°Is this making things worse? I think if we don¡¯t speak up, Mom might really leave!¡± Chapter 384 Chapter 384 Aiden abruptly turned to Alex. ¡°Hold that thought. I¡¯ve got a question for you. Do you know who thedy was who rescued usst time?¡± ¡°Not really sure.¡± Alex said as he scratched his head in frustration. ¡°All I know is that she was hired by Mr. Milburn. Mom even asked me to tell Dad that she¡¯s actually my biological mother. I don¡¯t know much else. But I did notice she seemed to get along well with Grandmast time I saw them together, so I¡¯m wondering if she¡¯s trying to marry our dad.¡± Aiden nodded. ¡°I had the same inkling. But she did save us. If we guess wrong, we might hurt her. Maybe we should just observe for a while longer.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Alex suddenly stood up and took a few steps back as a look of bewilderment appeared on his face. ¡°What are you saying? What do you mean ¡®observe for a while longer¡¯? Are you ready to ept another woman to rece Mom?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Let me exin.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it! We¡¯ve gone through all of this so Mom coulde back, not so some other woman could take her ce. If you can ept that, then let another woman be your mom! I can¡¯t ept it; I¡¯m leaving!¡± As Alex moved to leave, Aiden quickly grabbed him. ¡°Can you not be so impulsive? When did I ever say I didn¡¯t want Mom?¡± ¡°But you just implied that you¡¯re giving up!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that; I just said we can¡¯t act recklessly. Running away from home to find Dadst time already caused a lot of trouble, don¡¯t you remember?¡± Alex pouted and fell silent. Aiden felt a headacheing on. ¡°Our main focus right now should be finding out why Mom and Dad had a fight. Only then can we find a solution.¡± ¡°Why did they fight? Weren¡¯t they fine before? Was it really because of Mr. Milburn?¡± Alex frowned. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go find Mr. Milburn. He can clear things up with Dad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not as simple as you think.¡± Aiden sighed, wishing he were an adult so he could do more. Just as Alex was about to say something, there was a knock on the door, and Aiden quickly went to answer it. It was Sophia. She had a box of pastries in her hands and smiled at Aiden. ¡°What are you two up to?¡± ¡°We were just reading.¡± Aiden quickly invited her in and shot Alex a look, signaling for him to keep quiet about their earlier conversation. Sophia set the pastries on the table. ¡°Aiden, I bought these especially for you two. You must be starving. You¡¯ve both been through a lot and lost so much weight. My poor babies.¡± Alex walked over but didn¡¯t show the same enthusiasm he had for his grandmother before. He silently sat down and picked up a pastry without saying a word. Sophia noticed his displeasure and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Alex, are you not feeling well? You must tell me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Alex didn¡¯t look up and didn¡¯t even want to eat the pastry anymore, putting it back on the te. Seeing this, Aiden quickly stepped in to smooth things over. ¡°Alex might have caught a cold when we were kidnapped. He¡¯s been a bit quiet these past few days. Chapter 385 Chapter 385 ¡°I¡¯m gonna get a doctor to check you guys out right now.¡± ¡°Nah, don¡¯t bother. Don¡¯t you know Alex¡¯s temperament? He¡¯s scared of needles and hates taking medicine. I bet he¡¯ll be fine by nighttime.¡± Sophia decided not to think much of it. She chuckled and said, ¡°Seems like you know your little brother best. Alright then, but if you notice his condition getting worse, you have to let me know right away.¡± Aiden nodded and cautiously looked at his grandmother. ¡°Is there something you need Alex and me for?¡± Why did Grandma suddenly show up? It scared him. ¡°Um, there is actually something.¡± Sophia said with an awkward smile. ¡°I was thinking of taking you both to the hospital to see how thedy who saved you is doing.¡± Before Aiden could answer, Alex immediately responded, ¡°I¡¯m not going! I don¡¯t want to see her!¡± Sophia frowned. ¡°What kind of talk is that? She saved your life! Alex, you should go no matter what to thank her in person.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m not going!¡± Alex retorted angrily and went back to bed, covering his head with the nket. Sophia wanted to say something more, but Aiden quickly said, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t push him. If he doesn¡¯t want to, don¡¯t force him. I¡¯ll go with you, okay?¡± ¡°Alright, then just you and I will go. I don¡¯t want to force Alex; this whole thing might have affected him a lot. I¡¯ll find a psychologist to give him some counselingter.¡± Aiden obediently nodded, and Sophia stood up to leave with a smile. At the door, she turned around and said to Aiden, ¡°Honey, get ready. After we eat, I¡¯ll take you.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± ¡± After the door closed, Aiden went back and pulled off Alex¡¯s nket. ¡°You trying to suffocate yourself?¡± Alex red at him and turned his face away. ¡°I knew you were a traitor! You¡¯re going to see her because you don¡¯t want Mommy anymore!¡± Aiden sighed. ¡°How could I not want Mom? I¡¯m going this time to find out what really happened. What can we learn from staying in this room? If you still want a mommy, get up, get ready, ande with me. Maybe you can even help me out at the hospital. Alex raised an eyebrow. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯m Mom¡¯s child too. You think I don¡¯t care about Mom and Dad? If I epted a new mom, why would I bother plotting with you?¡± Alex finally sat up and pouted. ¡°Fine, but don¡¯t expect me to call that woman Mommy I only have one mommy in my life, and that¡¯s ra!¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t force you. Grandma won¡¯t make us call her Mommy either. She just wants us to visit her, and she did save us, so it¡¯s only right to visit.¡± ¡°I think she helped us just to curry favor with our dad.¡± ¡°Regardless, she did help us. Alright, I don¡¯t want to argue about this anymore. Get yourself ready.¡± Aiden pushed him into the bathroom. ¡°When we get to the hospital, don¡¯t do anything rash; try to keep quiet and follow my lead.¡± Alex just lowered his head to wash his face and didn¡¯t respond. Chapter 386 Chapter 386 Aiden got it. He definitely wasn¡¯t feeling great about it, but there was no other way around it. He couldn¡¯t just pack up and leave home to search for his father for an exnation, right? After a while, Sophia tidied herself up and came knocking on the door. As soon as she opened it, she was surprised to see Aiden and Alex all ready to go. ¡°Did Alex change his mind?¡± ¡°Yeah, I had a little chat with him, and he came around. He said he wanted to thank thedy as well.¡± Sophia nodded in satisfaction. ¡°That¡¯s more like it! That¡¯s my good grandchild. After we¡¯ve met thedy, Grandma will buy you some candy. How does that sound?¡± Alex didn¡¯t respond. He stood behind Aiden, not even sparing Sophia a nce. Just as Sophia was about to probe further, Aiden cut her off. ¡°We better get going before it gets dark. Alex is already feeling a bit under the weather; it will get colder at night. If his cold gets worse and he needs shots or medicine, no one will be able to convince him.¡± Sophia had no choice but to agree. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get there and back quickly.¡± When they arrived at the hospital, a few security guards from the Melendez family were already waiting at the entrance, ensuring their safety. Aiden and Alex followed their grandma into the hospital and went straight to the VIP ward. As soon as they pushed the door open, they saw Leah lying in bed, getting an IV, with the machine beeping beside her. ¡°Look who I brought with me?¡± Sophia led the two boys inside After hearing her voice, Leah tried her best to look her way. She was taken aback when her eyes met Alex¡¯s, then pretended to be excited and tried to sit up. ¡°Why are they here?¡± Sophia hurried over to support her. ¡°You should stay lying down; don¡¯t agitate your wound. It¡¯s not conducive to your recovery.¡± Leah nodded and then extended her hand. ¡°Boys, you weren¡¯t scared, were you?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Aiden shook his head and politely smiled as he said, ¡°Thanks for saving us the other day. We¡¯re fine; we weren¡¯t hurt.¡± That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± Leah looked at Alex as her heart pounded. This kid was always sharp and had a habit of speaking out of turn. She worried that her n would go awry because of him. Sophia, oblivious to their tension, sat the boys down and said, ¡°See? All these injuries on thisdy are because she tried to save you. When you grow up, you must repay her.¡± Alex turned his face away, while Aiden gave his clothes a little tug and then smiled at Grandma. ¡°I know, our teacher told us about gratitude. She saved our lives, so we must repay her.¡± ¡°Good boy!¡± Sophia affectionately ruffled his hair and then suddenly got up. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy some fruit. Leah, chat with the boys.¡± Sophia deliberately wanted to create an opportunity for them to bond. Leah caught her drift and gave her a grateful look. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± ¡°Aiden, Alex, chat with thedy.¡± After saying this, Sophia left the ward. As soon as the door closed, the ward was quiet. After a few minutes, Leah coughed softly, awkwardly breaking the silence. ¡°You two are really adorable. Aiden, you¡¯re so polite.¡± Chapter 387 Chapter 387 Aiden at least had the decency to return her smile, but Alex went straight for the jugr. ¡°Why¡¯d you make my mom leave? I hate you!¡± ¡°Alex, sweetie, your mom¡¯s departure wasn¡¯t my doing.¡± Leah tried to defend herself. She needed to prevent any unexpected surprises that could jeopardize her ns. ¡°Then exin why my parents started arguing the moment you showed up!¡± ¡°I have no clue, and for the record, I¡¯m not with your father.¡± Leah¡¯s face fell into a sorrowful expression. ¡°I genuinely like you and Aiden. I¡¯m helping you guys without expecting any gratitude, but it¡¯s not fair to me me for things I didn¡¯t do.¡± ¡°My brother didn¡¯t mean that. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Aiden quickly shot Alex a look, hinting for him to hold his tongue. It wouldn¡¯t help to stir the pot now. Alex didn¡¯t care. He stormed over to the hospital bed, pointing an using finger at Leah. ¡°You impersonated my mom! Are you trying to take her ce now? I¡¯ll tell you what, I¡¯d rather drop dead than call you mom!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t! I swear I didn¡¯t!¡± Leah¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. She was now looking quite pitiful. ¡°You guys are misunderstanding me. I never wanted to rece your mom. Aiden, you know that, right? It was Mr. Milburn who begged me to help. Otherwise, your father would¡¯ve taken you back, separating you from your mom. I tricked your dad to save your mom. It¡¯s unfair to me me, especially after I just saved you guys. Why else would I be lying here if not for your safety?¡± Aiden quickly pulled his brother back to his chair. ¡°Don¡¯t mind. He¡¯s just shooting his mouth off. You know how he grew up with our mom; they relied on each other. She means the world to him. He hasn¡¯tContent ? N?velDrama.Org. seen her for a while, so he¡¯s a bit on edge. Please don¡¯t take it personally. I apologize on his behalf.¡± Just as Aiden was about to bow in apology, Leah stopped him. There¡¯s no need for that. It¡¯s enough, as long as you understand. I¡¯d hate for my intentions to be misinterpreted.¡± Aiden smiled, then asked Leah pointedly, ¡°Do you know what happened between my parents? They haven¡¯t beening home togethertely. They used to walk home hand in hand after work. They¡¯d lift Alex up in their arms and then give me a kiss. We miss her.¡± Leah stared at the ceiling and then sighed. ¡°You are still young. I understand why your grandparents and parents might want to keep you in the dark, but they should know you¡¯re growing up. You deserve to know the truth. Your parents are divorced because your mother fell in love with another man.¡± Chapter 388 Chapter 388 Looking at the stunned expressions on the two kids¡¯ faces, Leah felt a secret sense of triumph, but she maintained an air of regret on her face. You¡¯ve totally misread the situation, guys. It¡¯s not about your dad or any special rtionship between me and him. It¡¯s about your mom, she¡¯s the one who broke the marriage! I know you¡¯re still young and can¡¯t grasp theplexity of these feelings. All I can tell you is to try to understand and be patient with your mom. After all, every woman wants to marry the man she loves!¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking rubbish! My mom doesn¡¯t love Mr. Milburn at all!¡± Unable to ept this, Alex sprang up, ready to storm out. But Aiden remained calm, grabbing his brother¡¯s shirt and smiling at Leah, ¡°Maybe we misunderstood you. We¡¯ll discuss this with dad. I apologize for our assumptions, sorry.¡± Upon hearing their n to talk to Emmett, Leah quickly advised, ¡°Your dad may not be in the right head space to hear anything about your mom right now. It might be better to bring it up after some time. You love your mom, but your dad¡¯s good to you too, right?¡± Aiden didn¡¯t show any reaction, just smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find the right time to ask him. You look like you need to rest, so we¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± Leah hurriedly asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys waiting for your grandma toe back?¡± ¡°Our driver¡¯s outside, he¡¯ll give us a ride home. Thanks for your concern.¡± With that, Aiden and Alex left the hospital room. As soon as the door closed, Leah frowned heavily. She needed i elerate her n to keep these two quiet. Otherwise, they might spill the beans to Emmett about something that could harm her. When Aiden and Alex left the hospital, Alex asked, ¡°Why did you say all that to that woman?¡± ¡°I was testing her! Didn¡¯t you notice? She¡¯s scared of us meeting dad, which means she¡¯s guilty!¡± ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Alex looked up at his brother. ¡°We don¡¯t know where mom is, and you won¡¯t let me tell dad the truth. Are we just gonna let them misunderstand each other?¡± Aiden gripped Alex¡¯s hand and patted it lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, finding mom might be tough, but meeting dad shouldn¡¯t be a problem. I just haven¡¯t figured out how to bring this up with him. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll treat us like kids and just tell us to focus on studying and not interfere with adult affairs.¡± He said. He had to make sure this wouldn¡¯t affect mom and dad, and he definitely couldn¡¯t make things worse. In this delicate situation, he needed to tread carefully to avoid drawing attention. Thest thing Aiden wanted was to be kidnapped again! Not long after. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Sophia came back from outside, carrying some fruit. Opening the door and not seeing the boys, her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Where are Aiden and Alex?!¡± They said they didn¡¯t want to disturb my rest and left.¡± Leah said, sighing with a downcast face, ¡°They don¡¯t want to chat with me, don¡¯t want to keep mepany, and don¡¯t even want to look at me! Have I screwed up that badly? Even Alex doesn¡¯t want to spend time with me anymore.¡± Chapter 389 Chapter 389 ¡°You cant just give up like that! Aiden and Alex are just under ra¡¯s spell right now! This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Once you infiltrate the Melendez family and get to know them better, they¡¯ll definitely ept you because you share blood ties!¡± ¡°I think we shouldn¡¯t force things.¡± Leah said, lowering her head, ¡°If they like ra, then let her be their mother. I don¡¯t want them to be upset. If they really like ra, then she must be good to them. Why should I force my way into their world? This would only bring mental stress to the kids!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. If you had the courage to risk your life to save them, then why are you backing out now when it¡¯s time to reunite with them? They¡¯re your kids, and ra has no right to snatch them away from you! Do you really think ra can love them like her own?¡± Sophia reassured. She sat by the bed, gently patting Leah¡¯s hand. Leah remained silent. ¡°Also, look at her behavior on the news. She¡¯s even hanging out with other men andpletely disregarding my son¡¯s feelings! How could I keep such a woman in our family? If people found out about this, it would have such a big impact on my son and the Melendez family!¡± Sophia couldn¡¯t help but snort at the thought of ra, ¡°Now, don¡¯t think too much; rest well, and I will find an opportunity for you and my son to bond. After hees out of ra¡¯s betrayal, he¡¯ll definitely need someone to spend his life with, he can¡¯t be alone forever, right? I have faith in you, and you are certainly better than those women with ulterior motives! Leah was about to say something, but Sophia cut her off before she could speak. ¡°The kids have left. I¡¯m worried they might have gone home first. Rest well in the hospital. Once you¡¯re better, I promise to take you straight to the Melendez family!¡± Leah nodded, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± The next morning. ra didn¡¯t have much to pack, so she just took some toiletries and got in the car. Elio, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, nced at her, ¡°Are you sure you can manage on your own? Should I send Nestor with you?¡± ¡°No need, I can handle it. Now that Leah has got what she wanted, she probably won¡¯t bother me anymore.¡± ¡°You never know! How about I just live in the house next to you? That way it¡¯s easier to look after you.¡± ra shook her head, ¡°You better not get too close to me. The media have started making things up, and I don¡¯t want to be in the spotlight now! Especially at the time that I¡¯ve already hurt Emmett. Now I don¡¯t want to upset him anymore, and I don¡¯t want to appear in his world again.¡± Elio felt disappointed, so he looked down. It seems that Emmett was still the most important person in ra¡¯s heart. No matter what she did, she always considered Emmett¡¯s feelings first. So, who am I? He thought. Just as ra was about to speak, she suddenly felt difort in her stomach, quickly covered her mouth, opened the car door, and ran out immediately. She rushed into the bathroom. Chapter 390 Chapter 390 It took her a good while before she emerged from the house, only to find Elio waiting at the door. ¡°Sorry, my stomach¡¯s been acting uptely. It¡¯s better now.¡± Elio furrowed his brow. ¡°Are you doing okay? You¡¯re living alone, no one¡¯s there to take care of you, and I couldn¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass about what people think. You¡¯ve already told Emmett what you think, and you¡¯ve called it quits with him. So what¡¯s there to be scared of? Let me be by your side!¡± ra stepped back involuntarily to cut a wide berth between them. ¡°No need, you¡¯ve got your work to do. You can¡¯t always be around me; it¡¯s stressing me out.¡± ¡°What stress? I¡¯m doing this because I want to!¡± ¡°Elio! Don¡¯t you get it? I want you to get back to your normal life, not waste your time on me. She looked up at him, her face pale and weary. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where I¡¯m headed. Right now, all I want is my child back. Everything else is still up in the air. It¡¯s different for you! You¡¯re still single and you don¡¯t have your own child. You can¡¯t understand how I feel. I can¡¯t hold you back!¡± ¡°I do understand! I don¡¯t mind being dragged down! I¡¯ve already considered Alex as my own child!¡± Seeing his desperation, ra bit her lip, her head throbbing, ¡°Leah is still holding your parents hostage. They¡¯re not out yet. You¡¯ve got so much on your te! As their only child, you can¡¯t always be around me!¡± Elio clenched his fists, his voice rising in usation, ¡°All these are just excuses, right? The fact is you just don¡¯t want me around. You want Emmett, not me! If Emmett were here saying the same things, would you say yes right away?¡± ra frowned, taking another step back, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Elio closed in, yelling irrationally, ¡°You know exactly what I mean! Even though you agreed to give up on Emmett for Leah, you¡¯re still holding out hope for him. You don¡¯t want to give up his ce to anyone else. You¡¯re in love with him, aren¡¯t you? ra, tell me, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, I am in love with him! You wanted to hear it, so there it is.¡± ra lowered her head. ¡°Stop wasting your time! It¡¯s not worth it.¡± Elio¡¯s face darkened. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a waste!¡± He shouted out. She rubbed her temples in pain, her face falling. ¡°I just want to make it clear to you, my heart is dead. My kids are the only reason I¡¯m still here. As for love, I¡¯m already a walking dead, you shouldn¡¯t be wasting your heart on me. One day you¡¯ll understand, I¡¯m doing this for your own good!¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t regret anything!¡± Elio suddenly grabbed her arm and his voice trembled in excitement, ¡°I don¡¯t need your concern. Only I would know how I¡¯m doing here. There¡¯s no good or bad without you. And there¡¯s no future without you!¡± ra didn¡¯t expect him to be so emotional. As she was about to respond, Elio¡¯s voice rang out again. Chapter 391 Chapter 391 ¡°Before I met you, I never thought about marriage. I never imagined spending my life with a woman. But after meeting you, I wanted to marry you! When you gave me Alex to look after, watching him grow up every day, it was like he was my own child. I yed the role of a father. But now you¡¯re telling me it was all a dream, and you say it¡¯s for my sake; should I feel happy or sad?¡± ra opened her mouth, but she didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°In my heart, Alex is my son, and you¡¯re my wife. I can overlook all the difficulties and setbacks. As long as you two cane back to me and as long as you¡¯re willing to forget about Emmett Melendez.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve lost it!¡± ra stepped back, shaking her head, ¡°Elio Milburn, you¡¯ve lost your mind; you¡¯re trapped in your own obsession!¡± Elio closed his mouth. He wanted to say something more, but ra cut him off. ¡°Can you take me home? I need to take some time to figure out how to get my kids back. I don¡¯t want to talk about anything else, and I don¡¯t want you to either, otherwise, we can¡¯t even be friends!¡± When she finished, she turned and got in the car, not giving Elio a chance to argue. Elio clenched his fist and mmed it into the wall. Blood flowed down his hand, staining his clothes. Nestor beside him eximed, ¡°Elio, what are you doing? Don¡¯t do anything stupid! I¡¯ll go beg ra again. She¡¯s kind. She should agree.¡± ¡°No need! You don¡¯t have to go to her again. I shouldn¡¯t have pushed her so hard. It¡¯s my fault!¡± Watching Elio¡¯s retreating figure, all Nestor could do was shake his head and sigh. ra had made it clear, yet Elio was still in denial, unwilling to wake up from his dream. Emmett didn¡¯t sleep all night. He was looking at files the whole time. The next morning, Ricardo went to the office and saw that the lights were still on.. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. | He gently pushed the door open to see Emmett asleep at his desk, a file and pen still in his hand. Ricardo quickly went in, picking up a nket from the side to cover him. Before he could touch Emmett, he lifted his head to look at Ricardo, who jumped, ¡°I came in and saw you asleep. I was worried you¡¯d catch a cold.¡± Emmett rubbed his temples and sat up, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can leave now.¡± Having said that, he picked up the file and started reading again. Concerned, Ricardo stepped forward, risking being scolded, and took the file from him, ¡°Mr. Melendez, you can¡¯t keep doing this! You¡¯re not eating or sleeping. Your health is important!¡± Emmett¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°Give me back the file.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, you should rest. I can handle these tasks. I did the file review before; you don¡¯t need to do this.¡± ¡°I said, give me the file!¡± Emmett repeated, his tone bing heavier. Ricardo truly felt like he was facing the biggest decision of his life. He was thinking whether to give it back or not. Chapter 392 Chapter 392 ¡°Mr. Melendez¡­¡± Suddenly, Emmett rose to his feet. ¡°I know my own health, Ricardo; you don¡¯t have to feel guilty about this. I¡¯ve thought it through. If she¡¯s made her decision, you, as her coworker, can¡¯t stop her! So just focus on your work. I won¡¯t me you for this.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez, what I¡¯m worried about isn¡¯t that. It¡¯s that your health won¡¯t hold up! Actually, Mrs. Melendez called me before.¡± ra called him? The moment Emmett heard it, he immediately looked at him, raising an eyebrow. ¡°What did she tell you on the phone?¡± ¡°She asked me to take more care of you recently, afraid that you¡¯ll turn into a workaholic when you¡¯re upset, even forgetting to eat and sleep. You see how well Mrs. Melendez knows you? You two are clearly very loving; there must be some secret that Mrs. Melendez can¡¯t express!¡± Emmett frowned and sat back down, ¡°You don¡¯t know. I heard her say she wanted to be with Elio! And when I confronted her, she didn¡¯t deny it! Isn¡¯t it normal that she¡¯s with Elio now?¡± Ricardo pouted and insisted on his own idea, unwilling to believe that ra was that kind of person. ¡°If you have some doubts in your heart, why not investigate again? Don¡¯t jump to conclusions so soon! Anyway, you¡¯re not in the mood to do anything else recently. Why not find Mrs. Melendez and have a face-to-face talk with her?¡± Face-to-face? Emmett suddenlyughed mockingly, waving his hand. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll get over it in a while. You can leave now.¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez¡­¡± ¡°I told you to leave; are you deliberately opposing me recently? Or else I¡¯ll give you a long vacation. You don¡¯t have toe to thepany for a while.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll leave now!¡± After driving Ricardo out, Emmett looked out the floor-to-ceiling window. Secret? ra, do you have a secret? He suddenlyughed; he was so foolish! After listening to Ricardo, he still had slight expectations of ra! She¡¯s made it very clear, hasn¡¯t she? His phone suddenly rang. It was a message from Matt. ¡°Mr. Melendez, my subordinate saw Elio driving ra around town.¡± They¡¯re really together! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. And they were boldly appearing on the street,pletely not caring about the media¡¯s lens. Were they nning to go public? Emmett suddenly got up, pushing everything on the table to the floor. And it included a picture of ra in front of theputer. The ss frame fell and shattered, beyond repair. He clenched his fists tightly, his face bing paler, ¡°ra! Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯re not officially divorced yet!¡± Emmett picked up his phone and sent a voice message to Matt. ¡°Find out where they are exactly; bring ra back to me!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Melendez.¡± Elio drove ra back to her previous residence. After getting off the car, he intended to follow her in, but ra stopped him at the door. ¡°You can go now; I can handle the rest on my own.¡± Elio frowned, ¡°Can¡¯t I go in and sit for a while?¡± ra didn¡¯t answer. However, her backing away made Elio feel as if his heart was being cut by a knife. He instinctively clutched his chest,ughing mockingly, ¡°Right, it¡¯s normal for you to be wary of me after what happened. Then you get busy. I¡¯ll go first.¡± Chapter 393 Chapter 393 ra didn¡¯t leave Elic hanging. Even though she knew she¡¯d hurt him, at least she¡¯d gotten a reality check. After Elio left, he drove straight to the entrance of themunity. A guy dressed in ck waved at him. After Elio got out of the car, he said, ¡°Here¡¯s the check. I¡¯ll have my secretary handle the paperwork with you.¡± The guy nodded and chuckled, ¡°Sure, I can cooperate at any time. But, I¡¯m a bit curious. Why do you want to buy my run-down house? You could definitely score a decent ce downtown with the dough you¡¯re forking over.¡± ¡°Quit asking and take the money!¡± Elio couldn¡¯t be bothered to chat at the moment. He nced up at ra¡¯s ce, his brows knitted together, unable to rx for a long time. At that time, Elio didn¡¯t know what he could do to be with ra or how to protect her so she wouldn¡¯t get hurt again. At that moment, his pride didn¡¯t seem to matter anymore. If doing that would get ra to agree to him, he¡¯d nod his head right away. But that was all just wishful thinking on his part. ra¡¯s heart was with Emmett, and he couldn¡¯t change that fact. Elio dropped his gaze in disappointment and climbed back into the car. Suddenly, the phone on the passenger seat started to ring. He furrowed his brows and saw it was an unknown number. Was it Leah causing trouble again? He picked up the phone, and a man¡¯s voice came from the other end. ¡°Is this Elio?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. Who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Taylor Atwood, ra¡¯s fianc¨¦.¡± Hearing that, Elio sat up straight and asked, ¡°Fianc¨¦? Howe I¡¯ve never heard that ra had a fianc¨¦?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because we had a misunderstanding. Now tell me where ra is. I need to find her.¡± Elio frowned, ¡°Are you joking? Don¡¯t you know have the hots for ra? Why would I tell you where she is?¡± Taylor, on the other end of the phone, sneered, ¡°You have the nerve to say you like ra? Isn¡¯t it your fault she¡¯s in this mess?¡± Taylor was clearly worked up, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you bringing Leah into ra¡¯s life, how would she havee across so many dangers?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Elio was taken aback, ¡°How do you know about all this?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my fianc¨¦e; of course, I care about her!¡± Taylor sneered, ¡°Elio, do you think you stand a chance in this love triangle? She¡¯s been with me for years. We have a deep connection. She has a child with Emmett, and they¡¯re tied together. And you? I see nothing more than friendship between you two!¡± Elio was so angry that he clenched the steering wheel as if he were going to crush it. But the next moment, he suddenlyughed, ¡°I think the real naive one is you! You should find out about ra¡¯s recent health condition and see if she¡¯s pregnant or not. And then confirm whether the kid is mine!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? ra is carrying your child? That¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re wee to investigate! To put your mind at ease, I can even take her to the hospital of your choosing for a check-up!¡± Chapter 394 Chapter 394 Upstairs. ra was totally clueless about the things happening downstairs. She walked into the empty room, strangely not knowing what to do first. That used to be her home, back when Emmett hadn¡¯t entered her life and only Alex was running around her. Looking back then, it wasn¡¯t a long time ago, but a lot had changed. ra entered the second bedroom, gently touching the small bed inside. She missed Alex and Aiden! She wondered what they were doing then, whether they were doing their homework of ying in the yard. She didn¡¯t know when she would see them next. ra took a deep breath and quickly pped her face, ¡°ra, you need to pull yourself together; don¡¯t be like this! Leah promised to send the kids over.¡± But whether her words were trustworthy, ra dared not bet on it. She decided to figure things out by herself for the time being. If Leah could keep her promise, that would have been great. If not, she¡¯d better been prepared! She absolutely couldn¡¯t let Leah harm the two kids. As their mom, she had to pull herself together for Alex and Aiden! After briefly tidying up the room, ra prepared to go out to buy some daily necessities. Because she was taken away by Elio directly, there weren¡¯t even any clothes or quilts there. She didn¡¯t want to wear any of the clothes Elio had bought before! She didn¡¯t want to remember the things on the news. However, before she could step out, she heard the sound of someone trying to force open the lock outside! Who could it have been? Could it be a burr or someone sent by Leah? ra frantically looked around for something to defend herself with, quickly grabbing a baseball bat from the living room! Before she could find a ce to hide, the door was kicked open. ¡°Ah! Don¡¯te here! Don¡¯te here! I¡¯m calling the police!¡± ¡°This¡­ is this your ce with Elio?¡± When that familiar voice reached her ears, ra felt like she was dreaming! It was Emmett! This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She didn¡¯t hear wrong! ra quickly looked up, and sure enough, Emmett¡¯s tall figure was standing at the door, his eyes staring straight at her. He had lost weight and looked a bit worn out, but his powerful aura was still strong, and his eyes were deep and sharp. Those eyes were no longer filled with past love, but full of hatred. Yes, hatred. Emmett hated her. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ra was taken aback, didn¡¯t know what to do, and could only tightly grip the baseball bat in her hand. Emmett walked over, step by step approaching her, ¡°I¡¯m asking you! Is this your ce with Elio?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Not?¡± Emmett raised his eyebrows. He scanned her head to toe. She was thinner and looking pale. But what did that have to do with him? She betrayed him. No matter what, she deserved it. ra said, ¡°No, he didn¡¯t live here.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t live here?¡± Emmett seemed to hear something ridiculous, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, the phone call you made to me was under duress, or you have something to exin to me!¡± After saying that, Emmett¡¯s hand gradually clenched into a fist. Chapter 395 Chapter 395 He was waiting for ra¡¯s response, and he wished at that moment ra could tell him everything was out of desperation, that someone forced her to do it. However, time kept ticking. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ra¡¯s lips were tightly sealed; not a single word came out. She didn¡¯t even have the courage to look at him! Emmett suddenly grabbed her and forced her to look at him, ¡°Tell me! When you called me, was it Elio who forced you? Tell me! Say it!¡± He would believe her if she admitted it! But she didn¡¯t. ra just bit her lip and turned her face away, ¡°I was not forced. Elio is very good to me; it was my sincere decision to be with him! If you want to me someone, me me. Don¡¯t involve Elio. I¡¯m willing to bear all your revenge for him!¡± ¡°Well, ra, you really surprised me!¡± Emmett¡¯s fist clenched, as if he wanted to tear her clothes to shreds. He really wanted to grab her and end it all! He thought about all those days and nights. The moment he closed his eyes, he would think of that phone call, and think of her face. He only had feelings for her in his life! But she was actually with Elio, even nning to live there! ra began to have difficulty breathing, but she didn¡¯t struggle at all. She wished to just die in Emmett¡¯s hands. Either way, she didn¡¯t want to live anymore. Just when ra felt her consciousness beginning to blur, the air suddenly returned to her lungs. Instinctively, ra started to cough violently, and the cold voice of Emmett rang in her ears. ¡°Matt, take her back to the Melendez family!¡± ra gasped for air, hurriedly refusing, ¡°I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t go back! Emmett, you can¡¯t take me back!¡± If Leah knew that she had met Emmett again, she would definitely not give Emmett the antidote anymore. ¡°Not going back? You still want to really be with Elio? I tell you, you are mine! Once you be my woman, you are my woman for life!¡± ra shook her head desperately, ¡°I really can¡¯t go back, Emmett. Please let me go! I promise you that I¡¯ll break up with Elio. I won¡¯t see him again, okay? Don¡¯t take me back!¡± ¡°Do you think I can trust your words?¡± Emmett sneered, cornered her directly, reached out, and lifted her chin, gripping it tightly, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯re not divorced yet! As a woman who betrayed me, you have no right to negotiate any terms with me!¡± After that, he suddenly let go of his hand and turned to leave. Matt nced at ra, slightly frowning, ¡°ra, please don¡¯t make this hard for me. Mr. Melendez asked you to go home. Just do as he says.¡± ¡°No, no, I really¡­¡± r¨¢ really wanted to spill all the truths, but she knew clearly that if Emmett knew all that, he would have definitely done anything, even risk his life, rather than being threatened by Leah. But she hoped he could survive and live well for her own sake, and for their two children. Matt¡¯s voice interrupted her thoughts, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He reached out to grab her, but suddenly heard a loud noise behind him. Emmett just fell straight to the ground! Chapter 396 Chapter 396 ra froze at first, then bolted towards him like a madwoman, shaking him vigorously, ¡°Emmett, Emmett, wake up! Don¡¯t scare me like this!¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Matt immediately squatted down, ¡°Mr. Melendez, what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Call an ambnce!¡± ra¡¯s heart felt like it was about to jump out of her chest, ¡°Get him to the hospital. We can¡¯t let anything bad happen to him!¡± Matt nodded and whipped out his phone to call. The ambnce arrived quickly, along with several doctors, ra and Matt helped Emmett into the ambnce. At that point, ra couldn¡¯t care less about anything else, so she rushed to the hospital with them. At the hospital. Once the ambnce stopped, the doctors immediately wheeled Emmett into the emergency room! A red light flickered on top of the doorway of the room. It was very blinding. Matt nced at ra and frowned. He had initially wanted to contact Mr. Melendez¡¯s parents, but seeing ra there, he decided against it. Having been with Mr. Melendez for a while, he knew that Mr. Melendez held a special ce for her in his heart. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have gone to find her. But if Mr. Melendez¡¯s mother had shown up, she would have definitely given ra a hard time. He knew that was the first time Mr. Melendez had let down his pride for a woman! ¡°Has he¡­ been fainting a lot recently?¡± ra looked up at Matt, whispering her question. ¡°No, this is the first time. Mr. Melendez hasn¡¯t been resting or eating welltely.¡± ra raised an eyebrow, looking worried, ¡°So, he fainted because he¡¯s malnourished?¡± ¡°Probably¡­¡± Matt hesitated for a few seconds before speaking, ¡°ra, I know as a bodyguard I shouldn¡¯t be saying this and have no right to interfere with Mr. Melendez¡¯s love life, but I have to say, Mr. Melendez truly loves you. Why are you hurting him like this? I¡¯ve never seen Mr. Melendez so down and out before!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± That¡¯s all ra could say. She was unable to do anything else. As soon as she finished speaking, the light in the emergency room suddenly turned off! A doctor in scrubs came out, removing his mask, ¡°Who¡¯s the patient¡¯s rtive?¡± ra and Matt both rushed forward, ¡°I am. How is he?¡± ¡°No big issues. He¡¯s just overly tired, but it¡¯s a bit strange. Does he have any gic diseases? Normally, even if he¡¯s overworked, he shouldn¡¯t faint like this, especially considering how fit he is. You guys need to be extra careful from now on! The doctor then turned around and went back into the emergency room. Matt was confused. He had never heard of Mr. Melendez having any gic diseases. Plus, Mr. Melendez was a fitness freak. That sudden fainting episode was definitely a first. ra staggered back, bumping into the hospital wall. It must have been the drug¡¯s Leah gave her, which started to take effect. ¡°Has Leah seen Emmett recently?¡± ¡°Leah?¡± Matt was taken aback, ¡°No.¡± So that was it! It must have been because Emmett hadn¡¯t taken the antidote. The doors to the emergency room swung open again as two doctors wheeled Emmett out, and Matt immediately went over to assist him. Chapter 397 Chapter 397 ¡°You guys must remember, his health is a bit off. So it¡¯s best not to give him any more shocks. Plus, he should eat more nourishing food and not pull all-nighters.¡± The doctor carefully reminded them, and Matt quickly nodded, ¡°Got it, doctor..¡± ¡°Once the patient wakes up, he can be discharged; he doesn¡¯t have any major issues Before the doctor could finish, ra suddenly walked over and grabbed him, ¡°Doctor, I want to ask you something. Is his condition like he¡¯s been poisoned? Like some rare poison?¡± ¡°Poisoned?¡± The doctor was taken aback by her question, ¡°How¡¯s that possible? We¡¯ve already done a blood test on him and found no signs of poisoning.¡± ¡°No poisoning? No way.¡± She clenched her fists, quickly took out her phone, and dialed Elio¡¯s number. After several rings, Elio¡¯s voice came through. ¡°What¡¯s up? Need my help with something?¡± ra hurriedly said, ¡°I want to ask you, could Leah¡¯s medicine cause fainting?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve only seen seriously ill people react. They¡¯re pretty much snoozing 24/7, and then they never wake up again.¡± ra was taken aback and paused momentarily before saying, ¡°Then, can it be detected from the blood that they¡¯ve been poisoned?¡± Elio responded without hesitation, ¡°Definitely not! It¡¯s our family¡¯s secret form; if it could be easily detected, it wouldn¡¯t be a secret potion. Why are you suddenly asking this?¡± ¡°Emmett has fainted! I saw it with my own eyes.¡± There was silence on the phone for a moment before he said, ¡°He went to find you? ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t do anything to you, did he? Where are you? I¡¯lle find you right away!¡± ra bit her lip softly and said, ¡°Don¡¯te. I don¡¯t want things to get moreplicated. I¡¯m afraid Emmett will take revenge on you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of revenge!¡± ¡°Stop talking; I¡¯m already very upset. Don¡¯t get involved anymore; it will only make things harder for me.¡± With that, ra hung up the phone. Looking up, Matt had already wheeled Emmett back to the ward, leaving her alone in the empty hallway. ra looked at the red light of the emergency room that had already gone out, and she secretly vowed never to let Emmett fall into a permanent sleep! In the ward. The smell of disinfectant was everywhere. Emmett slowly opened his eyes. The white ceiling in front of him was so dazzling that he immediately frowned. Matt¡¯s concerned voice came from his side, ¡°Mr. Melendez, you¡¯re finally awake! How are you feeling? I¡¯ll go get the doctor right away. ¡°Where¡¯s ra?¡± The first thing Emmett asked when he woke up was where ra was.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Matt was taken aback, slightly turning his face. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ra¡¯s voice rang out. Hearing that, Emmett¡¯s expression finally eased a bit. He tried to sit up, and Matt immediately assisted tiim, ¡°Mr. Melendez, the doctor advises you to rest a bit more! Later, I¡¯ll have hime over and check on you; if everything is okay, you can be discharged.¡± ¡°No need. I can be discharged now! Take ra home.¡± Emmett waved his hand, only nced at ra, and didn¡¯t linger. ¡°I can¡¯t go back with you!¡± ra stubbornly stood her ground, even involuntarily holding onto the closet handle. Even Matt couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°ra, Mr. Melendez just woke up; can you not piss him off anymore? You heard the doctor¡¯s advice just now, didn¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 398 Chapter 398 ra frowned, ¡°You just don¡¯t get it! Anyway, I can¡¯t go back with you.¡± Emmett looked up at her, narrowing his eyes slightly, ¡°What? Do you still want to be with Elio?¡± ¡°No! If I wanted to, I could¡¯ve left the hospital when you were unconscious! Emmett, stop ming Elio. My decision to not go back with you has nothing to do with him.¡± Emmett¡¯s face turned pale, his lips losing their color. He lifted his head slightly and asked, ¡°Do you still consider yourself Mrs. Melendez of the Melendez family? Do you think I¡¯m still going to spoil you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. Listen to me, Emmett.¡± ¡°Matt, take her away. I don¡¯t want to hear her anymore.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Melendez.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t pay attention to her words; he stood up and left the hospital room. ra wanted to protest, but Emmett didn¡¯t give her the chance! ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ra, please.¡± Emmett took ra away. After hanging up the phone, Elio kept pacing around in his room, making Nestor dizzy ¡°Elio, what the hell happened?¡± ¡°Emmett might want to take revenge on ra!¡± Elio stopped pacing and looked at Nestor, ¡°What should we do? No way!. I have to save her!¡± Just as he finished his words, he reached for his car keys, but Nestor quickly stopped him, ¡°Elio, why are you stirring up trouble with Emmett now? ra won¡¯t be harmed by him. At most, he will just ignore her. Emmett still cares about ra; he knows his limits, but you¡¯re different. You¡¯re a dangerous rival in Emmett¡¯s eyes! The person he wants to get rid of the most is you! Aren¡¯t you just walking into the lion¡¯s den?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand men like Emmett with such arrogance how could he allow ra to betray him? If it were only Emmett at home, it would be okay, but Leah is always watching her too! ra is between a rock and a hard ce, no matter what! I can¡¯t just stand by and watch her suffer!¡± ¡°But you going there won¡¯t change anything.¡± Nestor stood in front of the door, blocking his way, ¡°Elio, I know you really like ra, but you need to be rational! Not only can¡¯t you save her now, but you¡¯ll just put yourself in danger! Not only is Leah keeping an eye on ra, but she¡¯s also watching you! You know all about the form and Leah kidnapping two members of the Melendez family. If you were Leah, wouldn¡¯t you want to get rid of everyone who knows?¡± ¡°Elio, listen to me. Wait here and see how things develop; if you really have to intervene, it won¡¯t be too late to save ra then.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do anything. ra is already alone; if I be a coward now, she¡¯ll truly be on her own!¡± Elio clenched his fists, staring at Nestor¡¯s concerned eyes, ¡°Nestor, know you¡¯re looking out for me, but I¡¯ve made my decision. ra is my choice. Let me go. I can¡¯t rest here! Even if I can¡¯t go now, I¡¯ll find the opportunity to leave; if not today, then tomorrow!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 399 Chapter 399 Nestor was a bit at a loss. He sighed helplessly, ¡°Elio, I don¡¯t know if your deep affection will touch others or just hurt yourself¡­ Whatever, just go! I can¡¯t stop you anyway.¡± Elio gave Nestor an apologetic look, picked up his car keys, and walked out of the room. Nestor frowned, took out his phone, and dialed a number. The phone rang for a long time before being answered. ¡°Why are you contacting me now?¡± ¡°Obviously, I got something. I epted your proposal for cooperation that we talked aboutst time, but you need to fulfill your promise first.¡± Nestor hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and looked at Elio¡¯s retreating figure. His heart started to race. He had no idea what would happen when Elio went to find Emmett. If ra loved him, he could understand, but obviously ra was not interested in Elio. ¡°Elio is such a fool.¡± At the Hospital in Leah¡¯s ward. In the morning, the doctor told her she could get out of bed for some physical activity, which was good for her recovery. Sophia went to the hospital to visit her after sending off Aiden and Alex. As soon as she entered, her face was full of smiles. Leah was trying to walk on the ground. Seeing hering in, she quickly said, ¡°Sophia, why are you here so early?¡± ¡°Nothing special. I just came to see you. Oh my! You¡¯re already out of bed? What if the wound breaks open?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay; the doctor told me that getting out of bed and moving around is good for recovery!¡± Sophia then nodded in relief and said, ¡°Well, if the doctor said so, I¡¯m relieved. Don¡¯t take matters into your own hands. I¡¯m still waiting for you to recover soon ande home with me!¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Leah smiled and asked, ¡°Is there any good news today? Mrs. Sophia seems very happy.¡± ¡°Of course! My son is home. Although I haven¡¯t seen him yet, the servants at home told me his car is already in the yard! I¡¯ll ask the doctorter to see if you can be discharged ande to our house for recuperation!¡± Hearing Emmett¡¯s name, Leah was stunned. A hint of shyness shed across her face, ¡°Mrs. Sophia, it¡¯s a bit sudden for me to go home with you. Isn¡¯t it inappropriate?¡± ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate? I brought you in. What can they object to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of people gossiping, but would Emmett think I have other motives foring back?¡± Sophiaughed at her words, ¡°What do you mean by other motives? You¡¯re just worried about the two kids; any mother would do the same! If this is considered having other motives, then haven¡¯t I had other motives all these years for looking after my son?¡± Leah smiled faintly, ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t look at me with suspicion! Mrs. Sophia, I don¡¯t really care whether I can marry him or not. Being able to apany the two kids often is what matters most to me! If he doesn¡¯t want to ept me, please don¡¯t push him, okay?¡± Sophia held her hand and gently patted it, ¡°You always understand others¡¯ thoughts so well. Let¡¯s do it your way then! I don¡¯t want to force anything between you, young people. You two need to spend time together, and as a mother, I¡¯m just here to guide you and help you build a rtionship. But ra is not suitable to be part of our family! Not to mention that she¡¯s just a girl with no one to love. Even if she¡¯s a nobledy, I don¡¯t care!¡± Chapter 400 Chapter 400 Leah returned her grip, smiling gently, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll respect your wishes.¡± ¡°Good girl, I¡¯ll ask the doctor. If it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll take you home today! Who knows when Emmett will be back? I hope you guys have more chances to meet.¡± Leah nodded, ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Sophia.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯m doing this for Emmett and my grandchildren, too.¡± Back to the Melendez family¡¯s mansion. ra looked up at the grand mansion. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. Not to mention how her rtionship with Emmett had turned out. The uncertainty of the future was terrifying. Seeing her hesitation, Emmett wondered if ra was unwilling to return to his side. Could she still be thinking about running off to find Elio? ¡°So, you lived here for so long. Now you¡¯ve got new feelings and don¡¯t want toe back?¡± At his sarcastic remarks, ra frowned, pleadingly, ¡°Emmett, can you let me go? I don¡¯t want toe back. If you hate me, you can take revenge on me in other ways, I¡¯ll ept it! But can you please not do this?¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She was really afraid that Leah would be angry when she saw her here and stop giving Emmett the antidote! ¡°Revenge on you? Hmm, why would I do that? Are you worth my time? Coming back here is what you should do as Mrs. Melendez!¡± Emmett spoke and then, disregarding her difort, walked into the mansion. ra hesitated, standing still and not following him. Matt quickly whispered, ¡°ra, Mr. Melendez has been very patient with you!¡± His words implied that she should stop testing Emmett¡¯s limits. ra got the hint. But if she went in, Emmett¡¯s life might have been at risk. ra clenched her fists. Suddenly, she turned around and tried to run! Hearing the noise, Emmett, who was already in the living room, quickly turned around, brow furrowed, yelling, ¡°Matt, go get her back!¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Melendez.¡± How could ra outrun Matt? She was caught within a few steps! Struggling, she yelled, ¡°Let me go! I can¡¯t go back! I can¡¯t go home! Emmett, if you hate me, just kill me!¡± Watching her near madness, Emmett¡¯s brow furrowed even more. Was she that unwilling to return to his side? Even disregarding her image and their past rtionship? It seemed there really was no love left! Thinking about that, a surge of anger rose in Emmett¡¯s heart. He strode towards ra, grabbing her chin. ¡°I need to make this clear; when you chose to leave me, you gave up your right to choose! Now, you must act ording to my demands! Otherwise, don¡¯t expect me to go easy on you! Matt, take her to the servant¡¯s room and change her into a maid¡¯s clothes. From now on, ra is a maid here. You can assign her work at will!¡± ra stared nkly at Emmett. She knew thating back this time, Emmett would have found all sorts of ways to torment her. But that wasn¡¯t what she was most afraid of. Her biggest fear was Leah! Leah was like a ticking time bomb. She couldn¡¯t predict when it would explode. Chapter 401 Chapter 401 But she didn¡¯t see any way out of that. So, she just had to y the waiting game and look for the right time to act. Emmett was already by the staircase when he suddenly turned around and looked at ra with a cold voice. ¡°Take her phone and all hermunication devices. No using any of those! Let everyone know that if anyone dares to lend her a phone, they¡¯re on their own!¡± ra was taken aback, ¡°Emmett, you can¡¯t take my phone. I promise I won¡¯t call Elio, okay?¡± ¡°Haha, you think I¡¯d still trust you?¡± Emmettughed coldly, ¡°In my eyes, you¡¯re no different than the Melendez family¡¯s dog!¡± ra was silent. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. After saying that, he vanished from ra¡¯s sight, not giving her any chance to argue, as if even hearing her talk was annoying! Soon, ra was taken to the floor where the servants lived. The butler specifically put her in the farthest room, mocking her as he left, ¡°Since you¡¯re living in the servant¡¯s room now, don¡¯t think you¡¯re still Mrs. Melendez! I just saw that theundry room is short- staffed. You can go there after you change into the servant¡¯s uniform, or else, no dinner for you!¡± After saying that, the butler turned and left. ra quickly spoke up, ¡°Wait, can I have some paper and a pen?¡±x ¡°Why? You want to write a letter?¡± ra quickly shook her head, ¡°No, I just¡­want to kill some time.¡± The butler scoffed, ¡°Kill time? Don¡¯t worry, once you move into the servant¡¯s room, you won¡¯t have any free time. You¡¯ll be too busy to even sleep! If you have any other demands, I can have you working 24/7!¡± After saying that, he left,ughing. ra looked at the simple bed in the room, and indescribable feelings welled up in her heart. Suddenly, the door was pushed open again! A skinny figure walked in. Upon seeing ra, she froze and asked, ¡°Mrs. Melendez?! What are you doing here?¡± Hearing that, ra didn¡¯t know how to respond. After a few seconds of silence, she awkwardly said, ¡°Don¡¯t call me Mrs. Melendez anymore. I¡¯m just a servant now.¡± ¡°Huh? So, the butler was talking about you when he said someone was moving into my room to live with me?¡± ra nodded and sat on the bed, smiling, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m ra.¡± The maid quickly wiped her hands and shook hers, ¡°I¡¯m Rose, you can call me Rose If you need anything, just let me know. I¡¯ll help if I can.¡± Seeing her still so formal, ra said helplessly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to treat me like Mrs. Melendez anymore. Just think of me as another servant!¡± Rose seemed a little embarrassed and sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you and Mr. Melendez, but it¡¯s really too much for him to make you live in the servant¡¯s room! When I used to work for you, I always thought you were a kind person. How did ite to this? Is Mr. Melendez just another ungrateful rich kid? Just like all those in the TV dramas?¡± ra f¨¦lt helpless but also touched. This young girl, whom she had only met a few times and was talking to for the first time, was standing up for her. She must be a kind person. ¡°That¡¯s not it; he¡¯s actually a good guy! And you don¡¯t have to call me Mrs. Melendez all the time. Just think of me as a friend! I¡¯m not from a noble family or anything, and now I¡¯m just another servant. You¡¯re making me feel a little embarrassed.¡± ra smiled slightly, ¡°The butler told me to go to the laundry room earlier. ! should get to work now.¡± Chapter 402 Chapter 402 Rose nodded, ¡°Sure, if you¡¯re swamped, just give me a holler. I¡¯m no stranger to this gig. All this stuff is a piece of cake for me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let you do my job. You¡¯ll get in hot water with the butler! But I know your heart is in the right ce. But thanks!¡± ra said, with a bitter smile tugging at her lips. Emmett was clearly trying to make her squirm. If Rose helped her then, it would have been a p in the face for him! As a mere maid, Rose could hardly stand up to Emmett¡¯s bacsh. She didn¡¯t want to drag anyone into that, be it Elio or Rose standing before her. If being a maid could put out the fire in Emmett¡¯s heart, then she would just suck it 1. Master bedroom. Emmett was glued to the screen, his brows knitted together. On the screen, ra was doing the laundry. She was obviously worn out, wiping the sweat off her forehead from time to time. And outside the door, a pile ofundry was still waiting for her, with the butler delivering more. That was a job that was too much for one person. But the butler had made her do it on purpose. 1 So, she thought she was all that, huh? She didn¡¯t want to be Mrs. Melendez at home, so she deserved to do that sort of work. He wanted to make her suffer. However, seeing her small figure working so hard, he didn¡¯t feel any satisfaction from his revenge. Suddenly, Emmett grabbed the remote and switched off the surveince. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Emmett frowned, ¡°Come in.¡± The door was pushed open, and Matt said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Melendez, Mrs. Sophia and Leah have returned.¡± ¡°Leah?¡± Emmett¡¯s eyes shed with irritation. He knew what his mother was up to, but he couldn¡¯t ept another woman at that time. No, he couldn¡¯t even ept ra. He felt sick. Matt continued, ¡°And Mrs. Sophia asked me to tell you that she would like you to join her for dinner. She will be cooking.¡± Emmett was about to refuse. But then, an image shed in his mind.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. He paused for a moment, then surprisingly nodded, ¡°I understand. Tell her I¡¯ll be there. And have ra serve dinner tonight.¡± Matt was a bit surprised but nodded quickly, ¡°I understand, Mr. Melendez.¡± He turned to leave, closing the door behind him. Emmett turned to look out the window, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°ra, I¡¯m going show you what happens when you cross me. You can forget about you and Elio! I won¡¯t let you two off the hook!¡± Elio rushed to ra¡¯s ce. When he opened the door, the ce was empty! Apparently, ra had been taken away. He raced to Emmett¡¯s ce but was stopped at the gate by a guard, who said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. You can¡¯t go in.¡± ¡°I need to see Emmett!¡± The guard gave him a once-over and asked, ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°No, just tell him Elio wants to see him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this is the Melendez family residence. If you have any official business with Mr. Melendez, please deal with it at thepany. I can¡¯t just let strangers in. If Mr. Melendez is aware of your arrival, he will personally send someone to the gate to meet you.¡± Elio clenched his fists and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I told you to inform him!¡± The guard didn¡¯t budge and replied, ¡°If Mr. Melendez invited you, you should give him a call. We can¡¯t pass on your message. Chapter 403 Chapter 403 Elio was so pissed off that he clenched his fists. He wished he could just punch the guard in front of him. If he could just call Emmett directly, would he need this guy to announce him? Just as Elio was about to barge in, he suddenly saw a familiar figureing from inside; it was Emmett¡¯s bodyguard, Matt. ¡°Hey, hey¡­¡± Elio waved his hand vigorously, trying to catch Matt¡¯s attention. The guard immediately stopped him, Please keep order, sir, or we won¡¯t be so friendly anymore!¡± Matt seemed to hear his call. He looked over, and after a second¡¯s pause, walked to the door. ¡°What¡¯s up, Mr. Milburn?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I need to see Emmett. Did he take ra away?¡± Matt answered with a straight face, ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s Mr. Melendez¡¯s personal business. I can¡¯t disclose it to you and I hope you understand.¡± ¡°I need to see him!¡± Elio pushed the guard in front of him away, ¡°Is he scared to see me?¡± ¡°Mr. Melendez is busy now. I hope you won¡¯t be too demanding!¡± Elio was livid, ¡°You took someone away without permission and that¡¯s illegal. Now you¡¯re ming me for going too far. That¡¯s absurd!¡± Matt smiled, ¡°If you have any objections to Mr. Melendez¡¯s actions, you can call the police. But if you try to break into our ce, that¡¯s my responsibility. So I can¡¯t agree.¡± Elio frowned while seeing more and more people gathering. Coming here alone, he was no match for Emmett. Just as he was about to call for backup, he heard a deep sound. ¡°How dare you show up?¡± Elio looked up and saw Emmett! Matt immediately bowed as he saw Emmett¡¯s presence, ¡°Mr. Melendez, why are you here? I can handle it.¡±. ¡°You can go.¡± Emmett waved his hand and walked up to Elio, ¡°You think you can take ra away alone?¡± Elio steadied himself, trying to make his tone softer to avoid a direct conflict, ¡°I believe there are so many girls around Mr. Melendez. If you want, I can help you find women who are more beautiful and have better figures than ra. You can do w whatever you want, but I hope you can give ra back to me.¡± ¡°Give her back to you?¡± Emmettughed as if he¡¯d heard a funny joke, ¡°She is my wife when did she be yours?¡± Elio clenched his fists, his pupils shrinking, ¡°Mr. Melendez, ra made it clear to you on the phonest time. So why are you trying to make everyone ufortable? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone about me taking ra away. Your marriage has always been a secret to most people. Just a few know. As long as we both zip our mouths, no one will know.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m in the mood to y games with you? Why should grant your will? Plus, ra is doing a great job as a maid at my house. She seems to love it. Or should I call her out and ask?¡± ¡°What?¡± Elio was surprised, ¡°You actually made ra a maid?!¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, full of disgust, ¡°Stop your unnecessary concern. ra¡¯s status here has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°You¡­ are you crazy?¡± Elio stared into Emmett¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Do you know what ra is going through now? She¡­ His voice trailed off suddenly. He didn¡¯t let out another word. Chapter 404 Chapter 404 Emmett squinted, his gaze sweeping over Elio¡¯s face, asking, ¡°What¡¯s up with her?¡± Elio¡¯s mouth twitched, swallowing hard on words he had intended to say, ¡°She¡­ she¡¯s weak and can¡¯t do heavy work. But if you really need help, I can find someone else for you!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You think what I need is a helper?¡± Without saying anything, Elio clenched his teeth. How he wished he could have just rushed over and punched that man! But, for ra¡¯s sake, he had to keep his cool, ¡°Emmett, can you just let her go? Whatever you want, I can give. I know you hate me. You despise me. You can vent all your anger on me. But ra is just a delicate girl. She can¡¯t withstand your revenge!¡± Emmett suddenly reached out, pulling Elio over. A hint of ruthlessness shed in his eyes. ¡°Elio, remember your ce. You¡¯re not in a position to negotiate with me! If you really care for ra, you might as well check on your family, I heard they¡¯re on the brink of bankruptcy!¡± Elio¡¯s pupils contracted before asking, ¡°What did you do to my family?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to your family. I have no interest in bullying a loser from a soon-to-be bankrupt family.¡±¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Matt, see the guest out! If he causes any more trouble, deal with him as per the rules!¡± Matt nodded, ¡°Yes, Mr. Melendez.¡± ¡°Emmett! What kind of hero are you treating a woman like this? If you have the guts,e at me! I¡¯m not scared!¡± Hearing Elio¡¯s yelling, Emmett¡¯s figure paused slightly. The next second, a familiar figure appeared at the corner of the door. Emmett¡¯s gaze instantly turned cold, and his fists clenched tightly. It was ra Calloway! Why was she here? Was she afraid that Emmett was going to bully Elio? They really were a pair of star-crossed lovers! ra saw Elio at the door, then rushed over to Emmett, even nearly tripping in her haste! She had heard others saying that someone was causing trouble at the door, and she immediately guessed it was Elio! ¡°Emmett, stop giving him a hard time. This has nothing to do with him. This is all my fault!¡± She was still defending Elio! A fury ignited in Emmett¡¯s heart as he walked towards ra coldly. ¡°Who let you out? Get back in! Have you finished washing the clothes?¡± ¡°I will wash them! Even if I don¡¯t sleep, I¡¯ll finish! But I beg you, let Elio go.¡± ra didn¡¯t care. She directly grabbed Emmett¡¯s clothes, ¡°I was wrong. You can do whatever you want. Let me be your helper. Let me wash your feet, clean your toilet, even kneel for you! Just don¡¯t drag Elio into this. He¡¯s innocent through and through!¡± ¡°He¡¯s innocent? What about me? I should just ept this treatment from you?¡± ra¡¯s eyes widened, she shook her head in panic, ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­ Emmett raised an eyebrow, his tone icy, ¡°You think I shouldn¡¯t have fallen in love with you, shouldn¡¯t have married you, shouldn¡¯t have forced you to marry me, shouldn¡¯t have focused all my attention on you, right?¡± ra looked up at him, wanting to exin, but found that she couldn¡¯t make a sound! Chapter 405 Chapter 405 ¡°All right, you want me to go easy on Elio, right? Fine, you got it!¡± He rudely grabbed ra¡¯s arm and dragged her to the door. Upon seeing ra¡¯s pained expression, Elio immediately stopped fighting with the guards and hurriedly shouted to ra, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared! I¡¯ming to save you! I¡¯ll definitely get you out of here!¡± ra was about to tell him to leave and not worry about her when suddenly, she felt a chilling touch. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the face in front of her magnified. Emmett had actually kissed her. Beside her, Elio¡¯s angry voice could be heard, ¡°Emmett, let her go! You can¡¯t do this to her!¡± Before ra could recover, Emmett suddenly pushed her away. ra couldn¡¯t keep her bnce and fell hard to the ground. Instantly, her knee got scraped, and blood started flowing. Emmett looked at Elio, casually raising an eyebrow, ¡°Look! This is the woman who wants to elope with you. I kissed her, and she didn¡¯t even resist!¡± Elio was practically hoarse from shouting, ¡°Emmett, let her go! Stop forcing her! The idea of eloping was mine! I was the one who kidnapped her! She didn¡¯t actually want to!¡± Emmett sneered, ¡°Ha, your exnations are toote. You can¡¯t just change what you said in front of me!¡± ra painfully covered her wound, staggered to her feet, and walked towards Emmett, ¡°You¡¯ve got what you wanted, let him go. Elio, you should leave! I won¡¯t go with you. You shouldn¡¯te looking for me anymore. We¡¯re just not meant to be!¡± Emmett¡¯s gaze fell on ra¡¯s face. An invisible chill spread among the three of them. ¡°Elio hasn¡¯t given up. Let¡¯s remind him how you moaned under me!¡± 1 ra¡¯s legs went weak in shock. She knew Emmett was capable of anything. ¡°Don¡¯t. Emmett, don¡¯t! Can¡¯t you leave me some dignity?¡± Dignity? Do you still need that? What dignity does an unfaithful woman have!¡± As he spoke, he reached out to undress ra. With a slight tug, her clothing ripped, revealing her smooth skin. ra shook her head forcefully, backing away, ¡°No! Please! Emmett, don¡¯t¡­¡± Emmett raised an eyebrow, looking at her panicked state, feeling somewhat irritated. ¡°Don¡¯t want to? Then kneel here! Wait until Elio leaves, then you can go back to theundry room and continue being a maid!¡± With that, he strode away, not lingering. Dn also stopped, gave a nce to the guards beside him, then followed. Two guards went up to ra, ¡°Ms. Calloway, could you please kneel? Otherwise, if Mr. Melendez gets angry, we can¡¯t take the responsibility.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ra clenched her teeth and slowly knelt. Elio anxiously shouted from the doorway, ¡°No! ra, don¡¯t kneel! I¡¯ll leave! I¡¯m leaving right now!¡± ra humbly adjusted her disheveled clothes, lowering her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elio. me me for everything that¡¯s happened today! And don¡¯t me Emmett, he only did this because he didn¡¯t understand the situation!¡± Chapter 406 Chapter 406 ¡°He actually made you a servant?¡± Elio clenched his fists tightly. ¡°And then he has the audacity to im he loved you! How could he bear to see someone he supposedly loved suffer?¡± ¡°Whether I suffer or enjoy life, it¡¯s my business. You should get out of here. Take Nestor, and leave the country. Don¡¯t interfere in my affairs anymore.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No more buts! Please, just go. You see what happens when you stick around? I¡¯ll never have a moment¡¯s peace.¡± Elio clenched his fists in frustration, but he was out of options. The guard closed the door abruptly, cutting off their line of sight. ra slumped onto the ground, looking as though her soul had been sucked out of her. was merely up Just moments prior, she thought that Emmett was merely upset and that she could have found an opportunity to reason with him and asked him to let her go. But seeing him just then, it was clear he was furious with her. What chance did she have of turning things around? After what felt like an eternity, she heard the butler¡¯s voice. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Take this to Ms. Calloway in the back garden.¡± ¡°Ms. Calloway?¡± ra wa¡¯s taken aback. ¡°Which Ms. Calloway?¡± The butler huffed dismissively. ¡°Naturally, the futuredy of our house, Leah Calloway. You didn¡¯t think I was talking about you, did you?¡± ¡°Leah is at the Melendez¡¯s now?¡± ¡°Get moving, don¡¯t dawdle! As a servant, you should know your duties. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll make sure you go hungry!¡± The butler handed her a box and spat on the ground before walking away. ording to him, a woman who betrayed the young master deserved to be scorned ra stared at the box in her hands. After hesitating for a long while, she finally made her way to the front hall. Before she got there, she saw Leah in the back garden. Two servants were supporting her on either side, apparently helping her with rehabilitation. At the same time, Leah saw her. Leah waved the two servants away. ¡°What are you doing here? Emmett brought you back?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ra rushed to exin, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to think of me as a threat! Emmett brought me back out of hatred; he wants to torture me!¡± Leah scanned her from head to toe. She was wearing a servant¡¯s uniform of the Melendez family. She was probably telling the truth. But as long as ra was under Emmett¡¯s watch, Leah couldn¡¯t have rested easy. ¡°You just won¡¯t go away, will you? You hid so well back then, and now Emmett¡¯s found you. I think you did it on purpose! ra, you better not y any tricks on me! You should know that Emmett needs my antidote to survive.¡± ra opened her mouth to speak, ¡°You¡¯re in the Melendez family now. Haven¡¯t you given Emmett the antidote yet? He has passed out. I saw it with my own eyes!¡± Leah chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business! I will naturally give him the antidote. But seeing you here in the Melendez household is annoying me! What should ! do about that? I don¡¯t feel like giving him the antidote when I¡¯m not in the mood.¡± ¡°¡­I, I don¡¯t want to be here! But do you think Emmett would listen to me now? He¡¯s convinced that I¡¯ve betrayed him and that I¡¯ve let him down. Now, my words mean less to him than a dog¡¯s barking!¡± Seeing her servant¡¯s uniform and the item in her hand, Leah¡¯s eyes narrowed. It seemed Emmett really did treat her like a servant. Chapter 407 Chapter 407 ¡°I know you don¡¯t want me to show up at the Melendez household; let alone in front of Emmett! So, you plot and scheme. You better figure out a way for me to leave the Melendez family as soon as possible then!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Leah watched ra¡¯s facial expressions closely, noting that she didn¡¯t seem to be lying. With a cold laugh, she retorted, ¡°I¡¯lle up with a solution, but don¡¯t you dare y any tricks?¡± Then she pulled out a packet of white powder from her pocket, ¡°Here, this is the antidote! Give it to Emmett to drink. I don¡¯t care how you do it, but you better not let him find out! Because this antidote isn¡¯t a one-time cure, if Emmett finds out, there won¡¯t be a next time!¡± ra quickly reached out to take the antidote, cradling it carefully in her hands. ¡°When are you nning to fully cure Emmett?¡± ¡°That depends on my mood. Whenever he falls in love with me, that¡¯s when he¡¯ll get the final antidote.¡± Leah smirked, ¡°So don¡¯t get your hopes up. The title of Mrs. Melendez is mine alone. You¡¯ve lost your chance forever!¡± ra pursed her lips, unable to stand the sight of Leah¡¯s face any longer. It was a face she had once trusted, even considered as a friend¡¯s. But it was also that face that had brought her to such a state, even involving Emmett! ¡°What about¡­ my two children? What¡¯s your n for them to leave the Melendez family ande back to me?¡± ¡°Are you rushing me now? Don¡¯t forget your ce. Look at your maid¡¯s outfit, it suits you! The kids are an obstacle to me, I¡¯ll definitely remove them. But I can¡¯t guarantee when!¡± ra frowned. Just as she had suspected, Leah wasn¡¯t going to keep her promises. Her words held no credibility. ¡°After all, I still need them. In Sophia¡¯s eyes, they are my biological children! Look at how well she treats me. Even before Emmett and I are married, she¡¯s willing to let me rest here. As for you, you have to return to your rightful ce. Don¡¯t dream too high, or the fall will hurt!¡± Just as ra opened her mouth to retort, Leah suddenly copsed in front of her! Instinctively, ra reached out to catch Leah, only to be met by Sophia¡¯s harsh voice! ¡°ra, what are you doing here? What were you nning to do with my future daughter-inw?¡± ra froze, realizing what had happened, ¡°I didn¡¯t push her¡­¡± Sophia quickly moved to Leah¡¯s side, helping her up and berating ra, ¡°There¡¯s only the two of you here. If you didn¡¯t push her, did she fall on her own? ra, what are your intentions? You¡¯ve betrayed my son, and you still have the nerve to show up at the Melendez¡¯s?!¡± Leah, however, yed innocent and even pretended to be magnanimous, ¡°Sophia, don¡¯t me her anymore! Maybe I just lost my footing, I believe she didn¡¯t mean it!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t defend her! She¡¯s not worth it! This woman is two-faced. I¡¯ve seen her true colors for a long time!¡± Sophia spat out harshly, holding Leah¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°On one hand, she¡¯s deceiving my son. On the other, she¡¯s flirting with other men. I¡¯ve seen a lot of bitches in my life, but one as cunning and calcting as her is a first!¡± Chapter 408 Chapter 408 ra furrowed her brows, ¡°I swear, I didn¡¯t! She just tripped and fell. I didn¡¯t even touch her!¡± Before Sophia could respond, Leah¡¯s eyes began to well up with tears, ¡°Sophia, I appreciate you standing up for me, but please, let it go. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll go and tattle to Emmett, and he¡¯ll kick me out! It¡¯s okay. I promise I¡¯m fine. See?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± ra¡¯s words were cut short as a swift pnded on her cheek. Five red fingerprints appeared on her pale face, standing out abruptly. The force of Sophia¡¯s p made ra stumble back a few steps before regaining her bnce. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t think that because you¡¯re still Mrs. Melendez, my son will always protect you! Even if you can still join the Melendez family, you¡¯ll never win my son¡¯s heart! Don¡¯t think that Emmett bringing you back here means he¡¯ll forgive and forget. I won¡¯t give you that chance! I¡¯m going to talk to him and have you kicked out!¡± Upon hearing that, Leah quickly intervened, ¡°Sophia, please don¡¯t fight with Emmett on my ount. I don¡¯t want to cause trouble and make him hate me. I just want to stay by my two sons¡¯ side, taking care of them and watching them grow. ra, no matter what, Emmett still loves her. If you suddenly demand to kick her out, I¡¯m afraid Emmett will think I¡¯m ying tricks¡­¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Sophia patted her hand, her expression changed to a warm one, in stark contrast to how she treated ra, ¡°You needn¡¯t worry. This little witch blinded Emmett, and even, his mother, couldn¡¯t say anything. But things have changed. She ruined her own position, and my son will eventually realize that I, as his mother, am doing this for his own good. Even if he¡¯s upset with you, I¡¯ll exin to him that this was all my doing, and you had nothing to do with it.¡± Looking at the mother-daughter-like bond between them, ra couldn¡¯t help but want tough. She wondered if Sophia had known from the beginning that she was the real mother of the two boys, would she have treated herself like she treats Leah then? ¡°What are you waiting for? Get out of here and do your job! Dress like a maid and work like one!¡± ra managed a thin smile, touched her pped cheek and turned to leave. Watching ra¡¯s retreating figure, Sophia¡¯s anger still hadn¡¯t subsided, as if she wished she could throw ra out of the Melendez family right then and there! ¡°This woman is cunning. She¡¯s charmed my grandsons and even made my son lose his mind to the point he doesn¡¯t listen to me! If it weren¡¯t for her slip-up caught by the media, my son would still be protecting her, not believing a word I say!¡± Leah heaved a sigh of relief, pretending to be thoughtful, ¡°Ah, as you said, it¡¯s hard to know a person¡¯s true character. When I first saw her, I thought she was quite simple and kind. I heard she had some connections with Taylor Atwood of the Atwood family, I wonder if that¡¯s true¡­¡± ¡°Whomever she has connections with doesn¡¯t surprise me! She gravitates towards anyone with money.¡± Sophia rolled her eyes, taking Leah¡¯s hand, ¡°Enough about her. She just ruins the mood! Emmett sent word that he¡¯ll be joining us for dinner. You two can have a good chat then. I¡¯m looking forward to you capturing his heart and bing my daughter-inw!¡± hapter 409 hapter 409 With a charming smile, Leah nodded. ¡°Thanks for setting this up, Sophia. I won¡¯t let you down.¡± When ra returned to the maid¡¯s quarters, she barely stepped in before Rose shrieked, ¡°Oh my gosh! What happened to your face? It¡¯s so swollen!¡± Hearing the voices, ra finally came back to her senses, touching her swollen cheek. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± ¡°Good heavens! Did the butler hit you? He has no right to raise his hand! Come, I¡¯ll confront him for you,¡± Rose dered, heading towards the door. ra quickly pulled her back! ¡°No need, it wasn¡¯t the butler. I¡­ identally ran into a wall.¡± Rose frowned, puzzled, ¡°How could you hit your face on a wall?¡± ra was silent. Faced with such a persistent questioner, ra was embarrassed. ¡°I¡­ I just ran into the wall, that¡¯s all¡­ Don¡¯t you have anything else to do?¡± she quickly changed the subject, fearing Rose would obsess over her injury. ¡°Nothing else to do.¡± Rose seemed to realize something. She sighed softly before saying, I have some anti-swelling cream. It should help ease the pain.¡± ra smiled gratefully, ¡°Thank you.¡± She carefully applied the cream on ra¡¯s face, then went to the kitchen and got a bag of ice for her to use as a coldpress. ¡°You really don¡¯t have to be so nice to me. I¡¯m not Mrs. Melendez anymore.¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re not Mrs. Melendez, you¡¯re still my roommate! We have to live together,¡± Rose smiled, squinting her eyes, ¡°I know, rich young masters pamper their women when they¡¯re interested and discard them when they lose interest. That¡¯s how they always portray it in the movies!¡± ra was taken aback, thenughed at Rose¡¯sment. She then said seriously, ¡°But Emmett is not like that. We just have some misunderstandings¡­¡± Rose tilted her head, puzzled, ¡°If you know it¡¯s a misunderstanding, why can¡¯t you clear it up?¡± That¡¯s the problem.¡± Seeing that Rose couldn¡¯t understand, ra smiled, ¡°Have you ever been in love?¡± Rose shook her head, ¡°No, I¡¯ve been working for the Melendez family for two years now. I want to earn some money for my brother¡¯s wedding, then think about myself. My mom says I¡¯m a girl, and I don¡¯t need to rush to find a boyfriend. I can get married anytime.¡± ra felt a pang of sympathy for the naive young girl in front of her. ¡°Do you have any paper and pen?¡± ¡°Paper and pen?¡± Rose was stunned, ¡°Yes, I do!¡± ¡®Can I have them?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Rose quickly got up and rummaged under the bed for a notebook and some ballpoint pens, ¡°What do you need them for?¡± ¡°I like to draw designs,¡± ra smiled. ¡°You can draw designs?¡± Rose looked at her admiringly, ¡°I dropped out after middle school. Do you look down on me?¡± ¡°Not at all! Education only represents a person¡¯s qualifications. Nothing more! You¡¯re so kind. How could I think ess of you?¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Rose smiled sweetly, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear was so nervous when I found out that we¡¯d be sharing a room. Earlier, when we were cleaning the backyard, someone warned me to be careful of you. They said if I wasn¡¯t careful, I might offend you. Then, if you and the young master got back together, I might be driven out of the Melendez family.¡± Chapter 410 Chapter 410 ra sighed in resignation, lightly patting Rose¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not the type to harbor grudges. Besides, it seems I¡¯m no longer a part of Emmett¡¯s life. Just consider me a regr housemaid, a colleague, that¡¯s all.¡± Rose nodded, about to speak when the butler¡¯s yell interrupted them. ¡°ra! Why aren¡¯t you in the dining hall yet? Dinner is about to start!¡± ra nced at the clock. Dinner that early? The Melendez family never used to have meals at such an hour! However, as a housemaid, she didn¡¯t have the right to question. She merely sighed, stood up, and walked out the door. The butler sneered at her, ¡°What happened to your face?¡± ¡°I bumped into something¡­¡± ¡°Be more careful next time! It doesn¡¯t matter if you hurt your face, but if you damage anything of the Melendez family, you can¡¯t afford topensate! Don¡¯t think you still hold the status of a mistress!¡± With that, the butler strode away. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. At that moment, ra felt a pang of sadness. She felt like she had been demoted, and anyone could have trampled on her. However, ra understood their reactions. They had seen the news and probably thought she had betrayed Emmett. She couldn¡¯t really me them for their hostility. ra walked into the dining room, and her ears immediately filled with sarcastic whispers. ¡°ra, how dare you show your face here? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re trying to cozy up to my grandsons to worm your way back into my son¡¯s life!¡± Sophia, in her high heels, walked towards her, her gaze cold and unyielding. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with your little calctions. I saw through your schemes long ago! Don¡¯t take us for fools!¡± ra lowered her gaze, biting her lip, ¡°I didn¡¯t. Emmett asked me to serve dinner¡­¡± ¡°My son?¡± Sophia raised an eyebrow. ¡°Then you may leave. I will inform him for you. You¡¯re not needed tonight! Today is my son¡¯s first formal meeting with Leah, his future wife. What are you doing here, causing trouble and upsetting my future daughter-inw?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll leave now.¡± ra didn¡¯t want to argue; she just wanted to keep a low profile and do her job. Sophia¡¯s snidements weren¡¯t anything new. Even when ra was Mrs. Melendez, she had to endure such remarks. She was used to it by then As ra turned to leave, she suddenly bumped into someone. Apologizing quickly, she stuttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t see¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t see¡­or did you do it on purpose?¡± Emmett¡¯s voice echoed above her. Startled, ra looked up, meeting his eyes. On spotting her son, Sophia hurried over with a beaming smile, ¡°Dear, I told her to leave. She¡¯s a killjoy. You¡¯re about to have dinner with the mother of your children. You need to chat and get to know each other better. Let¡¯s get rid of the riffraff so they won¡¯t ruin your appetite!¡± Emmett didn¡¯t respond to his mother. His gaze remained fixed on ra. She kept her head down as if Sophia¡¯s words had nothing to do with her. Suddenly, Emmett spoke to his mother, ¡°Why did you ask her to leave? Isn¡¯t it better if she stays and witnesses how I live without her, how our children live without her?¡± Chapter 411 Chapter 411 With a tight clench of her hand and her teeth biting down hard on her lip, ra felt an agonizing pain slowly welling up in her heart. She thought she could have maintained her calm, even in the face of the prospect of Emmett being together with Leah. But then why did it still hurt so much for her? Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°My boy, you haven¡¯t gotten over her, have you?¡± Sophia¡¯s words hit like a sledgehammer. She quickly pulled her son aside. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your pride on a woman like that. Kick her out of the Melendez family now! It¡¯s been humiliating enough having her around, and now you¡¯ve given her a job in our house? Are you trying to give me a heart attack? Every time I see her face, I feel sick!¡± ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll have her work with me and keep her away from you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re missing the point entirely, son. She¡­¡± Before Sophia could finish speaking, Emmett interrupted her curtly, ¡°I have my reasons for my decisions. You brought Leah back without consulting me, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Sophia was at a loss for words. ¡°I did that for your own good. Leah is the biological mother of the two children, and if you two could be together, it would be good for everyone involved. That includes me, the Melendez family, and the kids. You should sever all ties with ra and let each of us go our own way. Doesn¡¯t that sound better?¡± Emmett¡¯s lips thinned, and after a moment, he spoke in a low voice. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing, and I don¡¯t need you to interfere. You better look after yourself!¡± As she watched her son walk away, Sophia was angry but didn¡¯t dare to vent her anger on him. Instead, she turned her ire towards ra, who was still standing by. ¡°What are you standing there for? Didn¡¯t you hear the young master tell you to serve us dinner? Hurry up and bring the tes! Change all the utensils!¡± ra nodded and was about to turn around when Sophia suddenly called out to her. ¡°Also, I better not see you during dinner! I don¡¯t care whether you pretend to have a stomach ache or feel nauseous. Just find some excuse to get out of the dining room!¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Sophia gave her a dismissive nce before speaking again. ¡°If this dinner goes well, Leah might soon be thedy of the Melendez family, and you¡¯ll regret it then! You¡¯ve let down my son¡¯s affection for you, even going so far as to defy me, his mother. ra, you really don¡¯t have a heart, do you? Women like you deserve no sympathy. You¡¯re nothing but a lowly wench. Now, scram!¡± ra¡¯s hand remained clenched tight, her nails digging deep into her flesh. She had expected her life in the Melendez family to be tough, but she hadn¡¯t anticipated that her self- esteem would be trampled on her very first day! And she had no power to resist. She could only endure! Dinner began. Sophia and Leah had already taken their seats, but Emmett was nowhere to be seen. ra¡¯s eyes swept the room in search of Aiden and Alex, but none of them were present. Whether they were held up by something or Sophia had deliberately kept them away, the real reason was unknown. As she looked around, a tall, slender figure suddenly entered her line of sight. Emmett was here. He was dressed in a formal ck suit today. It seemed that he was taking his meeting with Leah very seriously. ra instinctively looked away, unwilling to watch any longer. However, Emmett walked straight towards her, and in full view of everyone, he said, ¡°Pull out the chair next to Leah for me. I¡¯ll be sitting there.¡± Chapter 412 Chapter 412 ra walked to Leah¡¯s side, her head down, and slowly pulled out a chair. Leah¡¯s mocking whisper echoed in her ears. ¡°Look at him, he¡¯s not interested in you anymore.¡± Sophia was even colder. ¡°Remember what I told you. Find a chance and get out of here!¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ra bit her lower lip, hiding behind the dining table, trying to make herself less noticeable. But Emmett, once seated, looked at her and said, ¡°Why are you standing so far away? As a maid, shouldn¡¯t you know how to serve your master?¡± ra was unable to speak. ¡°Pour me some wine!¡± Emmett ordered. ¡°Son, look at her sulking here. She¡¯s such a mood killer. Let her go!¡± Sophia couldn¡¯t help but speak. The dining atmosphere had be very strange, making Leah feel awkward. ¡°I don¡¯t find her depressing.¡± Emmett didn¡¯t even bother to look up. ¡°If you guys find her depressing, feel free to leave.¡± Sophia pursed her lips, not daring to say another word. Leah quicklyughed it off. ¡°Emmett, don¡¯t misunderstand Sophia¡¯s intentions. She personally ordered thisvish dinner with all your favorite dishes. Let¡¯s focus on the gourmet food. Come, ra, stop standing there. Join us¡­¡± ¡°What right does she have to sit and eat?¡± Sophia whispered to Leah, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to treat her like a friend? She¡¯s polluting our air in the Melendez household!¡± Emmett just picked up his ss and took a sip, but no one noticed his furrowed brows. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t havee. I¡¯ll leave now.¡± ra pulled a weak smile, took a few steps back, and was about to leave. ¡°Did I say you could leave? Who do you listen to in this house?¡± Emmett suddenly spoke. Sophia couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡°Son, it seems like you¡¯re not nning to let me enjoy this dinner, are you?¡± Emmett drained his wine ss, abruptly stood up, grabbed ra¡¯s wrist, and left the dining room, leaving everyone in shock. Nobody understood what Emmett was trying to do. Behind him, Sophia stood up to follow, but Leah pretended to be worried and stopped her. ¡°Sophia, you better not chase after him. Don¡¯t upset him. Didn¡¯t you see? He still has feelings for ra. Let¡¯s just let it go. I¡¯ve seen both children now, and that¡¯s enough for me. I¡¯ll pack up and leave tomorrow.¡± ¡°Why are you leaving? It¡¯s ra who should leave!¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes were filled with anger. If it weren¡¯t for Emmett¡¯s presence, she would¡¯ve liked to p ra and make her realize the reality. She even dared toe to the Melendez household. Could she have really tolerated her? ¡°But you also saw that Emmett was still defending ra. My presence is making the rtionship between you and your son even more strained, which is not what I want to see!* Sophia turned to look at Leah, took her hand, and gently squeezed it. ¡°My sweet girl, once I¡¯ve decided that you¡¯re my daughter-inw, nobody can change that. Just listen to me and stayfortably in the Melendez household. I¡¯ll make Emmett realize ra¡¯s true colors and that you¡¯re the only one who should be his wife!¡± Chapter 413 Chapter 413 ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me, Emmett! It hurts!¡± ra felt the scorching pain in her wrist, but Emmett seemed to ignore her pleas, dragging her forward relentlessly. Passing butlers gaped at the scene, ¡°Young Master, did she do something wrong?¡± ¡°Out of my way!¡± Emmett red at him with an ominous expression, continuing his stride. ra stumbled a few steps and nearly fell, but before she could regain her footing, she was dragged into Emmett¡¯s bedroom. No, it wasn¡¯t just his. It was also hers, and their former shared space. Seeing the familiar room, ra felt as if her heart was being stabbed repeatedly. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Emmett¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile, the fury in his eyes unmistakable. ¡®Tell me, are you really eager to leave with Elio?¡± ra shook her head before suddenly nodding, ¡°Just let me go, Emmett. I know you hate me! You want to humiliate me and crush my pride, I admit it! But let me go after you¡¯re done.¡± Earlier in the dining room, ra didn¡¯t dare to meet Leah¡¯s eyes. She was afraid of seeing Leah¡¯s anger. Emmett took her away, and Leah must be upset. The urrence of such events was enough to scare her! If Emmett keeps taking her away in front of Leah, could she still expect any antidote from her? But she couldn¡¯t voice these concerns to Emmett. She had to swallow them all. Emmett raised an eyebrow, his eyes shing with a drunken haze. Before ra could respond, she was roughly tossed onto the bed, her world spinning as Emmett pinned her down. ¡°What¡­what are you doing? Emmett! You¡¯re drunk!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not drunk; you asked for this!¡± ra quickly rified, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that! I¡­mmph!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, his lips, heavy with the scent of alcohol, swallowed her words whole. His hands began to wander. ra struggled vigorously, trying to push him away, but she was no match for Emmett¡¯s strength. ¡°Mmm¡­ let go of me¡­ Emmett!¡± She tried desperately to avoid his kisses, but he seemed not to hear her,pletely lost in his own world. ra feared that Leah or Sophia mighte looking for Emmett. If they saw her and Emmett like this, Leah would surely be furious! The consequences would be disastrous So, in a moment of desperation, she bit down on Emmett¡¯s lip! Suddenly they both tasted the metallic tang of blood. Emmett seemed to snap out of his trance, abruptly getting off her. ¡°Get out, get out now!¡± ra hastily fixed her clothes, trembling all over. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Watching her leave, Emmett suddenly turned and hurled an vase onto the floor. The shards scattered all over, impossible to piece back together. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Just like him and ra. Perhaps hearing the noise, a butler outside hurriedly knocked on the door. ¡°Young Master, are you alright? Young Master¡­ Chapter 414 Chapter 414 ¡°Shut up, all of you! Get out!¡± Emmett, seemingly in a frenzy, grabbed a bottle of Merlot from the rack, and started guzzling it down. He hated himself for not drinking enough earlier, for keeping a shred of sanity. He couldn¡¯t understand what made him any less than Elio? How could he possibly lose to him? ra, in a state of disarray, bolted out of Emmett¡¯s room and hurried back to her own quarters. As she burst through the door, her friend Rose was taken aback. Her clothes were torn, her hair a wild mess. ¡°What the¡­ What happened to you? Did you run into a wall again?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ra didn¡¯t feel like talking. She marched straight to her bed, dove under the covers, sealing herself off. She clenched her fists, her tears streaming down her face. She didn¡¯t want anyone to see her crying and didn¡¯t want anyone¡¯s pity. ¡®What¡¯s going on with you?¡± Rose, worried, prodded her a bit, ¡°Don¡¯t hide under the covers, or you¡¯ll suffocate; you could faint!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your concern. I¡¯m fine; I¡¯ll be fine in a bit.¡± Hearing ra¡¯s voice, Rose reached out to pull back her covers, You¡¯re crying. I can hear it. Can¡¯t you just talk to me about it? I promise, I won¡¯t tell a soul, not the butler, not anyone. Not a word!¡± ra turned her back to her. Despite the covers being pulled away, she still didn¡¯t want to face anyone, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just go about your business.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re crying!¡± ¡°1¡­ I just¡­ I just miss home a bit, that¡¯s all. You don¡¯t need to worry about me, I¡¯ll be fine in a bit.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Nonsense! Missing home wouldn¡¯t cause this! You¡¯ve clearly been bullied!¡± Rose held her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, if it¡¯s the butler, we can confront hint! We¡¯re here to work, not to be ves, We have our rights too and we can¡¯t just let him abuse or insult us! Come, let¡¯s go find him. If he doesn¡¯t give you a satisfactory answer, I¡¯ll quit with you. I can¡¯t stand this ce any longer!¡± Rose didn¡¯t think the butler was such a tyrant before. Since ra started working there, he seemed to have changed. He was absolutely despicable! ¡°Stop, Rose! It¡¯s not the butler¡­¡± ra wiped her tears, and sat up in bed, ¡°Don¡¯t confront him. I¡¯m really okay.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not the butler, then it must be the young master!¡± Rose looked at her sympathetically, quickly helping her wipe her tears, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you two, but him bullying a woman like this is uncalled for. If you can¡¯t take it anymore, just quit.¡± ra shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t leave now, and he won¡¯t let me go.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t let you go?¡± Rose looked confused, ¡°If a bull doesn¡¯t want to drink, can you force its head down? Can¡¯t I quit a job I don¡¯t want anymore?¡± ¡°I¡¯m different from you, I¡­¡± ra opened her mouth to speak, but in the end, she closed it without a word. After a while, she continued, ¡°You¡¯re free here, but I¡¯m not! But I guess I won¡¯t be in the Melendez household for much longer.¡± Chapter 415 Chapter 415 Leah would have found a way to extricate her from the situation. Otherwise, she knew that Emmett¡¯s gaze would never rest on her. Rose rolled her eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t understand you guys. Luckily, I¡¯ve never been in love. If it¡¯s this much trouble, I¡¯d rather be single.¡± ra dabbed at her tears with a tissue and spoke softly, ¡°Don¡¯t let my situation affect you. I¡¯m just a unique case. Don¡¯t lose hope in love! You¡¯re so kind, and you deserve a great boyfriend who truly loves you!¡± Rose¡¯s eyes wandered around, her face indifferent, ¡°I don¡¯t care about all that. As long as I can save some money and have enough for food and clothes, that¡¯s all that matters. Now, enough with the sadness. How about I take you to my secret hideout?¡± ¡°Secret hideout?¡± ra was taken aback. ¡°Yes! I go there every time I feel down,¡± Rose extended her hand, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. It¡¯s a ce no one else knows about!¡± ¡°At the Melendez¡¯s?¡± ¡°Exactly, at the Melendez¡¯s.¡± The bar was alive with noise. Everyone seemed to be venting their daily frustrations, with thedies dancing freely, their eyes seeking potential partners to flirt with. The men seated around watched keenly, silently rating the women who were unting their beauty. However, there was something different that day. The most expensive booth had been booked by Elio! He sat alone, ordering a table full of drinks and not allowing anyone near. Two women, cocktails in hand, approached him, ¡°Hey, care to share a drink? You look lonely all by yourself.¡± Elio nced up, his face darkening, ¡°Scram! All of you, get lost!¡± The women were taken aback, ¡°We just wanted to chat; no need to be so rude! If you don¡¯t want to drink with us, fine. But remember, gentlemen have manners!¡± However, no sooner had these two women left, another group of women approached to flirt! In a bar like this, a noticeable man like Elio was naturally popr, but the oue was always the same-the women were chased away in disgrace. Elio picked up a bottle to pour himself more drink, but his aim was off. Finally, he discarded the ss and drank straight from the bottle. The red wine spilled down his neck, staining his expensive suit. Soon after, the bar¡¯s owner came over, ¡°Ah! If I had known you wereing, I would have prepared something special.¡± Elio nced at him but said nothing, continuing to drink. The owner quickly interjected, ¡°But Elio, you¡¯re drinking too much. How about a dance?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t dance! Leave me alone.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you drunk?¡± the owner asked, reaching out to steady Elio, ¡°We have a rest room here. Let me take you there to sober up a bit; how about that?¡± Elio scowled, shrugging off his hand, ¡°I told you to leave me alone, so don¡¯t make me lose my temper!¡± ¡°Alright, alright! Elio, don¡¯t be mad. Then I¡¯ll leave.¡± The owner reluctantly got up and signaled the bartender not to serve Elio any more drinks. After all, if this big shot got drunk in his bar, he¡¯d be in a difficult position! Chapter 416 Chapter 416 No one knew how long it had been. What they did know was that every bottle on the table was now empty! Elio swayed as he rose from the couch, and his arm outstretched towards the bartender, ¡°More booze, and make it quick!¡± ¡°Elio, our boss already said, you can¡¯t have another drop. Let me help you to a room so you can rest?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why can¡¯t I have more? You think I can¡¯t foot the bill, is that it?¡± Elio was unsteady on his feet. He stumbled a few steps, crashing into a pir. A nearby waiter quickly rushed to his aid. ¡°Of course not, Elio. We all know you¡¯re good for the money. We just don¡¯t want you waking up to a nasty hangover tomorrow. Come, let¡¯s get you to bed.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to sleep; get off me!¡± The bartenders exchanged a nce before one of them said, ¡°Take Elio to a room, and bring him some iced water and aspirin.¡± As Elio was being led away, he kept on ranting, ¡°I want a drink. Don¡¯t touch me! I can afford it. Don¡¯t you hear me? I can buy anything I want, women included! What¡¯s the big deal?¡± ¡°ra, if he ever mistreats you, don¡¯t expect me to step in! You chose to go back to him!¡± ¡°And Emmett, you¡­ you¡¯re a damn jerk, picking on ra! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The waiters, hearing Emmett¡¯s name, were anxious to avoid any trouble. They wished they could just silence Elio before he caused a scene. If anyone in the bar knew Emmett, it could spell trouble. If news or rumors about Emmett spread from this bar, they would be in deep water! They finally managed to get Elio into a room. He fished out his phone and handed it to one of the waiters, ¡°Call ra. Have her pick me up.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re leaving? Alright, I¡¯ll do that now!¡± The waiter quickly dialed ra¡¯s number, but there was no answer. ¡°Elio, are you sure this is the right number? I¡¯ve tried three times already, and there¡¯s no answer!¡± ¡°Keep trying, keep trying. Use your own phone if you have to!¡± Elio suddenly felt a pang in his stomach. His instincts drove him towards the bathroom, but before he could reach it, he threw up on the floor. One of the waiters quickly grabbed some paper towels and rushed over, ¡°Elio, here, clean up first. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± ¡°I feel sick; do you get it? Sick!¡± After throwing up, Elio suddenly slumped backward, as if all his strength had left him! If the room hadn¡¯t been carpeted, he might have hit the floor hard. The waiter with the phone sighed and continued dialing the number. After several attempts, someone finally picked up, but it was a man¡¯s voice. ¡°Hello! Are you a friend of Mr. Elio¡¯s?¡± the waiter asked hastily. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± The deep voice carried a natural authority that made the waiter inexplicably uneasy. But he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, so why did he feel this way? ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m a bartender at the club. He¡¯s had too much to drink and kept insisting that we call this number. If it¡¯s not too much trouble, could youe and pick him up?¡± Chapter 417 Chapter 417 The voice on the other end of the call dered before promptly hanging up. The butler blinked in surprise, then sighed and set down the phone. ¡°Alright then, let him sleep it off here tonight. I¡¯ll inform the bosster.¡± Rose led ra through the Melendez family¡¯s rear garden, straight into a small copse of trees. ra had never looked at the ce carefully before. Even when she had been Mrs. Melendez, she had only walked in the rear garden. ¡°Look at this! These are some of the saplings the Melendez family imported. Virtually no onees here,¡± Rose exined. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ra looked around. Indeed, all the trees surrounding them were unfamiliar to her. ¡°Come look over there!¡± Rose pointed to something in the distance. Following her direction, ra saw, through the canopy of leaves, arge swing! She had no idea the Melendez family had such a thing! Was it Emmett¡¯s doing? Or perhaps Sophia¡¯s? Rose skipped excitedly towards the swing and took a seat, patting the space beside her. ¡°Come, sit! Wait until all the starse out. It¡¯s truly beautiful. Whenever I¡¯m stressed or tired from work, Ie here to stargaze. It¡¯s therapeutic!¡± ra took a seat beside her, looking up at the twinkling stars against the dark canvas of the night sky. She felt a pang in her heart. She missed her mother. Would her mother be disappointed if she knew ra was working as a maid now? Would she think ra had let her down? ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Rose asked suddenly. ¡°Nothing much. How did you find this ce?¡± ra diverted the question back to Rose. ¡°I got lost here once, while cleaning. That¡¯s when I discovered this ce. And if you look further back, there are roses growing over there!¡± ¡°Roses?¡± ra turned around and squinted in the dim light. She could make out the red blossoms not too far away. She stood up and walked towards the roses. ¡°Did the Melendez family import these too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. I never dared to ask the butler. I was afraid he would ban me froming here,¡± Rose confessed, sticking out her tongue. ¡°So, do you like this ce?¡± Yes.¡± ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± ra looked at Rose, a small smile ying on her lips. ¡°Thank you, Rose. I do feel better.¡± ¡°You¡¯re strong, ra. I know you wouldn¡¯t cry unless something serious happened. I can¡¯t do much, but I can share this ce with you. I hope it helps.¡± ¡°It does, Rose. This ce is wonderful.¡± ra crouched down to smell the roses. Her heart felt a little heavy, a little bitter. They stayed there for a while before heading back¡­ As soon as ra stepped into her room, the butler¡¯s grumbling voice rang out behind her. ¡°You¡¯re a maid. Have you forgotten your duties? Young Master is drunk. Go attend to him at once!¡± ra was taken aback. ¡°He¡¯s drunk? But isn¡¯t it inappropriate for me to attend to him now?¡± Chapter 418 Chapter 418 The Melendez family had Leah still around. What if ra¡¯s visit to Emmett was misconstrued yet again? To get her hands on the antidote, ra had tried her best to avoid any encounters with Emmett, but he seemed determined to seek her out. ¡°Enough with the chatter! If the young master calls for you, you better get moving!¡± the butler grumbled, a look of impatience on his face. ¡°Remember, don¡¯t upset the young master. If he¡¯s unhappy, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re not having a good time either. In the Melendez house, you¡¯re a maid, and when orders come your way, there¡¯s no room for refusal!¡± Knowing there was no way to evade the situation, ra nodded reluctantly. She deliberately took a detour through the back yard to Emmett¡¯s room. As soon as she stepped inside, before she could even approach Emmett¡­ Suddenly, there was a knock on the door! Startled, ra instinctively hid behind the door, holding her breath. ¡°Emmett, it¡¯s me, Leah. Sophia sent me over with some hangover remedy.¡± Upon hearing Leah¡¯s voice, ra didn¡¯t dare breathe a word! If Leah were to walk right in and see her in Emmett¡¯s room, there would be no way she could exin herself! ¡°Emmett, are you there?¡± Leah knocked again. Just as ra¡¯s heart was about to leap out of her chest, Emmett suddenly sat up on his bed, his handsome face clouded in a drunken haze, his expression grim. ¡°Beat it. I don¡¯t need any hangover remedy, and I don¡¯t want to be disturbed!¡± Hearing Emmett¡¯s voice, Leah responded in disappointment, ¡°Alright then, sorry for interrupting your rest! I¡¯ll leave the hangover remedy at your doorstep. If you need it, take it inside. I won¡¯t disturb your rest anymore.¡± Listening to Leah¡¯s fading footsteps, ra only allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief once they werepletely out of earshot. With a thud, Emmetty back down on the bed, his slender finger motioning. ¡°Water, give me water!¡± ra froze, was he talking to her? She hurriedly poured Emmett a ss of water and handed it to him. Emmett didn¡¯t open his eyes yet he knew her direction. ¡°You¡­ decided toe back?¡± Those words made ra¡¯s heart ache, ¡°Yeah¡­ Emmett, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ra reached out to gently stroke his cheek. Maybe only at times like this could she get close to him. Perhaps this would be the only time in her life! Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Here, I poured you water, have a sip!¡± She gently moved the ss closer to Emmett¡¯s lips, but he suddenly tossed his hand and the ss hit the floor! ra instinctively moved to pick it up, but lost her bnce andnded on the bed. Emmett had a firm grip on her arm! ¡°You¡­ let go of me. If there¡¯s nothing else, I need to go.¡± If Leah couldn¡¯t find her soon, she would realize that ra was in Emmett¡¯s room. In the Melendez household, she had to be cautious at all times. Only by not angering Leah could she get her hands on the antidote. Seeing that Emmett had no reaction, she gently pushed him, ¡°Could you let go of my hand? Can you let¡­¡± Before ra could finish her sentence, Emmett rolled onto her, sealing her lips with his. For a moment, ra didn¡¯t know if he was genuinely drunk or pretending. How could he so urately kiss her? ¡°You¡­ you need to¡­ you can¡¯t do this, let me go! Emmett!¡± Chapter 419 Chapter 419 But this time, Emmett didn¡¯t even blink as he swiftly ripped off her dress, exposing her fair skin in an instant. The cool touch of Emmett¡¯s fingers made her body stiffen, her heartbeat racing to the point of suffocation, ¡°You can¡¯t, you shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± But how could she withstand Emmett¡¯s strength? Despite her best efforts, it was futile. Somewhere along the line, Emmett had unbuckled his belt and bound her hands, lifting them high above her head. This position made ra feel uneasy, like a piece of meat on a butcher¡¯s block. With her hands tied, running was pretty much out of the question! ¡°Don¡¯t do this! Emmett, snap out of it! If you were sober, you should hate me, don¡¯t you remember? I betrayed you, so you can¡¯t do this!¡± Before she could finish, suddenly, she felt the weight of the man above her. For a moment, ra felt as though she was dreaming! He, he actually did it after getting drunk, under this circumstance! ra wanted to escape, but there was simply no chance left for her, other than to follow Emmett¡¯s rhythm, she could do nothing. After leaving Emmett¡¯s bedroom, Leah returned to her own room. She was nning to discuss with ra on how to quickly get her out of the Melendez family, but before she could step out, Sophia arrived. ¡°I just put the kids to bed.¡± She smiled, pushing the door open, ¡°Are you getting used to living here?¡± Leah quickly replied, ¡°Yes! I sleep so well knowing I am close to the kids!¡± Sophia nodded with satisfaction, then sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a pity they are too young to understand! Don¡¯t be discouraged if they don¡¯t warm up to you; sooner orter they will ept you. After all, you are their biological mother!¡± Leah¡¯s eyes lit up, and she insisted on pouring Sophia a cup of water despite her injury. Sophia quickly took it, ¡°Oh my! You shouldn¡¯t strain yourself; there are servants for this! What if you strain your injury?¡± She smiled, ¡°It¡¯s okay, the doctor said I should move around more!¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You should do so moderately! By the way, I came to tell you, don¡¯t worry, I will get ra out as soon as possible! I apologize for the dinner incident. It was my oversight; don¡¯t take it to heart!¡±. ¡°Of course not,¡± Leah quickly replied, ¡°I know you do everything for my sake, and I don¡¯t me Emmett. I can tell he hasn¡¯t let go of ra yet.¡± Hearing ra¡¯s name, Sophia frowned instantly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so great about ra! I felt like the air was polluted by her presence! How did I ever tolerate her living in our house for so long? Compared to you, she¡¯s nothing but a lowly creature; not only is she a divorcee, but she also had children from another man! The mere thought of her being my daughter-inw makes me feel suffocated!¡± Leah quickly tried to soothe her, ¡°If thinking about her makes you ufortable, then stop. Maybe you have some bias against her? I¡¯ve met ra a few times, and she doesn¡¯t seem like what the news says.¡± Chapter 420 Chapter 420 ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that appearances can be deceiving? She confessed to it herself on the news, and even if she hadn¡¯t, the media already caught her red-handed. Those photos don¡¯t leave room for her to deny it!¡± Sophia scoffed. ¡°But you, you¡¯re the gem I¡¯ve been looking for. I¡¯ve already spoken to my son, and as long as Emmett agrees, we¡¯ll organize a grand wedding for you two. We¡¯ll make sure everyone knows my grandchildren aren¡¯t motherless!¡± Leah nodded, her heart filled with joy, but she kept her excitement under wraps. ¡°Sophia, I think we should let things take their natural course. I don¡¯t want to force Emmett to ept me; it might backfire!¡± ¡°My son¡­he¡¯s quite the entric one. I can¡¯t figure him out, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure to create more opportunities for you two to spend time together.¡± Sophia patted Leah¡¯s hand. ¡°Guaranteed to get him to wee you with open arms.¡± At these words, a blush crept up Leah¡¯s cheeks. ¡°This makes it sound like I¡¯m desperate to get hitched. If Emmett hears this, won¡¯t he mock me?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? My son is such a catch. Even if youe off a bit eager, or make the first move, it¡¯s worth it!¡± Leah nodded shyly, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± After a night of passion, Emmett drifted off to sleep. But ra dared not close her eyes. She waited until his breathing evened out before slowly climbing out of bed, her hands meekly clutching at her barely-there nightgown. She didn¡¯t know how much longer she could endure this, feeling as though her dignity had been completely eroded. Carefully, ra eased herself out of the bed, wincing with soreness, careful not to disturb Emmett. She had almost reached the door when she noticed Emmett had kicked off his nket. Hesitating for a moment, she turned back to cover him with it before tiptoeing out of the room. To avoid being discovered by Rose, ra hid in a corner behind the servant¡¯s quarters, waiting until Rose left before returning to her room to change. Looking at her reflection, her hair was a mess, her body marked with love bites. Was there any trace of the old ra left? She couldn¡¯t be sure if Emmett had been genuinely drunk, or¡­ But his savage invasion was something ra didn¡¯t dare to recall! Suddenly, she heard someone calling her name from outside. Instinctively, ra grabbed a scarf to wrap around her neck before venturing out. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. It was Leah. She hade to find her, just as ra had expected! Leah scrutinized ra, feeling that something was off but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on it. ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°I was¡­ doingundry.¡± ¡°No wonder you smell like Emmett. I thought you¡¯de from his room.¡± ¡°How¡­ how could that be! I can only dream of being near him.¡± Leah snorted, ¡°That¡¯s true! Emmett doesn¡¯t want anything to do with you now, does he? So, if I get you away from the Melendez family, that would be a relief, right?¡± ra quickly nodded, ¡°Yes, just let me leave!¡± ¡°Good, pack your things. Tomorrow evening, I¡¯ll say I want to go shopping and need a maid to apany me. You¡¯ll disguise yourself as a maid and blend in with the other servants, and we¡¯ll leave together.¡± Chapter 421 Chapter 421 ¡°Sure!¡± ra agreed immediately, without a hint of hesitation. This took Leah aback. ¡°You agreed so quickly. Are you really that eager to leave Emmett? Tell me, is it because you¡¯ve stopped loving him, or are you afraid that I won¡¯t give him the antidote?¡± ¡°You know quite well!¡± ra frowned. ¡°Leah, I can leave, and I probably won¡¯t return to Emmett, let alone see him again. But you must give him the antidote!¡± ¡°Look at you, worried about my man. You should focus more on yourself in the future! Anyway, I¡¯ve said my piece. Tomorrow is yourst chance to leave, and if you change your mind¡­ Well, you know the consequences!¡± Leah warned her. ra nodded as her hand clenched into a cold fist. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t go back on my word.¡± In the children¡¯s room, Aiden was busy with his homework. Suddenly! The door swung open, and Alex rushed in. ¡°Bro, guess what! I think I just saw Mom!¡± ¡°Mom?¡± The minute he heard this, Aiden stood up from his chair. ¡°Are you sure? Where?¡± ¡°In the house out back. I was looking for Grandma but took a wrong turn, and that¡¯s when I saw her.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop her then?¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°She walked away too quickly. I couldn¡¯t catch up, and she didn¡¯t seem to hear me calling out to her.¡± Alex pouted. ¡°Do you think Mom doesn¡¯t want us anymore? She came home and didn¡¯t even look for us.¡± Aiden frowned, sensing that something was off. ¡°Are you certain that was Mom?¡± Alex thought about it and shook his head. ¡°Notpletely. It was getting dark, but her silhouette looked so much like Mom¡¯s.¡± Aiden hesitated for a moment, then decided to go check for himself. There was nothing to lose. But if it was her, wouldn¡¯t he be able to see Mom then? He was about to step out when Alex followed him. ¡°Are you going to look for Mom? I¡¯ming too!¡± ¡°Wait here for a bit.¡± Aiden patted his little brother¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out first. If it¡¯s really her, I¡¯ll bring her back here, okay?¡± Although Alex was reluctant, he agreed. ¡°Juste back quickly. I can¡¯t wait to see Mom!¡± Aiden felt a twinge of sadness as he gazed at his brother¡¯s eager face. He knew Alex missed their mom a lot. He even called out for her in his sleep. While he wouldn¡¯t do that, he also missed Mom and wanted to see her soon. After watching Leah leave the servant¡¯s quarters, ra looked around to make sure no one was watching. A thought began to form in her mind that was growing stronger with each passing second. She wanted to see her kids. Who knew when she¡¯d be able to see them again after leaving this time? Plus, Leah wouldn¡¯t be able to get Aiden and Alex out of the Melendez family anytime soon. As a mother, the pain of being separated from her children was even worse than leaving Emmett. To avoid any mishaps, ra quickly changed into a set of ck clothes, which would help her blend into the night. She hid behind the servant¡¯s quarters while Rose was still out, taking advantage of the empty space that even the patrolling guards rarely visited. Chapter 422 Chapter 422 The issue at hand was that the children¡¯s room on that floor was heavily guarded. Without prior arrangements with Aiden and Alex, her chances of sneaking in were practically slim to none. She shrugged it off, deciding to head over and assess the situation herself. Who knew? Maybe Lady Luck would favor her this time. With bated breath, she cautiously approached the children¡¯s room. Just as she had suspected, there were several guards patrolling the area. ¡°One, two, three¡­¡± Just the left staircase alone had three guards. They were all burly and imposing. There was no way she could muscle her way through them. Just as ra was about to lose hope, she spotted a small figure emerging from the room. It was Aiden. Her eyes lit up the moment they fell on the boy. ¡°What are you up to, young master?¡± A guard asked hurriedly upon spotting him. After all, the Melendez family had increased security for the boys following the recent kidnapping incident. ¡°I¡¯m going to see Granny.¡± Aiden replied in his high-pitched voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t wander off.¡± ¡°Should I call your Granny and have here pick you up?¡± The guard suggested with a smile. ¡°No need. It¡¯s not that far and Granny has been having leg pains recently. I don¡¯t want to trouble her.¡± As the guard hesitated, Aiden took off. ¡°Young master,e back here!¡± The guard called out while rushing after him. Aiden waved him off. ¡°Look, I¡¯m really going to Granny. Stop following me! And keep your voice down; you might wake her up!¡± The guard immediately fell silent. Once Aiden left, ra took this as her cue to make her exit too. She noticed that Aiden was indeed heading towards Sophia¡¯s ce and figured he would return soon enough. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. All she had to do was wait here for him to return. The night wind was particrly chilly. The cold air nipped at her skin and left a stinging sensation behind. ra did not dress adequately for the weather. She shivered slightly as she stood in the darkness. Just as ra was rubbing her hands together for warmth, she heard a small voice call out to her from behind. ¡°Mommy¡­ is that you?¡± ra froze, and she slowly turned around. She was momentarily stunned before rushing forward to hug him. ¡°My baby! My precious boy! I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± Aiden, too, hugged ra tightly and, for the first time, kissed her on the cheek. ¡°Mommy! I missed you too! Where have you been all this time? Alex and I have been missing you every day.¡± ra¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my baby. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Aiden wiped her tears. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Mommy. You¡¯re back now. You can stay with Alex and me forever.¡± Upon hearing this, ra broke down, and her tears began flowing freely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m really sorry. I might have to leave for a while.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Aiden¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°Did you really fall in love with another man? Granny told me you ran away with another man and would nevere back. Is that true?¡± Chapter 423 Chapter 423 Aiden¡¯s question left ra speechless. She was unsure of how to respond. ¡°Do you believe what Grandma says?¡± Aiden vigorously shook his head. ¡°Of course I don¡¯t! Mom, you love me and Alex more than anything in the world. You would never abandon us!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my boy.¡± ra felt touched. ¡°Listen, I might have to leave tomorrow, but I¡¯ll be back soon to take you guys with me.¡± ¡°Take us with you?¡± Aiden was perplexed. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want Dad anymore?¡± ra bit her lip as she hugged her son tightly. ¡°When you¡¯re a bit older, I¡¯ll exin everything to you. For now, your dad and I have some misunderstandings andplications that I can¡¯t share with you.¡± Aiden blinked, then asked, ¡°Is it because of Grandma? She always picks on you. Alex and I talked about it. We thought if Grandma knew you were our real mom, she would start liking you. She disliked you because she thought you were our stepmom and wouldn¡¯t care for us.¡± ¡°Aiden, my dear.¡± ra quickly responded. ¡°This is a secret you must keep. Don¡¯t tell anyone, not even your dad, okay? Otherwise, you might lose your dad forever.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ! The concept of ¡®forever¡¯ was too abstract for Aiden to grasp. ra chose not to exin further. She didn¡¯t want to burden his innocent mind. Despite not fully understanding what was going on, Aiden obediently nodded. ¡°I got it, Mom. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll tell Alex not to tell anyone.¡± ra felt a wave of bitterness wash over her as she watched her son be so obedient. If only she hadn¡¯t trusted Leah, if only she hadn¡¯t involved herself in this deceptive y, she wouldn¡¯t be in this predicament. Mother and son tightly embraced for a while longer before ra reluctantly said, ¡°You should go home now. They might start getting suspicious.¡± ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t want to leave you, Mom.¡± Aiden furrowed his brows. He looked so much like Emmett when he did that. ¡°Sweetie, didn¡¯t you hear me? I¡¯lle back for you and Alex soon.¡± Aiden tilted his head. ¡°When? So, I can tell Alex. He misses you more than me. He even calls for you in his dreams.¡± ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t give you an exact date.¡± ra didn¡¯t want to lie to her son. ¡°But I promise that I wille back.¡± ¡°Alright then. I understand that you must have your reasons, Mom.¡± Aiden smiled and gave his mother a kiss on the neck. ¡°I¡¯ll go home now.¡± ¡°Remember, don¡¯t tell anyone about seeing me today, especially not Alex. He¡¯s a bit naive and might let something slip if Grandma asks.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Aiden knew that Grandma would soon discover that he had disappeared, so it was only a matter of time before he was discovered. If he went home now, he could at least pretend he had lost his way. Chapter 424 Chapter 424 If he waited a bit longer, it would be toote. ¡°Go home. Go!¡± ra squeezed her eyes shut, trying to fight back tears. She didn¡¯t want to upset Aiden. She stood there, watching as Aiden¡¯s small figure disappeared from her sight, as if she had left with him. After Aiden left, sure enough, the guard had gone to find Sophia. At that moment, Sophia was anxiously pacing by their bedroom door. Aiden meekly approached as he spoke tentatively. ¡°Granny, why are you standing here?¡± Upon hearing his voice, Sophia quickly walked over. ¡°Where have you been, young man?! Do you know how worried I¡¯ve been?! I thought¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. Instead, she pulled her grandson into a tight hug. ¡°You are my world! If something happened to you, I wouldn¡¯t want to live!¡± ¡°Granny, I went to find you, but it got dark, and I got lost.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just call me if you wanted to see me?¡± Sophia stroked his hair, finally feeling some relief. ¡°But I didn¡¯t want to disturb you if you were asleep.¡± ¡°You cheeky monkey! Alright, now that Granny¡¯s here, what did you want to talk about?¡± Aiden nodded and took her hand. ¡°Can we talk inside?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Sophia would do anything for her grandchildren. They were her precious little treasures. Anyone who dared to harm them would face her wrath! As they walked in, Alex heard them and stood up. ¡°Brother, did you see Mo¡­¡± He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Sophia and quickly quieted down. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Granny.¡± Sophia chuckled. ¡°Come here and let Granny give you a hug. You¡¯ve been so busy with school that I hardly get to spend time with you. How about I take you to the amusement park tomorrow after school?¡± Normally, Alex would be jumping for joy by now, but this time he nced at Aiden first. Only when Aiden nodded did he smile and say, ¡°I¡¯d love that! I love the amusement park!¡± Sophia was none the wiser. She smiled and said, ¡°Then you need to go to bed soon, so you can do well in school tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay, Granny.¡± Sophia smiled, then turned to Aiden. ¡°And what did you want to talk about?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I was wondering about the woman. The one who saved us. Is she going to live with us from now on?¡± Sophia was taken aback. She knew she would have to tell them eventually, but she wanted to dy it as long as possible to minimize the impact on the boys. But since they seemed interested in the matter, it seemed she couldn¡¯t hide it anymore. So Sophia decided to be upfront. ¡°Yes, and she¡¯s going to marry your father. She¡¯ll be your mother forever!¡± Upon hearing this, Alex panicked. ¡°No, no, I want my mommy! That woman is mean. I don¡¯t like her!¡± Sophia knew exactly who he meant by ¡®his mommy,¡¯ and sighed. ¡°Alex, listen to me. Your previous mommy doesn¡¯t want you guys anymore. I know it¡¯s hard, but I don¡¯t want to lie to you.¡± Chapter 425 Chapter 425 Aiden was the epitome of calm, and he voiced his question with a clear tone. ¡°That woman stole our father away, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?!¡± Sophia wanted to quickly end such doubts among the kids. ¡°They were a couple to begin with. It was ra who suddenly appeared and stole your father away. Otherwise, Leah would have be your mother a long time ago. It¡¯s tooplicated for me to exin fully now, but all you need to know is that you should treat this new mother well in the future.¡± Just as Alex was about to interject, Aiden quickly interrupted him. ¡°Oh, we get it, Grandma. It¡¯s getting late, so you should rest.¡± Sophia nodded. ¡°Alright, you boys should get some sleep too. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll take you to the amusement park.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Aiden saw her out to the front door. As soon as the door closed, Alex crossed his arms. He was clearly upset. ¡°Aiden, didn¡¯t you say you couldn¡¯t ept a new mom? Why didn¡¯t you let me say anything just now? If we keep quiet, Grandma will think we¡¯ve agreed to this!¡± ¡°Alex, didn¡¯t you see? Grandma has already made her decision. Do you think they would change anything because of what we say?¡± ¡°But¡­ we can¡¯t just switch mothers like that! I hate that woman called Leah! I absolutely won¡¯t call her mom!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Aiden sighed. ¡°Listen to me; I won¡¯t call her mom either, but for now, we have to keep these thoughts to ourselves. Our real mom had to leave because of a misunderstanding with dad, but she promised she woulde back for us.¡± Alex paused. ¡°So¡­ you saw Mom earlier, didn¡¯t you?¡± Just as Aiden was about to nod, he remembered what ra told him and shook his head instead. ¡°No, but I talked to Mom before, and she told me this. I didn¡¯t tell you because I was afraid you¡¯d b about it. Now that you know, you mustn¡¯t tell anyone either. It could hurt Mom; it might even prevent her from evering back to us.¡± ¡°I promise I won¡¯t say anything.¡± Alex covered his mouth with his hand. ¡°Even if Grandma asks me, I won¡¯t tell.¡± ¡°Good. Act as if you know nothing. You can continue to reject Leah. I won¡¯t stop you. In fact, if you suddenly epted her, it might draw Grandma¡¯s attention. But don¡¯t overdo it. I don¡¯t want Grandma to get suspicious. With Mom and Dad¡¯s rtionship in jeopardy, it¡¯s up to us to protect it!¡± Alex nodded vigorously. ¡°Okay! I¡¯m willing to stand by you and protect it!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. I¡¯m the best actor!¡± Aiden patted his little brother¡¯s arm. ¡°Our mom¡¯s and dad¡¯s happiness depends on us. We can¡¯t sit back and let this happen. That woman wants to be our stepmother?! Ha! Let¡¯s give her a taste of her own medicine!¡± Alex perked up when he heard this. ¡°Brother, do you have a n?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Aiden squinted his eyes as a smirk yed on his lips. He looked just like Emmett. ¡°We should make her realize how foolish she is for wanting to be our new mom. Grandma thinks she¡¯s better than Mom, so let¡¯s show her how this new mom treats us!¡± Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Alex snapped out of his reverie and nodded vigorously. ¡°OK! I got this!¡± The next day, sunlight streamed through the window, and the gentle breeze outside asionally caused a cool draft to escape through the curtains. Emmett slowly opened his eyes and stared at the white ceiling, feeling somewhat dazed. He then suddenly reached over to his side, but there was no one there. Emmett bolted upright, realizing he was only covered by a nket. He was stark naked underneath. Didst night¡­ actually happen? Did he really¡­ with ra¡­ after getting drunk? He grabbed his robe and slipped it on. He strode to the door and flung it open. The two servants standing by the door immediately bowed. ¡°Master, you¡¯re awake. Is there something you need?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s ra? Get her here now!¡± The servants exchanged nces, hesitated, and then finally said, ¡°She¡­ she¡¯s been sent to clean the toilets by the butler. She should be there now.¡± ¡°I told you to get her! Didn¡¯t you understand?¡± There was a menacing glint in Emmett¡¯s eyes.. The servants nodded quickly. ¡°Yes, Master! We¡¯ll get her right away!¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org. After they left, Emmett noticed a hangover remedy by his door. He had a vague recollection of Leah bringing it to himst night. His memory was hazy due to the excessive drinking. Simrly, his memory of his intimate moments with ra was also fuzzy. He couldn¡¯t tell if it was real or just a figment of his imagination.. ra was brought in a whileter. Tentatively, she pushed open the door to see Emmett sitting by the bed, sipping water. His robe was loosely tied, revealing his muscr chest. It was an irresistibly attractive sight. After seeing ra, Emmett raised an eyebrow. He looked like a handsome man straight out of a painting. There was no denying that he was truly blessed by the heavens. His face seemed like a masterpiece crafted by God himself. ¡°You wanted to see me?¡± ra asked cautiously. She feared that Emmett was fully conscious when he took herst night. Was he purposefully summoning her to confront her? Or was it something else? ¡°Come in and close the door.¡± Emmett commanded in a frosty voice. ¡°Everyone else, leave! No eavesdropping at the door!¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± ra swallowed hard and slowly walked towards him, asionally stealing a nce at his chest. ¡°What did you need me for?¡± ¡°Were you the one who took care of mest night?¡± Emmett put down his ss, stood up, and walked towards her, causing his oppressive aura to envelope her. ra clenched her fists and managed to reply with a trembling voice, ¡°Yes¡­ it was me¡­¡± ¡°Then tell me! Who took off my clothes?¡± ra froze for a moment. If he was asking this, he was either testing her or he had genuinely forgotten what happened because he was too drunk and only woke up to find himself naked. ¡°I did.¡± ra lowered her head, afraid to meet Emmett¡¯s gaze and reveal something. Emmett narrowed his eyes as a hint of suspicion shed through them. ¡°Sost night¡­¡± Before he could finish, ra suddenly interrupted him. ¡°You drank too muchst night and vomited all over yourself. You even vomited on your pants. I had no choice but¡­ but to do what I did! I originally wanted to call a male servant to help you, but you refused to let anyone enter, so I¡­ so I did it myself! Please don¡¯t be mad; I closed my eyes when I undressed you!¡± Chapter 427 Chapter 427 Emmett abruptly grasped her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± ra felt like her soul was about to take flight. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m telling the truth. Why else would I dare to undress you?¡± ¡°But my memory doesn¡¯t seem to align with what you¡¯re saying.¡± His words sent chills down ra¡¯s spine. ¡°So¡­ in your memory, you undressed yourself?¡± ra was baffled and had no other choice but to y dumb. Emmett looked at her carefully. She was clearly nervous, but it didn¡¯t seem like she was lying. Was this all just wishful thinking on his part? ¡°Get out!¡± He suddenly couldn¡¯t stand another second of seeing ra. ra nodded hastily and turned to leave. As she reached the door, Emmett¡¯s voice echoed behind her. ¡°Call Leah for me. From tonight on, she¡¯ll stay in my room. This way, she can take care of me if I drink too much. And starting tonight, you¡¯ll be standing guard outside my door every day!¡± ra turned to look at him. He knew that what he just said would clearly hurt her, so was he doing this on purpose? Was he trying to make her jealous? Or had he moved on and developed feelings for Leah? Suddenly, ra felt like her heart was being suffocated. She had believed that as long as she was part of the Melendez family, Emmett wouldn¡¯t ept Leah. Now it seemed like she was just being delusional. Leah was moving into Emmett¡¯s room, leaving ra feeling like a relic of the past. She left Emmett¡¯s room and descended the stairs, exuding the aura of a walking corpse. She even bumped into a wall without feeling any pain. ¡°Are you cking off?¡± Sophia¡¯s voice rang out. It was full of disdain and contempt. ra looked up. ¡°I¡­ I just came out of Emmett¡¯s room. I was just about to continue cleaning the bathrooms.¡± ¡°Then why are you walking this way?¡± Sophia squinted her eyes. ¡°Are you nning to see the kids? Are you thinking of using them?¡± ra quickly shook her head. ¡°No, it was Emmett. He told me to inform Leah that she can start moving into his room today.¡± Upon hearing this, Sophia¡¯s initial reaction was surprise, but it quickly turned into delight. ¡°Are you serious? Did Emmett actually say this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ra didn¡¯t want to say another word. She just wanted to hide and be alone, with no one to bother her or to talk to. That¡¯s wonderful! My son has finallye to his senses!¡± Sophia didn¡¯t miss the opportunity to rub salt into ra¡¯s wounds. ¡°He¡¯s been wasting his time on you. It was the most foolish decision he¡¯s ever made! I told him a woman like you wasn¡¯t worth it, but he wouldn¡¯t listen. Now, everything is finally back on track, and I can finally rx.¡± ra clenched her fists so hard that her nails dug into her palm. The physical pain was nothing compared to the agony she felt in her heart. ¡°Alright, you go clean the bathrooms. I¡¯m going to share this news with Leah now.¡± Sophia waved her off, not bothering to hide her glee. ¡°Don¡¯t delude yourself. You¡¯re nothing to my son. If you behave, maybe I¡¯ll put a good word for you so you no longer have to be a maid for the Melendez family.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 428 Chapter 428 ra bit her lip hard. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± With that, ra walked away, unsure of how she was even moving. It felt as though everything had disappeared along with Emmett. Sophia rushed towards Leah¡¯s room in a hurry. After reaching the door, she was about to knock when she heard Leah talking on the phone about something to do with the children. Could it be that she was nning to take Aiden and Alex somewhere? Or maybe she was figuring out a way to get the boys to ept her. Sophia was genuinely happy, feeling that her decision was truly wise. Her son would thank her one day. She knocked on the door, and Leah¡¯s voice abruptly stopped. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. A few seconds passed before Leah opened the door, looking a bit flustered. But Sophia didn¡¯t notice; instead, she blurted out, ¡°Guess what? My son has finallye around. He said you can move into his room tonight!¡± Leah was taken aback. ¡°Rea¡­ Really? Why so sudden?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe it. She thought that only after ra left would Emmett gradually allow her to approach him. ¡°You think I would lie? And you know who brought you this message from Emmett? It was ra!¡± Upon hearing this, Leah hesitated. ¡°Sophia, don¡¯t tell me Emmett did this out of spite? He doesn¡¯t really want to ept me.¡± ¡°Sweetheart.¡± Sophia took her hand and spoke earnestly. ¡°You say you and my son haven¡¯t had a chance to get to know each other, so how could he genuinely like you? But if you can bear with it, then it doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s doing this out of spite or whatever. Now you¡¯ll get the chance to be close to him. If you keep staying in separate rooms and not approaching him, how can you two get to know each other?¡± Leah obediently nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. I was shortsighted.¡± ¡°Good girl! I know it must be ufortable for you to move into Emmett¡¯s room in this way. It¡¯s something any woman would feel uneasy about, but it might just be a blessing in disguise. If you can win Emmett¡¯s heart in bed or even bear him another child, who else but you could take the ce of Mrs. Melendez?¡± ¡°You always think things through.¡± Leah lowered her eyes. She seemed a bit sad, but she still agreed. ¡°For the sake of staying together with the boys for a long time, I¡¯m willing to endure any hardships.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Sweetie, what kind of hardships can you suffer by my side? It¡¯s just that my son hasn¡¯t yet healed from the hurt ra caused him; that¡¯s why you¡¯re being wronged. Once he realizes how good you are, what will ra be worth?¡± Leah nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll move in tonight!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my girl! Oh, by the way.¡± Sophia suddenly spoke. ¡°I¡¯m taking Aiden and Alex to the amusement park today. You shoulde with us.¡± Leah hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should go. They¡¯re quite resistant to me. What if they don¡¯t enjoy themselves? Wouldn¡¯t it be my fault? They finally get a chance to have fun, so I think I¡¯ll sit this one out.¡± Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Sophia sighed and grabbed Leah¡¯s hand. ¡°Look at you! Your thinking is all wrong! I¡¯ve already told you that if you want to get along with the kids, you have to get to know them first. If you can¡¯t even have a conversation or meet them face-to-face, how can you establish any kind of rtionship?¡± Right now, thest thing Leah wanted was to face those two kids. They were like ticking time bombs who might say anything at any time, potentially ruining all her ns. But with Sophia already having said so much, it wouldn¡¯t be right for her to refuse. She had no choice but to nod reluctantly. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll try my best to get them to ept me sooner.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll go and talk to the kids first then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After watching Sophia turn and leave, Leah felt like she was on a roller coaster ride. Knowing that Emmett had allowed her to move into his room made her feel so overjoyed that she could literally have jumped for joy. But then, the thought of those two children meddling with her ns dismayed her. She needed to get them out of the picture as soon as possible. That way, she could keep ra quiet, and her ns could proceed more smoothly. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. After a busy day, ra finally finished her work. She returned to her room, expecting to feel tired, but instead, her mind was filled with images of Emmett and Leah. She didn¡¯t want to specte further, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. Suddenly, she noticed a pen and paper at the foot of her bed. Yes! She could draw some designs. At least when she was drawing, she could find some happiness. Eagerly, she started to sketch, thinking of the questions the design department had asked herst time at thepany. At that time, she was caught off guard by Elio¡¯s sudden confinement and didn¡¯t have the time to integrate the questions into a new design. Now, even though it seemed pointless to draw it, she felt it was something she needed to do. She started drawing earnestly. She was solely focused on her design.. Rose returned after a while. When she saw that ra was intensely concentrating, she didn¡¯t dare disturb her and tiptoed over. ra waspletely immersed in her work. She didn¡¯t even notice Rose until she eximed in excitement, ¡°You¡¯re incredible! To think you can draw so many blueprints with just a pen. This building is so beautiful!¡± ra looked up in surprise. ¡°When did you get back?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been back for quite some time, but you were so focused you didn¡¯t notice me enter.¡± Rose winked yfully. ¡°Where is this building supposed to be built?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just drawing for fun.¡± ¡°What a waste! It¡¯s a shame it can¡¯t be built for real. I thought you were designing it for our young master.¡± ra fell silent. This was indeed designed for Emmett, but he wouldn¡¯t need it now, would he? ¡°By the way, did Leah mention anything about taking some maids out for shopping?¡± ¡°No.¡± Rose shook her head. She was confused by the sudden question. ¡°Why?¡± ra furrowed her brow. She was supposed to make a move, wasn¡¯t she? Could something have changed? ¡°Rose, rest here for a bit. I need to go out.¡± ra quickly stood up. She was intent on finding Leah to confirm things. Since Emmett had agreed to let Leah move into his room, there was no point in staying here. Leah would be more eager to get her out. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!