《Whispers Of Betrayal (Anastasia and Alastor)》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


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    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    the made of Frustee from teep breath Tears fell onto the back of her hand, yet she remained rubine,


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    That right bracture found herself unting done by the dining table, waiting through the entire tagja


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    se her way indeed what raight her attention was an Instagram post from Felicia Serwart


    Fetur hard shared a photo tinata heres facready, the exprioel¡¯s content happened to revolve around


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    Toulours Mada epean markably fortunate to have catered Mastor on a blind date and swiftly


    established * family with hann forced a z tattunge


    Born Attestator¡¯s omgavier Meudon Lawson,mented that Arastaa must have done a great deal of


    good deeds in her


    Instally Anastasia shared the same sentiment the believed that her previous misfortunes had led to her


    current


    Thispetion stemmed from the fact that stor was undeniably wless, making it hard for her not


    to fall in love with


    The key daire fond bind date. Newer verlily proponed marriage to Anastasia andid out his conditions.


    He asserted that she was perfectly suited to be has onde in every regard. However, he made it clear


    that he didn¡¯t like children and therefore,


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    Prowly, hadma did not find any fault in has watement. It was only in hindsight that she came to


    understand that a wife


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    Seadena Homme of that excision be scrapectedly uttered another womarls name for the first time.


    A years of marriage it was the first instance when Arasana questioned stor¡¯s faithfulness. When she


    secretly went


    Tawang pien?ngs podern pur meget an za pang ay nand sag sloway


    Peirce was Master¡¯s former prifriend. Within his phone¡¯s photo album, there was a special folder


    dedicated to pictures and


    Master and Prize had been rates at university, and rumors suggested they began dating during their


    freshman year.


    fly. Prie departed to study abroad, leading stor to be filled with anger. In response, he opted for a


    blind date


    Anastasia¡¯s phone suddenly chimed. A message had arrived on her WhatsApp.


    As Anastasia opened the message and perused its contents, the ss she was holding slipped from


    her grasp, producing at resounding crash as it shattered upon impact with the ground.


    The message had been sent by Felicia. It contained a photo of herself and stor lying on a hotel bed


    together, apanied by a text: [Annie. I¡¯m sorry. stor and I are in love with each other. Despite our


    four¨Cyear separation, our hearts have remained solely devoted to each other. Could you consider


    stepping back from this rtionship? Let¡¯s maintain a sense of dignity.]


    Clearly, Felicia¡¯s intention was to provoke Anastasia.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Not too long ago, during a business meeting. stor had consumed an excessive amount of alcohol. It


    was Felicia who had taken on the responsibility of getting him home. Moreover, she took the initiative to


    add Anastasia on WhatsApp. She introduced herself as a recently hired secretary for stor,


    expressing eagerness to interact with Anastasia in the days ahead.


    ¡°What an ironic twist. stor openly hired his ex¨Cgirlfriend to join hispany,¡± Anastasia thought to


    herself with a hint of


    Sarcasm.


    Subsequently, Anastasia discovered the reason behind stor¡¯s excessive drinking that day. It had


    been prompted by the presence of his coborator¡¯s female secretary who had joined them for drinks


    during the meeting, and this secretary was none other than Felicia.


    Felicia, who had been abroad for four years, had returned.


    However, stor was already married.


    stor was a domineering man. Thus, he stubbornly poached Felicia from her formerpany and


    offered her a position as a secretary in his ownpany.


    His reason was that the coborator¡¯s boss was disreputable and widely known to be morally


    reprehensible, with at reputation as a pervert within their industry.


    On the other hand, stor himself yed the role of the knight in shining armor.


    stor didn¡¯t return home until nine o¡¯clock the following morning. Upon stepping into the house, he


    was met with the sight of Anastasia sitting in the dining room, herplexion pale.


    ¡°Have you had something to eat?¡± stor¡¯s tone held a touch of weariness, his voice maintaining its


    characteristic low register. He continued, ¡°I¡¯ll go take a shower.¡±


    He put on an act of casualness, believing his facade to be wless, hence he didn¡¯t feel the need to


    offer any exnations.


    Unbeknownst to him, Felicia had already divulged the entire situation on his behalf.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and rose from her seat, proceeding in her usual manner to pick up the


    suit that stor had discarded.


    However, Anastasia¡¯s fingers momentarily stiffened. She found the situation oddly amusing.


    Felicia didn¡¯t let any opportunity slip by to provoke Anastasia. In thetter¡¯s opinion, the lipstick smudge


    on the cor of stor¡¯s shirt seemed rather juvenile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve ced your clothes outside, stor. Anastasia¡¯s voice was gentle, devoid of any revealing


    emotions, much like his own demeanor.


    stor embraced Anastasia and pressed a kiss to her forehead. ¡°I wasn¡¯t there for you on Christmas


    Eve, but I¡¯ll make it up to you today. What would you like as a gift?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s smile appeared strained when she heard his words, and stor¡¯s touch now brought a


    sense of repulsion.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    She thought, ¡°He only has his first crush in his heart. Why did he entangle himself with me? This isn¡¯t


    fair to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the beach for a walk this afternoon,¡± Anastasia suggested.


    Anastasia was a foolish woman. She had refrained from utilizing much of stor¡¯s wealth throughout


    their four¨Cyear marriage. Moreover, she harbored an aversion to what society deemed luxurious


    possessions.


    In essence, she resembled an ornament meticulously chosen by stor to fulfill the role of his wife.


    However, Felicia stood in stark contrast. She exuded an air of someone inherently meant to be


    pampered by men.


    ¡°Are you saving money for me?¡± stor arched his eyebrows, leaning his chin on Anastasia¡¯s shoulder.


    He resembled a weary bird returning to its nest, finally finding sce.


    Anastasia spected that stor had grown ustomed to her presence, seeing her as an integral


    aspect of his ¡°home.¡± Nheless, she recognized that she upied the role of a wife rather than a


    lover.


    Approaching noon. Anastasia came across another instance of Felicia unting her lifestyle on


    Instagram.


    Felicia had shared a picture of a handbag boasting thetest design. Despite being just a bag, its price


    tag was in the tens of


    thousands of dors.


    The caption read: [He always told me that true love is demonstrated when men are willing to spend on


    women. What can I say? I adore it.]


    Anastasia discreetly captured a screenshot of the post. Subsequently, she set her phone aside with an


    air of detachment, anticipating stor¡¯spany for their trip to the beach.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    She found herself grappling with a sense of impending doom, unsure about her next steps or how to


    approach her inevitable demise.


    If she weren¡¯t grappling with her illness and still had a long road ahead, Anastasia might have easily


    requested a divorce from stor without any hesitation. What was more, she would have willingly


    granted him the opportunity to be with his lover forever.


    Unfortunately, she was approaching death.


    As a result, she refused to allow herself to be deceived by stor any longer. She couldn¡¯t tolerate the


    underhanded provocations from a womancking in morals.


    Nevertheless, she had no intention of seeking vengeance on stor through any dishonorable means.


    The most painful way to hurt someone was to strike where it hurt the most.


    This sentiment was particrly true when dealing with individuals like stor and Felicia. In the end, it


    seemed fitting to reciprocate in kind the pain they had inflicted upon her.


    That night. Anastasia took an unprecedented step and uploaded a post on Instagram. The caption


    read: [Beneath the vast expanse of the star¨Cstudded sky lies an immense ocean. I love the sea breeze,


    and I love you.]


    The photo that she uploaded was one of herself and stor holding hands on the beach.


    While her feet sank into the soft sand, Anastasia silently counted her steps, contemting how much


    time would pass before Felicia grew irritated and reached out to stor in a fit of anger.


    It only took ten steps. Anastasia only walked for ten steps before stor¡¯s phone rang.


    Sure enough, the caller was none other than Felicia.


    B


    ¡°You agreed to make it up to me today. Can¡¯t you take a break from work?¡± Anastasia never acted cute


    to stor, but today,


    she did.


    It was clear that stor was momentarily stunned After that, heughed and asked, ¡°Are you acting


    cute. Annie


    Anastasia, too, was taken aback. She lowered her head and smiled faintly.


    stor reached out and held Anastasia¡¯s chun, lowering his head to kiss her


    Perhaps throughout their four years of marriage, their affection for each other had always remained


    mundane, and this was the first time Anastasia acted cute with him. Hence, stor felt his heart race.


    He even forgot to answer the phone.


    When the call came through for the second time, Anastasia deliberately asked, ¡®Is it something


    important?¡±


    stor nced at his phone, frowned, and replied. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just an irrelevant person¡±


    Upon hearing what he said. Anastasia smirked sarcastically and mused. ¡°Will he also say that my


    phone calls are from an irrelevant person when he¡¯s in Felicia¡¯s bed? Men truly are amusing creatures.


    They want everything for themselves, even when they already have enough.¡±


    Anastasia knew stor well. He would not risk getting a divorce for the time being.


    After all, she had been his partner at all the business gatherings for the past four years. He had also


    built a reputation as a good man and husband. If stor wanted a divorce, things would be


    complicated.


    Clearly. Felicia also sensed the threat and hence was eager to engage in a battle of wits with


    Anastasia, hoping to push her into initiating a divorce.


    Had she been in good health, Anastasia wouldn¡¯t have spared the time to indulge in this futile


    competition with Felicia over a despicable man.


    s, she was dying, and her life before death had been too mundane.


    ¡°stor, we¡¯ve been married for four years. Do you love me?¡± Anastasia asked as they stood by the


    seaside, the sea breeze blowing at her.


    stor took off his coat and draped it over Anastasia. ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife.¡±


    He never answered that question directly.


    A wife was not necessarily a lover.


    Soon, Felicia, unable to get a hold of stor, sent a text message to Anastasia¡¯s WhatsApp, causing


    her phone to emit a


    chime.


    Felicia was brazen Her message read: [Get stor to answer my call]


    After perusing the text, Anastasia gazed at stor, her confusion evident in her expression. ¡°stor,


    Felicia is your secretary, correct? Is there anything urgent?¡±


    ¡°It might be apany matter. It¡¯s quite windy here. I¡¯ll head to the car to make the call,¡± stor


    responded with a furrowed brow His demeanor shifted slightly upon hearing her remark


    Anastasia nodded and sat quietly on the beach.


    In the car. stor spoke to Felicia on the phone. Anastasia did not know what they talked about, but


    his expression was gloomy when he returned.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting windier. Let¡¯s go back¡±


    Anastasia nodded, trying to appear even more obedient.


    Her intention was to create a stark contrast to Felicia¡¯s arrogance, hoping that stor would perceive


    her as distinct from Felicia


    Surprisingly. stor exined. ¡°Thepany has some urgent matters, so I¡¯ll have to work overtime


    tonight¡±


    In response. Anastasia tenderly embraced stor. ¡°Work is important, but don¡¯t push yourself too hard.


    I¡¯ll prepare a delicious meal and send it to you tomorro morning¡± she assured him


    ¡°Okay¡± stor responded. He wanted to refuse, but Anastasia¡¯s sensibility and gentleness left him with


    no choice.


    During the journey back, Anastasia maintained a serene silence, her gaze fixed outside the car


    window, resembling a picturesque figure.


    At the time, stor had opted to marry Anastasia due to her beauty aligning with his expectations.


    13-33


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you another day. After dropping Anastasia at home, stor drove away in a hurry.


    Fully aware that Felicia must have manipted him with tears and drama, Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but


    let out a rueful chuckle, her eyes welling up with tears.


    In a marriage, the sensible individual often would not emerge as the victor.


    Felicia likely believed she had triumphed once again. After all, in the battle between Anastasia and


    Felicia, stor had once more chosen thetter.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and went back to her room to pack up.


    She needed to leave for a while.


    It had been four years, and stor had grown ustomed to her presence.


    Ding!


    Shortly afterward, Felicia sent another message.


    Anastasia had a hunch that Felicia intended to provoke her.


    Sure enough, the message contained a photo of stor¡¯s car parked downstairs, apanied by the


    caption: [The sea and stars might be yours, but stor is mine.]


    However, Anastasia did not reply, pretending she did not see the message.


    In a confrontation between two opposing forces, maintainingposure could lead the adversary to


    lose theirposure and reveal vulnerabilities.


    Regardless of Felicia¡¯s efforts, she would still remain a shameful mistress, whereas Anastasia held the


    rightful position as thewful wife.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    (Some say a man¡¯s love for you as determined by bow math be destes prou]


    Felicia posted on her bare in beng a photo of an empty bed.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    For now, she did not dare publicly reveal ber reliasetup with stor on Instagram


    ther for was it to posted to


    Lanz on her bed Aasasa had a poseblee


    Shey quietly for a long time her bands and feet trembling


    As she contemted her circumstances, the came to the realization that there was little worth clinging


    to.


    Her mother had long passed away, and her father had remarried. Her stepmother did not treat her well


    leaving behind childbood traumas that made her fear men at one point.


    Otherwise, pven her appearance, she wouldn¡¯t have had to resort to blind dates and hasty marriages


    Inhaling deeply. Anastas led her hand to touch her cheek, finding tears there.


    Ste was shedding tears born from anger.


    In the grand scheme of life and death, everything seemed insignificant. Yet, she had truly loved stor.


    Anastasia eded an Instagram post and uploaded it


    Her capoon read. [Springtime is here, and thus little one at home is entering her beat cycle again.


    Tomorrow, I¡¯ll be taking her for spay?n?r The apanying image featured her Ragdoll cat


    The cat


    as beautiful. It had blue eyes and was adorable and affectionate.


    Anastasia adopted the little Ragdollst winter and named it Snowball Snowball was attached to


    stor.


    Since stor had expressed his aversion to children. Anastasia had chosen to care for this Ragdoll cat


    in lieu of having


    children


    Felicia¡¯s Instagram post, which highlighted that a man¡¯s love for a woman was gauged by his desire for


    her, struck a chord


    Throughout their four¨Cyear marriage. stor¡¯s sentiments toward her had seemingly remained


    consistentlyckluster. Despite their arracable itimacy, it was bereft of passion


    Perhaps making love required love first before passion could ignite.


    That night. astasia could not sleep.


    Four years


    How many more cycles of four years did she have left in her lifetime?


    Ever since marrying stor, she had genuinely poured all her feelings into the rtionship.


    Anastasia chuckled sarcastically. Since she could not sleep, she went ahead and sent Felicia¡¯s profile,


    name, and photo to her childhood friend


    Anastasia¡¯s best friend studied in Atharia and attended the same school as Felicia.


    Her best friend reped Hey, isn¡¯t this my senior? She¡¯s a social butterfly and has quite a reputation. She


    could charm angone and went all out to pursue a handsome guy in our ss.]


    Commonally Mrastasia¡¯s best friend, Kimberly Castillo, knew Felicia.


    Arastam wrote back [She¡¯s stor¡¯s ex¨Cgirlfriend. She now works in stor¡¯spany, and he


    cheated on me. Right now, he¡¯s in her bed]


    As Anastasia typed the message, her hands trembled.


    Within that concise text by a multitude of implications


    On the other end, Kimberly fell silent. The chat box showed that she was typing, deleting, and typing


    again.


    After a long while, she finally sent one word: [Darrin!]


    Anastasia grasped the main point right away and inquired: (You said Felicia pursued a handsome guy


    in your ss?]


    Kamberly found herself uncertain about how to console Anastasia. Her instinct was to reprimand, but


    she tried to restrain hervil at that moment. berly wrote: [1] show you a photo of him. Wait for me. I¡¯ll


    book a flight back. I had nned to


    s like Ill have to return sooner than expected]


    In no time, Kimberly sent a photo.


    In the photograph, the man stood tall, easily distinguishable in a group of seven or eight individuals. His


    aura was radiant and he possessed a handsome appearance, reminiscent of a male celebrity seen on


    television.


    Moreover, Anastasia felt he looked somewhat familiar.


    Anastasia pondered momentarily, then typed: [Is he from Hork too? Can you help me get his contact


    information?] [Sure! When I get back, I¡¯ll personally expose that goody¨Ctwo¨Cshoes!] Kimberly¡¯s


    response carried a fierce and determined


    aura.


    Anastasia rubbed her eyes and felt a little pain. [I have a n. Don¡¯te back yet. I¡¯ll go to Atharia to


    find you.]


    Kimberly replied with an excited emoji: [Got it!]


    Anastasia touched her nose, and it started bleeding again.


    She texted once more: [What¡¯s this guy¡¯s background like? Is it better than stor¡¯s?]


    ¡°His name is Jason Gunn, and he¡¯s quite mysterious. His specific family background is unknown. Some


    specte that he is the scion of the Gunn family, the most prominent family in Hork, but Jason has


    never admitted it.¡± Kimberly sent a voice message directly.


    ¡°Okay. Give me all the information on this scion in three minutes.¡±

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    The next morning. Anastasia prepared breakfast and headed to stor¡¯spany.


    Aware of Anastasia¡¯s impending arrival, stor arrived at the office early, appearing quite weary.


    While he was indeed tired, it wasn¡¯t due to work.


    ¡°Did you have a rough night¡¯s sleep?¡± Anastasia asked, her toneced with concern. She approached


    stor and offered assistance with adjusting his tie. ¡°Why are you pushing yourself so hard?¡±


    stor was dressed in the same outfit as yesterday, likely out of concern that Anastasia might discern


    something amiss.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Anastasia¡¯s lips curved into a gentle smile.


    If stor was willing to great lengths to deceive her, it would only indicate that he had no intention of


    pursuing a divorce.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy making money to support the family,¡± stor quipped, a faint smile gracing his face as if he


    were jesting.


    Anastasia¡¯s hands, in the process of adjusting stor¡¯s tie, momentarily froze. ¡°Family? Which family?¡±


    she wondered.


    ¡°stor, this is the quarterly report. Felicia entered the office just in time, her deliberate attempt to


    provoke Anastasia evident in her demeanor.


    ¡°You may leave.¡± stor furrowed his eyebrows as he sternly ordered Felicia to leave.


    Felicia shot a pointed nce at Anastasia, her gaze filled with provocation.


    Anastasia observed the unfolding exchange between the two with a calm demeanor, her mind upied


    by her own thoughts, ¡°stor, I¡¯ll be heading to Atharia on a business trip. There¡¯s a museum exhibition


    happening there.¡±


    stor set down the documents that were in his hand, a hint of displeasure palpable in his reaction.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that you would avoid going on business trips whenever possible? Am I not capable of


    supporting you financially?¡± he voiced his discontent.


    The idea of Anastasia making a public appearance bothered stor.


    ¡°Mr. Lexington approached me in person. It didn¡¯t seem appropriate to decline, Anastasia exined as


    she walked toward stor, attempting to soothe his disgruntlement. She continued, ¡°Darling, I¡¯ll be


    away for three months. Can¡¯t you take a day off and spend some time with me today? You¡¯ve already


    worked overtimest night. Thepany should at least be a little considerate, right?¡±


    Anastasia wrapped her arms around stor from behind, her fingers subtly venturing beneath the


    fabric of his shirt. The intimacy of her touch carried a tant message.


    Anastasia found out that stor had suffered from mysophobia after their marriage. Despite having


    high requirements for a woman, he seemed to make an exception when it came to Felicia.


    stor took a deep breath and held Anastasia¡¯s hand, which had been moving restlessly. ¡°The year is


    coming to an end, and ourpany will be extremely busy.¡±


    Anastasia smiled wryly, well aware of stor¡¯sck of interest in her.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Anastasia knew that stor would never take a day off to be at home. In a feigned tone of


    aggrievement, she asked, ¡°Have you heard about Mabel Cook and her husband going through a


    divorce?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± stor was surprised. He wasn¡¯t well¨Cacquainted with Anastasia¡¯s friends.


    ¡°You remember, she¡¯s the wife of Mr. Cook from Quaid Group. We met them during a business meeting


    before. They¡¯re quite affable. They have quite an age gap between them. I evenmented at that


    time how it seemed a shame for a lovely woman to be paired with an older man,¡± Anastasia said,


    jogging his memory.


    stor appeared somewhat indifferent and asked nonchntly, ¡°Why did they get divorced?¡±


    ¡°She said that her husband couldn¡¯t satisfy her anymore. Eventually, she found a young hunk but was


    caught by her husband. It¡¯s surprising, considering I thought they were genuinely in love,¡± Anastasia


    exined, letting out a sigh.


    stor¡¯s pen paused briefly in his hand. A shadow passed over his face as he pulled Anastasia into his


    embrace. ¡°I¡¯ll be home with you tonight,¡± he whispered.


    Anastasia chuckled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. You¡¯re nothing like Mabel¡¯s husband. He¡¯s old and


    useless. Now, let¡¯s have breakfast before it gets cold. I purposely woke up at six in the morning and


    prepared it for you to rejuvenate your energy.¡± She opened the lunch box and took out the steaming


    soup,


    Anastasia had indeed mastered the art of seduction.


    The sacrifice she made for the family was significant.


    ¡°I¡¯ve prepared chicken soup that will provide a significant energy boost,¡± Anastasia stated with


    emphasis, her words held a subtle implication.


    Unfortunately, stor seemed to have missed the implication behind her words. He held Anastasia


    with one arm and took the bowl of soup with another.


    At that very moment, an assistant rushed in through the door with a sense of urgency. ¡°Mr. Lopez,


    Felicia skipped breakfast this morning and copsed due to low blood sugar!¡±

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there chocte in the pantry?¡± stor¡¯s deep voice inquired, his demeanor seemingly unaffected.


    However, it carried an intentional air of nonchnce.


    The janitor cleaned the pantry this morning and threw away all of the choctes and candies. The new


    stock hasn¡¯t arrived yet. Felicia¡¯s starving. Since you¡¯re having breakfast here, Mr. Lopez, would you


    mind letting Felicia join in for a few bites?¡± the assistant whispered, casting a deliberate nce at


    Anastasia before asking, ¡°Mrs. Lopez, you wouldn¡¯t mind, would you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Anastasia stated politely, her words cloaked in euphemism. ¡°But I woke up at six in the


    morning to prepare this soup specifically for stor.¡±


    Anastasia subtly presented the choice to stor.


    Before stor could respond, Felicia took it upon herself to enter the office.


    ¡°Go ahead and take some.¡± stor¡¯s tone retained its depth as he spoke to Felicia, his gaze carrying a


    subtle warning. ¡°Just remember to have your breakfast beforeing to work.¡±


    It was clear that he was cautioning Felicia not to y such tricks in front of Anastasia.


    Anastasia understood well that stor¡¯s current reluctance to seek a divorce stemmed from herck of


    transgressions in. their marriage up to this point.


    ¡°stor. I want to drink some water.¡± Felicia looked up at stor.


    Reacting on instinct, stor calibrated the water temperature to an exact 100 degrees Fahrenheit and


    passed Felicia the ss.


    His indifference toward Anastasia was palpable as he knew she was reasonable.


    ¡°Thank you, stor,¡± Felicia responded coquettishly as she shot provocative nces at Anastasia.


    ¡°But¡­ wouldn¡¯t Anastasia be upset if I ate the breakfast she made especially for you?¡±


    Anastasia sneered.


    ¡°Annie wouldn¡¯t mind. She¡¯s very understanding.¡± stor responded, giving credit to Anastasia¡¯s


    magnanimity.


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that.¡± Felicia smiled as she picked up a spoon and sipped the mushroom soup,


    also sampling some sd.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    After a while, an unusual expression flickered across Felicia¡¯s face. Instantly, herplexion turned


    pale, and she began to struggle for each breath.


    ¡°A¨Cstor,¡± she managed to utter, her voice strained.


    stor¡¯s eyes snapped to Felicia as he detected her distress. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he questioned, a note


    of panic creeping into his


    tone.


    ¡°Medicine¡­ Bring me my medicine. Felicia gasped.


    stor¡¯s face contorted in panic. He urgently called to his assistant, ¡°Fetch her medicine!¡±


    The assistant, well¨Cversed in the situation, knew that stor was referring to Felicia¡¯s asthma


    medication.


    ¡°The meal¡­ What was in it?¡± Despite her face turning red, Felicia still managed to question Anastasia.


    Anastasia was confused. ¡°stor, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°What did you add to the food?¡± stor¡¯s inquiry to Anastasia carried an usatory undertone, though


    he was oblivious to the hostile attitude he was disying in the heat of the moment.


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but find his words somewhat amusing, almost like a buzzing sound in her ears.


    ¡°I prepared the mushroom soup as usual, and for the sd dressing, I used peanut butter.¡±


    ¡°Peanut butter?¡± stor¡¯s expression darkened considerably. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that Felicia is allergic to


    peanut butter? You could have killed her!¡±


    ¡°stor, I made breakfast for you! I¡¯ve consistently used peanut butter as a dressing for the sd. How


    was I supposed to know about Felicia¡¯s allergy?¡± Anastasia retorted. Her emotions were spiraling, and


    the image of theposed and understanding wife was almost starting to crack.


    ¡°Tgot up at six in the morning to prepare breakfast for you, and this is how you treat me? Anastasia¡¯s


    eyes reddened as her emotions surged and shouted at stor. With her bag in hand, she turned


    abruptly and stormed out.


    stor was left stunned. Over their four years of marriage, he had grown ustomed to Anastasia¡¯s


    gentleness and sensibility. This was the first time he witnessed her getting so worked up.


    After taking the medicine, Felicia gradually came back to her senses. A triumphant smile curled at the


    corners of her lips.


    Once more, she felt the satisfaction of outmaneuvering Anastasia. ¡°stor, could it be that Annie has


    found out about us and is now holding a grudge against me? That¡¯s why she purposely¡­¡±


    Felicia wanted to manipte stor into feeling sorry for her and directing his anger toward Anastasia.


    ¡°Anastasia brought me breakfast. You are the one who insisted on eating it. Who exactly are you trying


    to me now?¡± stor chided, his voice tinged with suppressed anger. His expression remained grim


    as he fetched his coat and hurried after Anastasia.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    stor parked his car outside the mansion and then entered the living room.


    Anastasia would usually be waiting for him quietly on the couch, or she would be painting in her study.


    However, on this day, the house was unusually quiet.


    ¡°Anastasia?¡± stor shouted, but there was no response.


    Even the restroom and the master bedroom on the second floor were empty.


    ¡°Anastasia?¡± stor called out.


    stor called Anastasia on the phone, but she didn¡¯t answer.


    stor tugged at his tie, feeling a little annoyed. It was clear that he wasn¡¯t willing to spend much effort


    trying to appease a


    woman.


    For the past four years. Anastasia had been incredibly obedient and sensible, to the extent that stor


    had never had to expend energy on her.


    Even though stor was aware that he was at fault this time, he still felt angered by Anastasia¡¯s


    disobedience. stor rubbed his temples irritably and ordered his assistant to find Anastasia. ¡°Find out


    where Anastasia went.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lopez is being quite unreasonable. How can she argue with you over something as trivial as


    breakfast? Can¡¯t she be more understanding? You¡¯ve been extremely busy these past few days, and


    yet she¡¯s only adding to the chaos,¡± the assistant ventured to say.


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    ¡°You talk too much,¡± stor warned in a low voice.


    Frightened, the assistant hurriedly apologized and ended the call right after.


    There was a traffic jam on the way to the airport. Tears welled up involuntarily in Anastasia¡¯s eyes when


    she saw the bridal car on the road.


    On the convertible bridal car, the bride was wearing a wedding dress and holding a bouquet of fresh


    flowers in her hands, smiling happily.


    ¡°So this is how it looks like to marry true love, huh?¡± she mused.


    Unfortunately, Anastasia got married before she could meet her true love.


    ¡°I apologize for the lengthy procession and the inconvenience it may have caused. The bridesmaid


    personally disembarked from the vehicle and distributed wedding favors to each driver and passenger,


    expressing her regret.


    Anastasia subconsciously took the wedding favors and smiled bitterly.


    After four years of marriage, stor provided her with the home she desired, yet failed to provide her


    with the sense of being officially married,plete with a wedding ceremony.


    She recalled the day stor proposed marriage. His tone wasposed and collected, as if he was


    discussing a business deal. ¡°My name is stor Lopez, and I believe I meet the criteria you¡¯re looking


    for. Let¡¯s register for marriage.¡±


    *I¡¯m Anastasia Lawson. I have no house, no car, no family, and I¡¯m burdened with student loans. Would


    you like to reconsider?¡±


    Actually, Anastasia was nning to refuse his proposal that day.


    After all, she didn¡¯t know much about stor and felt that she was unworthy of him.


    However, stor was silent for a while and said, ¡°Anastasia, I can give you a home.¡±


    stor¡¯s promise struck a chord in Anastasia and made her waver.


    The most impulsive decision Anastasia had ever made in her life was to have a blitz marriage with


    stor, disregarding everything else.


    Obviously, it was a risky bet.


    The consequences of that bet, no matter what it would be, would stay with her for the rest of her life.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want children. My mom may not like you, but you don¡¯t have to pay them any attention. Our


    family will consist only of the two of us, and it won¡¯t involve others. If conflicts arise between you and


    my mother, I¡¯ll handle them. You don¡¯t need to worry.


    Because stor¡¯s mother, Naomi Lopez, didn¡¯t approve of Anastasia, the Lopez family never


    recognized Anastasia as stor¡¯s wife.


    Coming from a less privileged family. Anastasia had been perceived by Naomi as attempting to climb


    the socialdder by marrying into a more affluent family.


    stor, with your qualifications, you can find someone better. Why did you choose me?¡± Anastasia was


    also confused.


    To take over the Lopez family¡¯s business, I need to start a family first. This is what Grandpa wrote in his


    will,¡± stor didn¡¯t lie, but he concealed one thing: the person he loved abandoned him and went to


    Atharia.


    He couldn¡¯t wait any longer. He needed to get married first before he could obtain his shares and


    inheritance rights.


    Otherwise, what rightfully belonged to him might be seized by the Lopez family¡¯s illegitimate son who


    was being raised outside.


    Therefore, the marriage between stor and Anastasia had always been a business deal.


    In this deal, Anastasia was the sole individual who had invested her emotions.


    stor went to the Lawson residence.


    Anastasia¡¯s mother passed away when she was very young. Her father, Zeke Lawson, remarried and


    found her a stepmother.


    After getting married, Anastasia seldom returned home. However, stor didn¡¯t have a choice but to


    pay the Lawson residence a visit since he couldn¡¯t find Anastasia anywhere.


    ¡°Meredith, did Anastasiae by?¡± stor addressed Anastasia¡¯s stepmother, Meredith Lawson, as


    ¡°Meredith¡± like Anastasia did.


    Meredith kindly let stor in and said with a smile, ¡°Annie didn¡¯te back. Did you two get into a


    fight?¡±


    After saying that, Meredith shouted to the attic, ¡°Sienna, stor is here. Come down!¡±


    Hearing that, Sienna, who was ying games in her bedroom, hurriedly dressed up and primped in


    front of the mirror for a while before excitedlying downstairs.


    ¡°stor.¡±


    Sienna had feelings for stor. She wanted to take away everything that belonged to Anastasia.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    Sienna was brought into the Lawson family by Meredith


    Sienna liked everything that belonged to Anastasia, and naturally, that included stor.


    Sienna was jealous of Anastasia when she ended up marrying stor on a blind date.


    If Sienna knew that would happen, she would have gone on that blind date too.


    In Sienna¡¯s eyes, Anastasia and stor¡¯s marriage didn¡¯t have a solid emotional foundation so wouldn¡¯t


    last long


    ¡°Since Anastasia is not here, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± stor didn¡¯t n to stay for long. Neither did he like


    Sienna.


    ¡°stor, did you and Anastasia get into a fight?¡± Sienna could not hide the excitement in her voice.


    ¡°Are they finally getting a divorce? stor didn¡¯t even hold a wedding after they¡¯d been married for four


    years. I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t like Anastasia, Sienna thought.


    Furthermore, everyone in the Lawson family knew that the Lopez family didn¡¯t acknowledge Anastasia


    as stor¡¯s wife.


    ¡°No,¡± stor replied casually and left.


    Meredith winked at Sienna.


    Sienna chased after him happily.


    ¡°stor. I¡¯ll help you find Anastasia. Don¡¯t worry. She will surely answer my father¡¯s call. I will ask Dad


    to call her.¡±


    stor finally stopped when he heard that. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. We¡¯re a family, after all¡± Sienna quickly gave Zeke a call and said, ¡°Hello,


    Dad. Anastasia and stor got into a fight. Can you call her and ask where she is?¡±


    The ne flew in Atharia¡¯s direction.


    Anastasia slept on the ne for almost eight hours, and by the time she woke up, she as almost at her


    destination.


    Looking at her watch, Anastasia rubbed her temples.


    She thought to herself. stor should have gone back to the Lawson residence to look for me already.


    Would he get worried after failing to get in touch with me?


    How ridiculous of me to think so


    Anastasia turned on her phone after getting off the ne.


    She saw countless missed calls, of which most were from stor and some from Sienna and Zeke.


    Anastasia called Zeke first and exined the situation. She didn¡¯t mention anything about her fight with


    stor.


    ¡°stor is worried about you. Be a good girl and call him back. Zeke advised Anastasia.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything. After hanging up the phone, she called Sienna.


    ¡°Anastasia? Where have you been?¡± Sienna sounded like she was concerned about Anastasia.


    ¡°Sienna, are you with stor right now?¡± Anastasia asked indifferently.


    ¡°stor¡¯s looking for you.¡± Sienna didn¡¯t deny it and even intended to make Anastasia misunderstand.


    Anastasia whispered ¡°Sienna, I¡¯m on a business trip in Atharia. I left in a hurry and forgot to get


    someone to take care of Snowball. stor is too busy to take care of Snowball, and I don¡¯t trust


    anyone else either. Can you help me take care of Snowball?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Sienna said excitedly, knowing that stor liked the Ragdoll cat very much.


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    Anastasia sneered sarcastically in response.


    ¡°Sienna, stor and L¡­ Our marriage may notst long.¡± Anastasia said in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone, okay?¡± Anastasia continued, faking a tear¨Cchoked voice.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone. What¡¯s wrong? What happened between you and stor?¡± Sienna pretended to be


    concerned about Anastasia, but deep down, she was actually overjoyed.


    They are finally getting divorced!¡± she eximed internally.


    ¡°Do you remember going for a medical examination with Dad this year? I also had aprehensive


    check¨Cup. I¡¯m afraid I might be infertile, and even if I do conceive, I might not be able to carry the


    pregnancy to full term. I didn¡¯t dare tell stor. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to him. You¡¯re my sister, and stor is


    such a good person¡­ I don¡¯t want anyone else to have him.¡±


    Anastasia¡­ Sienna was on cloud nine.


    ¡°Listen to me. I¡¯m trying to create opportunities for you and stor. You can stay at my house tonight. If


    stor asks, just tell him that I asked you to take care of Snowball,¡± Anastasia suggested.


    Sienna, who was brainless, had made countless excuses to live in Anastasia¡¯s house but was refused.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Anastasia. I will take good care of Snowball and stor.¡±


    ¡°The home password is 365718.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Sienna couldn¡¯t wait to start living under the same roof as stor.


    Anastasia knew that Sienna would definitely not inform stor in advance because she wanted to


    surprise him.


    ¡°But I have no idea whether Sienna, on the other hand, will be surprised or traumatized,¡± thought


    Anastasia to herself.


    Because that night, Felicia would definitely make an appearance.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    After ending the phone call with Sienna, Anastasia called stor again.


    ¡°Darling. I fell asleep on the ne. Mr. Lexington urgently summoned me over. I was angry at that time


    and forgot to inform you. I¡¯m sorry, and I¡¯m already in Atharia.¡±


    Over on the other side, stor had investigated Anastasia¡¯s itinerary, finding out that she had indeed


    gone to Atharia.


    ¡°You¡¯re angry?¡± stor¡¯s voice was very low and sounded a bit weary.


    Anastasia¡¯s decision to throw a tantrum and travel to Atharia while turning off her phone clearly


    infuriated stor.


    ¡°Should I be angry? I didn¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Anastasia said sensibly. ¡°We can talk about it when I get


    back.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pick you up at the airport when youe back.¡± stor then hung up the phone.


    Staring at her phone screen, Anastasia fell into a prolonged silence. She wondered, ¡°Why does it feel


    like I¡¯m the one at fault?


    How sensible must I be to be the perfect wife in stor¡¯s heart?!


    With a hint of irony in her smile, Anastasia looked up at the sky.


    As it turned out, being a wife required her to be entirely sensible and tactful, while being a lover meant


    she could act


    without restraint.


    It was clear whether he loved her or not.


    Anastasia took a picture of the airport and posted it on Instagram with the caption: [The grass is not


    greener here. Miss home, miss you.]


    Anastasia posted this for Felicia to see.


    She assumed Felicia wanted so badly for her to leave Hork.


    Based on Anastasia¡¯s understanding of Felicia, thetter would undoubtedly be eager to assert her


    ownership over stor.


    To Felicia, sharing an intimate moment with stor on his and Anastasia¡¯s bed must be something


    worth showing off


    To Anastasia, however, she found it gross.


    It was very disgusting.


    Suppressing the nauseating sensation in her stomach. Anastasia got into her best friend¡¯s car.


    ¡°Anastasia, you hadn¡¯t dealt with stor and that cheap woman yet? If I were you, I would have torn


    them apart and caused a scene at theirpany.¡± Kimberly was still furious, finding it hard to eat or


    sleep these days.


    She was worried about Anastasia.


    Anastasia removed her sunsses and gazed out of the window. Her voice sounded somewhat feeble.


    ¡°Causing a scene at thepany would lead to divorce. It would provide them with opportunities and


    give stor a reason to me me for not being sensible. How could I let them off so easily¡­¡±


    Kimberly nced at Anastasia worriedly and felt so sorry for her friend. ¡°Then what are you nning to


    do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more effective to wound his heart. I want stor to be indebted to me for the rest of his life,¡±


    Anastasia sneered, closing her eyes with a throbbing headache.


    ¡°No matter what you do, I will support you,¡± Kimberly said firmly.


    Anastasia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you.¡±


    Kimberly didn¡¯t say anything and brought Anastasia to her rented condominium.


    ¡°The residents in this building are mostly Clusians. Many of them are international students, and


    students get special treatment. The handsome guy I mentioned earlier, Jason, lives across from us.¡±


    ¡°Jason? That¡¯s a nice name. How good¨Clooking is he? Does he have a six¨Cpack and chest muscles?¡±


    Anastasia felt quite down and decided to crack a joke.


    As soon as the elevator doors opened, Anastasia bumped into a sturdy chest.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The tall man was around six feet tall in height and was dressed casually. There was a faint and


    pleasant fragrance emanating from him, not from perfume, which didn¡¯t make her feel repelled.


    Four years ago, she agreed to marry stor spontaneously because he was the cleanest and most


    impressive man she had ever encountered at first sight.


    J¨CJason¡­ Kimberly stammered and forced a smile.


    Anastasia lowered her head and had no time to think about anything else because her nose was


    bleeding.


    Jason lowered his head and looked at Anastasia with a meaningful gaze. His handsome smile was so


    radiant that it outshone even a celebrity¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bumping into you. Let me take you to the


    hospital.¡±


    Kimberly raised her hand and covered her eyes. ¡°How embarrassing!¡± she thought


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s fine.¡± Anastasia covered her nose and ran away with Kimberly in tow


    ¡°It was so embarrassing! Jason must have heard my joke just now!¡± Anastasia mused.


    Feeling embarrassed, the two hurriedly ran away, their heads hung low, leaving their suitcases behind


    in the elevator.


    ¡°Kimberly, your suitcase¡± Jason took the suitcases out, called Kimberly¡¯s name, and said again with a


    smile. ¡°Is this the girl you want to introduce me to?¡±


    Kimberly grabbed the suitcase. ¡°Yes. She¡¯s my best friend.¡±


    ¡°You cane to my house when you have time tonight. Today happens to be my birthday¡± Jason


    smiled at Anastasia.


    Anastasia felt a sharp pain in her heart as if she had been stabbed.


    When Jason smiled, he bore a striking resemnce to an old friend of hers who had disappeared from


    her life for a long


    time.


    The old friend was once very important in her life.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    ¡°Annie?¡± Kimberly noticed Anastasia staring at Jason in a daze and awkwardly tugged her arm. ¡°As


    expected, women have no resistance to handsome guys, she thought.


    Anastasia came back to her senses and covered her forehead, realizing that she had lost her


    composure.


    In fact, Anastasia didn¡¯t have much knowledge about handsome guys. stor was very handsome,


    and in Kimberly¡¯s words. he was incredibly good¨Clooking, akin to a precious treasure.


    If stor was the bossy CEO, Jason would definitely be the unruly type of guy.


    ¡°That¡¯s Jason!¡± Kimberly opened the door and pulled Anastasia into the living room.


    Anastasia had never been so embarrassed in her life. ¡°Yeah, I can see that¡­¡±


    ¡°This is fate!¡± Kimberly had already started to n for her best friend. ¡°Shame on stor. Just cheat on


    him!¡±


    Anastasia raised her hand and knocked on Kimberly¡¯s head. ¡°If I do that, how am I any different from


    him?¡±


    Kimberly snorted. ¡°An eye for an eye.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t speak and plopped down on the couch in Kimberly¡¯s room. There will be a good show


    in just a few hours.¡±


    ¡°What show?¡± Kimberly brought Anastasia bread and milk before approaching her curiously,


    Anastasia took out her tablet, put it on the table, and activated the surveince cameras installed in


    advance at home.


    Kimberly was stunned and gave Anastasia a thumbs¨Cup. ¡°Have you¡­ made up your mind to divorce


    him?¡±


    ¡°Divorce? Why divorce? If I don¡¯t divorce, then Felicia will always be the shameful mistress.¡± Anastasia


    leaned on the sofa


    with a hoarse voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m already dying. Nothing else matters anymore,¡± she mused.


    Anastasia still remembered that when they had just gotten married, stor¡¯s mother came to her to


    cause trouble. stor said to his mother, ¡°Only widowhood will happen in my marriage, never divorce.¡±


    stor had always maintained the image of a good husband in public, and divorce wasn¡¯t a worthwhile


    option for him.


    ¡°Widowhood¡­ Anastasia mused.


    Anastasia rubbed her temples and put on a wry smile.


    ¡°What stor said came true,¡± she thought to herself.


    *Annie, you look really pale. How about joining me for a beauty treatmentter?¡± Kimberly felt


    concerned for Anastasia.


    Anastasia nodded with a smile. ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    She not only nned to have a beauty treatment but also wanted to go shopping and indulge in some


    retail therapy.


    She would use stor¡¯s card.


    After all those years of being married to him, she had been way toopliant, and enough was


    enough.


    Kimberly took Anastasia to the mall and headed straight to the luxury store. ¡°This is a new arrival.


    Looks nice, right? It¡¯s around 26,000 dors.¡±


    Kimberly had a better understanding of luxury goods than Anastasia. Her greatest joy was purchasing


    designer handbags, which she humorously imed could cure all sorts of problems.


    Anastasia had little knowledge of luxury items. Throughout their four¨Cyear marriage, she never took the


    initiative to spend. stor¡¯s money or request gifts from him.


    Of course, Al¨¢stor had never gifted her luxury items, too.


    He probably thought she didn¡¯t deserve such expensive things.


    Only Felicia deserved designer handbags worth tens of thousands of dors.


    Anastasia looked at the price and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s too cheap¡­¡±


    ¡°Why should I buy a cheaper bag than Felicia¡¯s?¡± she thought to herself.


    Kimberly was momentarily taken aback, sensing that Anastasia must have been triggered by


    something.


    ¡°Come with me.¡± Kimberly took out her card, and the retail assistant took them to the VIP lounge.


    The retail assistant was very professional and presented Anastasia with a beautiful bag.


    ¡°I¡¯ve set my sights on this bag for a long time, but my dad won¡¯t buy it for me. It costs more than 120


    thousand dors.¡± Kimberly looked at Anastasia.


    ¡°Pay by card.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t even look at it.


    After swiping the card, stor received a message on his phone immediately.


    Sure enough, stor soon called.


    ¡°Darling. I found a bag that I really like, Anastasia spoke up.


    On the other end of the line, stor merely hummed in response.


    Anastasia was well aware that stor wasn¡¯t concerned about money. His call was likely prompted by


    the fact that she had


    before. never taken the initiative to spend his money


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    ¡°There¡¯s also a jewelry set that I¡¯m fond of. It¡¯s quite expensive,¡± Anastasia whispered softly.


    ¡°You can buy anything you like,¡± stor said calmly.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll buy it!¡± Anastasia pretended to be happy.


    ¡°Are you not angry anymore?¡± stor asked.


    Anastasia smiled. stor was implying that as long as she remained obedient and tactful, she could


    spend whatever amount of money she desired, and meanwhile, she shouldn¡¯t create trouble for him


    just because he had other women.


    ¡°stor, we need to leave. We shouldn¡¯t keep Ventus Group¡¯s Mr. Zimmerman and his wife waiting for


    too long.¡± came Felicia¡¯s voice from the other end of the phone. It was clear that she intentionally spoke


    next to stor¡¯s ear for Anastasia to


    hear.


    Anastasia could almost see Felicia hugging stor¡¯s waist at that instant.


    ¡°stor, do you know why I bought¡­¡± Anastasia still had something to say, but stor hung up right


    away. Dejected. Anastasia thought to herself, ¡®He and Felicia don¡¯t even bother hiding their rtionship


    now.


    It¡¯s our fourth wedding anniversary today.


    Looks like I¡¯m the only one who remembers.


    +

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    Anastasia took a deep breath and looked up to stop her tears from rolling downL


    The party with Aaron of Ventus Group was a family dinner. Aaron brought his wife, but stor wanted


    to bring his


    mistress?


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Kimberly didn¡¯t know how tofort Anastasia and took her hand to swipe the card.


    ¡°Just buy it! Swipe the bad guy¡¯s card!¡±


    Anastasia smiled and shook her head.


    It was meaningless. She had already lost.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Annie.¡± Kimberly was so anxious that she started to cry.


    Anastasia lowered her head and smiled at her Instagram.


    Felicia had posted something-


    She had taken pictures of herself and stor on the road.


    In the photo, stor¡¯s face could not be seen¨Cexcept for his long and well¨Cdefined hand on the


    steering wheel. The car belonged to stor, and Felicia sat in the passenger seat.


    The boss himself drove the car and took his secretary to a family dinner.


    It was ironic.


    ¡°stor¡¯s car? He let that woman sit in the passenger seat?¡± Kimberly also saw it and cursed angrily.


    Thepany had a special car. stor had mysophobia, and he never let strangers sit in his own car.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Anastasia used to think that she was stor¡¯s only woman..


    That was because stor¡¯s passenger seat only belonged to her.


    But it turned out that their love became really crowded when a third person joined them.


    ¡°Dating anniversary? Shame on her! She has dated at least eight or ten people in Atharia. Why is she


    pretending to be innocent in front of stor?¡± Kimberly was so angry that she couldn¡¯t wait to fly back


    home and tear Felicia up.


    On Instagram, Felicia wrote: [Four years ago, we were naive and full of youth. I loved you, and you


    loved me. Through twists and turns, we still ended up with each other. People who genuinely love each


    other will alwayse back to the starting point, no matter how far the journey is. Because we both


    waited for each other, today is our dating anniversary, celebrating the days and nights we¡¯ve spent


    together.]


    Anastasia looked at the screen andughed while crying.


    It was so ironic.


    Her wedding anniversary with stor was actually the dating anniversary of his and Felicia¡¯s


    rtionship.


    She had thought that stor only cared about work and wouldn¡¯t care about those days, so he never


    spent any wedding anniversary with her.


    It turned out that he was so anxious about the blitz marriage tomemorate his first love.


    stor¡­ How cruel he was!


    He treated her like that.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡±


    Upon seeing Anastasia squat on the ground, Kimberly got anxious.


    ¡°Annie!¡±


    Perhaps, Anastasia was so stimted that she fainted. The dark red blood flowing out of her nose


    contrasted with her pale face, which made her look ghastly.


    ¡°Kimberly, do you need any help?¡±


    When Anastasia almost lost consciousness, a strong person held her up and ran out. ¡°Get a taxi!¡±


    At the hospital, Kimberly was not there when Anastasia woke up. It was Jason who wasmunicating


    with the doctor fluently in Atharian by the bedside.


    Anastasia had a bad headache and wanted to sit up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Jason stepped forward to stop Anastasia and then turned back to talk with the doctor in


    Atharian.


    His Atharian was very standard, with good fluency and an air of decent dubbing.


    Sure enough, excellent people were excellent in every aspect.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for troubling you. Where is Kimberly?¡± Anastasia was embarrassed.


    ¡°She went to help you deal with the visa problem.¡± Jason gave the results to Anastasia. ¡°You are


    pregnant. They need you to inform the father of the baby¡±


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment. She looked up at Jason in shock and then lowered her head to


    look at the pregnancy check¨Cup report.


    Pregnant¡­


    How was that possible?


    stor didn¡¯t like children. They would wear condoms every time they had sex.


    It was onlyst month, during her safe period, that she apanied stor to Sloummont. They didn¡¯t


    have time to buy condoms in the hotel room.


    Afterward, stor repeatedly told her to take the contraceptive pill and even called several times in


    person to tell her to take the medicine. She thought it was during the safe period, so she was careless.


    Besides, Anastasia thought that they were husband and wife. Even though stor didn¡¯t like children, it


    would be their child if she were pregnant.


    What a coincidence.


    Anastasia felt warm in her nasal cavity, so she subconsciously grabbed a tissue and stopped her nose.


    Given her physical condition, not to mention giving birth to a child, even her own survival was in


    question.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    Upon seeing Anastasia¡¯s unhappy face, Jason whispered, ¡°Abortion is illegal here, so¡­ you need to


    contact your boyfriend or husband to sign before you can leave the hospital.¡±


    Anastasia came back to her senses and smiled apologetically at Jason. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing you


    trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We should help each other in a foreign country.¡± Jason didn¡¯t leave Anastasia alone and


    sat at the side while waiting for Kimberly toe back.


    Anastasia looked at the pregnancy check¨Cup report and called stor.


    She didn¡¯t know if he woulde to Atharia with her.


    stor didn¡¯t answer her several calls, and thest call was answered by Felicia. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Felicia¡¯s tone was very rude.


    Anastasia felt pain in her heart and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Where is stor?¡±


    ¡°Do you really need to pretend not to understand? If stor doesn¡¯t bring it up proactively, it¡¯s to save


    face for both of you.


    If you take the initiative to divorce, he won¡¯t mistreat you,¡± Felicia said angrily.


    ¡°Felicia, let stor answer the phone!¡± Anastasia was short of breath and a little emotional.


    Jason stood at the side and looked at Anastasia meaningfully.


    ¡°Anastasia, he won¡¯t answer your phone. He¡¯s asked me to tell you that he wanted to show mercy! Tell


    you a secret, stor asked me to give him a baby and said that he would divorce you if I agreed.¡±


    Felicia said that stor had asked her to have a baby for him.


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    ¡°You know what? stor liked children very much. When we broke up, I had a baby for him. At that


    time, he cared about me and said that he would never have a child again. No one deserves to give


    birth to his child except me,¡± Felicia said provocatively.


    She was confident because she was being favored.


    Anastasia¡¯s knuckles turned white while she was holding the phone, and her whole body shook.


    ¡°What a coincidence¡­ I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Anastasiaughed ironically. ¡°Felicia, I won¡¯t divorce stor. You


    and your child will never be legitimate. I don¡¯t have to worry about it. Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Anastasia threw her phone away.


    After taking a few deep breaths, Anastasia wiped away her nosebleed and threw it into the trash can.


    ¡°Do you need any help?¡± Jason asked calmly while standing at the side.


    Only then did Anastasia remember that Jason was still there.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Anastasia looked at Jason and said again. ¡°Pretend to be my boyfriend and sign the papers. I


    want to be discharged from the hospital. Thank you.¡±


    Jason smiled and pointed to the IV drip on Anastasia¡¯s head. ¡°Yes, but you have to finish it first.¡±


    Anastasia looked up at the infusion bag and leaned against the head of the bed.


    Jason didn¡¯t say anything more. He sat quietly by the window and looked at his phone.


    Several Aplothian girls stared at him for a long time and gathered the courage to ask for his contact


    information.


    Jason refused in fluent Atharian and pointed to Anastasia, showing that he had a girlfriend.


    ¡°You¡¯re very good at rejecting girls.¡± Anastasia looked at Jason, wanting to know more about him.


    ¡°We are helping each other out.¡± Jason smiled.


    His smile was really charming, sunny, and cheerful, with an innate nobility.


    *Felicia¡­ Do you know that girl?¡± Anastasia looked at Jason.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Jason nodded without denying it.


    ¡°Are you her ex¨Cboyfriend?¡± Anastasia had asked Kimberly about Jason. Felicia had been chasing him


    for a long time, and Anastasia heard that they broke up within a few days of being together.


    Jason was barely Felicia¡¯s ex¨Cboyfriend.


    Jason didn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°Why did you break up?¡± Anastasia knew that she was taking the liberty to ask, so she lowered her


    head. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    13:34


    Jason could tell that Anastasia was angry.


    She was out of control just then.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t her ex¨Cboyfriend. She thought I was someone from the wealthy Gunn family in Hork, so she


    pursued me for a while. But when she realized Ie from an ordinary family, she stopped pursuing


    me.¡± Jason didn¡¯t hide anything; he had never told anyone that he was part of the Gunn family.


    Anastasia was stummed for a moment and rubbed her eyebrows, feeling it ironic.


    Felicia was someone who loved the rich indeed.


    B

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    When Kimberly came back. Jason was talking to the doctor.


    ¡°I got a handsome guy to take care of you. Aren¡¯t I amazing?¡± Kimberly whispered.


    Anastasia smiled lightly, her face pale.


    ¡°Do you know that you¡¯re pregnant?¡± Kimberly was a little worried. ¡°That scumbag doesn¡¯t deserve it.


    Looking at the pregnancy check¨Cup report. Anastasia kept silent for a long time before saying, ¡°When I


    called stor, Felicia answered it. I think he did it on purpose to force me to initiate the divorce.¡±


    Through the past four years, Anastasia had learned enough about stor.


    He could not let himself be the one in the wrong and would not initiate the divorce. ¡°Before I came to


    Atharia, I don¡¯t think he had any intention of divorcing me. After 1 left the country, I don¡¯t know what


    means Felicia used to convince him.¡±


    ¡°That jerk!¡± Kimberly scolded angrily. ¡°Divorce! You should get a divorce when you get back! It¡¯s not like


    you can¡¯t live without him after divorcing, right? You shouldn¡¯t stay with this kind of man for even a


    minute longer.¡±


    ¡°He wants me to initiate the divorce, but I won¡¯t. I want to see what extent he¡¯ll go to force me into


    initiating it.¡± Anastasia smiled ironically.


    That smile was extremely ugly.


    ¡°The doctor has given the go¨Cahead for you to be discharged. I¡¯ve signed the necessary documents,¡±


    Jason said as he walked over, havingpleted the discharge procedures.


    ¡°Thank you, Jason. Kimberly was a little embarrassed.


    ¡°No problem. It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± Jason smiled at Anastasia.


    ¡°Happy birthday.¡± Anastasia did not thank him anymore and wished him a happy birthday instead.


    Jason paused for a moment before saying with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve received your blessing. Since Kimberly is


    here, I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    Soon after Jason left, Anastasia finished her IV drip.


    Anastasia did not speak throughout the whole journey home from the hospital.


    In Kimberly¡¯s living room, the tablet was still disying the surveince footage from Anastasia¡¯s


    house.


    Sienna had arrived at stor¡¯s house early, looking around and secretly looking through Anastasia¡¯s


    things.


    She was secretly delighted at the thought that these things would soon belong to her.


    ¡°Snowball!¡± Sienna shouted at the little Ragdoll in the cat bed.


    The little Ragdoll nced at Sienna. Seeing that it was a stranger, he curled up in the cat bed again


    coldly and ignored.


    Sienna.


    ¡°My son is so obedient,¡± Anastasia whispered.


    ¡°Is that your stepsister Sienna?¡± Kimberly was holding a bag of popcorn, intending to enjoy the drama


    that would unfoldter.


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the surprise I prepared for Felicia and stor.¡± Anastasia leaned against the couch while


    watching the surveince footage.


    Sienna had calcted when stor would get home and went into the bathroom to shower in advance.


    It seemed like she was deliberately waiting for stor to return, so that he would identally see


    her¡­.


    Unfortunately, Sienna¡¯s n fell through.


    The camera in the living room showed that stor had returned with Felicia.


    From the surveince footage, it could be seen that stor did not drink much alcohol and was very


    much conscious.


    Therefore, it was definitely not the case that Felicia deliberately answered stor¡¯s phone because he


    was drunk.


    Seeing the both of them get home together, Kimberly held Anastasia¡¯s hand nervously.


    The surveince camera was good. But sometimes the truth was too cruel.


    ¡°Who¡¯s in the bathroom?¡± Felicia was about to hug stor when she heard the sound of water flowing


    from the bathroom.


    stor evidently also heard it as he looked in the direction of the bedroom vigntly.


    ¡°Is Anastasia¡­ back?¡± Felicia¡¯s voice was filled with shock.


    stor remained silent throughout. Anastasia could not see his expression and wondered if he was


    scared.


    When Felicia walked into the bedroom. stor did not stop her.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Soon, the piercing screams of Felicia and Sienna were heard from the surveince footage.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± The two of them shouted at the same time


    Felicia¡¯s face darkened. She walked out of the bathroom and questioned stor. ¡°stor, who is she?¡±


    Sienna wrapped herself in a bath towel and walked out as well, looking at stor in shock. ¡°stor,


    who is she?¡±


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    Sitting on the couch. stor evidently looked like he was in a very bad mood.


    Who told you toe here¡± His voice was deep and full of obvious interrogation.


    Sienna was frightened by stor¡¯s pressurizing aura and stammered, ¡°Anastasia asked me toe


    here! She told me no one was home and asked me to take care of Snowball. Who is she? Why did you


    bring her home?¡±


    Sienna was not stupid. She thought to herself. ¡°Anastasia isn¡¯t at home, and stor took a woman


    home at thiste hour. What else could a man and a woman be doing together in the middle of the


    night?¡±

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    stor raised his hand and massaged the spot between his brows, obviously impatient. ¡°Don¡¯t tell


    Anastasia what happened tonight.¡±


    Sienna looked at Felicia before turning her gaze to stor. ¡°stor¡­ Did you do something wrong to


    Anastasia?¡°


    Felicia looked at Sienna provocatively. ¡°What kind of upbringing did the Lawson family instill? How can


    a sister enter hier brother¨Cinw¡¯s bedroom to take a shower? How shameless.¡±


    ¡°Shameless? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s shameless! Why else are you going home with a married man at


    this hour?¡± Sienna used Felicia in a sharp voice.


    ¡°I advise you to dress properly. You¡¯re so bad at seducing men Felicia naturally looked down on


    Sienna.


    As her intention was exposed, Sienna rushed forward madly and pushed Felicia.


    In the surveince footage, the two could be seen quarreling and fighting with each other intensely.


    On the other hand. Anastasia was in a foreign country, sitting on the couch and eating popcorn, and


    looking at the surveince footage with mixed feelings.


    Was she upset? Of course, it was impossible for her not to be.


    But did she find it ridiculous? She most certainly did.


    As someone who extremely despised noise and enjoyed silence, this scene was utterly torturous for


    stor.


    Anastasia smiled ironically as she looked at stor who was leaning on the couch.


    He somehow looked like he was an outsider watching the drama unfold before him, as if the quarrel


    between the two women had nothing to do with him.


    Ring!


    Anastasia¡¯s phone rang. It was a text message from stor.


    It read: [You told Sienna toe to our house? You¡¯re going a little overboard this time.


    stor was questioning her.


    Anastasia threw her phone aside and pretended that she did not receive the message.


    Seeing that Anastasia did not reply to the message, stor kicked the coffee table in front of him.


    This made the cups on the table fall to the ground and break into pieces, making a crisp sound.


    ¡°Get out,¡± stor instructed both Sienna and Felicia to leave.


    stor seemed really annoyed.


    Both Felicia and Sienna were startled.


    ¡°stor¡­¡± Felicia called stor¡¯s name coquettishly. ¡°She clearly came here to seduce you on


    purpose.¡±


    ¡°stor, what exactly is your rtionship with her?¡± Sienna asked as her expression spelled the words,


    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Anastasia about this.¡±


    ¡°You can ask your sister.¡± stor¡¯s voice was low.


    Anastasia¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard that from the surveince footage.


    She seemed to have underestimated stor¡¯s cleverness.


    From the moment Sienna appeared at home, stor might have already guessed what she was


    plotting.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and was inexplicably scared.


    To be honest, she was afraid of stor.


    stor was good at everything. As long as she was obedient and did not cross his bottom line, he


    would y the role of a good husband to the end. But if she crossed his bottom line¡­.


    Anastasia did not want to know what would happen to her.


    With the Lopez family¡¯s influence in Hork, Anastasia could not afford to mess with him.


    However, she no longer cared.


    Since she had to die sooner orter, she had nothing to be afraid of


    ¡°stor¡­ You mean, Anastasia already knows our rtionship?¡± Felicia asked nervously.


    stor ignored Felicia and turned toward the living room, looking for the surveince camera.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Obviously, it was not only that Anastasia knew stor well after four years of marriage.


    stor also knew Anastasia well.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Kimberly panicked when she saw stor spot the camera in the corner. ¡°He seems to


    know.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning to hide it anyway. He will see such a big camera sooner orter.¡± Anastasia smiled


    bitterly.


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers were tingling all the way even when the screen turned ck.


    The truth was exposed after all.


    ¡°What are you going to do next?¡± Kimberly was a little scared for Anastasia.


    ¡°If I guessed correctly, a divorce agreement will be waiting for me on the day I return home,¡± Anastasia


    said in a nonchnt tone while leaning on the couch.


    However, the tears at the corner of her eyes had already betrayed her.


    Did she really not care?


    Of course she cared.


    Ring! Anastasia¡¯s phone rang again.


    It was another message from stor.


    It read: [Anastasia, have I spoiled you too much these years?]


    Even though they were just a few words on a screen, Anastasia could feel the strong sense of


    oppression oozing from the


    message.


    B

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Anastasia still did not reply to stor.


    ¡°I should not be the only one going crazy,¡± she thought.


    She had called stor many times previously, but he never answered. Hence, she thought that she


    would return the favor.


    Since Anastasia did not reply, stor called her.


    Anastasia did not pick up either.


    ¡°Annie¡­ What are your thoughts on this? Why don¡¯t you divorce?¡± Kimberly was a little afraid of


    Anastasia¡¯s current state.


    She was not afraid of stor, but she feared that Anastasia could not take it.


    ¡°Will Jason¡¯s birthday party be very lively?¡± Anastasia asked with a smile, but her voice choked.


    Tears were obviously streaming down her cheeks, and smiling at this point made her look worse than


    crying openly.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Kimberly nodded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go out and pick another gift.¡±


    Anastasia and Kimberly went out and bought a man¡¯s tie in a nearby shopping mall.


    ¡°Is this for Jason?¡± Kimberly asked.


    Anastasia did not say anything. She actually wanted to anger stor deliberately.


    ¡°How¡¯s this for giving him a taste of his own medicine? I must seem quite ridiculous,¡± Anastasia


    mockingly thought to


    herself.


    ¡°Anastasia, it¡¯s okay if you want to anger stor deliberately. But Jason never epts gifts from girls.


    Everyone in our ss


    knows that.¡±


    Anastasia did not say anything. She did not intend to give Jason a present¨Cit was just a coincidence.


    Over the years, stor¡¯s ties were all chosen by Anastasia. With her background in fine arts, her taste


    and aesthetic sense. aligned with stor¡¯s very well.


    Before finding out that stor cheated, Anastasia was very happy and thought that she and stor


    were definitely the mostpatible and exemry couple.


    ¡°What a pity.¡± Anastasia thought.


    ¡°Happy birthday!¡± Kimberly took Anastasia to Jason¡¯s house. It was very lively inside, and soon many


    ssmates arrived.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this prettydy? Kimberly, why don¡¯t you introduce her to me?¡±


    A man had alreadye over enthusiastically.


    ¡°This is my best friend, Anastasia.¡±


    Anastasia smiled at everyone before her gaze fell on Jason by the window.


    He was holding the guitar and strumming the strings lightly.


    She had to admit that Jason and stor were twopletely different types of men.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your gift! Since Clusians don¡¯t have the habit of visiting one¡¯s house empty¨Chanded,¡± Anastasia


    said as she handed the gift to Jason.


    Jason took the gift with a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    A female ssmate standing at the side screamed, ¡°Oh my gosh, Jason actually epted a girl¡¯s gift!¡±


    Kimberly was also stunned. It was the first time Jason broke his own rules.


    On the other hand, Anastasia did not think much of it. After all, he had helped her a lot that day, and


    she was simply returning the favor so that they would not owe each other.


    ¡°Hey, prettydy. Do you drink?¡±


    Anastasia was extremely beautiful. She possessed the type of beauty that radiated an aura of quiet


    intelligence and cool. elegance, reminiscent of the glow of moonlight.


    Anastasia¡¯s beauty seemed to exude a cold and aloof air as if it was written in her bones that others


    should not go near her.


    In Kimberly¡¯s words, Anastasia¡¯s face seemed to spell out three words, ¡°I am frigid.¡±


    It seemed as though no one was allowed to approach her.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Anastasia smiled and took the wine from the man.


    She wanted to drink, even though she knew that she was pregnant.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Anastasia looked down at her stomach and knew that she should not keep the baby.


    She could not keep it either.


    With her body in such a condition, how could she give birth to the baby?


    Anastasia was about to drink when the cup was taken away from her hand.


    She turned around in surprise and, to her astonishment, found that Jason was the one who took her


    wine ss.


    Raising his chin. Jason finished the ss of wine in one smooth motion. With a low voiceced with


    warning, he said, ¡°Adults. should be responsible for their actions.¡±


    He was warning Anastasia to be responsible for the baby in her womb.


    ¡°Teh Anastasia let out a mockingugh.


    ¡°It seems like I¡¯m being lectured everywhere I go,¡± she thought.


    Sensing that the atmosphere was not right, Kimberly hurriedly tried to liven it up. ¡°You should drink fruit


    juice, fruit juice!


    I¡¯ll drink the wine!¡±


    The others did not think too much either and continued to enjoy themselves.


    The room was dimly lit, and everyone was creating a camp¨Clike atmosphere.


    Having many things on her mind. Anastasia seemed out of ce with everyone else.


    Anastasia got up and walked out of the living room. She stood on the terrace, looking out at Pollerton¡¯s


    night scene.


    stor had called several times again, but Anastasia did not answer. Hence, he stopped calling and


    simply sent a message: [Anastasia, let¡¯s divorce.]


    Ultimately, Anastasia received a message from stor asking her to divorce before she returned


    home.


    ¡°What is this? Is he flying into a rage out of humiliation? Have I not been obedient enough for the past


    four years?¡± Anastasia wondered.


    Sneering, Anastasia took a picture of the banquet and wanted to post it on Instagram.


    ¡°Do you think posting this picture will achieve the effect that you want?¡± Jason said in a melodious


    voice as he leaned against the door frame.


    Wanting to trigger stor with the picture was a childish act on Anastasia¡¯s part.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Then what kind of picture do you think can achieve the effect 1 want?¡±


    In the hazy night, Anastasia¡¯s pale face appeared too angr as sheughed sarcastically.


    Looking at Anastasia with deep eyes, Jason reached out to grab her phone and took a photograph of


    their intertwined hands under the moonlight. ¡°Do you dare to post this?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Anastasia took back her phone and deleted the picture.


    Of course she did not dare to post it.


    She did not want to divorce.


    Divorcing would let stor and Felicia get what they wanted.


    So, she would not divorce.


    She wanted stor to owe her.


    ¡°Young man, you don¡¯t have to worry about me,¡± Anastasia jokingly said. She originally wanted to use


    Jason to provoke Felicia, but it seemed that Jason was really not a rich scion nor the kind of yboy


    that she thought he was.


    Jason smiled as he rested a hand on the railing. He then leaned closer to Anastasia and whispered,


    ¡°Don¡¯t familiar?¡±


    Anastasia frowned and looked up at Jason.


    The scent on his body was really pleasant, and it was even mixed with a faint hint of sweet wine now.


    ¡°Familiar? Have I met Jason before?¡± Anastasia wondered.


    you


    ¡°Handsome, are you mistaken? We first met in the elevator, didn¡¯t we?¡± Anastasia looked at Jason


    suspiciously.


    Jason simply smiled. ¡°Sorry, I must be mistaken.¡±


    Then, Jason went back to the living room.


    Anastasia turned around and enjoyed the cool breeze, gazing into the night quietly.


    Sure enough, she could not stay upte.


    While Kimberly and the rest partied all night. Anastasia went back to Kimberly¡¯s house early to sleep.


    Yet, she was in fact drifting in and out of sleep, feeling extremely dizzy.


    She had a dream where she returned to the day before the registration of her marriage with stor.


    stor had said, ¡°Anastasia, I can give you a home.¡±


    She replied, ¡°stor, you can¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    There was no longer any trust between the couple. How could they maintain their rtionship?


    Anastasia stayed in Atharia for half a month.


    During this time, Anastasia never saw Jason again.


    ording to Kimberly, Jason had flown back home.


    During this period, stor never contacted Anastasia again either.


    ¡°Annie, I¡¯ll go home with you.¡± Kimberly was worried about Anastasia and wanted to go back with her.


    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll go back by myself. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    There were some things that she could not escape from. She had to face them eventually.


    Once Anastasia booked the flight ticket to return home, stor could obtain her flight details from his


    side.


    find me


    Anastasia originally wanted to stay in Atharia for three months so that stor could enjoy the freedom


    from her not being at home.


    She did not expect that stor would see through her n so quickly and that he would directly initiate


    divorce.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡±


    It was already nine o¡¯clock the next morning when she touched down in Hork.


    It was not stor but Felicia who came to pick her up.


    It was obvious that stor sent her.


    16.30 1


    ¡°Anastasia, Mr. Lopez asked me to pick you up. Felicia said very officially and acted seriously.


    ¡°Stop pretending. Why are you still pretending in front of me?¡± Anastasiaughed at Felicia mockingly.


    With a gloomy face. Felicia took the initiative to handle Anastasia¡¯s suitcase, acting as if she were just


    a secretary


    Anastasia could not be bothered about Felicia and threw her the suitcase ¡°Be careful Everything I


    bought is expensive.¡±


    ¡°It has only been half a month, but you¡¯ve spent nearly 600 thousand dors from Mr. Lopez¡¯s ount.


    Anastasia, you¡¯re so greedy, Feliciaughed sarcastically.


    ¡°Greedy Anastasia looked Felicia up and down. ¡°Your bag alone costs more than 60,000 dors. These


    shoes and this dress together must cost more than 100 thousand dors, right? stor is willing to


    spend money on you, of all people. As hist wife. how am I considered greedy for spending merely 600


    thousand dors from his ount?¡±


    Felicia snorted with a gloomy face as if she had already begun to care about her and stor¡¯s money.


    ¡°Anastasia, if you¡¯re really smart, don¡¯t fall outpletely with stor. After all, you were once a


    couple. He will not treat you badly.¡±


    ¡°Once a couple, huh?¡± Anastasia smiled. ¡°Then I¡¯d like to see how well he will treat me.¡±


    Felicia did not say anything more. When Anastasia got in the car, she motioned for the driver to start


    driving.


    On the way, Anastasia sent a message to Kimberly saying that she had reached safely. She then


    looked out of the car window quietly.


    After nearly half an hour, Anastasia¡¯s face darkened. ¡°This isn¡¯t the way home. Where are we going?¡±


    Felicia sneered and turned to look at Anastasia. ¡°To the hospital.¡±


    Anastasia clenched her fists. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lopez asked you to go to the hospital for an examination. If you are really pregnant, you need to


    abort the baby before you can get a divorce. Felicia spoke in an official tone, obviously conveying


    stor¡¯s message on his behalf.


    Anastasia did not expect stor to be so cruel.


    B


    Send G

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    ¡°Let stor tell me in person,¡± Anastasia leaned against the seat and said in a low voice.


    ¡°Anastasia, you better cooperate,¡± Felicia replied provocatively.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t cooperate?¡± Anastasia smiled.


    Felicia sneered. ¡°Why do you have to go that far?¡±


    ¡°Stop the car, Anastasia told the driver.


    However, the driver didn¡¯t intend to stop the car.


    Anastasia opened the door directly while the car was still moving.


    The driver was stunned momentarily, subconsciously activating the child safety lock. However, it was


    toote.


    The driver had to park the car on the roadside for fear of an ident.


    Anastasia got out of the car without getting her luggage.


    She stood by the road and looked at Felicia. ¡°Tell stor I won¡¯t divorce him. He can do what he wants


    if he wants to lose all standing and reputation.¡±


    Felicia looked solemn and called stor in front of Anastasia. ¡°Mr. Lopez, your wife refused to


    cooperate. She got off halfway and said she¡¯ll ruin your standing and reputation.¡±


    Anastasia smiled. It was a new experience for her.


    Anastasia got onto the sidewalk and walked alone on the outer ring road.


    It was hard to hail a taxi here, so Anastasia felt a little regretful.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Felicia looked at Anastasia mockingly. ¡°Anastasia, it¡¯s useless for you to make trouble. Your life in Hork


    won¡¯t be peaceful if you offend the Lopez family.¡±


    After saying that, Felicia winded the window and motioned for the driver to drive away.


    Anastasia stood there, feeling her breathing getting heavier.


    After spending four years with stor, she knew he was indifferent but didn¡¯t expect him to be so


    heartless.


    He even asked Felicia toe pick her up from the airport, humiliating her.


    stor didn¡¯t even care to disguise or give her a way out.


    Anastasia took out her phone with trembling fingers. She wanted to call stor, but her fingers weren¡¯t


    under control.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m Sienna.¡±


    The phone rang. It was Sienna.


    ¡°Have you returned home?¡± Sienna lowered her voice as if she was calling her secretly.


    ¡°I¡¯m back. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Anastasia asked.


    ¡°stor¡¯s mother is in our house asking for a divorce. She said that you¡¯re not pregnant despite being


    married for four years. She even said that hens would know how toy eggs¡­¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s temple throbbed. ¡°stor told his mother to stir up trouble in my house?¡± she wondered.


    ording to Anastasia¡¯s understanding of stor, he wouldn¡¯t do such a thing


    ¡°Would it be Felicia, then?¡± Anastasia thought.


    Felicia seemed to have moved into the Lopez residence and got close to her future mother¨Cinw.


    It was truly impressive.


    ¡°Our father¡¯s blood pressure is a little high. Come back quickly, Sienna whispered.


    After hanging up the phone, Anastasia took a taxi.


    Her father was in poor health. He had high blood pressure and a weak heart these years.


    Anastasia always thought it was retribution. However, he was still her father.


    In the car, Anastasia called stor.


    stor once told her not to confront his mother directly. If there was any conflict between Anastasia


    and his mother, Anastasia should tell him to solve it.


    However, stor lung up her phone after two rings.


    Anastasia was a little annoyed when she looked at the phone interface.


    ¡°How ruthless stor can be. We¡¯ve been married for four years, Anastasia thought.


    It was said that one¡¯s true personality would be revealed during their divorce. Anastasia really didn¡¯t


    want to know what tricks stor had.


    ¡°The Lawson family are like parasites! Aren¡¯t you just relying on my son? Who is Anastasia, huh? How


    dare she spend 600 thousand dors on a trip abroad? Who does she think she is?¡±


    At the door, Anastasia heard 600 thousand dors before she entered the house.


    stor should be the only one who knew about this as she swiped stor¡¯s card.


    However, Felicia knew about it.


    Not only did Felicia know it, but stor¡¯s mother did too.


    Anastasia sneered in her heart.


    ¡°She¡¯s been married for four years and can¡¯t even have a child. What¡¯s the use of her in the Lopez


    family? Hurry up and let here back to divorce stor.¡±


    Anastasia pushed open the door and saw her father sitting there obediently while being lectured by


    stor¡¯s mother Naomi,


    In the past, Anastasia¡¯s father would get violent after getting drunk. He had a violent temper, and would


    never go easy on her


    mother.


    However, he was now so humble to the Lopez family that it was sad to look at.


    Anastasiaughed ironically. ¡°Dad, I thought you had quite a temper.¡±


    Seeing Anastasia returning. Zeke stood up with a reproachful look. ¡°Hurry up and apologize to your


    mother. Why did you spend so much money?¡±


    ¡®Mom? I can¡¯t afford to be her mother,¡± Naomi said sarcastically.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything. She walked to Naomi, took out the pregnancy check¨Cup report from


    Atharia, and put it on the :able. ¡°Do you understand? Although they are all in Atharian, I can exin it


    to you. I¡¯m in my first trimester.¡±

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    Obviously, Naomi didn¡¯t expect Anastasia to be pregnant and looked at her in disbelief. ¡°What do you


    mean? Are you trying


    to fool me with this?¡±


    Anastasia sat aside and looked at stor¡¯s mother quietly


    She had been a good wife and daughter¨Cinw during the four years of marriage.


    stor had told Anastasia that she didn¡¯t need to see his mother if she didn¡¯t like her and that


    Anastasia could avoid contact with rtives as much as possible. However, Anastasia would still send


    blessings and gifts during special events.


    Naomi fell ill with hysteromyoma two years ago when stor was on a business trip. Anastasia was the


    only one who took care of her in the hospital. The former slept for barely a few hours a day.


    Anastasia thought people would do the same to her if she treated them sincerely. However, she didn¡¯t


    expect some people to be hard¨Chearted.


    The saddest thing Anastasia remembered was about the house where she and stor lived now.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    As a marital property, that house was bought by stor to fulfill his promise of giving Anastasia a


    home. Therefore, only Anastasia¡¯s name was written on the deed when stor bought the house.


    Anastasia was moved at that time, but Naomi made a scene.


    It was the first time Anastasia had seen Naomi¡¯s elegant and cultured mother¨Cinw cursing like that.


    In Naomi¡¯s opinion, Anastasia only married stor because of money and the wish to climb up the


    socialdder.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, we can go to the hospital now. Anastasia felt a little weak, and her whole body


    was in pain.


    In the face of such a mother¨Cinw, she really didn¡¯t know how she had endured for these four years.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re pregnant. Look, Mrs. Lopez. This is all a misunderstanding.¡± Zeke hurriedly stood up


    apologetically. ¡°Annie, why did you spend 600 thousand dors?¡±


    ¡°stor cheated. He just spent a few hundred thousand dors on his mistress. Don¡¯t you know that?¡±


    Anastasia made it clear.


    Since stor stopped pretending, she did not need to care about his dignity.


    Naomi was shocked. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Are you helping him to hide? Felicia Stewart. You must be familiar with this name. stor¡¯s ex¨C


    girlfriend and first love. He even took Felicia to meet you back then. Anastasia looked at Naomi quietly.


    Naomi felt guilty as stor had a mistress when he was still married. However, she averted her gaze


    and snorted. ¡°stor is such a capable person. It¡¯s normal for him to have a few mistresses.¡±


    Anastasia nodded. ¡°I can understand you. After all, your husband has been living leisurely with his


    lover in Huxville with the excuse of recuperating. That¡¯s normal. It¡¯s hereditary, after all.¡±


    Anastasia knew Naomi¡¯s weakness. stor¡¯s father had a mistress and cut ties with stor and Naomi


    after stor took over thepany.


    Naomi refused to divorce, so Christian Lopez moved out and lived with another woman.


    When Naomi was sick and had an operation for her hysteromyoma, her husband didn¡¯te back to


    visit her.


    Moreover, he didn¡¯t even bother to call her.


    ¡°Anastasia! How can you talk to me like this? Zeke, look at your daughter. Did you raise her like this?


    How can she talk to her elders like this? Naomi was emotional and obviously provoked.


    Anastasia smiled. She thought, ¡°She¡¯s trying to get my dad into this issue when he has nothing to do


    with it.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lopez, Anastasia isn¡¯t a good talker, but she means well,¡± Zeke replied lowly.


    Since Anastasia married, Zeke had be as lowly as a beggar on the street.


    Anastasia looked down on Zeke, but she couldn¡¯t change her family.


    In Anastasia¡¯s view, a family could be poor. However, they must have integrity.


    As Zeke didn¡¯t have it, Anastasia could never lift her head up confidently.


    No one supported her, after all.


    From childhood till now, she seemed to be forever alone.


    She was alone going to school, leaving school, working part¨Ctime, going on blind dates, and getting


    married.


    I don¡¯t believe the pregnancy check¨Cup report. Come with me to the hospital for an examination. If you


    are pregnant, it¡¯s your blessing. If not, divorce stor quickly. If you do not want to have a baby, give


    up on the ce of stor¡¯s wife. Many women out there are willing to give birth to stor¡¯s child.


    Felicia is a perfect candidate.¡± Naomi¡¯s voice was shrill.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Anastasia smiled ironically and sat aside without saying anything.


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t dare to?¡± Naomi asked sarcastically.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. I just feel that it¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Anastasia looked at her mother¨Cinw. It seemed that


    Naomi didn¡¯t feel any affection for her during their four years of getting along. ¡°It¡¯s my blessing to have


    a child? What do you mean? Is it the blessing of staying alone in an empty room and being a grass


    widow like you? If that¡¯s the case. I don¡¯t want this so¨Ccalled. blessing.¡±


    Anastasia was not like this before. She used to be stupid and didn¡¯t know how to speak well. She


    chose to be silent after getting bullied and being wronged.


    Since she knew she would not live long, she wanted to liberate her nature and live freely.


    Everyone would die. Thus, she didn¡¯t feel the need to live so tiredly.


    ¡°Anastasia! How can you talk to me like this?¡± Naomi shouted in a sharp voice like she wanted to hit


    someone. Her so¨Ccalled cultured image was ruined.


    ¡°Calm down. Mrs. Lopez.¡± Sienna rushed up and coaxed her. ¡°Our family has spoiled my sister. Please


    don¡¯t take it personally. Calm down.¡±


    Anastasia wanted tough. ¡°My family spoils me? Nobody cared about me ever since I was young!¡±


    she thought.


    ¡°Look at how impolite you are. I really don¡¯t know what stor was thinking back then.¡± Naomi


    deliberately provoked Anastasia. ¡°Your younger sister is much better than you. I should have let stor


    choose your sister instead of you.¡±


    Sienna¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard this.


    ¡°Anastasia, stop infuriating Mrs. Lopez. She¡¯s in poor health.


    Anastasia was secretlyughing at how brainless Sienna was. However, the former no longer cared


    about her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Anastasia looked at the time, showing that she was busy.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Naomi stood up and questioned Anastasia.


    ¡°To the hospital. Since you and stor are eager to ensure I¡¯m pregnant, let¡¯s go.¡± Anastasia said


    hoarsely, not knowing what she was sad about.


    ¡°What do I love about stor?¡± Anastasia thought.


    Anastasia started not to know why she liked him after four years.


    Naomi snorted and stormed downstairs to take Anastasia to the hospital for examination.


    Anastasia deliberately followed Naomi. She knew Naomi well. To Naomi, what mattered most to her


    was the child and having an heir for the family.


    stor stopped Anastasia at the airport to conduct a check¨Cup because he wanted to abort the child


    before Naomi knew about it so as to avoid any unnecessary trouble.


    Unfortunately, Felicia made a mistake.


    Felicia shouldn¡¯t have told Naomi that Anastasia had suddenly spent stor¡¯s 600 thousand dors.


    Naomi would definitely rush to the Lawson residence to question such an abnormal issue.


    Felicia was still not start enough.


    However, no matter how stupid she was, stor still loved her.


    While waiting for the results in the hospital, Anastasia sat on the bench and kept silent.


    Naomi constantly stared at her, fearing Anastasia would pull some tricks to the results.


    Anastasia wanted tough, but she felt too helpless to do so.


    If it weren¡¯t for her dying, she wouldn¡¯t have known when she would need to continue this life.


    She felt so suffocated.


    During this period, Anastasia sent stor a WhatsApp message: [Let¡¯s chat tonight when we go


    home.]


    stor did not reply, but he didn¡¯t refuse either.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    An hourter, Naomi got the results. ¡°You¡¯re really pregnant.¡±


    While muttering, Naomi called the family doctor to confirm.


    14 10 (1)


    ¡°Since you¡¯re pregnant, go home and take good care of yourself. Don¡¯t make any public appearances.


    It¡¯s not like our family cannot support you financially,¡± Naomi was still muttering, but her tone became


    softer after knowing Anastasia was pregnant.


    However, Anastasia was not moved by it at all.


    Before they left the hospital, Felicia came.


    ¡°You actually came here by yourself. Anastasia smiled.


    Anastasia knew that Felicia would definitelye because she sent the pregnancy check¨Cup report to


    stor.


    ¡°Mr. Lopez made it very clear that he doesn¡¯t want this child. You should be clear about this. Your


    prenuptial agreement clearly states that both of you do not want children.¡± Felicia¡¯s tone was sharp.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    Anastasia stood there, feeling a little suffocated from the pain in her heart.


    After all. stor even told Felicia about the premuptial agreement.


    She sneered in her heart


    Anastasia never took that agreement seriously, thinking it was just a joke


    In the agreement, stor promised Anastasia a few things before marriage, such as a home, a house


    on Hork Third Street. his sry every month, and that he would even take the initiative to wash dishes.


    stor was a good man. He mcluded what a good husband should do after getting married in the


    agreement.


    Anastasia only thought the agreement was a guarantee She didn¡¯t expect that stor would use it as a


    tool to force her to have an abortion


    In that agreement, the only thing constraining Anastasia was not to have children. If there were any


    family conflicts regarding children. stor would solve them as soon as possible.


    It turned out he meant be would abort the child and deal with her as soon as possible.


    ¡°Anastasia, you should know stor well. After all, you have been together for four years. He¡¯s very


    stubborn and will never change his mind easily I advise you not to provoke him¡± Felicia looked at


    Anastasia meaningfully ¡°You have done a lot of tricks, such as secretly installing surveince cameras


    and making your sister seduce stor. These things are the bottom line for hum¡±


    Anastasia kept silent and waited quietly


    She was waiting for Naomi toe out after making a phone call.


    ¡°To tell you the truth, I was worried that stor wouldn¡¯t divorce you After all, he was with you for four


    years. Indeed, he didn¡¯t n to divorce you at first I didn¡¯t expect that you would lose yourposure¡±


    Feliciaughed, ridiculing Anastasia¡¯s stupidity


    If Felicia were Anastasia, she would respect stor like he was the Deity of Wealth Felicia wouldn¡¯t


    care if he had mistresses of a harem. As long as he paid her money every month, she would stay home


    obediently.


    Unfortunately, Anastasia had to do the opposite.


    Did stor ask you to tell me that? Anastasia spoke in a hoarse voice.


    Her throat was burning


    ¡°Mr. Lopez only said he wanted you to have an abortion,¡± Felicia replied indifferently


    Felicia wanted Anastasia to give up on storpletely


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m stor¡¯s wife. This child is legal andpliant. It¡¯s my choice whether I want to abort the


    child or not.¡± Anastasia wanted to leave


    However, Felicia stopped Anastasia, ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t be so shameless¡±


    Felicia was obviously anxious.


    She wanted the child to disappear more than stor.


    Anastasia pped Felicia in the face. ¡°How dare you? You¡¯re just a lowly mistress, yet you¡¯re showing


    off in front of me Since stor doesn¡¯t want this child, tell him toe to me in person. It¡¯s not your


    ce to talk here.¡±


    Naomi came out and walked over quickly ¡°What happened? You¡¯re pregnant. You shouldn¡¯t make a


    move.¡±


    Anastasia snorted and stopped talking


    After Anastasia beat Felicia thetter covered her face angrily and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Mrs.


    Naomi Lopez, stor said that she can¡¯t keep this child¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Why can¡¯t she keep my grandson?¡± For Naomi, the child was extremely


    precious. Her life was too dull, and stor didn¡¯t apany her every day. Thus, she needed a child


    to fill her time.


    Naomi wanted the child to brighten up her life as a grass widow


    Felicia gritted her teeth and looked at Anastasia ¡°How dare she tell Naomi about her pregnancy!¡±


    Felicia thought.


    ¡°Mrs. Lopez. I heard that Anastasia has a cat. She¡¯s already pregnant now, so she can¡¯t keep it. There


    are many parasites on them. We have to send the cat away as soon as possible. Felicia whispered.


    Naomi thought it made sense and looked at Anastasia ¡°Why are you still keeping a cat? Send it away.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worse than a beast.¡± Anastasia pointed at Felicia and looked at her warningly.


    16 39 1


    Snowball was Anastasia¡¯s bottom line. No one could touch it.


    Felicia covered her face and walked away angrily.


    Anastasia knew well that Felicia was going toin in exaggeration to stor.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    If Felicia didn¡¯tin. Anastasia would not see stor tonight.


    However, Anastasia had hit the apple of stor¡¯s eye. Thus, he would definitelye home that night.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    Anastasia came home exhausted. She was annoyed by Naomi¡¯s nagging


    On the way home. Naomi kept talking about all kinds of bad habits that were not conducive to the baby.


    Naomi said Anastasia couldn¡¯t stay upte, draw, touch paint, inhale car exhaust fumes, or eat this or


    that.


    After she finally managed to get rid of Naomi, Anastasia entered the password to enter her home, but


    the password was


    Wrong


    Standing in front of the door, Anastasia was distressed.


    The door could be unlocked with a fingerprint or password. Anastasia tried both methods several times,


    but it didn¡¯t work. There was only one possibility; stor had changed the password and deleted her


    fingerprint.


    The administrator of the smart lock was stor. Without his consent, it was impossible to change the


    password at all.


    Anastasia thought, ¡°What is he trying to do? Did he just kick me out of the house?¡±


    Smiling self¨Cdeprecatingly, Anastasia lowered her head, feeling tears welling up in her eyes.


    The feeling of having her pride trampled on by others made her feel sick.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and turned to leave.


    But Anastasia stopped in her tracks as soon as she reached the elevator.


    She thought, ¡°Why should I leave? This is my home.¡±


    Anastasia called the locksmith to rece the smart lock.


    After entering the living room. Anastasia found that her house was cleaned up and everything in the


    bedroom had been reced with new ones. What originally belonged to her had disappeared.


    Her suitcase in Felicia¡¯s car had been thrown into the living room, as if it was mocking Anastasia for


    being like a homeless. stray dog.


    Anastasia felt suffocated. She opened the closet and took a look at it, finding that her clothes had all


    been thrown away.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Anastasia really didn¡¯t expect that stor could go this far..


    Anastasia¡¯s vision turned ck, and she almost lost her bnce while squatting down with shortness of


    breath.


    Meowing, Snowball came running over and rubbed against Anastasia in her arms.


    The pet could always sense the change in his master¡¯s mood. Snowball fixed his big eyes on Anastasia


    and meowed softly in a therapeutic way.


    Anastasia held Snowball in her arms and said with a hoarse voice, ¡°Snowball, stor doesn¡¯t want you


    anymore.¡±


    Snowball seemed to feel sad as well as he was whimpering.


    After sitting on the ground for a long time to rpose herself, Anastasia got up and went to the


    bathroom to take a


    shower.


    Anastasia then sat on the balcony tiredly and petted Snowball. She was lost in thought for a long time.


    She thought, ¡°Where should I go?¡±


    She had thought that stor was the person she would rely on for the rest of her life and that he was


    her family and the harbor where she could rest when she got tired. However, he turned out to be just a


    temporary stop.


    At about nine o¡¯clock in the evening, stor came back.


    Anastasia guessed it right. He came to confront her..


    Sure enough, the first thing he said upon entering the house was ¡°Did you hit Felicia?*


    Anastasia entered the living room with Snowball in her arms and sat on the couch. ¡°Can¡¯t ¡±


    stor frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡±


    Anastasia similed. ¡°Then to whom do I belong?¡±


    stor was sitting across from Anastasia with a gloomy face. ¡°Do you want a divorce?¡±


    Anastasia thought it was ridiculous that they could sit there so calmly to discuss who wanted a divorce.


    She thought, ¡°But isn¡¯t the divorce proposed by stor?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to tell me about your rtionship with Felicia?¡± Anastasia looked at stor and


    tightened her hold on Snowball.


    After muzzling Anastasia, Snowball jumped out of her arms and crawled into stor¡¯s arms.


    It seemed that he was ttering his owners, trying to keep them from quarreling.


    stor looked down at Snowball, petted him, and said in a low voice, ¡°I did have a rtionship with her


    in the past. I¡¯m sorry if it makes you ufortable.¡±


    Anastasia smiled and looked up, trying to hold back her tears. She thought, ¡°He finally admitted that he


    had a rtionship.


    with Felicia.¡±


    ¡°stor, you still love her, right?¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t know how she managed to ask this question.


    She worked hard for four years during their four years of marriage but it didn¡¯t pay off. stor still didn¡¯t


    love her.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    stor was silent for a long time before he voiced his apology, which was an affirmative answer to her


    question.


    Anastasia took a deep breath. ¡°Do you want me to ask for a divorce so that your first crush can take my


    spot? It¡¯s Impossible. I won¡¯t divorce.¡±

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    stor leaned on the couch and said with a hoarse voice, as if he was either tired or impatient, ¡°What


    are your conditions?¡±


    stor ced the divorce agreement on the table.


    He hade prepared, and everything had been ready.


    Anastasia looked at the divorce agreement on the table and smiled helplessly. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to


    divorce me before I went to Atharia, did you? After all, you¡¯ve been keeping up your image as a good


    husband so well in the past four years, and a cheating scandal is not good for you. Besides, you can


    find no other woman as obedient as I am to be your wife¡±


    Anastasia was curious about Felicia¡¯s trick, which suddenly caused stor to change his mind and ask


    for a divorce.


    stor looked at Anastasia with his deep eyes and remained silent for a long time. ¡°Divorce peacefully,


    and I won¡¯t treat you badly. Isn¡¯t it good for both of us to give what each other wants?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s hands, wrapped in a shawl, stiffened. She thought, ¡®Give what each other wants?


    Who will give me what I want after I give stor to Felicia?¡±


    ¡°Did I do a bad job all these years?¡± Anastasia looked at stor.


    She felt inferior when she asked the question.


    From the day of marriage registration, she tried hard to do what a wife should do.


    ¡±


    She doubted if she was the only one who had put in effort to maintain the marriage for the


    past


    four years.


    ¡°You did a good job, so I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve treated you badly.¡± stor pointed at the agreement.


    Anastasia took a look at it and smiled.


    Indeed, stor did not treat her badly.


    The house, the car, and all his existing assets of 6 million dors were given to her.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    It was equivalent to him leaving the marriage with nothing.


    stor was determined to divorce.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Anastasia put down the agreement.


    She thought, I¡¯m dying. What¡¯s the use of this?¡±


    She had to make stor suffer.


    ¡°Get an abortion, and you can tell me any additional conditions.¡± stor looked at Anastasia calmly.


    ¡°Only Felicia deserves to have your child, huh?¡± Anastasia asked in a hoarse voice.


    stor didn¡¯t retort.


    ¡°Heh.¡± Anastasia smiled. ¡°Your mother doesn¡¯t want me to have an abortion.¡±


    ¡°Think about it. There¡¯s no point in continuing this marriage.¡± stor asked Anastasia to think carefully..


    ¡°How could it be pointless? As long as I don¡¯t divorce, Felicia will always be a mistress. Why should I


    divorce?¡± Anastasia shrank her legs indifferently.


    She didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°What about him?¡± stor looked at Anastasia with burning eyes.


    Anastasia was stunned and frowned. ¡°Who?¡±


    stor looked at Anastasia as if he was saving her face.


    Anastasia¡¯s face was grim. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    stor sped his hands slowly, and his beautiful face spoke of fatigue.


    Anastasia had to admit that stor was really good¨Clooking.


    He was attractive to Anastasia.


    She thought that stor was perfect, except for the fact that he did not love her.


    ¡°I¡¯m interested to know who this man is,¡± stor said in a deep voice as he put a photo on the table.


    It was an old photo.


    In the photo, Anastasia smiled happily while holding a cake, and the boy was kissing her on the cheek.


    16:391


    That year, she was 19 years old and a freshman.


    The boy was a nude model in Anastasia¡¯s art ss. He had pulled her out of the darkest time in her life.


    That year, he suddenly appeared in Anastasia¡¯s world and then disappeared.


    It was as if he had never appeared before.


    If stor hadn¡¯t taken out this photo, she would have forgotten the boy.


    ¡°Did Sienna give you the photo?¡± Anastasia smiled. She thought, ¡°I can¡¯t believe Sienna will give it to


    stor to use as a bargaining chip after so many years have passed. Is stor nning to pin an


    allegation on me now?¡±


    ¡°stor, are you trying to pin an allegation on me to prove that both of us are at fault?¡± Anastasia¡¯s


    fingers were tingling. She really didn¡¯t know how far stor could go. ¡°If you can find this man, maybe I


    will thank you.¡±


    She didn¡¯t even remember the name of the person in the photo.


    She only knew that the person had saved her when she was almost sexually assaulted by Meredith¡¯s


    brother, Harold Carter.


    After that, they spent a short time together.


    He was homeless, and she kept him in her rental house for a day.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they the same person?¡±


    stor looked at Anastasia with aplicated look in his eyes. He didn¡¯t expect Anastasia to be so


    good at lying.


    He took out another photo. It was in Pollerton. Someone secretly photographed her and Jason holding


    hands on the balcony at his birthday party.


    ¡°stor, you got someone to follow me!¡± Anastasia looked at stor in shock, feeling a chill running


    down her spine.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    stor didn¡¯t deny it.


    After discovering that there were surveince cameras at home, he asked his friend in Pollerton to hire


    a private investigator


    to follow Anastasia.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t exin and just looked at stor with heavy breathing.


    stor didn¡¯t care if she was seeing any other men.


    He just wanted to pin an allegation on her.


    Then, they could end their marriage in peace.


    He wanted to minimize the loss caused by divorce.


    ¡°What do you want? Just say it.¡± Anastasia never thought that she would negotiate conditions with


    stor face¨Cto¨Cface one day.


    It was just like four years ago when stor was calmly asking her to marry him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold a press conference at thepany about the divorce. The reason is that I¡¯ve been busy with


    work and neglecting you, so we break up peacefully. I need you toe forward.¡±


    Anastasia smiled.


    She knew that stor cared about thepany. After all, part of his reason for choosing a blitz


    marriage was to fight for shares in thepany.


    stor¡¯s grandfather made it clear in his will that stor would need to have a family to own these


    shares.


    If the divorce caused too much trouble, stor¡¯s existing shares would be in dispute.


    ¡°stor, you¡¯re so unbing.¡± Anastasia looked at the agreement and tore it off bit by bit, feeling


    cold all over. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing wrong, so I have a clear conscience, and I¡¯m not afraid of your threats.¡±


    stor frowned and looked at Anastasia, as if he didn¡¯t expect her to say no to a divorce. ¡°Anastasia,


    this isn¡¯t who you are.¡±


    ording to stor¡¯s understanding of Anastasia, she would ept his request for a divorce even if


    he had no feelings for


    her.


    But now, Anastasia felt like a stranger to him.


    ¡°Do you know me? Have you ever thought about getting to know me in the past four years? What kind


    of person am I? Ha. stor, you are wrong. This is who I am. I won¡¯t divorce unless you want to lose all


    standing and reputation.¡± Anastasia threw the agreement into the trash can. ¡°You said that unless you


    are widowed, you will never divorce me. Either I die or Felicia remains a mistress all her life!¡±


    Anastasia was very emotional. Her whole body was trembling, and her muscles and bones were so


    painful that she had spasms all over her body. She also began to have a fever as her body temperature


    rose.


    She thought. ¡°Does stor lie to me all these years? We only got married because I was useful and


    Felicia went abroad four years ago. Am I supposed to quit and give stor to Felicia now that she¡¯s


    back?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ll give you three months to think about it.¡± stor didn¡¯t want to stay. He stood up and


    looked at Anastasia hesitantly.


    Anastasia held her fingers hard and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°What does she have that makes her better


    than me?¡±


    She was still a little unwilling to ept it.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to be good at anything,¡± stor said calmly. His response was cruel yet true.


    As long as stor loved Felicia, she didn¡¯t need to be good at anything at all. He didn¡¯t mind even if


    she was insensible and caused trouble all the time.


    Due to the fact that stor didn¡¯t love Anastasia, he still didn¡¯t love her even though she yed the role


    of his wife wlessly.


    Anastasia thought, ¡°But is there nothing worth holding on to after four years of marriage?¡±


    Anastasia got up with a sarcastic chuckle. ¡°I can divorce you and help you resolve the share dispute,


    but on one condition.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± stor, who was leaving, stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°Why the rush after you lied to me for four years?¡± Anastasia walked to the window and took out a


    cigarette.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    She didn¡¯t know how to smoke, but she somehow just wanted to try.


    stor frowned and felt a little unhappy. ¡°When did you learn these bad habits?¡±


    ¡°stor, you don¡¯t know me. Anastasia lit the cigarette, but it was taken away by stor.


    16:39


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant. stor looked grim.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to have this child aborted?¡± Anastasia looked up at stor with piercing eyes.


    stor didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°You¡¯llpensate me for my four years of youth. During this period, you can¡¯t take the initiative to


    propose a divorce. I¡¯ll ask for a divorce if I get bored one day.¡± Anastasia lowered her head and fell


    silent for a moment before she added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t take four years.¡±


    She would not divorce. Even if she died, she would be stor¡¯s deceased wife.


    Felicia would be criticized by others forever.


    ¡°During our marriage, please keep up your image as a husband. You¡¯lle home to me every day,


    eat and go shopping with me, and do the dishes. You¡¯ll fulfill the obligations that a married couple


    should fulfill.¡± Anastasia grabbed stor¡¯s tie and unbuttoned his clothes with reddened eyes, refusing


    to give up.


    At that moment, Anastasia felt embarrassed like a needy cheap woman.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor was a little angry, even feeling disgusted.


    Anastasia felt extremely hurt.


    She thought, ¡°Is he disgusted by me just like this? That¡¯s right. Our sex life has never been passionate;


    it was in like water. He has no lust for me.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, I will go to another man. I don¡¯t care whether you cheated or I cheated in marriage.


    You¡¯ll be the one being affected anyway.¡±

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    stor¡¯s face was grim. Anger always showed on his face whenever he was angry.


    Anastasia used to care about his emotions, but now she didn¡¯t want to anymore.


    All she got for being too sensible was being trampled on by stor again and again.


    ¡°You look pale. Have a good rest.¡± stor pushed Anastasia¡¯s hand away and turned to leave.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Are you going to see Felicia?¡± Anastasia looked away and took a deep breath.


    She didn¡¯t know why she was being stubborn or why she was making a scene.


    The truth was suddenly exposed, but she was in so much pain that it was as if she had fallen into a


    thornbush.


    ¡°stor, I¡¯ve been acting as a good wife to you for so many years, but you can¡¯t even stand me for a


    few more days, huh?¡± Anastasia said in a hoarse voice with a threatening tone.


    stor was a little annoyed. ¡°Anastasia, stop it!¡±


    ¡°If you want to leave tonight, I¡¯ll go out and find another man.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t know what she was


    angry about.


    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep in the guest room. stor took a deep breath as if he was holding back his anger.


    Anastasia was a woman of her word. What stor cared about was not whether she went out to find


    another man, but his own reputation.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t intend to let stor go just like that.


    She seemed to have the stubborn determination to do what her heart wanted for once.


    It seemed that she was determined topete with Felicia to see who the winner was.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, I can send you to the andrology department to have a check¨Cup.¡± Anastasia blocked


    stor¡¯s way back to his room, held back the tears in her eyes, and took off her bathrobe.


    She stood naked on the ground, while her dignity and all her love for him the past four years were


    thrown to the ground.


    Maybe she wanted to follow her heart and go wild for once because she knew that she was dying.


    ¡°Stop it, okay?¡± stor rubbed his temple and walked to Anastasia to pick up the bathrobe on the


    ground. ¡°You are very sensible. It¡¯s my fault, and I will make it up to you. Don¡¯t exhaust myst bit of


    guilt for you.¡±


    He was ming Anastasia for suddenly bing insensible.


    Anastasia thought, ¡°When did sensibility be a derogatory term?¡±


    ¡°Do people like you feel guilty?¡± Anastasia stood on tiptoe and bit stor¡¯s lips to vent her anger, tears


    streaming down her face uncontrobly. She didn¡¯t step back until there was coppery taste of blood in


    her mouth.


    stor didn¡¯t dodge and simply let her go mad.


    He didn¡¯t touch her either.


    This kind of indifference toward intimacy could crush a woman¡¯s pride faster than anything else.


    She would start to doubt herself.


    She would wonder what was so unfavorable about her.


    ¡°Hello?¡± stor¡¯s phone rang. He went to answer the phone and left Anastasia in the living room.


    Anastasia was not deaf. The woman who was talking in a coquettish tone on the phone was Felicia.


    ¡°stor, I¡¯m scared being here all alone. Can youe and apany me?¡±


    stor no longer answered the phone behind Anastasia¡¯s back now as if it was nothing even if she


    heard their conversation. ¡°stor, they¡¯re here again. Come over quickly.¡± Felicia¡¯s anxious and


    terrified voice was heard on the phone, as if she was hiding from someone.


    stor frowned and nced at Anastasia subconsciously.


    Anastasia knew that she had lost.


    stor wouldn¡¯t stay tonight.


    But she still said. ¡°Once you step out of this door tonight, I¡¯ll go out and find someone else.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t know what she was mad about. She just felt suffocated.


    stor¡¯s face darkened, but he still exined. ¡°Felicia¡¯s father is in gambling debt. Those people came


    to collect it, and I¡­¡±


    16:40


    ¡°Her father is in gambling debt. She can call the police if the debt collectors are violent!¡± Anastasia


    interrupted stor.


    stor nced at Anastasia with aplicated look in his eyes. He probably felt that he had never


    known that she could go crazy before.


    But he was the one who drove her crazy.


    ¡°Are you also going to settle her father¡¯s debt?¡± Seeing that stor insisted to leave, Anastasia felt


    immensely pathetic.


    ¡°Get dressed¡± stor looked very angry. He picked up the bathrobe on the ground and draped it over


    Anastasia¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Why did you lie to me? Since the blind date, you¡¯ve been lying to me. Why did you lie to me to make


    me marry you? Why did you lie to me when there was another woman in your heart?¡±


    No matter how crazy Anastasia was, stor left anyway.


    Compared with Anastasia going out to find another man, he cared more about whether Felicia would


    be scared by the violent debt collectors.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    Anastasia sat on the ground in a low mood. Wrapped in her bathrobe, she trembled so hard that she


    didn¡¯t have any strength


    at all.


    She thought, ¡°Ha, he didn¡¯t forget to help me put on the bathrobe before he left. How sweet.¡±


    Over the past four years, Anastasia had lost herself slowly under stor¡¯s image as a thoughtful and


    good husband.


    She was really unwilling to ept it.


    Anastasia really went out that night.


    She wore a tank¨Ctop that she didn¡¯t dare to wear usually and put on makeup that she wouldn¡¯t usually


    wear.


    She remembered that stor once said that he didn¡¯t want her to wear makeup and clothes that would


    attract too much


    attention.


    He said he liked her face without makeup and her pure and simple outfit.


    So all these years, all her clothes were in business suits.


    However, Felicia was wearing the most gorgeous makeup.


    She worked as a secretary, but she wore casual and sexy outfits, including sheath dresses and tank¨C


    tops.


    Anastasia thought, ¡°Heh. How ironic.¡±


    Standing in front of the mirror, Anastasia looked at her pale face in the mirror and sneered.


    Theters could never beat a man¡¯s first crush.


    Anastasia looked much better after putting on the lipstick in dark berry shade.


    She wore the sneakers and went to the garage with her high heels.


    In the past four years, she had lived too low¨Ckey and never driven a was afraid that stor would be


    displeased.


    in stor¡¯s


    garage. She found it too mboyant and


    But at the airport the other day, Felicia drove a new Porsche bought by storst year.


    Anastasia picked the most expensive car in the garage and called Kimberly. ¡°Have you arrived at the


    airport? I¡¯ll go pick you


    up.¡±


    Kimberly was worried about Anastasia, so she bought an air ticket toe back.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m waiting for my luggage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in 30 minutes.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Anastasia drove to the airport.


    While waiting for Kimberly in the parking area, Anastasia saw Felicia¡¯s post on Instagram.


    She took a picture of stor¡¯s injury on the back of his hand with a caption that read: [You must marry


    a man who is willing to fight for you.]


    With a cynical chuckle, Anastasia threw the phone aside and covered her eyes with her hand to


    prevent tears from falling


    down.


    ¡°Are you crying?¡± Kimberly knocked on the car window and asked worriedly.


    ¡°Of course not. I spent two hours on my makeup. It¡¯s not worth it to ruin it with tears.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice


    was hoarse, but she proudly ined that she didn¡¯t cry.


    Kimberly put down her luggage and sat in the passenger seat. ¡°What are you going to do with your


    baby? Abort it or keep


    it?¡±


    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t keep it.¡±


    She was now taking some anti¨Ccancer drugs, and her physical condition could not support the healthy


    development of the baby.


    Therefore, she could not keep the baby.


    Kimberly cursed, ¡°What an asshole. If he doesn¡¯t want a child, he should wear a condom. What a jerk.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything as she drove calmly.


    ¡°Anastasia, just get a divorce¡­¡± Kimberly didn¡¯t want Anastasia to suffer so much. ¡°You¡¯re still young:


    you have your whole life ahead of you. If you are 70 or 80 years old, we¡¯ll fight with him to the end, but


    you¡¯re not.


    201


    Kimberly didn¡¯t want Anastasia to waste her youth.


    Anastasia took a deep breath as her eyes turned red.


    She no longer had her whole life ahead of her; her days were numbered.


    Anastasia tightened her grip on the steering wheel and said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the bar. Since he


    can sleep on Felicia¡¯s bed, why can¡¯t I go out and find a man?¡±


    She thought, ¡°It has to be fair.¡±


    ¡°Annie, are you serious?¡± Kimberly asked with distress.


    ¡°Of course, we can spend using stor¡¯s card tonight. You can buy whatever you want and call your


    friends out.¡± Anastasia had told her friends in university toe out for a get¨Ctogether that night as


    Kimberly hade back.


    ¡°Annie. Kimberly felt something was wrong with Anastasia.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything. After stopping the car at the entrance of Hork¡¯srgest bar, she got out


    of the car and put on her high heels.


    Only then did Kimberly realize that Anastasia was beautifully dressed that day.


    Anastasia was born good¨Clooking. She put on exquisite makeup and a tank¨Ctop with casual suit pants,


    which ttered her figure nicely.


    Her long curly hair made her look so beautiful that people could not bear to look away.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous for you to go in when you look like this,¡± Kimberly said with a smile.


    That ce was a hunting ground.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    In the corner, several waiters working at the bar looked at Anastasia and whistled. ¡°Look, a gorgeous


    lady. She¡¯s definitely rich,¡± one of themmented.


    ¡°What nonsense. Did you see her car? It¡¯s worth at least 800 thousand dors.¡±


    ¡°Jason, look. A prettydy.¡±


    Jason lit a cigarette, nced in the direction of Anastasia and Kimberly, and froze.


    He thought, ¡°What a coincidence.¡±

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    *Anastasia, since your registration of marriage without a word, you have nevere out to hang out


    with us at midnight. What¡¯s going on today?¡± one of Anastasia¡¯s friendsughed and teaseil.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of me,¡± Kimberly answered instead.


    ¡°Annie, you¡¯re partial to Kimberly. I¡¯m jealous,¡± the friend joked as she sat beside Anastasia.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Marilyne?¡± Kimberly nced at everyone and found that one of their friends was


    absent.


    ¡°Marilyn Swanson? She broke up with her boyfriend and went abroad to travel. The friend sighed. ¡°She


    has been in a rtionship with her boyfriend for three years, but she was no match for his first crush. I


    heard that his first crush came back to find him, and he didn¡¯t even hesitate to break up despite three


    years of rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of it? The first crush is always the best, and those who appearter are no match


    for the first crush,¡± another friend joked. As soon as she finished speaking, she was attracted by a man


    who served them wine. ¡°Look, a handsome man!¡±


    Jason didn¡¯t speak. He just nced at Anastasia and frowned slightly.


    Anastasia and Kimberly were also stunned. ¡°W¨CWhat a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°You know him?¡± their friend asked and grabbed Kimberly¡¯s arm. ¡°He¡¯s so handsome. He¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°He is my ssmate,¡± Kimberly exined and looked back at Jason. ¡°Are you here to work part¨Ctime?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Jason admitted.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t expect to run into him as well.


    ¡°Handsome, you can hang out with us, and the sales of drinks are yours.¡± Anastasia¡¯s friend looked at


    Jason excitedly and thought. ¡°No way I can find such a handsome man elsewhere.¡±


    1


    Jason smiled and sat beside Anastasia. ¡°The manager asked me toe.¡±


    ¡°Your manager is really good.¡± The friend pushed Kimberly away, sat next to Jason, and handed him a


    ss of wine. ¡°Handsome, let¡¯s have a drink and get to know each other.¡±


    Kimberly looked at Anastasia helplessly, thinking, ¡°Oh no. An innocent man like Jason will lose his


    innocence after being targeted by Sofia Collins.¡±


    When they were in school, everyone knew that Sofia was a famous social butterfly in the Department of


    Art. When she did life drawing during her freshman year, all those nude models she was interested in


    had an affair with her.


    ¡°Sofia, take it easy. He is my ssmate.¡± Kimberly whispered.


    Jason had a weird personality, and he was not a very enthusiastic kind of person.


    Maybe it was also because he worked part¨Ctime to earn living expenses. He poured wine for everyone


    enthusiastically, but not for Anastasia.


    Sofia pressed her body against Jason¡¯s. ¡°Handsome, do you have a girlfriend?¡±


    Jason shook his head.


    ¡°What did we just say? First crush. Can you men never forget your first crush?¡± Sofia asked.


    Jason nced at Anastasia. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Anastasia was a little confused by Jason¡¯s gaze. She poured herself wine and picked up the wine ss


    to drink.


    ¡°What¡¯s so good about the first crush that they¡¯re so worth remembering?¡± Anastasia asked in a low


    voice.


    Jason snatched Anastasia¡¯s wine ss away and drank the wine.


    Everyone looked at Jason in shock. He was sitting under the dim light, and his action of throwing his


    head back and drinking as well as his Adam¡¯s apple that bobbed made him look charming.


    It was a waste that a handsome man like him did not join the entertainment industry.


    ¡°I once loved someone when I was 16. What¡¯s good about our first crush? It¡¯s probably because it¡¯s the


    whole youth of a person. She didn¡¯t need to do anything and just sat there quietly, while I only needed


    to look at her in silence. Just like that, she has surpassed everyone in my heart. Since then, many


    women have appeared in my life but no one can beat her.¡±


    Jason¡¯s voice was beautiful and clear amidst the noisy environment.


    Anastasia¡¯s hands were numb. Jason¡¯s reply was probably the perfect exnation for a man¡¯s first


    crush.


    stor loved Felicia when they were 18 years old. They spent their years in the university together.


    She was his light and his


    13:38


    youth.


    She was someone that could not be reced by any other woman.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Anastasia, have you noticed that you look like Felicia in her teens when you don¡¯t wear makeup?


    When men can¡¯t be with their first crush, they like to find a substitute. This is theirmon problem,¡±


    Jason looked at Anastasia and said in a hoarse


    voice.


    Anastasia¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and the pain began to fill her whole body.


    She thought, ¡°I see. No wonder stor decided to marry me the moment he saw me. It turns out that


    I¡¯ve been Felicia¡¯s substitute the whole time.¡±

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    Kimberly looked at Jason in shock. She thought, ¡°He has never been a nosy person, but why did he


    suddenly mention Felicia? Did he know about the affairs between Felicia and stor? However, he


    shouldn¡¯t be so blunt about it. It will make Anastasia sad.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Kimberly wanted to change the topic by saying something else, but then she changed


    her mind and thought that it was time for Anastasia to give stor up. She continued, ¡°Jason is right. In


    fact, I was shocked when I first met Felicia. in Atharia. When she stood at the side quietly, it seemed to


    be like you, but her personality waspletely different from yours. I felt nauseous as soon as she


    started talking.¡±


    Anastasia remained silent but kept smiling. Then, she poured a ss of wine again.


    Jason frowned and took away Anastasia¡¯s wine ss again.


    Sofia and other friends noticed that something was off about him. She asked, ¡°Handsome, do you know


    Annie?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± Jason looked calm, and his voice sounded like it as well.


    ¡°Give me back the wine. Anastasia felt shortness of breath but suppressed her emotions to ask Jason


    for wine.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t love yourself, no one will.¡± Jason was still educating her.


    Anastasia¡¯s emotions copsed in an instant. She stood up and snatched the wine ss from Jason¡¯s


    hand before she drank it with her head lifted. ¡°You¡¯re too annoying. It¡¯s none of your business even if I


    die on the road.¡±


    Jason remained silent.


    Sofia and the others nced at each other and dared not to say anything.


    They could sense that something was off about Anastasia.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ I have something to tell you, but I¡¯m hesitant to say it.¡± A friend next to Sofia plucked up


    her courage and added, ¡°I work for Wayscape International Corporation. Ourpany has always


    cooperated with your husband¡¯spany, and the rumors said that the rtionship between your


    husband and his secretary is slightly abnormal¡­¡±


    It was clear that everyone in the industry knew about their affairs.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Sofia asked as she frowned.


    ¡°Not long ago, I saw that Mr. Lopez, Anastasia¡¯s husband, picked his secretary up at the entrance of


    ourpany¡¯s building. Logically speaking, he doesn¡¯t need to handle the cooperation personally as a


    boss. However, he picked up that secretary downstairs and even prepared milk and breakfast for her.¡±


    Her friend added cautiously, ¡°Annie, I didn¡¯t mean to say it now. I was scared to tell you the truth since


    you have been married for four years. Although there is no wedding, it has always been quite enviable.¡±


    Anastasia threw the wine ss on the table and asked with a smile, ¡°When did that happen?¡±


    She was holding back herself, but her eyes had welled up with tears.


    ¡°Well, I think it was around the second half ofst year.¡±


    Anastasia lowered her head andughed.


    That was when Felicia had just returned from abroad and joined thepany.


    It turned out that stor had been with Felicia not long after she returned from abroad.


    Anastasia thought he would take her emotions and feelings into consideration.


    In the second half ofst year, Anastasia begun to have poor health in her physical condition. She


    would feel dizzy, tinnitus, and often had joint pain during that period.


    At that time, she was busy with the art exhibition. In most cases, she was too busy to eat breakfast.


    She had called stor after she was sent to the hospital due to low blood sugar and aa.


    However, all stor did was ask her to hold all her work and recuperate at home. He did not show up


    at her art exhibition once, nor helped her, let alone send her breakfast.


    Instead, he was worried about Felicia and even sent her breakfast personally.


    ¡°Anastasia, aren¡¯t you going to do something about it? You¡¯re his wife. He and his secretary-¡± Sofia


    asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Why should I? As Deity of Wealth, he just needs to bear my expenses,¡± Anastasia retorted with a


    harsh tone and forced a smile. She then took out the card and handed it to Jason. ¡°Buy anything you


    want with this card. Stay with me tonight.¡±


    Kimberly gasped in shock and exined quickly, ¡°Jason, she¡¯s drunk. She will act crazy after drinking a


    little. Don¡¯t-


    Jason interrupted and said to Anastasia, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Kimberly was stunned as she did not expect Jason to agree to stay with Anastasia.


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    The precondition is that you have to divorce him.¡± Jason picked up the bank card from the table and


    handed it to the bar manager. ¡°I want to pay by card for tonight¡¯s consumption.¡±


    2 FE 25 2


    Anastasia knew that stor could receive a message about the expenses she had consumed at the


    bar.


    She wondered. ¡°Will he be afraid that I¡¯ll sleep with a man tonight? Will hee?¡±


    stor called her when they paid the bill with the bank card.


    Anastasia handed the phone to Jason as she said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯ll pay the bill. Answer the phone


    for me.¡±


    It was easy for stor to reach her as all she wanted was to know if he would go to the bar to pick her


    up that night..


    ¡°Go home,¡± stor ordered in a low voice.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Anastasia felt absurd as she retorted inwardly, ¡°Are you forbidding others from doing what you yourself


    are doing?¡± Then, she replied. ¡°What did you say? I can¡¯t hear you.¡±


    The music in the bar was loud, and even though she was in a quiet area, she could not hear stor


    clearly.


    ¡°She is drunk. I¡¯ll bring her back with me if you don¡¯t n to pick her up.¡± Jason reached out and took


    Anastasia¡¯s phone.


    stor hung up the phone directly.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°He may think you¡¯re threatening him.¡± Jason leaned against the smoking area and lit a cigarette.


    Anastasia also leaned against the wall and reached out for a cigarette.


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Jason frowned and put off the lit cigarette.


    His movement of lighting the cigarette was out of habit. He had forgotten that Anastasia was right


    beside him.


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Anastasia asked with her head down.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Jason was telling the truth.


    Anastasia fell into silence. Then, she stood up straight and walked out dizzily.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Jason trailed after Anastasia.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d stay with me tonight? Let¡¯s go to the hotel.¡± Anastasia seemed to be joking, yet


    she seemed serious about it.


    ¡°Are you trying to burst out all of your rebellious habits that you have yet to show from your teenage


    years?¡± Jason was amused.


    ¡°It sounds like you know me very well. How do you know that I was not rebellious during my puberty?¡±


    Anastasiaughed ironically.


    She had chosen to be an obedient girl at the time of everyone¡¯s rebellious puberty.


    She was so obedient that anyone could bully her.


    The most rebellious thing that had happened in her life was her leaving her so¨Ccalled biological family


    and choosing to have a blitz marriage with stor.


    ¡°Let me take you to a ce.¡± Jason pulled Anastasia over and took her through the bar kitchen. They


    entered the private elevator and went upstairs.


    That was not a tall building, and it had an open¨Cair garden on the roof. There were many green nts


    and beautiful flowers in bloom.


    Hidden within the high¨Crise buildings of Hork, the scene looked like and of paradise.


    ¡°If hees, you can see him from here.¡± Jason pointed downstairs.


    Anastasia was slightly looking forward to it as she asked, ¡°Do you think he wille?¡±


    ¡°Why did you get married at an early age?¡± Jason asked.


    Those who had the same age as Anastasia, such as Kimberly, were still pursuing their studies.


    ¡°I wanted to pursue my postgraduate studies initially, but I chose the blitz marriage in the age when I


    should enhance myself.¡± Anastasia smiled while she lowered her head, and she thought that was her


    fate. She continued, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve always been rebellious.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would continue pursuing your study. You said your dream¡­¡± Jason¡¯s voice was very low.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Anastasia did not hear him clearly.


    ¡°Nothing¡± Jason brought Anastasia a bottle of mineral water.


    ¡°Can we take anything we want here? Will that count as stealing?¡± Anastasia nced around and


    found that there was no one on such a beautiful rooftop.


    ¡°It¡¯s a private area, Jason said indifferently.


    ¡°Private area? Why did you bring me here? Aren¡¯t you afraid that the manager will fine you?¡± Anastasia


    sat by the flower pond, looking downstairs.


    In fact, she was expecting stor toe for her.


    It was humble for her to force stor away from Felicia in such a way.


    Are you afraid of this when you¡¯re so rebellious?¡± Jason smiled and added, ¡°Anastasia, do you n to


    have a divorce?¡±


    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°I won¡¯t divorce him.¡±


    She thought, ¡°Why should I divorce him?¡±


    Jason frowned, and his expression turned gloomy. ¡°Do you love him that much?¡±


    ¡°I love him. After four years of marriage, he has be family to me and a material basis I have never


    had before. How could it possibly be that I don¡¯t love him?¡± Anastasia said ironically while she


    described herself in a vulgar manner.


    Nevertheless, all she wanted was to have her own family.


    Before meeting stor, she was very poor. Her tuition fee needed to be covered by a student loan, and


    she needed to work many part¨Ctime jobs to sustain her living expenses. Her mentor had helped her


    apply for a slot for her postgraduate study, but she gave it up because stor had promised to create a


    home for her.


    ¡°You can start a new life again. There¡¯s still a long way ahead for your future.¡± Jason looked at


    Anastasia, wanting her to give stor up.


    Anastasia just smiled at him.


    She thought, ¡°I¡¯m sick and dying. I can¡¯t see my future ahead. If I can live longer, I won¡¯t try to persuade


    stor to stay without a remainder of my dignity. I¡¯ll leave without turning back and live my desired life.


    However. I¡¯m dying soon. All 1- want is to have aplete family when I pass away and ¡®Beloved Wife


    of stor¡® written on my gravestone.¡±


    It was one o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Anastasia browsed through Instagram and said in despair, ¡°He won¡¯te.¡±


    Felicia had posted something on her Instagram. She was hospitalized and wrote: [I¡¯m lucky to have the


    fruitful result of our love again.]


    Felicia was pregnant, too.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Anastasia looked at the phone with her head low, and a drop of dark red bloodnded on the back of


    her hand.


    Anastasia wiped her nosebleed casually. She turned her back to Jason after she lifted her head.


    She felt that she probably looked like a mess at that moment.


    ¡°Why are you often having a nosebleed? Let¡¯s have a check¨Cup at the hospital¡± Jason was worried and


    squatted in front of Anastasia with a tissue. ¡°Get a divorce,¡±


    Anastasia held the tissue in her hand tightly and shook her head stubbornly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Jason frowned and kept silent for a long time. Then, he stood up and looked at Anastasia. ¡°What


    makes you so persistent


    with it?¡±


    Anastasia remained silent.


    She was persistent about the home she created.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Jason said in a deep voice.


    Anastasia got up and followed Jason downstairs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I look familiar at all?¡± Jason asked as he stood on the spot after exiting the elevator.


    Anastasia looked dejected and did not listen to what Jason said to her at all..


    ¡°Anastasia! stor is here!¡± Kimberly shouted at the entrance after she saw Anastasia approaching.


    Anastasia raised her head abruptly and looked at stor, who was standing against the light in front of


    the door.


    She thought, ¡°H¨CHe really camel Shouldn¡¯t he take care of his crush at the hospital at this time? So,


    he¡¯s really afraid that I¡¯ll humiliate him with my action.¡±


    ¡°stor, how dare youe here shamelessly? What¡¯s your rtionship with Felicia?¡± Kimberly


    questioned angrily after she realized the situation.


    stor did not exin but said in a deep voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Anastasia felt difficulty in breathing. That was the so¨Ccalled home that she had devoted her life to.


    Anastasia averted her gaze as her eyes welled up with tears.


    She wondered, ¡°Home? Do I even have a home to return?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to Felicia in the hospital? She is pregnant too.¡± Anastasia asked with a smile after she


    walked to stor.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t like children? Will you ask her for an abortion?¡± Anastasia looked into


    stor¡¯s eyes and waited for him to answer.


    ¡°Anastasia, you are different from her.¡±


    stor¡¯s words made her heartbroken.


    Anastasia smiled but felt pain inside.


    She thought, ¡°He¡¯s right. I¡¯m nothing to him. How could Ipete with Felicia? She¡¯s stor¡¯s first


    crush.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t contain my emotions today. Let¡¯s have a talk when we go home.¡± stor asked Anastasia to go


    home with him first.


    For the sake of Felicia, he had already put away his pride to beg Anastasia.


    Anastasia spected that stor would ask her for a divorce andplete the divorce procedure.


    Therefore, he could justifiably take responsibility for Felicia and her child after she gave birth.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    When Anastasia was about to leave, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist.


    Anastasia halted in her tracks and looked back at Jason.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to leave with him?¡± Jason¡¯s voice was deep.


    ¡°Anastasia, we have yet to divorce,¡± stor said solemnly while he gave Jason a warning look.


    Anastasia knew stor well. She knew that he was angry and had been restraining his anger.


    If she hadn¡¯t known that stor and Felicia were having an affair, she would have misunderstood that


    he was jealous.


    ¡°Someone will cherish the one you don¡¯t.¡± Jason was grim as well.


    ¡°You have no right to teach me a lesson,¡± stor warned Jason. It could be seen that the former had


    tried his best restraining¡±


    himself.


    They looked at each other as if they could fight at any moment.


    Kimberly gasped in shock. She did not expect Jason to be so great at acting.


    ¡°Divorce if you don¡¯t love Annie. She¡¯s very popr, and many people love her or even want to pursue


    her. She doesn¡¯tck the love from you.¡± Kimberly said angrily.


    stor did not say anything. He nced at Anastasia withplicated emotions in his eyes.


    Anastasia nced at Jason gratefully. She thought, ¡°He¡¯s good at acting. Those who don¡¯t know the


    situation will think that he¡¯s really in love with me.¡±


    ¡°Tips for you.¡± Anastasia took off her watch and gave it to Jason before she followed stor into the


    car.


    Jason looked gloony. He looked down at the watch in his hand and smiled ironically.


    He thought. ¡°After all, it¡¯s toote for me to make a move.¡±


    On the way home, stor¡¯s expression was grim. It caused the atmosphere in the car to be


    tense.


    Neither of them started a conversation.


    It was not until the car stopped in the parking space that stor asked, ¡°How long have you been


    together? When did you start the rtionship after our marriage?¡±

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry to me me?¡± Anastasia did not look at stor, and her voice was


    hoarse.


    stor got out of the car and came to open the door for Anastasia.


    She sneered inwardly. ¡°How considerate of him.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he want you to divorce me?¡± stor asked while he stood by the door.


    ¡°You are the one who wants me to divorce you, remember?¡± Anastasia did not get out of the car


    because her legs were numb and badly hurt.


    Anastasia could sense that stor had no intention of going up with her. He seemed to be in a hurry to


    leave.


    She wondered, ¡°Is he afraid that Felicia would be unsafe alone in the hospital? Or is he afraid that she


    would make a scene again?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to talk to me?¡± Anastasia looked up at stor.


    ¡°Have a good rest. stor blurted out those words after hesitating to say something but stopped


    himself from saying it.


    Anastasia smiled. She yed dumb and got out of the car before she held stor¡¯s wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s go


    home and sleep.¡± ¡°Anastasia, I said that I would make up for you if I make a mistake. You can state


    your request.¡± stor held Anastasia¡¯s hand and let go of it slowly.


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    Anastasia looked at stor¡¯s hand and was silent for a long time.


    ¡°I want to keep this baby.¡± Anastasia looked down at her belly.


    She wanted to take a gamble even though she knew that she shouldn¡¯t keep the baby.


    ¡°It¡¯s more beneficial to you and him without this child.¡± stor looked at Anastasia quietly.


    Anastasia felt absurd. That was the real stor. He was so thoughtful that he even took her cheating


    and divorce life into consideration.


    He even knew that divorce women were more likely to be epted without children.


    ¡°What if I¡¯m determined to keep this baby?¡± Anastasia¡¯s eyes were firm and persistent.


    stor remained silent for a moment and said, ¡°Then keep it.¡±


    Anastasia wanted to cry and reached out. She wanted to grab stor¡¯s hand. She even had the urge


    to ask him to break up with Felicia for a moment.


    She even wanted to humbly beg him to love her.


    However, her raised hand was left dangling in midair.


    stor¡¯s phone rang.


    His phone had rung consecutively all the way back.


    stor turned around to answer the phone, leaving Anastasia alone on the


    spot.


    Anastasia felt numb in her fingers. A sudden thought came to her, and she wondered the purpose of


    her persistence in that rtionship.


    ¡°stor, I¡¯m scared. Hurry back. Have you made it clear to her? Is she still refusing to divorce?¡±


    In the phone, Felicia¡¯s voice was sharp and could be heard clearly in the night.


    stor frowned, and his expression was sullen.


    Anastasia stood on the spot, waiting for him to end his call, and turned to end their rtionship.


    Anastasia could not hear what stor and Felicia had said, as she had severe tinnitus at that time.


    Anastasia took a deep breath, leaned against the door, and tried to make herself look less pathetic.


    She thought, ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous for me topete with Felicia for stor. He was right. I¡¯m no match for


    her. How could I make him stay with me? With the baby that¡¯s not supposed to exist in this world? Or


    our four years of marriage?¡±


    ¡°Go home.¡± After hanging up the phone, stor came over and asked Anastasia to go home coldly.


    Anastasia just looked at stor quietly and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Can¡¯t she wait?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, take care of yourself.¡± stor raised his hand and brushed Anastasia¡¯s hair behind her ear.


    His voice was soft, and his movements were also very gentle.


    10


    His gentleness made Anastasia have a ridiculous illusion.


    In the past four years, she had fallen in love with him gradually, relying on that damm illusion.


    ¡°stor, you¡¯ll regret treating me in such a way.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse and trembling, with her


    fingers clenched tightly.


    stor did not say anything and drove away.


    Anastasia stood on the spot. She took a deep breath and lowered her head with a smile.


    Slowly, her smile vanished, and tears welled up in her eyes uncontrobly.


    She squatted on the ground and cried for a long time.


    It was not until the sensation of Anastasia¡¯s numb legs faded that she slowly stood up while holding the


    streetmp with difficulty.


    Anastasia¡¯s vision turned ck. She almost lost her bnce and slumped onto the ground after taking


    a few steps. Then, she slowly lost consciousness.


    Before Anastasia fell into aa, she thought absurdly whether stor would return to her if he knew


    that she was dying.


    ¡°Annie!¡±


    ¡°Annie!¡±


    In a trance, Anastasia seemed to hear someone calling her name with anxiety.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    Anastasia was already in the hospital when she woke up


    ¡°Annie, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Kimberly was guarding Anastasia by the bed and breathed a sigh of


    relief after noticing her friend woke up. ¡°Why insist on drinking if you can¡¯t drink? What¡¯s the point of


    tormenting yourself?¡±


    If Jason had not been worried about Anastasia and followed Kimberly here to check on her. Anastasia


    must have spent a night outside alone


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Anastasia replied in a hoarse voice. She moved slightly and sat up, wanting to pull out the TV


    drip


    ¡°Your examination results aren¡¯t promising. The doctor said that the doubling of HCG levels is not ideal


    Your baby might not be born sessfully. The doctor wants you to prepare yourself mentally for it.¡±


    Kimberly sighed and chose her words carefully


    Anastasia had already expected that her fragile body could never hurture a life.


    Yet, her hand that was about to pull out the IV drip paused.


    Anybody would have wanted to have their own baby if they had a healthy body.


    She loved this baby very much


    She also wanted the baby to be born healthy, even if it meant trading her own life for it.


    However, the reality was always cruel.


    ¡°I have to go home¡­ Snowball was alone at homest night. No one fed him breakfast,¡± Anastasia


    whispered and changed the subject.


    Snowball was her only emotional support now.


    She had to go home and apany Snowball.


    ¡°I saw stor¡­ I asked him to go home and feed Snowball, thene here to pick you up.¡± Kimberly


    averted her


    Anastasia.


    You saw lum in the hospital?¡± Anastasia was stunned for a moment.


    gaze from


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Kimberly lowered her head and replied after a long time, ¡°Felicia¡¯s also in the hospital. She¡¯s


    just right next door, and stor has been with her the whole time. I saw him when I sent you herest


    night.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡± Anastasia leaned against the headboard, feeling her body numb.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you breakfast. Behave yourself and have a good rest after getting the IV drip.¡± Kimberly warned


    Anastasia not to think about pulling out the IV drip.


    Anastasia kept silent and leaned against the headboard with mixed thoughts.


    The phone at the headboard rang. Anastasia picked it up and took a look, noticing that it was stor¡¯s


    WhatsApp message


    He sent a video of himself feeding Snowball, saying that he had taken care of the cat. He also asked


    her to take a good rest in the hospital.


    She remembered that stor gave her support when she decided to adopt Snowball back then.


    She knew that stor disliked children, so Anastasia did not dare to take Snowball home directly when


    she saw him abandoned by his previous owner. Instead, she took him to an animal clinic.


    It was stor who discovered the cat hair on her body and asked her about it.


    That night, Anastasia found Snowball at home, discovering the cat food and cat bed bought by stor


    too.


    stor said, ¡°Anastasia, you can keep the cat if you like. Thus is your home¡±


    That night, Anastasia hid in the bathroom with her eyes turned red with tears.


    Perhaps, it was around that time that she truly fell deeply in love with stor.


    Having been married for four years, they were truly a model couple, showing mutual respect and taking


    care of each other


    before Felicia came back.


    If Felicia did not retur the country, they would probably continue to live such a ¡°loving life¡±


    They would continue to live for another year, two years, three years, or four years until she passed


    away.


    Unfortunately, there was no ¡°il¡± in reality.


    It was because Felicia was the exception for stor. She had all his preferences and was the one he


    had no choice but to love. ¡°You think you can tie stor down by having a child? I¡¯m sorry to burst your


    bubble, but I¡¯m pregnant too¡± At the door,


    19-08


    Felicia leaned against the door and said sarcastically, ¡°Anastasia, stop struggling anymore. Wouldn¡¯t it


    be better for both of us to keep our dignity?¡±


    Anastasia stared at Felicia, recalling that it was stor who had given Felicia the confidence to


    provoke her multiple times.


    ¡°You even think of using a cat when you can¡¯t tie stor down with a child? You¡¯re ridiculous.¡± Felicia


    held a lot of


    resentment.


    Anastasia knew why Felicia was behaving at such. It was probably because Kimberly informed that


    Snowball was not fed, so stor left the hospital to feed the cat, causing Felicia to be unhappy-


    Anastasiaughed sarcastically and said, ¡°It turns out that you and your baby are less important than a


    cat I keep. Have you taken your breakfast?¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicia¡¯s face darkened, and she gripped her own hands tightly. ¡°Anastasia, let¡¯s see how long you can


    stay smug. You¡¯d better pray that your cat will never go missing.¡±


    Felicia was clearly threatening Anastasia.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    ¡°If anything bad happens to Snowball, don¡¯t me me for seeking you out for this.¡± Anastasia did not


    intend to have an open. conflict with Felicia for the sake of stor.


    She pped Felicia in the face that day, causing stor to interrogate her personally. If Anastasia


    provoked Felicia now, stor would definitely punish her.


    ¡°Anastasia, if I were you, I would have left quickly with the property I deserved to get. Even though you


    only stayed with stor for four years, he must have given you quite a lot of money, right?¡± Felicia


    deliberately asked, clearly wanting to know the divorce terms stor offered to Anastasia.


    Anastasia squinted her eyes and thought, ¡°Didn¡¯t stor tell Felicia that he would leave the marriage


    with nothing?¡±


    ¡°You probably don¡¯t know about this, but stor wants to leave the marriage with nothing.¡± Anastasia


    smiled and looked at Felicia quietly.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Felicia was obviously stunned for a moment, and her expression looked very unpleasant. ¡°Anastasia,


    don¡¯t you go too far! What right do you have to make stor do that? Do you really think you¡¯re


    innocent? You were not innocent already when you married stor. stor¡¯s not your first man at all.


    You don¡¯t have the right to make him leave the marriage with` nothing!¡±


    Anastasia looked at Felicia sarcastically, wishing that stor could see Felicia¡¯s face and attitude right


    now.


    It was quite obvious that Felicia did not love stor but his money more.


    ¡°How do you define innocent?¡± Anastasia watched quietly Felicia turning hysterical.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t you pretend. Do you think you didn¡¯tmit an extramarital affair? Who¡¯s that man in


    the photo given by Sienna? You were in an ambiguous rtionship with that man since you were


    eighteen. Don¡¯t you dare pretend to be innocent.¡± Felicia could not suppress her anger anymore.


    Upon learning that stor would gain nothing if he divorced, she turned even more agitated than


    hearing stor refusing a divorce.


    ¡°If you¡¯re a piece of shit, do you think everyone else is the same as you?¡± Outside the door, Kimberly


    came back with a fit of strong anger. ¡°Get the hell out of here. If it weren¡¯t for your pregnancy, I would


    have given you a big p on the face.¡±


    Felicia looked at Kimberly angrily and turned to leave.


    ¡°Anastasia, if you¡¯re not going to teach her a lesson, why waste your time talking nonsense with her? I


    can¡¯t believe you can still talk to her so calmly.¡± Kimberly felt angry and sorry for Anastasia.


    ¡°I pped Felicia in the face that day, and stor rushed home to interrogate me. I¡¯m not in the mood


    to deal with her now.¡± Anastasia leaned on the bed and pondered whether to divorce or not.


    ¡°Annie, why don¡¯t you want a divorce? Tell me the truth. Is it that¡­ you¡¯re afraid that you¡¯ll be


    alone again?¡± Kimberly knew Anastasia well. She knew why Anastasia gave up the opportunity to study


    abroad because thetter was so eager for a family, feeling feared and panicked to be left alone.


    ¡°Annie, if you hadn¡¯t given me the slot to go abroad¡­ You won¡¯t be hurt by that scumbag now.¡±


    Kimberly hugged Anastasia in distress and patted her on the back. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I should stay here


    with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my life. I chose the way myself, so it has nothing to do with you.¡± Anastasia shook her head


    numbly.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t feel wrong for yourself, okay? I won¡¯t be leaving aftering back this time. We¡¯ll live


    together, and I¡¯ll give you a home, okay?¡± Kimberly begged Anastasia not to continue to wrong herself


    for the so¨Ccalled family


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes reddened, and tears gushed out from them with her head lowered. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    After finishing the IV drip, Anastasia followed Kimberly and left.


    When they left, they happened to see stor¡¯s car parked in the parking slot.


    Anastasia just watched stor get out of the car in a hurry, where thetter carried a lunch box and


    entered the hospital. ¡°Look, it¡¯s so easy to tell whether a man loves a woman or not.¡± Anastasia closed


    her eyes with a smile, her breathing trembling with pain.


    This was the difference between love and non¨Clove.


    Due to his not loving her, she was told not to have children during the four years of marriage.


    Due to the man not loving her, their four years of feelings were worthless.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home¡­ Anastasia knew that stor would not return home tonight.


    Felicia would use all her means to retain stor and provoke Anastasia.


    After returning home, Anastasia sat on the couch tiredly. While looking at Snowball, who had been fed,


    she reached out her


    hand at him.


    Snowball came overzily and approached slowly. He climbed onto Anastasia¡¯s legs and fell asleep in


    herp.


    ¡°Snowball, I¡¯m going to divorce Daddy. Will you follow me or Daddy?¡± Anastasia asked in a soft voice,


    unsure whether she was asking Snowball or the baby inside her tummy.


    ¡°Meow, Snowball meowed uneasily.


    Anastasiay on the couch and slept with Snowball in her arms.


    Not knowing how long she had slept, Anastasia was woken up by the phone call.


    When she woke up, the sky had turned dark.


    As expected. stor did note back.


    After checking the time, it was already past eleven o¡¯clock.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Anastasia answered the call.


    ¡°Anastasia, stor was drunk and had a fight at the bar. Come and have a look.¡±


    Anastasia hitched her breath and could not believe that stor had a fight. She was confused as she


    thought he was with Felicia.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    Anastasia sat on the couch with a headache for a while before getting up and picking up her coat to


    head outside.


    She was still wondering why stor would go to a bar and light in a drunken state.


    Anastasia had known stor for four years, and she knew that he was mature andposed. He


    would never do such a thing as to lose his status. That was why the incident that day surprised her.


    Blood drained from her face as Anastasia felt a severe headache.


    When she was discharged from the hospital, she saw stor deliver food to Felicia in a hurry. She


    wondered if they had quarreled


    Anastasiaughed ironically and thought, ¡°It looks like they really had a quarrel.¡±


    After knowing that stor was going to leave a marriage with nothing, Felicia had her face turned


    gloomy.


    With her attitude, Felicia must have fought with stor.


    stor did not makeparisons between Anastasia and Felicia in the past, but after four years of


    marriage, Anastasia¡¯s sensibility was the biggestparison.


    Anastasia knew stor did not love her, but men were assholes. Even if they did not love someone, it


    did not mean they would not make aparison of their women.


    Anastasia drove to the bar. When she got out of the car, her legs felt numb, and her bones began to


    hurt. She did not know how long her body could hold on.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally here!¡± In a private room, a man said with a reproachful tone. It was stor¡¯s younger


    cousin, Steven Quigley, who was also a member of thepany¡¯s management.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just send him back by yourself?¡± Anastasia asked in a deepened voice.


    The corner of stor¡¯s lips was bruised, which was clearly caused by a fight.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    stor drank a lot of booze but was notpletely unconscious.


    ¡°The fight has just subsided. You have no idea what I witnessed. I have never seen stor like this


    before¡­ It was so scary. He went crazy and fought someone,¡± Steven said with lingering fear.


    ¡°Fortunately, he just fought with a waiter.¡±


    Anastasia frowned and walked to stor. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call Felicia to pick you up?¡±


    stor was lying on a couch, looking somewhat in pain. He must have had a headache after drinking


    too much..


    Anastasia knew stor had a bad stomach. Drinking alcohol would also cause gastric pain and a


    headache the next day. Therefore, when stor returned home from business meetings every time,


    Anastasia would prepare him a hangover remedy to soothe his stomach.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the person who fought with him?¡± Yet, Anastasia did not want to care about stor this time.


    Since he decided to divorce, stor should have called Felicia as he had chosen Felicia between her


    and Anastasia.


    ¡°Anastasia, leave the matter alone. I¡¯ll deal with it. Just take stor back quickly.¡± Steven asked


    Anastasia to take stor home impatiently.


    ¡°That person would be me.¡± At the entrance of the private room, Jason leaned against the door frame.


    When he saw Anastasiaing, he took the initiative to put out the cigarette smoke, as he knew that


    she was pregnant.


    Anastasia was stunned for some time while looking at Jason.


    Both men did not get any advantage, only getting injuries on their faces.


    Anastasia took a deep breath, feeling confused. ¡°Why did you two fight?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. He beats people around like a mad dog¡± Jason frowned.


    ¡°Who did you call a mad dog!¡± Steven was a little enraged and stepped forward, wanting to punch


    Jason.


    ¡°Steven, you¡¯d better take care of stor!¡± Anastasia stood in front of Jason with slight anger.


    She wondered what exactly stor was trying to do by fighting with Jason.


    Anastasia, why are you protecting him?¡± Steven looked at Anastasia in astonishment. Anger was


    shown on his faceter on. ¡°It seems that stor is right. You already have someone else.¡±


    Anastasia looked at Steven, feeling her fingers turn numb.


    She thought, ¡°Is that how stor told Steven about me?¡±


    Anastasia clenched her fingers tightly with trembling breaths, and her gaze fell on stor.


    10.001


    stor sat up straight and looked up at Anastasia with aplicated gaze.


    ¡°Anastasia, why are you treating stor like this? No wonder he¡¯s so mad today! Is this how you treat


    him when he has been good to you in the past four years of marriage?¡± Steven red at Jason angrily


    and then at Anastasia. ¡°When you two got married, our whole family opposed the marriage. It was my


    brother who insisted on marrying you and ignored their opposition. Your poor family was like a beggar,


    following behind stor and always asking him for money. Did stor evenin about you these


    years?¡±


    ¡°Steven!¡± stor¡¯s voice was deep and full of anger. He clearly wanted Steven to shut up.


    ¡°stor! Why should I shut up? What makes her think she could do such terrible things to you!¡± Steven


    was emotionally agitated. ¡°What gives her the right to treat you like this when you have been good to


    her? She even secretly installed surveince cameras at home, wanting to force you to leave the


    marriage with nothing. This woman is really malicious.¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath, and her eyes darkened.


    In order to put her on charges, stor had already started to nder her in front of his family, paving


    the way for forcing her to divorce.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Jason noticed something was off with Anastasia and hugged her in panic. ¡°Anastasia!¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡± stor also rushed forward to snatch Anastasia in panic and pushed Jason away. ¡°Don¡¯t let


    me see you before we get a divorce¡­¡±

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    10.00 7


    Anastasia pushed stor away with all her strength, as she thought his concern was disgusting.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Jason wanted to hold Anastasia.


    Anastasia did not refuse Jason¡¯s kindness and leaned on him.


    She no longer had the strength to stand up.


    stor¡¯s face darkened. He raised his hand and rubbed his face, evidently trying to suppress his


    anger.


    ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯re not even bothering to hide your true colors now?¡± Steven was very angry. ¡°stor


    has been so good to you, and this is how you treat him? You¡¯re really cold¨Chearted. We can never


    judge the book by its cover.¡±


    ¡°What right do you even have to me me?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Steven, you¡¯re also


    working in stor¡¯spany. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ You don¡¯t know his rtionship with Felicia!¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice was trembling.


    She wondered why this man was still trying to pretend to be clueless.


    She thought. ¡°What a double¨Cstandard man, trying to forbid others from doing what he¡¯s doing.¡±


    Steven was stunned for a moment and looked at Anastasia in shock. He then nced at stor.


    ¡°stor¡­ She knows about


    it?¡±


    stor frowned but said nothing.


    ¡°Anastasia! It was just an ident. Felicia is stor¡¯s first love. Besides, their meeting that day was


    just an ident. stor had sex with her because he drank too much. It¡¯s considered normal for a man


    like stor to have a few women,¡± exined Steven


    ¡°Shut up!¡± stor told Steven to cut his crap.


    One could say that Steven was quite an idiot.


    Anastasia knew stor had cheated on her but did not know the details clearly.


    Yet, thanks to Steven¡¯s exnation, she understood now..


    Anastasia felt she was breathing in hot air, and her throat ached. ¡°Huh¡­ you think it¡¯s normal for men


    to have other women outside? You think it¡¯s impressive having a penis? If stor can have a woman


    outside, why can¡¯t I have a man?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s emotions were out of control. She felt that all her upbringing and rationality had been


    completely crushed by


    stor.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She was acting like a lunatic now.


    A lunatic who was driven crazy by stor.


    ¡°Do you think only stor has a first love? Our marriage is a joke since the beginning!¡± Anastasia


    turned to face Jason and kissed him after tiptoeing


    Anastasia felt her body trembling as tears poured out of her eyes.


    She was begging Jason to help her.


    Jason¡¯s body stiffed. He tightened his hands, which were holding on to Anastasia, and hugged her in


    his embrace.


    Steven was furious. ¡°Anastasia! How shameless you are! You¡¯re out of your mind! I can¡¯t believe I


    initially advised stor not


    to divorce you. Now it¡¯s clear that Aunt Naomi was right. Your intentions were never good from the


    beginning. You were just here for our family¡¯s money. Your greed is truly disgusting.¡±


    After saying that, Steven looked back at stor. ¡°stor, divorce her. You must get a divorce.


    ¡°Initially, I didn¡¯t like Felicia. I thought Anastasia was a better match for you. Steven was slightly


    frustrated.


    stor stood aside and kept silent.


    Obviously, he implicitly agreed with Steven.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home. We haven¡¯t divorced yet. After a long time, stor broke the silence and stepped


    forward to hold Anastasia¡¯s wrist and take her home,


    He drank a little too much and was very drunk.


    Anastasia looked at stor numbly, feeling a painful tightness in her chest.


    She really felt that stor had turned into a stranger to her.


    It turned out that four years were really not enough to understand a person¡¯s true nature.


    stor!¡± Outside the private room, Felicia¡¯s anxious voice was heard.


    Obviously, Steven also told Felicia about stor drinking too much.


    Anastasia stopped in her tracks and watched stor instantly let go of the hand he was holding.


    Sometimes, the details, which showed whether the man loved a woman or not, hurt the most.


    stor frowned and looked back at Steven.


    ¡°When I couldn¡¯t get through my call to Anastasia, I told Felicia about you¡­¡± Steven exined in a


    lowered voice, averting his gaze away.


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant!¡± stor¡¯s voice was full of warning.


    Apparently, he was warning Steven that Felicia was pregnant and should not be stimted.


    Anastasia took a sharp intake of breath and stepped back weakly.


    She wondered if stor had forgotten that she was pregnant too.


    ¡°stor, why did you drink this much? Did she force you to do anything again?¡± Felicia looked at


    stor nervously with a worried face.


    Turning her gaze at Anastasia, Felicia cried and pleaded. ¡°Annie, please, just let us be together. stor


    and I have been. together for four years. We have loved each other at the most ignorant time. I will do


    anything as long as you promise to let stor go.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Standing behind Anastasia, Jasonughed sarcastically. He pulled Anastasia into his arms


    again and looked at Felicia with a meaningful gaze. ¡°Felicia, it¡¯s been a long time. Your acting skills are


    still very exquisite.¡±

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    Felicia was stunned for a moment before she saw Jason standing at the door clearly.


    After being in a state of shock for a long time, Felicia almost could not speak. She opened her mouth


    guiltily and replied in at lowered voice. ¡°Ja¡­ Jason? You¡­ You¡¯re back?¡±


    Jason ignored Felicia.


    ¡°Do you n to go back to Atharia?¡± Felicia drew in a sharp intake of breath and changed the topic


    awkwardly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t n to Jason¡¯s voice was deep, and the atmosphere turned very tense.


    He was obviously protecting Anastasia.


    ¡°You know him?¡± stor frowned, with his expression looking very unpleasant.


    ¡°stor¡­ We¡¯re just ssmates. Did Anastasia bring him here on purpose?¡± Then, Felicia realized


    that Anastasia must have deliberately sought Jason in order to separate her from stor. ¡°stor,


    don¡¯t believe anything Anastasia said. She did it on purpose. Jason and I have nothing to do with each


    other.¡±


    Anastasia stared at Felicia and felt amused as she saw thetter¡¯s face full of panic and hatred.


    ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡± Anastasia felt a little exhausted, smiling gratefully at Jason.


    Jason reached out to hold Anastasia but did not say anything, with only his Adam¡¯s apple rolling.


    ¡°Since Felicia is here to pick you up. I¡¯ll head back first.¡± Anastasia suddenly felt meaningless if she


    continued to cause amotion here since it would only result in her feeling shameful.


    Since stor was willing to leave the marriage with nothing, it seemed like she would not have much


    loss anyway.


    stor had left enough money for her follow¨Cup treatment and life, and it was enough for Anastasia.


    Initially, she wanted to make stor regret everything and take revenge on him by hurting him in the


    same way he had hurt her, such as by going out to search for another man.


    However, thinking about it now, Anastasia felt the idea was truly ridiculous.


    ¡°Will stor feel regret? He won¡¯t, Anastasia thought.


    stor would have more reasons to live a happy life with Felicia.


    On the other hand, the people who were not loved would always be a joke.


    stor leaned against the wall, having a severe headache. ¡°Let Steven drive you home.¡±


    ¡°No need for that.¡± Anastasia refused in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± Regardless of Anastasia¡¯s objection, Jason stepped forward and took her wrist,


    walking towards the


    outside.


    ¡°Jason, you¡¯re working here, aren¡¯t you?¡± Felicia was a little furious and reached out to stop Jason.


    She could see that Jason was wearing the clothes of a bar attendant. ¡°Since you¡¯re doing your part¨C


    time job, won¡¯t you get punished for leaving your post without permission? I heard your family is very


    poor and only have your grandma as your family. Your grandmother still needs you to take care of her,


    right?¡±


    Although Felicia felt guilty for pursuing Jason before, she was not afraid of him. After all, she thought


    he was from a wealthy family at first, only to discoverter that he not only had no money but was also


    extremely poor.


    Besides being extremely poor, Jason also had his grandmother as a dead weight.


    Felicia stared at Anastasia with a sneer, wanting to see thetter getting embarrassed.


    To her, it was ridiculous for Anastasia to find a poor man like Jason to provoke her and stor.


    ¡°Anastasia, are you using stor¡¯s money to support this poor man?¡±


    Hearing themotion, the patrolling manager came over. ¡°What is¡­¡±


    Jason frowned and shook his head at the manager.


    ¡°You¡¯re the manager, right? Don¡¯t you think you should severely punish your employee if they are


    absent from their post without notice? Not only that, your employee even fought with the customer¡±


    Felicia stood in front of stor angrily as she heard from Steven that stor had fought with someone


    at the bar.


    stor and Jason had injuries on their faces, obviously proving that the two had fought.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    The manager nced at Jason awkwardly.


    Jason took the initiative to speak first, ¡°I¡¯m just a temporary worker. I can quit.¡±


    na


    Anastasia shot stor a nce. Thetter drank a little too much, causing his face to turn pale. It


    looked like he really felt ufortable.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take stor back first. Since your staff had a fight with the customer, we won¡¯t let this matter go


    without consequences. Steven also did not intend to let Jason go as he gave the man a warning nce


    while taking stor away.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± stor looked pale on his face. He shook off Steven¡¯s hand and looked at Anastasia.


    It seemed as if stor was determined to see how Anastasia would handle this matter.


    He wanted to see who she would side with.


    The manager asked in a softened voice, ¡°How do you intend to handle the matter?¡±


    ¡°Get him to apologize and pay for thepensation!¡± Felicia said angrily. Seeing that stor had no


    intention of letting Jason go, she turned even more aggravated. ¡°Do you know who Mr. Lopez is? If


    anything bad happens, can this poor bar afford it?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Anastasia stared at Felicia¡¯s arrogant face.


    It was unfortunate that stor was standing right there, backing Felicia up.


    ¡°As far as I know, Yew Tree Bar belongs to Gunn Group, the richestpany in Hork. It¡¯s very likely


    that they can afford to thepensation.¡± Anastasia interrupted Felicia and spoke again as she


    nced at stor. ¡°From my understanding of Jason, he won¡¯t beat anyone unless he¡¯s defending


    himself. stor, you hit him first, right?¡±


    pay


    Anastasia¡¯s words sounded unusually unfamiliar, causing stor to frown.


    He thought they were husband and wife and should support each other.


    12

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    stor thought, ¡°Is Anastasia ming me for another man?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you siding with an outsider rather than your husband?¡± Steven


    stepped forward angrily but was pushed away by Jason.


    Jason frowned and looked at Steven with warning eyes.


    ¡°Anastasia, what do you mean by that? How can you help an outsider to me stor? He¡¯s your


    husband.¡± Felicia felt a little smug and took the opportunity to provoke Anastasia.


    ¡°You¡¯re still aware that he¡¯s my husband?¡± Anastasia pped Felicia in the face. ¡°Are you feeling


    honored to be a mistress?¡±


    She thought, ¡°Is stor curious to see how I¡¯ll deal with the conflict between my ¡®lover¡¯ and ¡®husband¡¯?


    Wanting to watch a show? Fine. In that case, let¡¯s watch it together.¡±


    Anastasia was also curious to see how stor would deal with the conflict between her and Felicia.


    Felicia covered her cheek and looked at Anastasia in shock.


    She could not believe Anastasia would hit her right in front of stor.


    ¡°Anastasia, how dare you hit me! You have been indecent yourself! Haven¡¯t you slept with Jason?


    Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t done that before!¡± Felicia ndered Anastasia with her high-pitched voice.


    ¡°There are surveince cameras everywhere here. If you hit me, I¡¯ll report to the police!¡±


    Anastasia raised her hand and pped Felicia again.


    Before Felicia could react, Anastasia still wanted to keep pping her.


    ¡°Enough!¡± stor finally moved.


    He held Anastasia¡¯s wrist. ¡°Are you done?¡±


    Anastasia shook off stor¡¯s hand and stumbled to the ground after losing her bnce.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± Jason subconsciously reached forward to protect Anastasia¡¯s head and ced the back of


    his hand on the broken wine bottle, causing blood to gush out of it.


    Jason sighed with relief and held Anastasia in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    If he did not protect her just now, Anastasia would have hurt badly falling to the ground.


    Anastasia¡¯s body trembled so badly that she could hardly make any sound.


    stor wanted to step forward but decided to stand still and looked at Anastasia indifferently in the


    end.


    ¡°She fell down on her own, so it has nothing to do with us.¡± Felicia quickly evaded the responsibility.


    ¡°She hit me first. I¡¯m going to call the police.¡±


    After saying that, she asked the hotel manager to find the surveince footage. ¡°Show us the


    surveince footage.¡±


    The manager replied helplessly, ¡°Sorry, the surveince cameras are not working.¡±


    ¡°stor!¡± After refuting by the manager, Felicia acted coquettishly before stor in anger. ¡°stor, she


    hit me.¡± stor raised his hand to cover his forehead, evidently suppressing his emotions.


    Anastasia had always thought that stor hated annoying people, especially women who were too


    pretentious.


    She did not expect that love could make a person so inclusive.


    To be honest, Anastasia felt it would be degrading to stor to have such a woman like Felicia by his


    side.


    Yet, stor could bear Felicia.


    Anastasia guessed he might even think Felicia¡¯s personality to be cute.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s go.¡± stor¡¯s voice was low, and he sounded a little tired.


    He took the initiative to hold Felicia¡¯s wrist right in front of Anastasia and led her away.


    Felicia did not intend to let Jason and Anastasia go regarding this matter at first, but she had to follow


    stor as he wanted


    10 leave.


    Steven nced at Anastasia and snorted. ¡°Just wait for a divorce


    Anastasia did not respond.


    She would definitely wait for it.


    ¡°Let me take you home.¡± Jason did not ask anything, wanting to send Anastasia home.


    ¡°Your hand¡­ Anastasia said in a hoarse voice, feeling guilty.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Jason hid the wound in his hand for fear of scaring Anastasia.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to cause you so much trouble.¡± Anastasia turned upset.


    She knew both stor and Felicia were eager to put charges on her.


    ¡°It¡¯s your life. There¡¯s no need to make yourself feel wronged.¡± Jason stopped persuading Anastasia to


    divorce but encouraged her not to make herself feel wronged again.


    Everyone could see clearly that stor did not care about Anastasia.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Anastasia got up, readying to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll go back myself.¡±


    Anastasia did not let Jason send her home as she did not want to trouble him anymore.


    Before leaving, Anastasia gave Jason her phone number. ¡°If Felicia and stor bother you again, give


    me a call. I¡¯ll help you. handle them.¡±


    Jason smiled helplessly as he looked at Anastasia¡¯s phone number written on his palm.


    ¡°Why did you have a blitz marriage?¡± Jason did not understand Anastasia¡¯s decision back then.


    ¡°Our family¡¯s issues were quiteplicated.¡± Anastasia leaned against the car, and her voice sounded


    weak.


    ¡°I went on a blind date because my father and stepmother forced me to marry the son of the head of a


    resettlement vige. They tricked me into his residence, trying to sell me¡­¡± Anastasia almost lost half


    her life when she escaped that day.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The first thing she did after escaping was to go on a blind date as she needed to save herself.


    ¡°Since I hurt the man who bullied me, I thought he would not let go of me. Unexpectedly, that man


    came to my house on his knees that night and begged me to let him go.¡± Anastasia smiled bitterly. ¡°I


    told stor about that incident on the blind. date.¡±


    ¡°Do you think stor helped you?¡± Jason¡¯s voice sounded a little anxious.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    ¡°Why else would that happen? Who else can make the vige head¡¯s son kneel and beg me?¡±


    Anastasia had always thought that stor was the one who helped her, so she was very grateful to


    him, promising him a blitz marriage.


    Because she not only wanted a home but also the sense of security that stor could give.


    She once wanted favoritism and a future that she could look forward to.


    Buzz!


    Anastasia¡¯s phone vibrated. She nced at it, noticing a call from Zeke.


    Annoyed, Anastasia ended the call without picking it up.


    But Zeke called again soon. It seemed that he had something urgent to tell her.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Anastasia answered.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m Sienna. Dad is in trouble. He is in the hospital now and has a brain hemorrhage,


    needing surgery. Please deliver us some money,¡± Sienna¡¯s anxious voice came from the phone.


    Sienna was not anxious because she was worried about Zeke. Instead, she was anxious for Anastasia


    to send her the money.


    Anastasia breathed hard and said in a hoarse voice. ¡°Which hospital? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The emergency department of Hork General Hospital. Pleasee quickly.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Anastasia got in the car anxiously.


    Jason wanted to say something, but seeing Anastasia¡¯s hand trembling, he took the initiative to hold


    her wrist. ¡°Take the passenger seat. I¡¯ll drive.¡±


    Anastasia sat on the passenger seat unsteadily, her fingers trembling


    She mused. ¡°Why did he suddenly have a brain hemorrhage?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He will be fine.¡±


    Anastasia leaned against the back of her seat and smirked. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about whether he will be


    all right or not. I¡¯m worried that he won¡¯t die.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Anastasia¡¯s mood was a little unstable. Her words were cruel but reflected her mood, for she hated


    Zeke


    very much.


    Anastasia mused, ¡°He is the person who ruined my life.¡± She lost her mother at the age of ten. Her dad


    was an alcoholic. He gambled and beat her mother up. In the end, her mother passed away.


    ¡°In the year my mom died, my dad gambled everything in our house away. He would have sold me


    away if I wasn¡¯t so young at that time, Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse as she exined.


    go to


    That year.


    he ran away in order to avoid from paying off his gambling debts and left me at home alone. I had


    school and support myself at the same time, so I had to go through the trash on the roadside and pick


    up other people¡¯s food leftovers to survive.¡± Anastasia¡¯s fingers were numb. In retrospect, it was really


    hard for her to live to now.


    ¡°He ran away for five or six years. When I was 16, he came back and said that he had made a fortune


    outside. My dad told me he wanted to make up for the years of suffering I went through. He asked me


    what I wanted. I said I liked painting and asked him to pay the tuition fees and buy me paint.¡±


    Anastasia was a talented student. Her teacher had been teaching her art for free since she was ten.


    The teacher was Anastasia¡¯s benefactor.


    Back in the past, Zeke agreed to her request. He paid the tuition fee for Anastasia, allowing her to


    study arts, and bought her new clothes.


    That year, I thought he had changed. He renovated the old house, bought me new clothes and


    schoolbags, decorated my cabin, and said that he would provide me with a good life in the future. I


    believed him.¡± Anastasia choked up. ¡°But in less than half a year, he brought a woman home. That


    woman had a little girl with her. She told me my dad was getting married. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s ridiculous?


    He said he wanted to give me a loving home, and so he found me a new mom.¡± Anastasia felt like she


    was going crazy.


    She had nowhere to vent. She didn¡¯t know who she was going to say these words to. Anastasia had a


    hard time suppressing her thoughts as the feeling was suffocating.


    She knew she shouldn¡¯t tell Jason all of this. After all, he was just a stranger.


    In the stor did not care about it, nor did he want to listen to her stories.


    past four years, she wanted to share her painful experiences with stor countless times, but she


    didn¡¯t dare because


    In the first year of marriage, Zeke began to stir up trouble and secretly asked stor for money in


    various manners.


    After Anastasia found out about this, she had no choice other than to feel guilty and be extra careful in


    maintaining her marriage with stor.


    She only wanted stor¡¯s support andfort as her husband when she told him her childhood


    stories, even if he just listened quietly like Jason.


    However, stor would refrain from this topic. Every time she mentioned her family, he would avoid


    continuing the


    conversation.


    Later, Anastasia stopped talking about her family.


    Because she would be disappointed by stor¡¯s reaction every time.


    ¡°On the first day my stepmother, Meredith, showed up. I was forced to give up my room to Sienna.


    Meredith said Sienna was still young, and I had to be kind to her.


    ¡°Then, Meredith¡¯s actions went more and more overboard. She not only stole everything from me but


    also tried to make me drop out of school and work at an early age to provide for the family.¡± Anastasia


    laughed sarcastically. ¡°My dad was a bystander in all of this. Does he really know nothing? I¡¯m sure he


    was aware of everything that went on¡­¡±


    Slowly. Anastasia¡¯sughter vanished, and she burst into tears.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    ¡°My stepmother did her best to stop me from attending SAT and even hid my ID card to stop me from


    taking the art test.¡± Anastasia leaned against the seat with a headache. ¡°I called my dad. He


    stammered and said he didn¡¯t know where my ID card was. I ran to the police station, crying and


    begging the police to handle this urgent matter before jumping into the car and heading toward the


    examination venue.


    ¡°Later, they tried to change the details in my university application forms to stop me from attending a


    school not in their immediate vicinity. I worked day and night to earn my tuition fee when I got the letter


    of eptance. To escape from the home that suffocated me, I rented a small house outside. Every day,


    I worked hard to draw for others to earn money and get a schrship to support myself.¡±


    Fortunately, Anastasia was talented in painting. Her teacher liked her very much and helped her a lot,


    allowing Anastasia the chance to study abroad.


    Painting was Anastasia¡¯s hope and motivation to live.


    ¡°When I was in sophomore year, Meredith suddenly lied to me and said that my father was ill. But when


    I got home, everyone looked happy and healthy. They had a drink together with Meredith¡¯s brother.


    That night, Meredith¡¯s brother broke into my room while my father was drunk¡­¡±


    Anastasia had never told anyone about this except the teenager she brought back to her rental house


    during her sophomore year.


    ¡°If weren¡¯t¡­ Anastasia wanted to mention the teenager, but she went silent.


    Jason suddenly stepped on the brake and stopped at the intersection of traffic lights. He looked at


    Anastasia intensely, wanting to anxiously hear what happens next from her.


    But Anastasia was silent for a long time and never went on with her story.


    To Anastasia, that memory was one she wanted to forget desperately.


    Everyone had a past that they wanted to forget. Maybe it was because of their youth or unrequited


    love.


    For Anastasia, her past was only filled with pain and sorrow.


    At that time, Anastasia wasn¡¯t adept with words. She only knew the teenager¡¯s name was Jace.


    She also knew that Jace worked three jobs daily to cover the medical expenses of his grandma. He


    worked as a nude model in the Department of Art for 40 dors an hour.


    Jace was homeless, sleeping on the streets. He lived hand-to-mouth, unable to eat a warm meal


    whenever he wanted to.


    Anastasia found Jace in the alley at the back entrance of the school.


    When she looked at Jace, Anastasia seemed to have seen her ten-year-old self.


    He squatted in the corner, eating a simple fast food meal, looking helpless and pitiful.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a home too?¡± The first thing Anastasia said to Jace was a question of whether he had


    a home to return to


    Jace looked up at Anastasia with a deep, prating gaze.


    Anastasia still remembered what he replied to her.


    Jace stated, ¡°My dad married a new woman and I ran away from home.¡±


    It was probably the same experience that made Anastasia pity him.


    She offered, ¡°Come back home with me.¡±


    Without a home to return to, they could create a house that belonged to them.


    Their ce didn¡¯t need to be luxurious, and it only had to be a shelter from the storm would do.


    Anastasia took Jace to her ce.


    She didn¡¯t ask him anything but cooked a warm meal for him.


    Anastasia was no longer alone from that day on.


    She lived and ate with Jace.


    They had a tacit understanding of each other and didn¡¯t talk much usually, but they would look at each


    other, smiling happily.


    During that time, Anastasia thought she had found herself apanion.


    The shortpany he gave her chased her loneliness away.


    Unfortunately, no one could apany another person forever.


    Everyone would leave in the end.


    For example, her marriage to stor ended.


    That year, Jace led her out of the darkest period in her life after the misfortune befell Anastasia.


    However, just as she decided to let go of everything and stay with him. Jace disappeared without a


    trace.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t look for him because she knew he must have his reason for pulling the disappearing


    act.


    It was also when Jace disappeared that Meredith acted wildly at home, crying that her brother was the


    only male member of her family and he had been hurt grievously. He was staying at the hospital, and


    even though he regained consciousness, he could no longer have sex.


    ¡°Anastasia, pay the bill quickly.¡± Sienna rushed over and asked Anastasia to pay the bill at the hospital.


    ¡°I called stor, and he didn¡¯t care.¡±


    Anastasia stopped and looked at Sienna. ¡°You called stor?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ He told me that you guys are getting a divorce and that you can settle your affairs by yourself,¡±


    Sienna whispered.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes reddened as she hurried toward the hospital payment counter to pay the bills.


    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry. Your card has been declined.¡± The stad at the payment counter looked at Anastasia


    apologetically.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment as she gazed at the card.


    It hit her then that stor had canceled her card.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    During their four-year marriage, Anastasia had given up on everything to be stor¡¯s dream wife.


    Before getting married, he asked Anastasia what she wanted.


    Anastasia said that she only wanted a home.


    stor did give her a home and a safe harbor, as agreed.


    But for the sake of their home, Anastasia nearly gave up everything she had.


    She had thought that giving up on something would be directly proportional to getting another thing.


    It turned out that was not the case.


    During the four years with stor, she almost forgot what her true self was like.


    Anastasia was pathetic, poor, and pitiful. She had nothing but stor.


    Because stor didn¡¯t like her to appear publicly, her art exhibition was a charity event. She donated


    her paintings to maintain stor¡¯s reputation.


    She seemed to have nothing but the supplementary card given by stor.


    stor canceling her card at this time was like putting her life on pause.


    He wanted Anastasia to know that she was nothing but a pour woman without him.


    As Steven said, the Lawson family was a group of beggars that took money from others, like


    bloodsucking bugs.


    Pain filled Anastasia¡¯s heart as she nearly lost her bnce. Her vision went ck, and she had


    difficulty breathing.


    Anastasia took out her phone agitatedly and called stor.


    A tired-sounding stor answered the phone.


    ¡°Why did you cancel my card?¡± Anastasia was angry.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± stor remained silent for a long time as if he was mocking her. ¡°Have you forgotten that


    I gave you everything you owned?¡±


    He thought he had treated her so well that she forgot everything he had given her in the past four


    years.


    ¡°So? Do you want me to thank you profusely or kneel to beg you?¡± Anastasia screamed.


    She knew what stor meant.


    In the


    past four years, he had given her a dream of leaving the slum and bing a rich man¡¯s wife.


    She should be grateful to stor rather than trying to scheme against him or going against him.


    Moreover, Anastasia should open her arms and wee Felicia into her home. She should take the


    initiative to leave while wishing stor and Felicia a life of happiness.


    On the other side of the phone, stor was silent.


    ¡°My dad is sick¡­ He is undergoing emergency surgery in the operating room, waiting for me to pay the


    bills so he can be saved. I¡¯ll return the money to you.¡± Defeated by reality, Anastasia begged stor.


    Other than doing this, she had no other choice.


    She seemed to have forgotten how lowly she used to be for four years.


    When Anastasia was ten years old, she would cry and beg the restaurant boss for the leftovers.


    She used. I¡¯m good at begging others, right?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia have you ever heard about The Boy Who Cried Wolf?¡± stor asked tiredly.


    1


    ¡°Just a few days ago, your dad said he was ill and needed money. He took 600 thousand dors from


    me. Now he doesn¡¯t even have the money to consult a doctor? What kind of disease does he have that


    he has to spend so much money on?¡± stor seemed to be settling the scores with Anastasia.


    ¡°Three months ago, your dad said that Meredith wanted to buy a car for Sienna, and he took 120


    thousand dors from


    mc.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers stiffened, and she stood in ce as her body went cold.


    stor had never told her all of this before.


    ¡°Two and a half months ago, your dad said he was not feeling well. He told me his daughter should


    head home and take care


    of him, so I should give him 60,000 dors for meal expenses. Anastasia, there have been more


    instances like this before, but I¡¯ll stop here. The money he has taken from me is enough for him to live


    a hundred years¡± stor was silent momentarily before he spoke again. ¡°Ask your dad. Ask him where


    did he spend that money on.¡±


    Anastasia slowly closed her eyes. She was so frustrated that she couldn¡¯t stand steadily.


    She was trembling all over.


    ¡°stor¡­ He is in the operating room with a brain hemorrhage¡­ I¡¯m not lying to you, I¡­ Anastasia


    wanted stor to be with her because she couldn¡¯t handle it alone.


    After settling the current matter, she would investigate where the money had gone.


    She thought, ¡°I will take the money back as I should¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I can¡¯t help you for the rest of your life¡± stor¡¯s words were final and determined.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes turned red, and she leaned aside. ¡°My art exhibition and the paintings I sold for the


    charity are worth millions of dors. I donated all of the profit using thepany¡¯s name to create


    benefits and reputation for thepany and reasonable tax exemption. The money my dad owed


    you¡­ Ill return them. But I need you now.¡±


    She just needed stor to apany her.


    ¡°stor, my stomach hurts¡­ Felicia¡¯s voice came from the other side of the phone.


    *Anastasia, your dad is a great liar. Think up a solution yourself¡± stor didn¡¯t believe that Zeke was


    really sick


    He hung up the phone to attend to Felicia.


    Anastasia raised her hand and covered her forehead. The world before her was spinning, and her


    stomach hurt.


    It hurt so much.


    ¡°Anastasia, have you paid the bill? Sienna and Meredith ran over


    ¡°Anastasia, your dad is waiting for help. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Anastasia only felt the pain in her bones, which was so painful that she couldn¡¯t endure it anymore.


    ¡°Anastasia, do you not care about your dad?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so heartless¡­¡±


    Meredith and Sienna¡¯s voices drifted away as Anastasia could no longer take the pain, falling to the


    ground and passing out.


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    She thought. ¡®Let my life end just like that¡­¡±

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    ¡°Daddy, please don¡¯t hit mommy. Please.¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s my birthday today. Dad gave me a gift.¡±


    As a child, Anastasia longed for a loving home with warmth.


    But Zeke was addicted to alcohol, gambling and domestic violence.


    Everyone went crazy during the period when Anastasia¡¯s mom found out that she had been diagnosed


    with cancer.


    Anastasia sat obediently at the table, watching her mother smash everything in the house madly. She


    threw Anastasia¡¯s toy to the floor and wrapped her hands around Anastasia¡¯s neck. ¡®Annie, apany


    me, okay? Annie, apany me in death. I¡¯m worried about you. I don¡¯t want you to stay with that


    scumbag!¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s mother cried and shouted as she went mad. She pinched Anastasia¡¯s neck hard, wanting


    her daughter to die with


    her.


    The suffocation was a painful feeling that Anastasia could never forget.


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Anastasia called out to her mom with difficulty.


    Not until her mom stopped breathing and fell on her did Anastasia survive the ordeal.


    But from that day onward, Anastasia had no one to call mom.


    ¡°Annie, I¡¯m doing it for your own good. I can¡¯t bear to see you suffer alone. Without the, what will


    happen to you? Annie¡­¡±


    ¡°My Annie.¡±


    On the hospital bed, Anastasia slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry.


    She thought, ¡°Mom¡­ why didn¡¯t you hold on for longer or exert more strength on that day? You should


    have brought me along. If I died, I wouldn¡¯t have to endure this suffering. Living is torture.¡±


    ¡°Annie, you¡¯re awake¡± Kimberly was sitting beside Anastasia¡¯s bed.


    Her voice choked with sobs, and she held Anastasia in her arms and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s


    great that you woke up.¡±


    ¡°My dad¡­¡± Anastasta whispered.


    ¡°Your dad is okay. He has been transferred to the observation ward, but¡­ there will be an after-effect


    after he regains consciousness. He will most probably be paralyzed,¡± Kimberly stated in a low voice.


    Anastasia rubbed her eyebrows. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he dead?¡±


    She mused, ¡°Why isn¡¯t he dead? Why is he still alive?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, Mom and I will go back first. You take care of Dad, okay? We are exhausted.¡± Sienna


    walked into the ward, chastising Anastasia.


    ¡°Are you for real? Anastasia is ill. She¡¯s a patient. Can¡¯t you see that?¡± Kimberly shouted angrily.


    Kimberly knew Anastasia¡¯s family best. She was aware that Meredith was a bad person.


    ¡°So what if she¡¯s sick? She has to care for her dad as long as she is alive. After all, Anastasia is his


    biological daughter, Meredith shouted like a shrewish woman. ¡°Why? Do you think Sienna should stay


    back and take care of him? It¡¯s inconvenient for her to do so.¡±


    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s so funny. Why didn¡¯t you say it was inconvenient when you guys lived on the money the


    Lawson family provided you?¡± Kimberly was pissed off


    Anastasia sat up by supporting herself. ¡®You can leave.¡±


    She was so tired that she didn¡¯t want to see them.


    ¡°Anastasia, the doctor said that your dad will be paralyzed in the future. It¡¯s my fault for not reminding


    you, but I won¡¯t take care of him. Worsees to worst, and I¡¯ll divorce him. There is no inseparable


    marriage in this world.¡± Meredith snorted, trying to intimidate Anastasia.


    Anastasia nodded. ¡°Well, get a divorce then.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, do you think my mom is just trying to scare you?¡± Sienna dropped the pretense. ¡°Anastasia,


    don¡¯t be shameless. In the past, we respected you for stor¡¯s sake. stor doesn¡¯t want you


    anymore. You¡¯re a woman of loose morals. Why are you still acting all high and morally? I¡¯m telling you


    that it¡¯s impossible for my mom to stay with your dad for so many years withoutpensation. We


    won¡¯t leave just like that. The things at home are all ours, and you must give us money!¡± Sienna ced


    her hands on her hips, looking unconvinced. ¡°You told us you are not able to get pregnant. Yet, you are


    carrying stor¡¯s baby. Well, use your baby to get money from him!¡±


    Anastasia only felt a stabbing pain in her head. She replied, ¡°Get lost¡­¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sienna wanted to say something more, but Anastasia grabbed a ss of water and threw it at her.


    Kimberly also picked up the broom and rushed over. There was no point in arguing with such a


    mannerless shrew, so she used violence.


    ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯re crazy!¡± Meredith protected Sienna as they ran away.


    After they left, Anastasia leaned against the wall and slowly slid onto the ground. She smiled at


    Kimberly.


    Kimberly was so distressed that she moved her gaze away, wanting to cry.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡±


    Kimberly wondered, ¡°What will happen to Annie?¡±


    ¡°Who paid for the operation?¡± Anastasia suddenly remembered that stor had canceled her card.


    ¡°Jason,¡± Kimberly whispered.


    Anastasia was stunned and rubbed her eyebrows. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have that much money¡­¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Maybe he used his credit card,¡± Kimberly exined in a low voice.


    Anastasia lowered her head as tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°Annie¡­ I called stor, but he didn¡¯t answer.¡± Kimberly choked with sobs.


    ¡°Kimberly, I want a divorce.¡±


    Anastasia no longer felt like continuing her marriage with stor.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    After leaving the hospital, Anastasia went to the bar first to look for Jason.


    She borrowed money from Kimberly so that she could pay Jason back.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking for Jason, Anastasia said to the bar manager.


    ¡°Sorry, Jason has left. He is not working here anymore.¡±


    Anastasia stood there stiffly as sheprehended what the bar manager hall said. ¡°Did someone


    cause Jason trouble?¡±


    The manager nodded. ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s right. Someoneined about Jason, saying he had a criminal


    record and entered the juvenile detention center before. Our bar was closed because of that. Jason felt


    that he had caused trouble to the bar, so he left.¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath and thought, ¡°It¡¯s definitely Felicia. There is no one else who would do


    this.¡±


    stor wasn¡¯t that free to do this.


    ¡°I see. Thank you.¡± Anastasia took out her phone and wanted to call Jason but realized she had only


    given her phone number to him. She didn¡¯t have his phone number.


    ¡°Hello, manager. Do you have Jason¡¯s contact information?¡± Anastasia asked nervously.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Jason¡­¡± The manager hesitated.


    ¡°Well, Jason paid my medical bills for mest night. I want to pay him back, Anastasia exined,


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll tell you his address.¡± The manager gave Jason¡¯s address to Anastasia.


    Anastasia looked at the address and was stunned for a while as she was familiar with it,


    It was Harewood Lane.


    When Anastasia was 20 years old and met Jace, thetter had said his grandmother lived in Harewood


    Lane.


    Later, Jace disappeared without a trace. Anastasia would visit his grandmother every year and give the


    latter some living


    expenses.


    She never asked Jace¡¯s grandmother about Jace¡¯s whereabouts. It was not that she didn¡¯t want to, but


    she dared not,


    Anastasia suddenly felt slightly scared after she took the address and contact information.


    From the first time she saw Jason, she felt he was familiar. However, when shepared him to Jace


    who disappeared around eight years ago, she thought it was impossible that Jason was Jace.


    Jace in her memory was weak. He seemed to be around 17 years old, always lowering his head and


    didn¡¯t like tomunicate with others. He possessed a presence that would go unnoticed, even in a


    bustling crowd.


    However, Jason was tall, strong, rugged, and handsome with an inborn elegant aura. Wherever he


    went, he shone brilliantly with his dazzling presence.


    The only simrity between the two only showed slightly in a few moments.


    Anastasia thought she was overthinking. She left the bar and drove to Harewood Lane.


    Harewood Lane was very narrow, filled with century-old sycamore on both sides. The pavement was


    clean. There were only fallen leaves without garbage.


    Anastasia parked her car outside the alley and braced herself against the cold winter wind. Tears


    welled up in her eyes.


    She thought about face who apanied her through a period and wondered how he was doing now.


    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯lle to see you tomorrow.¡± Jason stood with his back facing Anastasia outside the old


    residence.


    Anastasia¡¯s breath tightened, and she clenched her fingers.


    Penelope saw Anastasia first and whispered, ¡°Annie.¡±


    Jason was stunned for a moment and turned back to look at Anastasia.


    Anastasia stood rooted to the spot. Her legs felt heavy.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t dare to face him, so she turned around and left.


    She thought, ¡°How could they be the same person? They can¡¯t be the same person.¡±


    The saying that observers could see things more clearly was urate. When stor said that the boy


    in the photo was the sare person as Jason, she just felt he was being ridiculous.


    Perhaps¡­ Anastasia didn¡¯t believe that Jason was Jace at all.


    Jace apanied her through her darkest days.


    Anastasia had never looked for Jace over the past few years. She only treated those memories as a


    dream.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± Jason chased after her and seemed slightly nervous.


    Anastasia was trying to escape him at this point.


    Suddenly, Anastasia paused in her tracks and pretended to be calm, looking back at Jason. ¡°What a


    coincidence. You paid for my father¡¯s operation yesterday in the hospital. Let me pay you back¡±


    Jason walked over to Anastasia and smiled. I¡¯m not in a hurry.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get the money?¡± she asked. She was puzzled as to why he would work in the bar since


    he could pay for an operation that was around 15,000 dors.


    ¡°I just¡­¡±


    Anastasia panicked and interrupted Jason, saying. ¡°Did you swipe your credit card? Give me the card


    number. I¡¯ll transfer the money to you.¡±


    Jason was silent for a moment, and his voice was hoarse when he replied. ¡°Do you not recognize me,


    or do you not want to?¡±


    Anastasia clenched her fingers and turned around, leaving without saying anything.


    ¡°Anastasia! I came back toote, right?¡± Jason shouted.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t look back, as tears gushed out of her eyes.


    Anastasia looked up at the sycamores and stopped. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s toote.¡±


    Some people werete.


    Since they missed their chance, it was gone forever.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Back at stor¡¯spany, as soon as Anastasia entered thepany, she was stopped by the


    receptionist. ¡°Sorry, Mrs. Lopez. Mr. Lopez said you are not allowed in.¡±


    Standing still. Anastasia found herself having difficulty breathing.


    She contemted, ¡°Has stor grown so distrustful of me? A divorce really shows one¡¯s true


    character. Is stor nning to have aplete falling-out with me?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lopez.¡±


    Seeing that Anastasia insisted on walking into thepany, the receptionist called the security guard


    over nervously.


    ¡°Thave stor¡¯s baby in my belly. If anything happens to the baby, you guys will bear responsibility for


    it.¡± Anastasia spoke in a deep voice. She knew the baby wouldn¡¯t survive at all, but now she had to use


    it as leverage.


    ¡°Mrs. Lopez, please don¡¯t make things difficult for us. The security guard was in a dilemma.


    Anastasia ignored him, pushed him away, and went straight into the elevator.


    She wanted to see what stor was trying to do.


    ¡°stor, she made a mistake first. Why do you have to leave a marriage with nothing?¡±


    Anastasia pushed open the door of stor¡¯s office and saw Felicia pounce on stor.


    stor¡¯s expression darkened. It was unclear if he was angry. However, it was obvious that the two


    were unscrupulous.


    Anastasia took an ambiguous photo of them with her phone. She leaned against the door with a pale


    face. ¡°You guys can¡¯t wait another day?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice was slightly hoarse, and she tried to make herself look less pathetic.


    Felicia snorted and directly sat on stor¡¯sp, hugging him. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as firste, first


    served in romance. Morcover, I¡¯m actually the one who appeared first. When I got together with stor,


    we were still teenagers deeply in love. You are just ater.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything, as she thought, ¡°Does the romance in one¡¯s youth really wield such


    profound influence?¡±


    With stor¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t have done this openly if he didn¡¯t love Felicia deeply.


    ¡°Grandma called me and asked us to go home for dinner tonight.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was calm as if she


    didn¡¯t feel anything.


    stor pushed Felicia away and replied in a deep voice, ¡®Got it.¡±


    Andrea was probably the only person stor truly cared about.


    Since Christian and his lover moved to Huxville, stor grew up with his grandparents.


    After Maverick died, stor only listened to his grandmother, and he didn¡¯t have a close rtionship


    with his mother.


    ¡°Do you want to bring Felicia with you?¡± Anastasia asked generously with a faint smile. However, her


    words were ironic.


    She was suggesting to bring the mistress to see Andrea.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t go too far.¡± As expected, stor¡¯s expression changed as he thought Anastasia was


    threatening him.


    In the Lopez family, no one acknowledged Anastasia¡¯s identity. Only Andrea treated Anastasia well.


    stor also cared about Andrea the most.


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    ¡°My and Felicia¡¯s babies are all Grandma Andrea¡¯s great-grandchildren. It¡¯s good for them to meet the


    elders, isn¡¯t it?¡± Anastasia sat on the couch to hide her shaky legs.


    stor frowned and walked to Anastasia. ¡°Anastasia, Grandma is in poor health. You¡¯d better not say


    anything before the divorce is finalized.*


    Anastasia smiled. ¡°Are you seared now? Didn¡¯t the security guards downstairs prevent me from


    entering thepany?¡±


    stor was stunned and turned to look at Felicia instinctively.


    Felicia looked guilty and lowered her head without saying anything.


    Anastasiaughed sarcastically. Even if Felicia wanted to do this, she would need stor¡¯s support.


    stor didn¡¯t say anything. He just nced at the time and motioned Anastasia to go home.


    They would go to Andrea¡¯s ce for dinner every Friday night. It was their custom as long as they


    weren¡¯t on a business trip or meeting.


    As the both of them walked out of the elevator, stor asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t drive?¡±


    Anastasia sneered. ¡°I came by taxi. Don¡¯t you drive?¡±


    stor hesitated for a moment as if deliberately hiding something.


    ¡°Do we need to call a taxi?¡± Anastasia asked kindly.


    stor didn¡¯t say anything and turned around to enter the parking lot.


    Anastasia followed stor and wondered what was in his car.


    ¡°Let me clean the car first.¡± stor didn¡¯t want Anastasia to get close to the car.


    ¡°Are you guys ying so wildly? You guys couldn¡¯t even control yourselves in the car? Car y¡­¡±


    Anastasia followed after him. Even though she knew she would get hurt from seeing it, she still wanted


    to see what was in the car stubbornly.


    stor frowned and shot Anastasia a meaningful look.


    Anastasia had been too demure and sensible since she married him. She would never say such


    unrestrained words before.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± As Anastasia leaned against the front passenger¡¯s door, she felt like she had been stabbed


    through her heart.


    Felicia couldn¡¯t wait any longer and had pasted a sticker on the passenger seat to signify that it was her


    personal seat.


    Anastasia hadn¡¯t divorced stor yet.


    Besides, Felicia¡¯s personal belongings, lipstick, sunsses, and hair tie were on the passenger seat.


    There was even a whole box of unopened condoms.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    ¡°stor, you are disgusting.¡± Anastasia said in a hoarse voice. She looked pathetic as if someone had


    pped her in the face.


    nastasia thought, ¡°Felicia did this on purpose. I admit that Felicia won.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor wanted to grab Anastasia¡¯s wrist, but Anastasia was already losing control of


    herself. She shook off his hand and stepped back quickly.


    She smiled at stor, but her eyes were full of despair.


    Things had already reached this point. No matter what she did, she would lose.


    There was no chance of her winning-


    ¡°stor, the only reason you have left me with a shred of dignity is because you don¡¯t want us to have


    aplete falling-out,¡± sneered Anastasia. She couldn¡¯t talk about feelings anymore with stor, so


    she had no choice but to negotiate her terms with him.


    ¡°I never thought that one-day things woulde to this point between us,¡± Anastasia continued, raising


    her hand to stop stor from getting closer.


    There was a long silence between them. Anastasia¡¯s head started buzzing violently.


    She tried hard to control her emotions and make herself look less pathetic.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get divorced¡± Anastasia said hoarsely, ¡°Let¡¯s do it exactly like you said. You leave the marriage


    with nothing, and we will get divorced.¡±


    stor frowned and clenched his fingers as he frowned and replied, ¡°All right.¡±


    Anastasia smiled as she thought, ¡°He is so eager to end our marriage.¡±


    ¡°When are you nning to get the divorce certificate?¡± asked Anastasia as she looked up at stor.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Her breathing was a little shaky as she said that.


    ¡°There is no hurry for that,¡± said stor as he gestured for Anastasia to get into the car first. ¡°Let¡¯s


    keep it a secret for now from Grandma. We also need to keep up our appearance in front of my


    company¡¯s people and partners. I will leave the marriage without taking anything. I will give you


    whatever you want. After signing the divorce agreement, we will not make it public for now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re disgusting,¡± said Anastasia before turning around and walking away.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor called out as he caught up with her and grabbed her wrist. ¡°You are a smart


    woman. It was only four years, so I don¡¯t think you have that much of feelings for me. There is no need


    for you to behave like this.¡±


    Personally, stor thought that the terms he offered were not something that anyone else would give


    her.


    ¡°It was only four years¡­ mumbled Anastasia. She felt that every word out of stor¡¯s mouth sounded


    so harsh.


    stor summed up the feelings she thought they had shared in just five words-it was only four years.


    ¡°No matter what, we were once husband and wife, so I don¡¯t want to hurt you. So even if we get


    divorced, I hope we can keep a cooperative rtionship, Anastasia,¡± reminded stor. He hoped that


    she wouldn¡¯t force him to use other means to handle things with her.


    ¡°You want me to y along with you lying to Grandma Andrea and your mother to keep our divorce


    under wraps for now. You also want me to help maintain your image and lie to your partners and the


    Anastasia looked at stor and smiled ironically.


    Over the years, she participated in more than 60% of stor¡¯spany¡¯s charity events. All donations,


    paintings, and even art exhibitions for public welfare were organized and handled by her.


    How many partners cooperated with stor just because of this point?


    Four years were neither long nor short, but it was enough time for her to help establish the image of


    stor¡¯spany and her reputation as Mrs. Lopez.


    She thought that if she made positive contributions to stor¡¯s career, built a good image, and molded


    herself into the perfect Mrs. Lopez, she could bind stor to her.


    Unexpectedly, the value of all these in the face of stor and his first crush¡¯s biased true love were


    utterly worthless.


    For stor, Anastasia was like merchandise. She was exchangeable, unlike Felicia, who was his lover.


    stor was silent for a long time before he said, ¡°That¡¯s what I hope for as well¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me¡­ Anastasia said as she pretended to agree ¡°But I have a condition¡±


    stor lifted his head and looked at Anastasia before asking. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I not only want you to leave the marriage with nothing, but I also need 15% of the original issue shares


    of Lopez Group Or you write an agreement that you won¡¯t get a marriage certificate with Felicia for the


    rest of your life. Pick one.¡± demanded Anastasia. She wanted to make stor suffer and make a


    choice between giving the shares or not being able to let Felicia be Mrs. Lopez.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t go too far.¡± warned stor as he leaned against the car, his expression sullen.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing to talk about. Drive your disgusting car and meet Grandma Andrea yourself. Im


    not in the mood to y along with you, sneered Anastasia. She was not afraid that stor would hurt


    her. What else could she lose?


    She was already dying and had nothing to worry about.


    ¡°Anastasia! Grandma was admitted to the hospital for acute myocardial infarctionst night.


    Fortunately, the rescue was timely. If it weren¡¯t for Grandma¡¯s poor health. I wouldn¡¯t ask you to keep it


    a secret, snapped stor as he grabbed Anastasia¡¯s wrist again and started to be impatient.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m giving you two choices. You choose one,¡± said Anastasia. She wanted to see how important


    Felicia was in stor¡¯s heart. Was she more important than his grandma and hispany shares?

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    ¡°Anastasia, I have a bottom line in my tolerance and the guilt I feel toward you,¡± said stor, who was


    obviously reluctant to waste time ying mind games with Anastasia.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what methods you will use to deal with me,¡± said Anastasia


    stubbornly as she shook off stor¡¯s arm and left.


    stor kicked the car door in frustration and pulled at his tie


    ¡°Anastasia! Jason has a criminal record and had gone to a juvenile detention center, shouted stor


    furiously.


    It was clear that he wanted to use this to threaten Anastasia.


    Anastasia stopped in her tracks as her eyes stung with tears, and her body stiffened.


    stor was threatening her by using Jason.


    During the past four years, stor had been indifferent and respectful to her. He never got angry with


    her or threatened her to do anything.


    Now, in order to force her to divorce respectably, he was willing to use any means and hurt her feelings


    over and over again.


    ¡°Jason is a loose cannon without any family background. How about I let him disappear from Hork?¡±


    said stor as he leaned against the door and lir a cigarette, his voice hoarse and low.


    Anastasia knew without any doubt that stor had the ability to do what he said.


    ¡°When did Jason enter the juvenile detention center?¡± asked Anastasia as she rasped out a hot breath.


    That day at the bar, the general manager said that someone had made an anonymous report that


    Jason had been in a juvenile detention center and he had resigned for fear of causing trouble for the


    bar.


    ¡°Six years ago,¡± said stor as he looked up at Anastasia.


    Anastasia felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her heart.


    Six years ago¡­ It was when Jace disappeared.


    The young man who barged into her life disappeared suddenly, and she hadn¡¯t heard anything more


    from him after that.


    ¡°What do you want¡­¡± asked Anastasia. Her face and lips had turned pale.


    stor¡¯s heart tightened inexplicably. He subconsciously stepped forward and tried to support


    Anastasia, but she avoided


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    him


    ¡°Apany me to visit Grandma, and don¡¯t give anything away.¡± demanded stor. He was asking


    Anastasia to apany him home and y along with him.


    ¡°What about after that?¡± Anastasia looked up and asked stor.


    ¡°Until Grandma passes away, you need to y your role well,¡¯ said stor,


    stor meant they would wait until Grandma Andrea passed away before getting a divorce certificate.


    But after signing the divorce agreement, she only needed to continue to y her role as Mrs. Lopez


    well/


    She could not interfere with stor and Felicia¡¯s lives.


    ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t you ask your first crush to restrain herself, stor? You¡¯d better ask her to keep a low


    profile,¡± retorted Anastasia


    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of person she is.¡± stor frowned and exined.


    ¡°Ich¡­¡± Anastasia as she lowered her head and smiled weakly.


    That was the kind of person she was. All she needed to do was stand there and not change anything


    about herself.


    -And Anastasia was the one who needed to hold back and amodate her.


    All because she wasn¡¯t the one stor loved.


    ¡°Regarding Grandma Andrea, even if you didn¡¯t say it, I won¡¯t say anything to trigger her. I thought you


    would understand the kind of person I am¡­ Anastasia said weakly again, ¡°My conditions remain


    unchanged. You can either give me thepany shares or sign an agreement saying that you will not


    get a registration of marriage with Felicia in this lifetime.¡± Anastasia had her own perseverance. Since


    stor wasn¡¯t allowing her to live happily, Anastasia wouldn¡¯t let Felicia live afortable life either.


    The mistress was the other woman, and she wanted Felicia to be a disgrace for the rest of her life.


    ¡°As for Jason, I have nothing to do with him. Whatever you do to him has nothing to do with me,¡± said


    Anastasia.


    Anastasia stepped back and continued. ¡°I will visit Grandma Andreater. I refuse to sit in your car


    because I find disgusting.¡±


    stor¡¯s expression darkened, but he also knew that while Anastasia was a gentle person, she could


    be really stubborn.


    Felicia deliberately left these things in the car. No matter how gentle Anastasia was, it was normal for


    her to get angry.


    stor rubbed his temple as he called Lionel and said, ¡°Come to the parking lot and clean up the car.


    ¡°Mr. Lopez, what¡¯s wrong¡­ with the car? Lionel asked nervously.


    stor, who was getting irritated, scolded, ¡°Why are you asking so many nonsensical questions?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Lopez,¡± said Lionel.


    Before she realized it, Anastasia had unintentionallye to Penelope¡¯s house in Harewood Lane.


    She hesitated for a long time at the door and turned to leave.


    She was scared and trying to run away from the truth.


    ¡°Annie, called out Penelope softly from the yard.


    Anastasia turned around and smiled nervously as she greeted, ¡°Grandma Penelope, it¡¯s been a long


    time since I came to see you. How are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m doing really well,¡± said Penelope as she smiled and motioned Anastasia to enter the


    house.


    ¡°Grandma Penelope¡­ Is Jace here?¡± Anastasia asked as she nced around and found that Jason


    was not there.


    ¡°Jace?¡± said Penelope as she thought for a while. ¡°Do you mean Jason?¡±


    Anastasia nodded numbly.


    Penelope said as she shook her head. ¡°But Jason is not Jace.¡±


    Anastasia was stunned and looked at Penelope in shock as she asked, ¡°Jason¡­ is not Jace? But¡­


    But that day, Jason obviously asked her if he was toote.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    ¡°Jason is Jason, and Jace is Jace,¡± said Penelope as she took Anastasia into the house.


    Penelope took several photos out from an old metal tin box and pointed to the boy in them, and said,


    ¡°This is my Jace.¡±


    Anastasia stumbled along numbly and took a long time to step forward to look at the boy in the photo.


    The child looked cloddish, wearing old and dirty clothes with mud on his face. He looked ridiculous but


    was happy.


    The background of the photo was a garden of a manor. It looked magnificent, with flowers that looked


    even more beautiful than the ones in the park.


    Boys usually changed a lot as they grew. Anastasia couldn¡¯t tell whether the child in the photo was


    Jace, let alone if he was Jason now


    ¡°Grandma Penelope, why do you say that Jason is not Jace? But he¡­¡± stammered Anastasia, feeling


    a little confused


    Looking carefully at the boy in the photo, Anastasia could still faintly see the beauty mark below the left


    corner of the child¡¯s eye.


    Jason had the same beauty mark. ¡°Grandma Penelope, Jason is Jace, right?¡± Anastasia asked again.


    But Penelope still shook her head and insisted, Jace is my Jace, and Jason is Jason.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t continue asking Penelope because thetter had developed Alzheimer¡¯s six years ago


    and couldn¡¯t remember many things.


    Over the years, Anastasia hadn¡¯t summoned up the courage to ask about Jace in front of Penelope.


    She was also afraid that it would trigger Penelope.


    ¡°Grandma Penelope, there are 200 thousand dors in this card. When Jacees back, please give


    it to him for me,¡± said Anastasia as she put the bank card in the most conspicuous ce. She had


    collected the money by selling off the few pieces of jewelry she had, plus the bag she had bought while


    at Atharia.


    Whether Jason was Jace or not, she couldn¡¯t see him again anytime in the future.


    Anastasia was clear about stor¡¯s capability.


    If she pissed him off, there would be no end to it.


    She couldn¡¯t drag Jason down with her.


    She was ready for a protracted dispute with stor and Felicia.


    ¡°Jace won¡¯te back anymore¡­¡± mumbled Grandma repeatedly as she held onto the photo. ¡®My


    Jace can¡¯te back anymore. He is dead.¡±


    Anastasia felt a sharp pain in her heart. She knew she shouldn¡¯t listen to Penelope¡¯s delirious words,


    but Anastasia could still feel her heartache when she heard it.


    Jace¡­ wouldn¡¯t die.


    ¡°Grandma Penelope, when Jasones back, can you give this card to him?¡± asked Anastasia again.


    ¡°And pass him this


    letter.¡±


    She had asked Jason to leave Hork with his grandmother.


    If possible, he should nevere back here again.


    Then Anastasia went to the Lopez residence. She tried topose herself as she walked into the


    living room and called out, ¡°Grandma Andrea¡±


    stor had already arrived. He cared more than anyone else about his grandmother.


    Anastasia knew that stor¡¯s mother had only a small hand in raising him and had even caused him


    quite a bit of childhood trauma. stor spent all his childhood with his grandparents, so he cared very


    much about Andrea¡¯s health.


    That was why stor wanted to force her to sign the divorce agreement first and get the divorce


    certificate only after Andrea passed away.


    Andrea wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the shock of this matter.


    ¡°Annie, you¡¯re here,¡± said Grandma as she sat on the sofa and smiled at Anastasia. ¡°stor said that


    you had participated in an exhibition in Atharia,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Anastasia as she walked over with a smile and sat beside Andrea.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°stor, you need to take care of your wife properly. Where can you find a good wife like Annie? You


    need to cherish her. Don¡¯t be like your father and destroy your own life,¡± Andrea reminded stor


    as she let out a sigh.


    10-411


    Anastasia¡¯s body stiffened. She lowered her head, and her smile froze.


    ¡°Like fathers like sons, they were truly rted. Both had a first crush in their hearts but chose to


    deceive another person into marriage. After years of marriage, they tried every means to get a divorce


    for the sake of their first crush. It seems like it¡¯s hereditary,¡± sneered Anastasia inwardly.


    ¡°I.. won¡¯t do such a thing¡± stor lied. Maybe he felt guilty, so he lifted his head and looked at


    Anastasia.


    stor wanted to warn Anastasia not to talk nonsense, but he realized that Anastasia wasn¡¯t even


    looking at him.


    She had her head quietly lowered, and no one knew what kind of thoughts she had in her mind.


    stor¡¯s heart tightened inexplicably. He frowned and looked away.


    ¡°Your mother was here earlier. She seemed happy that Annie was pregnant,¡± eximed Andrea, who


    was also very happy and grabbed Anastasia¡¯s hand and refused to let go.


    stor frowned and felt a little unhappy. ¡°Don¡¯t let here and visit you in the future,¡± he said.


    It was probably because of what Naomi had said that triggered Andrea andnded thetter in the


    hospital.


    He had clearly warned Naomi not to tell Andrea about Anastasia¡¯s


    pregnancy


    ¡°Grandma Andrea¡­ The baby¡­¡± Anastasia stammered. She felt guilty and wanted to say something


    but was hesitant.


    stor didn¡¯t want the baby, and her body wouldn¡¯t allow her to give birth.


    ¡°The baby is doing good and will be born safely, interrupted stor. Perhaps stor was afraid


    Anastasia would shock Andrea, so he subconsciously cut off her words.


    Anastasia frowned and looked at stor in disappointment.


    No wonder as soon as she returned from abroad, he couldn¡¯t wait and asked Felicia to bring Anastasia


    for an abortion.


    He was afraid that it would be toote once Andrea found out about this, and he would have no choice


    but to keep the baby.

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    ¡°stor, since Annie is pregnant, you should take care of her more carefully. Remember what she likes


    to eat and what food she can consume, reminded Andrea. The whole night went by with Andrea


    instructing stor about this.


    ¡°When I was pregnant, my morning sickness was severe. I threw up until I couldn¡¯t stand up and finally


    vomited blood. At that time, your Grandpa felt sorry for me and asked me to have an abortion. I couldn¡¯t


    bear to do it.¡± When she saw Anastasia¡¯s pale face. Andrea added, ¡°stor, you have to be kind to


    Annie. In this lifetime, you should learn to empathize with people.¡±


    After saying that, Andrea ced Anastasia¡¯s hand in stor¡¯s hand.


    Anastasia only felt a stinging pain in the finger touched by stor.


    Also, she was slightly disgusted.


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t stand the sick feeling she felt in her stomach. She rushed into the restroom and


    vomited.


    Sure enough, her mysophobia was much more serious than stor¡¯s.


    ¡°Are you feeling better? stor asked. Without her realizing it, stor was standing at the door.


    She knew without anyone telling her that Andrea was the one who sent him here.


    His expression looked terrible. It seemed like he was very much concerned about her. He even had a


    ss of warm water in his hand. ¡°Drink some water, said stor.


    Anastasia smiled weakly and mumbled, ¡°Grandma Andrea is not here. Who are you putting on a show


    for?¡±


    stor just frowned and said nothing.


    At first, Anastasia didn¡¯t want to get into stor¡¯s car when she left the Lopez residence.


    But Andrea was looking on from the entrance, so she could only get on the passenger seat for fear that


    Andrea would realize something was amiss.


    ¡°d to see you have enough sense to change the car¡­¡± Anastasia said sarcastically.


    stor had always been meticulous about how he treated the people he cared about.


    He had family affection toward Andrea and romantic love toward Felicia.


    As for Anastasia, he treated her as a partner at best.


    ¡°Anastasia, give birth to this baby,¡± said stor..


    ¡°Why? Since Grandma Andrea knows of this, and you can¡¯t make me get an abortion, so you would


    rather have me keep the baby?¡± asked Anastasia as she leaned against the seat and resisted the sick


    feeling she had in her stomach.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°The doctor said that Grandma¡¯s body can¡¯t hold on long. I will not take up too long of your time. At


    most, it will take two years,¡± said stor.


    This time, Anastasia could feel that his tone was one of negotiation.


    ¡°So what you are saying is, the baby in my stomach, I should give birth to it when you say so and abort


    it when you decide the opposite?¡± Anastasia sneered, ¡°It¡¯s toote for that¡­


    ¡°As long as you give birth to this baby, I can give you the 15% share,¡± said stor, finally relenting-


    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s toote to ask me to give birth to this baby. You have to pay another price if you want


    that, stor.¡± Anastasia looked back at stor and continued, ¡°If I give birth to this baby, then you


    need to add another article to the agreement. Not only do I want 15% of the shares, but also you need


    to write down a will and notarize that only our children can legally obtain all your property and has the


    inheritance rights of thepany shares. The mistress¡¯ children will not be getting anything.¡±


    stor clenched his fingers tightly on the steering wheel, and his expression darkened as he replied.


    ¡°Anastasia, are you looking forward to my death? You have even thought about the will.¡±


    ¡°You are the one looking forward to my death¡­¡± mumbled Anastasia, wanting tough.


    Did he leave her a way out?


    No, he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Write down the will and notarize it in advance. Otherwise, I will not give birth to this baby,¡± said


    Anastasia. She was taking a gamble.


    She was using her life to make this gamble.


    ¡°All right!¡± agreed stor, his voice full of anger.


    He had actually agreed to it.


    Anastasia looked at stor in shock.


    She didn¡¯t expect stor to agree to it.


    It seemed that in stor¡¯s heart, family affection was more important than romantic love.


    ¡°Felicia is pregnant, isn¡¯t she? Are you sure you want to agree to my demands?¡± asked Anastasia as


    she looked at stor. Was he not worried about making Felicia sad?


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t need all these,¡± reassured stor as he frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll give her everything she wants.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers clenched tightly in that instant. It turned out that stor had already made proper


    arrangements.


    That was true. Felicia didn¡¯t need these so-called guarantees. For her, having stor would be


    enough.


    And those who needed these guarantees were people who didn¡¯t have a sense of security.


    ¡°Stop the car,¡± Anastasia said to stor in a hoarse voice.


    stor expression was grim, and he ignored Anastasiapletely.


    The car was still moving when Anastasia opened the door directly.


    stor¡¯s expression changed, and he suddenly stepped on the brake, shouting. ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    Anastasia ignored stor and walked straight to the sidewalk after getting out of the car.


    She couldn¡¯t¡­ She would suffocate if she continued to stay in the car with stor.


    ¡°Anastasia, that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s not easy to get a taxi here. Get in the car now!¡± shouted stor. His


    patience had its limits.


    He followed Anastasia for a distance. Finally, he ran out of patience and drove off, leaving Anastasia


    behind.


    This ce was around 10 miles away from their residence. It was not easy to get a taxi here, so it


    seemed like it would be dark by the time she reached home.


    Anastasia could feel the acid burning her stomach. She walked for half an hour before squatting on the


    roadside and vomited.


    She barely ate anything, so she only threw up stomach acid.


    It was getting dark. Anastasia could finally stop pretending and squat on the roadside crying.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± An anxious voice came from behind.


    Anastasia slowly raised her head.


    ¡°Jace¡­¡± mumbled Anastasia. It was Jason.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    ¡°Are you feeling ufortable?¡± Jason was short of breath as if he had been looking for her for a long


    time.


    ¡°How¡­ How did you know I¡¯m here?¡± Anastasia stared at Jason in bewilderment.


    Jason crouched beside Anastasia and gave her a reassuring pat on the back. ¡°I asked Kimberly. She


    mentioned you had gone to visit stor¡¯s grandmother.¡±


    Anastasia slowly rose to her feet. Her head was spinning, and her steps were unsteady.


    Instinctively, Jason reached out and helped Anastasia to her feet.


    ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡± Anastasia pulled her wrist free and distanced herself from


    Jason.


    A trace of sadness shed through Jason¡¯s eyes. He took out a bank card and asked, ¡°Did you leave


    this with Grandma?*


    ¡°Jason¡­¡± Anastasia took a deep breath. ¡°Whether you¡¯re Jace or not, take the money and leave Hork


    with Grandma Penelope.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t return if you can,¡± she continued in her mind.


    ¡°Why?¡± Jason¡¯s eyes welled up with redness.


    ¡°Do you have money? Anastasia met Jason¡¯s gaze.


    It was not her intention to undermine Jason; rather, she was trying to be realistic.


    He had nothing-no influential connections, distinguished background, prominent family, or wealth.


    ¡°How much could he possibly earn working at a bar? If he were to offend stor, thetter has the


    ability to jeopardize Jason¡¯s job.¡± Anastasia thought.


    Jason parted his lips as he wanted to say something, but he held back from doing so.


    ¡°Do you have a prominent family?¡± Anastasia pressed further.


    ¡°Do you have a distinguished background? Or even any influential connections?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice


    faltered. ¡°You have nothing at all. If you were to lose your job, how will you sustain yourself and


    Grandma Penelope?¡±


    Anastasia took a step backward. ¡°Jason, stor wants a divorce. He and Felicia have gone off the


    deep end. Theysh out at anyone theye across. I don¡¯t want to drag you into this mess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of them¡± Jason dered while stepping closer. ¡°As long as you divorce him. I¡¯ll protect


    you.¡±


    ¡°How can you protect me?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice grew louder. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one asking why I rushed


    into a marriage with stor? I¡¯ll tell you why-I¡¯m driven by materialism, which is the reason I¡¯m clinging


    to him like a beggar! I¡¯m drawn to his social status and capabilities! It¡¯s also because he can offer me


    the sense of security and safety I long for!¡±


    Jason stood rooted to the spot with his hands clenched into tight fists.


    ¡°And he¡¯s unlike you, who are down and out. You promised to protect me, yet you vanished without a


    trace!¡± Anastasia¡¯s words cut deep, and she was fully aware of the weight they carried.


    She was also aware that her very existence seemed to be a curse upon Jace.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jason¡¯s voice was a mere whisper as he ced the bank card in Anastasia¡¯s hand. Tll take


    you back home.¡±


    Anastasia refused the card. ¡°Just keep it. I owe you.¡±


    Jason¡¯s eyes reddened as he asked, ¡°Do you really want a clean break from me?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s pretend we never crossed paths.¡± Anastasia took a few steps back, turning away from him.


    Jason moved to follow Anastasia and trailed close behind.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    As darkness fell, the streetlights cast elongated shadows upon the ground.


    shado


    Jason shadowed her every step, his determination unwavering.


    Jason stayed by Anastasia¡¯s side until she got into a taxi. Only then did he step back, silently watching


    her depart.


    Just a mere dy, and the chance to keep her close slipped through his fingers forever.


    Jason grappled with the harsh reality.


    Soon, Anastasia arrived at Hork General Hospital, her steps heavy with exhaustion.


    A Anastasia entered the ward, her gaze was drawn to Zeke, who had regained consciousness in his


    bed.


    ¡°Miss, the doctor mentioned that your father has passed the critical phase. We¡¯ll continue to monitor


    him and support his gradual recovery. Rehabilitation will be the focus in theter stages.¡± The


    caretaker, Amanda Watson, said softly.


    Zeke had been saved, but the possibility ofsting disability loomed over him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Anastasia replied softly before pulling a stool closer and settling by his bedside.


    Zeke¡¯s voice remained silenced. His mouth was agape as he tried to form words that refused to


    emerge.


    Anastasia regarded him coldly, her words cutting through the air. ¡°You¡¯ve spent all these years raising


    another man¡¯s daughter and acting as a husband, and yet here you are now-sick and forsaken, with no


    one tending to you.¡±


    Anxiety etched Zeke¡¯s features, his desperation palpable as he struggled to move against his immobile


    body. Helplessness enveloped him, his efforts futile.


    ¡°Do you know what this is? It¡¯s karma, Anastasia dered.


    ¡°It¡¯s the karma you¡¯ve woven to yourself¡± Anastasia¡¯s gaze shifted nkly to the window. ¡°Dad. stor


    and I are getting a divorce.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s nervousness was reflected in his sweat-beaded forehead. Yet his body remained paralyzed, and


    he was incapable of responding to her words.


    ¡°Do you have any idea about the life I¡¯ve endured in the Lopez family all these years? I¡¯ve spent a


    lifetime unable to lift my head with pride, constantly being judged and scrutinized wherever I go. And


    it¡¯s all because I have a father like you.¡± Anastasia¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, a bitter stile gracing her


    lips as she continued, ¡°Do you know what the Lopez family says about us? They call us beggars and


    say that all we do is beseech stor for money all day long. Dad, do you feel happy to ruin my life?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice quivered as she uttered the words.


    ¡°Are you aware that stor was greatly disturbed by the fact that I had been humiliated in the past?


    Are you even aware that your daughter died six years ago? But am I really the one who deserves to


    die? Shouldn¡¯t it be all of you? No¡­ You must stay alive to endure a life that¡¯s worse than death itself.


    Death isn¡¯t what you deserve, nor is the end to your suffering¡±

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    Zeke was extremely anxious as he grunted and let out cries.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t want to guess; she figured he was probably cursing again.


    ¡°Take good care of him. Don¡¯t let him die.¡± Anastasia stood up and said that to Amanda before leaving.


    Zeke whimpered and hit the bed with his only movable arm. There were tears in his eyes. No one knew


    if he was guilty or just frustrated.


    However, that didn¡¯t matter to Anastasia; her family was the source of her misery.


    ¡°After I die, he should live in misery. Living is more agonizing than dying,¡± she thought.


    Harold¡¯s whispers sounded in her mind. ¡°Annie, don¡¯t scream. You¡¯re not a little girl anymore. You¡¯ve


    probably had boyfriends, right? Let me touch you. Just for a while¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­ Help me! Get out of here!¡±


    It was truly ironic and pitiful how Anastasia was sexually assaulted in her own house while her parents


    were sleeping next door.


    When Anastasia got back home, her hands had lost their sensation. All she could feel was severe


    numbness.


    Whenever she went back to that house and saw Zeke and Meredith, she would feel numb and


    ufortable all over.


    There were certain wounds that she would never be able to heal and forget. They were akin to a


    branded mark that would grow deeper over time.


    ¡°Jace¡­ Liar¡­ stor¡­ Liar¡­¡± Anastasia muttered weakly.


    Anastasia got a fever. Her muscles were sore all over, and her bones felt as if they had turned to mush.


    Perhaps it was because she had walked for too long, the fever gave her an illusion that she was close


    to death. In fact, she felt like it was not just an illusion and was really happening.


    ¡°You are all liars¡­¡± Anastasia curled up on the couch and murmured with a hoarse voice.


    Everyone was a liar. No one could apany her for the rest of her life, and no one could give her a


    home.


    Six years ago, she believed in Jace when he said he would protect her forever. But then, he


    disappeared.


    Four years ago, she believed in stor because he said he would give her a home.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Yet now, he cheated on her and even forced her to get a divorce.


    ¡°Anastasia.¡± In a trance, Anastasia heard someone calling her name.


    ¡°Is stor back? That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± Anastasia thought.


    ¡°Do you have a fever?¡± When stor returned home, he found Anastasia curled up on the couch.


    Snowball didn¡¯t return to his cat bed and was desperately meowing at the door. He also sensed that


    something was wrong with Anastasia and anxiously tried to seek help for his owner.


    stor touched Anastasia¡¯s forehead and frowned. ¡°How did she get such a severe fever?¡±


    The phone was on the table, and Felicia¡¯s calls kepting in.


    stor felt somewhat annoyed and ignored it. Then, he carried Anastasia into the bedroom.


    ¡°Anastasia, take the medicine. He prepared cold medicine and urged her to drink it.


    Anastasia opened her eyes dazedly, thinking she was still dreaming. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you with your first


    crush¡­ Why did youe back?¡±


    Take the medicine.¡± stor held Anastasia and made her take the medicine.


    ¡°You want me to give birth to this child, don¡¯t you? I shouldn¡¯t take medicines so hastily¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s


    headache was severe. She pushed stor away and leaned on the bed.


    stor¡¯s face darkened, and he poured her another ss of hot water. ¡°Drink some hot water.¡±


    ¡°What brings you back? Anastasia took the hot water and only then realized she wasn¡¯t dreaming.


    stor had indeede back.


    ¡°Felicia¡­¡± stor hesitated and remained silent for a while before speaking. ¡°She wants to organize an


    art exhibition, and she needs your mentor¡¯s rmendation and acknowledgment. After all, Mr.


    Charles Lexington¡¯s connections in Nork are top-notch.¡±


    The ss in Anastasia¡¯s hand fell on her body. Her legs turned red from the burn, yet she felt nothing.


    In the past, she was the one organizing charity art exhibitions to build a good image for Lopez Group.


    stor had also fully supported her in organizing those art exhibitions for charity.


    ¡°Is he trying to pull the strings for Felicia in advance now?¡± Anastasia wondered.


    ¡°What makes you think that¡­ I¡¯ll help you refer Felicia to him and ask for an opportunity for her?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s breathing became heavy with tension.


    ¡°How much crueler can stor be? I¡¯m human, too,¡± she thought.


    ¡°Anastasia, Charles is a peculiar person. Only the students he finds promising are qualified to approach


    him for rmendations. Mywork of contacts doesn¡¯t align well with his.¡± stor frowned.


    This was the first time that stor had requested her to do something, and it was for the sake of


    Felicia, while Anastasia was under the pressure to divorce him.


    ¡°Are you the one with the fever? Are you half-awake?¡± Anastasia threw the ss away, suppressing


    the turmoil in her heart. ¡°stor, do you even have a conscience?¡±


    ¡°Jace¡¯s grandma is sick. She has just been admitted to the emergency department, and she needs not


    just money for the surgery but also top experts to attend to her. With mywork of contacts, this falls


    within my capabilities,¡± stor said in a solemn tone.


    It seemed that he intended to exchange resources with Anastasia.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Anastasia looked at stor in shock and clenched her fingers tightly.


    Anastasia was astonished to hear the nameing from stor.


    ¡°Jace¡­ This shows that stor has investigated me for the purpose of divorcing me,¡± she thought to


    herself.


    ¡°Women shouldn¡¯t be too headstrong, Anastasia¡± stor picked up the ss, put it aside, and


    continued to say, ¡°That is the time for us to be honest and upfront with each other. I don¡¯t want you to


    come looking for me, pleading for helpter.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    stor said indifferently and thought, ¡°That is my reminder to you-take up the good opportunity and


    consider it an exchange of resources. Don¡¯t wait until you are at your wit¡¯s end and have lost the


    chance before youe begging for me for help. Anastasia.¡±


    ¡°For Felicia¡¯s sake, you can really be that unscrupulous, Anastasia said ironically with a smirk on her


    face. Then, she said, ¡°I¡¯m curious. How does it feel to have a blitz marriage with a woman that you


    haven¡¯t loved for four years? And to think of your first love every day. Isn¡¯t that agonizing, stor?¡±


    Anastasia felt the burning sensation in her throat and the aching pain in her chest.


    ¡°What about you?¡± stor stood by the bed, his tall figure oozing an air of unspeakable gloom and cool


    indifference. He checked WhatsApp messages on his phone, looked up at Anastasia, and said again,


    ¡°We¡¯ve been married for four years. Do you know how often you¡¯ve called out Jace¡¯s name in the


    middle of the night?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s heart tightened, and she took a deep breath.


    ¡°And just then, didn¡¯t you call out his name too?¡± stor turned around and prepared a fresh batch of


    oral suspension syrup for Anastasia again. ¡°I¡¯ve asked the doctor. That kind of herbal medicine won¡¯t


    interfere, so, drink up,¡± he said reassuringly.


    There was buzzing in Anastasia¡¯s ears, and her chest was heaving up and down as her breathing


    became rapid. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare use that dirty mind of yours to make assumptions about others


    rtionships!¡±


    ¡°The rtionship between Jace and I is totally different from that of stor and Felicia. Coming from


    stor, he seems to have tarnished what Jace and I have. If it weren¡¯t for Jace, I would have died six


    years ago,¡± Anastasia thought.


    ¡°Think about it carefully, Anastasia. All you have to do is rmend Felicia to Mr. Lexington, I can


    arrange an expert consultation for you.¡± stor negotiated and guessed that Anastasia would agree to


    his terms.


    ¡°Grandma Penelope is sick and has been hospitalized. You knew of it earlier than I did. You just


    couldn¡¯t wait to use that to threaten me, stor?¡± Anastasia sneered and concluded in her heart, ¡°This


    is stor.¡±


    In fact, she had known stor¡¯s personality and character for a long time. He had always practiced that


    in his corporate business dealings. He would not reveal his true intentions until he knew with absolute


    certainty that he had the upper hand.


    It was the same at that moment. He came prepared.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a threat. I have given you a home and everything that you wanted. You should be content,


    Anastasia.¡± stor frowned and pondered, ¡°I don¡¯t think she and I have yet to reach that point where


    threats are called for, nor have the intention to go to that extent.¡±


    Anastasia could only feel the pain in her chest, suffocating and choking her. She retaliated, ¡°You have


    given me everything I wanted? Then, you should have told me from the beginning that you don¡¯t love


    me and that you still have your first crush in mind. You should have let me prepare myself to leave at


    any point in time!¡±


    ¡°Instead of lying like that and giving me the fatal blow,¡± she continued silently.


    ¡°That was my fault, but it¡¯s just that one matter. Besides, I have been tolerant of you enough.¡± stor


    raised his hand to feel Anastasia¡¯s forehead.


    Anastasia pped thetter¡¯s hand away and sneered, ¡°Stop your pretense.¡±


    ¡°Take the medicine and think it over,¡± stor instructed Anastasia and turned to leave.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. You have purposelye back to beg me, just for Felicia¡¯s sake? Anastasia raised her head


    with bloodshot eyes and stubbornly resisted the urge to cry.


    ¡°The only thing I have not seeded in attaining is stor¡¯s love for me. I am just not loved by him. I¡¯m


    about to die and have yet to experience what it feels like to be loved. It¡¯s such a pity that I¡¯ll die with


    regrets,¡± she thought.


    stor didn¡¯t exin. When he reached the door, he turned and simply said, ¡°I guess you don¡¯t want to


    see me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I don¡¯t wish to see you,¡± Anastasia said as she lowered her head.


    ¡°What a good excuse,¡± she thought.


    ¡°Try having gastric pain, Anastasia.¡± Suddenly, storined of his pain while he stood at the


    door.


    He sounded exhausted, more than usual.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t look at him. She held back for a long time to prevent tears from gushing out of her


    eyes.


    Anastasia got off the bed and went into the kitchen without saying anything. She prepared a te of


    pesto pasta for him. After this, when he had gastric pain after drinking, he would probably not have


    pesto pasta to eat anymore.


    That night, stor didn¡¯t leave but slept in a separate room from Anastasia.


    The morning after, stor woke up and found that breakfast was ready on the table as usual.


    Anastasia had already left. ¡°Please help me choose the tie color, Anastasia. stor stood by the side


    of the table and was silent for a long time. Habits could be terribly annoying.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    Anastasia had arrived at Hork General Hospital. She asked the doctor from the emergency department


    and ran toward Penelope¡¯s ward.


    ¡°Jason¡­¡±


    Jason stood outside the door, conversing with the doctor.


    ¡°Mrs. Gunn is at an advanced age. If she is to have another operation at her age, we need to have a


    professional medical team and hire specialists. In Bricaes, specialists don¡¯t take appointments and are


    expensive. Mrs. Gunn may not be able to wait.¡± The doctor sighed and continued to advise. ¡°I suggest


    that you give up if your family does not have the means to sustain the treatments.¡±


    Jason stood at the door, looked deste, and stated, ¡°Money is not a problem. Doctor.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a mary problem¡± The doctor sighed and continued. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to make an


    appointment with a specialist. especially without the right connections. That is beyond my limitations.


    Moreover, at Mrs. Gunn¡¯s age¡­¡±


    The doctor stopped in mid-sentence


    The doctor added. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s necessary to continue with the treatment?¡±


    Jason clenched the check-up report and answered. ¡°I have promised to let my grandma live to a ripe


    old age of 100.¡±


    The doctor sighed and advised. ¡°That¡¯s how it is if surgery is needed. That is the name and phone


    number of the specialist. It is impossible to make an appointment without personal connections. You


    can give that a try.¡±


    Jason held the paper and was silent for a long time.


    ¡°How is Grandma Penelope Anastasia ran over and asked in a low voice.


    Jason looked up and nced at Anastasia


    Anastasia gasped at the sight of Jason¡¯s bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°I-Is it very serious?¡± Anastasia inquired in a trembling voice.


    Jason answered hoarsely. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely Grandma can hold on, Anastasia.¡±


    Anastasia knew the importance of Penelope to Jace


    ¡°Give me the specialist¡¯s number Leave it to me Anastasta reached out to take the number in Jason¡¯s


    hand.


    ¡°Do you know of someone? Jason asked.


    Anastasia was not sure she could pull it off So, she said, ¡°I can ask around Leave this to me. Take


    good care of Grandma Penelope.¡±


    ¡°Have you divorced stor yet, Anastasia?¡± Jason took Anastasia¡¯s hand and asked.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and looked away before she answered, ¡°I have already said it before. I


    will not get a divorce.¡± Disappointment shed in Jason¡¯s eyes while he let go of Anastasia¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°If you are going to beg for stor¡¯s help to reach the specialist, then I don¡¯t need it. I have my own


    ways. Jason reached out to snatch back the specialist¡¯s phone number.


    However, Anastasia clenched her fist and said, ¡°No. I don¡¯t need to beg for his help.¡±


    ¡°In truth, I really do not need to beg him. It¡¯s just an exchange of resources,¡± she thought.


    ¡°Really?¡± Jason asked Anastasia in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes, really.¡± Anastasia nodded and nced toward Penelope, deep in her sleep. She said, ¡°Take good


    care of Grandma Penelope. I¡¯ll call you if there is any news.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia?¡± Jason chased after her and shouted her name anxiously when she reached the hospital


    hall.


    Anastasia paused in her steps and turned to look at Jason.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look back,¡± Jason said and stepped forward nervously. He didn¡¯t want Anastasia to look back.


    However, Anastasia had already turned her head subconsciously.


    stor was standing in the VIP examination area of the obstetrics and gynecology department. He had


    apanied Felicia for some kind of check-up.


    Felicia had basically leaned against stor¡¯s body and looked pale.


    stor was holding a thermos cup, which he handed to Felicia.


    It looked extremely cozy. They had the seeming appearance of husband and wife to those who did not


    know the truth


    The scene before her made Anastasia feel an intense ache. Then, a gush of warmth rushed to her


    head.


    Jason grabbed Anastasia¡¯s wrist and dragged her to the safe passage. ¡°Divorce him. All that he can


    give, I can give to you too, Anastasia. Jason wanted Anastasia to get a divorce.


    Anastasia felt dizzy and almost lost her bnce.


    Anastasia was having a nosebleed and felt her head spinning wildly.


    ¡°What can you give me?¡± Anastasia leered and retorted ironically, ¡°Be realistic, Jason. I¡¯ll help you


    settle Grandma Penelope¡¯s surgery and all the expenses. You can leave Hork when she gets better.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, actually I¡¯m-¡°Jason was nervous and wanted to exin.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    ¡°Jason, since you have chosen to disappear for six years, just stay gone, and let¡¯s not show up in each


    other¡¯s world,¡± Anastasia interrupted Jason. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t happened to go to Atharin, we wouldn¡¯t have


    met each other by chance. If not for that, we might never have met again or evene to know each


    other.¡±


    Truth be told, Anastasia had not recognized Jason as Jace.


    When Anastasia first encountered Jason in the elevator in Atharia, she only felt that Jason resembled


    Jace, but never would she have suspected he was actually Jare.


    A teenager can change a lot in six years.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Jason shook his head. ¡°I had nned to return to my country, because six years ago L¡­


    ¡°Stop it. Anastasia escaped from the safe passage and left in a panic.


    She thought. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯m being selfish because I¡¯m afraid to hear what Jason has to say about


    what happened six years ago. I can¡¯t afford to since my life ising to an end. How can I even pay


    Jace back?¡±


    In fact, she could guess what happened six years ago, but she dared not face it.


    ¡°Anastasia, what were you afraid of? Do you think that I¡¯m going to make you take responsibility? Do


    you think that I¡¯m going to threaten or even guilt trip you over what happened six years ago?¡± Jason


    had no idea why she was afraid..


    She was obviously not that kind of woman.


    He thought, ¡°Why did she try to make me think that she¡¯s a gold digger and a woman who fawned on


    the rich and powerful and also fears that the past would affect her future?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not, then you don¡¯t have to say anything. Just wait to hear from me,¡± Anastasia said in a


    hoarse voice and walked straight out of the hospital.


    She thought, ¡°Just treat me as a passer-by in your life.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Soon, she vanished from view


    Jason stood rooted to the spot and clenched his fists stiffly.


    He thought, ¡°Six years¡­ What did she experience to have caused her to turn out like this?¡±


    After escaping from the hospital, Anastasia stood by the roadside, short of breath.


    Anastasia leaned against the edge of the flower bed and sat down weakly on the roadside.


    She couldn¡¯t hold on any longer.


    Anastasia took out the painkiller from her bag, and as she was going to eat it, she hesitated.


    She thought, ¡°stor has said that¡­ he wanted to keep the child. I¡¯m probably crazy.¡±


    Anastasia was quiet for a long moment before finally making up her mind.


    She thought, ¡°I want to keep the child.¡±


    Anastasia got up and went back to the hospital to look for her attending physician.


    ¡°Judging from the results of the test, the doubling of HCG is not a good sign, but we will continue to


    observe it. If the fetal heart rate is normal after about six weeks, there will be no problem. The doctor


    looked at the test results with a heavy expression. ¡°But in your case, we don¡¯t rmend you to have


    this child.¡±


    *Is¡­ Is it hereditary? Anastasia was more worried about whether the child would inherit her illness.


    ¡°The possibility cannot be ruled out, so we must do regr prenatal examinations and hereditary


    gic screening.¡± The doctor frowned. ¡°I still suggest you abort this baby because the pregnancy


    cycle is too long, and you can¡¯t receive early intervention treatment for cancer. If you wait for a


    postpartum treatment, the effect cannot be guaranteed. Pregnancy will also increase your risk of


    fracture, osteoporosis, and other risks. You also cannot take special painkillers for the pain, and this will


    make it hard for you to bear. The doctor made it clear to Anastasia that it would be a difficult process.


    Bone cancer could be said to be the most painful breast cancer in the world.


    If Anastasia wanted to keep her baby, it would elerate the risk of her death and perhaps even force


    her to live a life that


    was worse than death.


    ¡°Doctor, I want to keep this child. Can you help me as much as possible?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was


    hoarse.


    After she died, stor would soon forget her.


    But if he kept this child, he would remember her for the rest of his life.


    However, Anastasia would be unable to give the child aplete home.


    As long as stor¡¯s mother was there, Anastasia would not need to worry that the child would be


    bullied by Felicia.


    Before she died, she would try her best to ensure that her child obtained favorable conditions such as


    stor¡¯s legacy and thepany¡¯s shares.


    After leaving the hospital, Anastasia called stor with trembling fingers.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Anastasia asked as she stood by the roadside. She watched stor apany


    Felicia out of the hospital and get in the car.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m at thepany,¡± stor said as he took the call at the side.


    His reply made Anastasia want to burst intoughter.


    She thought, ¡°We¡¯ve already had aplete falling-out Why are you still lying to me?¡±


    ¡°I can help introduce Felicia to a mentor, and you go help get an appointment with a doctor for


    Grandma Penelope¡¯s surgery.¡±


    On the other end of the phone, stor was silent for a long time. ¡°So you¡¯ve thought things through?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Anastasia took a deep breath and said, ¡°I need to meet with you to discuss the baby. I went for a


    pregnancy check-up today.¡±


    Once again, stor remained silent for a long time. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go home tonight.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    Anastasia returned to her residence and reached out to hug Snowball. As she patted the cat, she


    murmured, ¡°Snowball¡­¡±


    She thought, ¡°What will Snowball do after I die?¡±


    She needed to entrust Snowball to someone before she died.


    It was obviously unrealistic to leave her to stor because Felicia hated cats.


    Anastasia sat on the couch, looking at this ce that she once thought would be her home.


    stor¡¯s so-called ¡°home¡± was merely a byword.


    It was a cold and bloodless home without warmth.


    ¡°Snowball, eat more.¡± Anastasia fed Snowball more cat food and some dried fish.


    Snowball meowed happily in response.


    Squatting down next to Snowball¡¯s cat bed, Anastasia smiled.


    The human world was not quite a pleasant ce. In her next life, she no longer wanted to return here.


    If she had the choice, it would be better to be a carefree kitten.


    She didn¡¯t want to wander around outside. She wanted to meet a kind-hearted person, have a


    comforting kitten¡¯s bed, and have a home where no one would abandon her.


    When stor came back, the fragrance of food was overflowing in the house.


    Anastasia busied herself in the kitchen as usual.


    stor stood at the door and was silent for a long time.


    At that moment, he felt like the divorce was just a dream.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ stor¡¯s voice sounded slightly hoarse as if he had a tiring past few days.


    Anastasia brought out the food and smiled at stor. ¡°Let¡¯s have ourst meal.¡±


    After this meal, they were really going to part ways.


    stor¡¯s


    ¡®s expression was dark as he frowned. ¡°I told you not to announce it to the public. We will hide it from


    Grandma, and we must carry on the same as before.¡±


    ¡°stor, we can¡¯t be the same as before. We just need to cooperate when we visit her every week,


    Anastasia said as she filled stor¡¯s te with pasta.


    For the past four years, she yed the role of a proper housewife to the fullest extent.


    There was not a single day when she actually lived for herself.


    In order to take better care of stor, she even studied how to best bnce nutritional value.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She had focused all her thoughts on their ¡°home.¡±


    However, she did not know that ¡°home¡± was just a byword.


    She felt as if she was falling into a ck hole, and was being torn to shreds.


    ¡°Grandma isn¡¯t stupid.¡± stor¡¯s face darkened as he said, ¡°Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll be living at home.¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath and did not try to argue. ¡°Then I¡¯ll move out.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor¡¯s emotions were slightly out of control and his anger seemed to be building. ¡°Must


    you keep fighting


    with me?¡±


    ¡°stor, the veil has been torn down. I¡¯m sick of all this,¡± Anastasia said. She could not continue to face


    him while pretending not to know anything. ¡°Besides, my departure will make room for you and Felicia.


    You can let her in boldly instead of sneaking in while I¡¯m on a business trip.¡± Anastasia¡¯s stomach


    surged violently and she felt the urge to vomit.


    ¡°I was drunk the other day.¡± stor lowered his head and rubbed between his eyebrows.


    Anastasia sneered, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first, lest you get gastric pain if the food gets cold.¡±


    The food tasted like wax to both of them, and neither said anything before finishing their meals.


    ¡°Did you go for a pregnancy check-up today?¡± stor asked when he saw Anastasia begin to clear the


    table,


    ¡°M¡± Anastasia nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you next time,¡± stor whispered.


    Anastasia turned to look at stor. She thought, ¡°He¡¯s being quite amodating toward his child. He


    apanied Felicia to the pregnancy check-up in person, and now he¡¯s actually giving me the same


    treatment.¡±


    ¡°The baby is well. I will give birth to it.¡± Anastasia put the utensils in the dishwasher and walked out of


    the kitchen. After wiping her hands, she took out the agreement.


    ¡°There are four agreements in total. One is a divorce agreement, one is an equity transfer agreement,


    another pertains to the children¡¯s inheritance, and thest is a confidentiality agreement.¡± Anastasia


    had made sure to prepare everything for


    stor.


    Frowning, stor leaned against the couch. ¡°Anastasia, why are you so eager?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s eager, stor¡± Privately, Anastasia thought that he was being ridiculous.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made an appointment with the best expert in this field for Mrs. Gunn, and the operation will be on


    next Friday,¡± stor said, changing the subject.


    ¡°Thank you. In return, I contacted the mentor this afternoon and he said that he can take a look at


    Felicia¡¯s work first. As you know, my mentor is a person who only prefers the quality of the work,¡±


    Anastasia reminded stor that she had done what she should do, and the rest depended on Felicia¡¯s


    own ability.


    ¡°Anastasia, did Jace enter the juvenile detention center for your sake?¡± stor changed the subject


    again. ¡°You¡¯ve never really trusted me the entire four years of our marriage.¡±


    In stor¡¯s opinion, Anastasia had too many secrets.


    Instantly, Anastasia¡¯s fists clenched. It was as if the bloody scar had been torn open once again.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    ¡°It has nothing to do with you,¡± Anastasia mumbled hoarsely while pondering, ¡°Would he have carried


    out an investigation if he hadn¡¯t been exploring every avenue to get a divorce?¡±


    ¡°Nothing to do with me? Anastasia, we¡¯re a married couple!¡± stor¡¯s voice was subdued, and he


    appeared to be losing control.


    At that moment, Anastasia noticed the strong scent of alcohol emanating from stor and realized he


    had been drinking. Knowing stor well enough, Anastasia knew he wasn¡¯t someone who indulged in


    excessive drinking or had a fondness for alcohol.


    Besides, he seldom drank due to stomach issues, even in social situations.


    But now, stor seemed to be drinking constantly.


    She wondered, ¡°Has he decided to stop pretending? Or does he finally feel free to be himself?¡±


    Indeed, Anastasia had not truly grasped enough about stor¡¯s character.


    It was understandable since they had only been married for four years. How much could one learn


    about a person in such a short period?


    ¡°A married couple? Are you sure, stor?¡± questioned Anastasia, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have reignited your


    rtionship with your first crush and engaged in such actions if you truly cared about us.¡±


    ¡°You have no right to criticize me! Am I the only one who doesn¡¯t care about this rtionship?¡± stor


    stood up. ¡°You were right when you said that Felicia and I have a rtionship different from the one


    between you and Jace. I¡¯ve known Felicia since we were 18 years old, and I¡¯m well aware of all her


    ws and little schemes. Despite her materialistic and vain ways, she¡¯s always transparent with her


    emotions andcks the same level of deceitfulness as others!¡±


    stor appeared to be using the influence of alcohol to release his pent-up emotions.


    Sitting in a chair, Anastasia looked at stor numbly and thought, ¡°He¡¯s insinuating me. He¡¯s criticizing


    me for being scheming and masking my emotions too well.¡±


    With a mocking smile, Anastasia lowered her head and continued thinking, ¡°I must have be quite


    annoying to stor. Even though I also feel repulsed by my current state, I can¡¯t help it.¡±


    A person¡¯s personality was shaped by their environment.


    Sadly, Anastasia hadn¡¯t been brought up in a positive environment.


    After enduring so much hardship, she didn¡¯t expect stor to entirely understand what she had been


    through. However, even a small amount of empathy and tenderness from him would¡¯ve been met with


    her wholeheartedness.


    Finally, Anastasia said, ¡°I¡¯m scheming.¡± Looking at the four agreements before her, Anastasia thought,


    ¡°That seems¡­ to be


    true.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Anastasia continued, ¡°I¡¯m also malicious. In that case, you can only consider


    yourself unlucky for crossing paths with me.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, do you really think I¡¯m afraid of you?¡± stor braced himself against the table as he looked


    at her. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for our four years of rtionship, I would¡¯ve shown you my ruthlessness, which I¡¯m


    sure you know well.¡±


    stor was reminding Anastasia that he was reaching his limit.


    stor had been holding back since Anastasia found out about his rtionship with Felicia.


    Anastasia was the one who had been persistently pushing the boundaries and being unreasonable.


    ¡°Anastasia, it¡¯s frightening to see how you¡¯ve utilized everyone you can get your hands on to get to


    where you are today,¡± stor remarked as he picked up the four agreements from the table.


    ¡°Back then, Jace almostmitted murder because of your instigation. That wasn¡¯t enough, as you


    also framed Meredith and Harold for domestic violence and sexual assault. During university days, you


    resorted to selling your body to make money. To secure your interest, you rushed into blind dates and


    had a blitz marriage after graduation. Now, you are resorting to even more ruthless tactics to safeguard


    your benefits.¡±


    Anastasia furrowed her brows and trembled as she looked at stor. Her eyes burned as tears welled


    up, and her throat was so dry that she couldn¡¯t utter a word.


    She was uncertain whether stor was ndering her to obtain the divorce or if he genuinely


    misunderstood her.


    Abastasia knew these rumors had never ceased since her days in school, but she never imagined that


    stor would believe in something so baseless.


    ¡°He actually believes in those rumors?¡± she questioned inwardly.


    ¡°Did you think everything was smooth sailing when you held the position of Mrs. Lopez? Do you know


    how many times I¡¯ve cleaned up after you? Even Xavier Camden imed to have slept with you! If I


    hadn¡¯t suppressed all the news on your behalf, who do you think would be the one feeling ashamed


    now?¡± It was evident that stor had had quite a lot of drinks.


    After years of holding back, he was finally blurting out all the unspoken words he had held back.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Anastasia¡¯s stomach churned intensely.


    ¡°Xavier Camden? The same Xavier that I¡¯ve been working with for the art exhibitions?¡± she thought.


    Xavier was one of Anastasia¡¯s few friends of the opposite sex.


    ¡°Xavier told you that?¡± asked Anastasia as she rasped out a hot breath.


    She knew she could never prove her innocence when her good friend was the one who made up this


    calumny.


    ¡°Why? Are you refusing to admit to your wrongdoings? Look at these!¡± stor took out his phone and


    threw it in front of


    Anastasia.


    His photo album was full of Anastasia¡¯s nude pictures taken while she was in a deep slumber.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    Anastasia¡¯s hands were shaking as she picked up stor¡¯s phone.


    Despite the low quality of the photos in the album, her face and features were still discernible.


    ¡°Who


    gave them to you?¡± Anastasia asked with a trembling voice.


    She wanted to know who was behind the malicious nder against her.


    The photos were clearly digitally manipted. With the current advancement of the AI face swap


    technique, she expected stor to understand that they were fake.


    However, stor¡¯s expression showed that he seemed to believe it.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t exin herself because she knew she could never convince a person who believed in


    what he wanted to believe.


    Besides, there was no way she could ever rify the nder thrown at her.


    Most importantly, stor didn¡¯t trust her.


    Smiling sarcastically, stor asked, ¡°Is that important?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using me of not trusting you, but have you ever trusted me?¡± As she looked at stor,


    Anastasia breathed heavily and was on the verge of breaking down. ¡°Tell me, who gave you these


    photos? Was it Xavier or Felicia?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I would believe you if only one person criticized you, but have you ever introspected and


    looked at your actions when everyone around you, including your closest friends and family, are saying


    negative things about you?¡± Without disclosing the photos¡¯ origin, stor took his phone and turned to


    leave.


    Anastasia sat stiffly on the chair, looking at the four agreements in front of her that seemed ridiculous


    and pitiful.


    She resembled a scheming woman who was trying to use every means possible against stor. She


    used the evidence of his infidelity to force him to leave their marriage with nothing and write a will, and


    shepelled him not to grant any status or inheritance rights to his mistress and their children.


    Anastasia¡¯s ears buzzed loudly. When she stood up, she instantly copsed.


    As a sharp pain filled Anastasia¡¯s chest, breathing became difficult for her. Her heart throbbed


    intensely, and she called out, ¡°stor¡­¡±


    Anastasia came to the realization that she might have sustained a fracture from the fall.


    Her bone density had deteriorated significantly, making her prone to fractures from minor external


    impacts. This was something the doctor had cautioned her about.


    ¡°Please¡­ Call the ambnce for me, pleaded Anastasia. She didn¡¯t want to die at that moment.


    She thought she had fully grasped the concept of life and death, but when death was looming, she


    realized she still had many regrets and unfinished matters.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Anastasia begged in a weak voice.


    She was in so much pain.


    Standing by the door, stor frowned at what he saw. He clearly didn¡¯t believe that Anastasia was in


    difort. ¡°Call the ambnce yourself,¡± he said coldly.


    With that, he closed the door and left.


    Curled on the ground in despair, Anastasia felt her body grow numb from the pain.


    She believed that she had given her whole heart to stor in the past four years, but even so, she had


    not received any sincerity and trust in return.


    stor didn¡¯t believe in her.


    Considering their blitz marriage as strangers, it was understandable for stor to be cautious and


    guarded toward her. In this rtionship, she was the only one foolish enough to give her wholehearted


    devotion because he promised her a


    home.


    As her vision grew increasingly blurry, Anastasia no longer had the strength to call for an ambnce,


    She


    didn¡¯t mind dying like this as nothing mattered anymore.


    Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go her way.


    Anastasia woke up from pain in the middle of the night.


    Struggling to get up, Anastasia managed to grab the phone on the table before falling back to the


    ground again.


    This time, she seemed to have fractured her wrist.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t know who she could trust, and she alsocked the strength to speak.


    The first person she called was Kimberly, but thetter didn¡¯t hear the call since her phone was in sleep


    mode at this time of the night.


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers fell weakly as she gazed at the ceiling with a blurry vision.


    She wondered, ¡°Is there still a need to stay alive? Nobody really cares about my well-being, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Meow! Meow!¡±


    Snowball snuggled up in Anastasia¡¯s arms, whimpering in fear.


    Tears poured out of Anastasia¡¯s eyes. Remembering that she still hadn¡¯t found a good owner for


    Snowball, she realized she could not die yet and had to save herself.


    ¡°Anastasia? Did something happen, Anastasia?¡±


    With a feeble attempt, Anastasia dialed Jason¡¯s number. Subconsciously, she believed that the young


    man would stille


    to her rescue.


    ¡°Anastasia?¡±


    Jason calling her name was thest thing Anastasia heard before she lost consciousness.


    Darkness consumed her, and no matter how desperately she ran, she couldn¡¯t escape from the


    endless darkness.


    ¡°Annie,e to me. Come with me, okay? I can¡¯t bear to let you suffer alone in this world. How can a


    child survive without their mother? Annie¡­¡±


    In a trance, Anastasia seemed to hear her mother calling out for her.


    Time and time again, the voice tried to pull her into the abyss.


    Anastasia used to hate her mother for almost killing her.


    However, she suddenly understood everything when she got pregnant.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She was dying, and nobody in this world cared about her well-being. In the future, no one would care


    about her child as


    ¨C well.


    1


    ¡°Is keeping the child really the right choice? Is it justifiable to make the child repeat my suffering and


    live a life akin to hell?¡± Anastasia wondered.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    ¡°Anastasia, Anastasia.


    ¡°Wake


    1. it¡¯s time to eat something, or your stomach won¡¯t hold up.¡±


    When Anastasia woke up, it was already the next day¡¯s afternoon.


    Jason was sitting by the bedside, looking serious.


    ¡°Awake?¡± Jason got up and poured Anastasia a cup of warm water. ¡°Rinse your mouth, and don¡¯t move


    around.¡±


    Anastasia moved slightly and felt a sharp pain in her chest.


    ¡°I called the police.¡± Jason¡¯s face did not look good, and there was a wound on the corner of his mouth.


    Clearly, he had gotten into a fight with someone.


    ¡°So many years have passed, and you¡¯re still so impulsive. Anastasia looked at the injury on Jason¡¯s


    face and spoke hoarsely. ¡°Fightinges with consequences. Whether you win and end up at the


    police station or lose and end up in the hospital, it¡¯s never pleasant.¡±


    ¡°So, you lost the fight?¡± Jason¡¯s voice was low as he held the water cup to Anastasia¡¯s lips for her to


    drink and rinse her


    mouth.


    It was then that Anastasia noticed that her right forearm and shoulder were tightly bandaged.


    ¡°Your corbone is broken, and your right arm has a fracture,¡± Jason said in a deep voice.


    ¡°I¡­ I fell by myself,¡± Anastasia avoided his gaze.


    She did fall on her own.


    ¡°Anastasia, protecting an abuser will only turn the pain you suffer into a joke.¡± Jason¡¯s face looked grim,


    and his tone was not friendly.


    Anastasia was momentarily stunned. ¡°An abuser? Did he misunderstand stor as an abuser?¡±


    ¡°The police checked stor¡¯s time of leaving the house and the time you got injured. You can demand


    an injury assessment and file for divorce,¡± Jason could not understand why Anastasia insisted on


    something.


    ¡°I told you. I fell by myself. Did you really call the police?¡± Anastasia looked at Jason in shock, trying to


    sit up with her left arm, but the pain in her corbone was intense.


    ¡°You¡¯re still trying to protect him¡± Jason was angry. ¡°He has been taken away by the police.¡±


    ¡°Jason, stop assuming things. I¡¯m telling you, I fell by myself!¡± Anastasia gritted her teeth, enduring the


    pain as she sat up and reached for her phone. ¡°I¡¯ll go and clear things up with the police.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯re so disappointing Jason watched Anastasia, who was getting up in a hurry, his voice


    hoarse.


    Anastasia was in a terrible state, and the doctor told Jason that if he had not brought her to the hospital


    in time, she could have had heart failure and died.


    Jason thought to himself. ¡°She caused multiple fractures to herself? Are bones that fragile? Such an


    imusible excuse could only be said when Anastasia was protecting stor.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ You¡¯ve really changed over the years.¡± Jason stood by the window, filled with


    disappointment.


    Anastasia felt a sharp pain in her heart, turned her head with teary eyes, and looked at Jason.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The young boy had grown into an adult, but he could no longer give Anastasia the sense of security


    she once had.


    Jason stood by the window, backlit, looking lonely and disappointed.


    Anastasia let out a sarcasticugh. ¡°Who do you think you are to me? Mind your own business.¡±


    -Jason frowned, and his fingers slowly clenched into fists.


    ¡°Then why did you call me?¡± Now that Anastasia did not want Jason to interfere, why would she call


    him? ¡°Do you know that if it wasn¡¯t for your cat going crazy, disturbing the neighbors and making me


    and the doctor find your location in time, you could have died?¡±


    ¡®I dialed the wrong number. Anastasia turned her back to Jason and fell silent for a long time before


    speaking again. Til transfer the hospitalization and treatment expenses to you.¡±


    Jason did not say anything, but the disappointment in his eyes grew heavier.


    In his opinion, Anastasia had changed in a way he no longer recognized.


    Six years ago, Anastasia, though quiet and silent, was never weak or passive.


    She would quietly gather evidence and report male students who spread rumors about her to the


    principal¡¯s office.


    She would watch coldly as those people apologized and begged for forgiveness, without a trace of


    mercy.


    But she would also use her hard-earned money from part-time jobs to treat injured stray cats on her


    way home.


    He once asked Anastasia, ¡°Why do you work so hard to earn money, yet you still want to rescue stray


    cats?¡±


    She said. ¡°I hope to encounter a kind divine being who would rescue me, just like that stray cat.¡±


    Anastasia thought, ¡°I hoped someone would appear, love, and protect me. Someone that can give me


    a home.¡±


    Jace asked Anastasia when he was still young if, in her eyes, he was like a stray cat. ¡°Anastasia, is that


    why you took me home? Am I like a stray cat?¡±


    Anastasia replied, ¡°You¡¯re like a stray dog.¡±


    The two of themughed together in that dim and musty rental room.


    ¡°Jace¡­ Because you¡¯re so much like me.


    ¡°We¡¯re both just stray dogs abandoned by parents.¡±


    In Jace, Anastasia saw her own reflection.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    In the police station.


    Anastasia endured the pain and got off the taxi, rushing into the police station.


    Steven, stor¡¯s assistant, and Felicia were all present and looked gloomy.


    ¡°Anastasia, you are truly malicious! By falsely using stor of domestic violence, do you want to


    ruin him?¡± Felicia angrily used, seemingly wanting to tear Anastasia apart.


    ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯ve gone too far. I never thought you¡¯d be so shameless. Who would believe that you


    fell and fractured? You¡¯re framing stor for domestic violence and even trying to get him to sign an


    agreement and write a will. How can you be so vicious?¡± Steven¡¯s anger was evident, and he seemed


    to be losing control, wanting to confront Anastasia.


    stor¡¯s assistant stopped Steven. ¡°Mr. Quigley, don¡¯t argue with her. She¡¯s pregnant now, and if you


    lay a hand on her, she might nder you.¡±


    Steven snorted, looking at Anastasia with disgust. ¡°And we don¡¯t even know whose child it is!¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you, Anastasia. It¡¯s not that stor dislikes children, but he simply doesn¡¯t trust you.


    Before, I thought he was too guarded against you, but now I know! A woman like you is truly


    disgusting¡± Steven insulted her. ¡°stor doesn¡¯t want you to have this child because he doesn¡¯t trust


    you. This child probably isn¡¯t even his, right?¡±


    Anastasia stopped in her tracks, standing below the steps, looking at everyone using her.


    It was as if the failure of this marriage made her the target of public criticism.


    Anastasia opened her mouth to exin, but not a single word came out.


    The torrent of usations was overwhelming, and she could not defend herself.


    ¡°Tell us, is this child really stor¡¯s?¡± Felicia also chimed in. ¡°I really can¡¯t tell, Anastasia. What¡¯s with


    your pretense of purity? Almost everyone in thepany has seen your nude photos! Your nude


    photos were sent to thepany group chat. Do you know how much money stor spent to


    suppress that matter?¡±


    Anastasia looked up at Felicia in shock, feeling a suffocating pain in her heart.


    Anastasia thought, ¡°What did she mean? What nude photos andpany group chat?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really unlucky for stor to have met you, Steven muttered softly.


    Anastasia¡¯s feet felt numb as she stepped up the stairs.


    Steven and Felicia stood there, blocking her way, not allowing Anastasia to go up the stairs.


    ¡°Get out of the way,¡± Anastasia said in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°What do you want now? Do you want to smear stor¡¯s reputation again? Forget it, it¡¯s not going to


    work.¡± Felicia adopted a stance as if she was willing to sacrifice everything for stor.


    ¡°Get out of the way.¡± Anastasia¡¯s head was throbbing, urging Felicia to step back.


    Felicia gave Anastasia a push. ¡°You¡¯re truly malicious.¡±


    Anastasia was already unsteady on her feet, and being pushed caused her to fall down the steps.


    The pain in Anastasia¡¯s corbone was intense, and her already fractured arm worsened.


    Felicia¡¯s face showed both shock and innocence. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I didn¡¯t push her hard.¡±


    ¡°Just look at you. Anastasia. What are you pretending for? Who are you trying to deceive with your


    act?¡± Steven mocked. ¡°Are you as fragile as a ss doll, breaking at the slightest touch?¡±


    Anastasia remained silent, feeling the excruciating pain in her right leg.


    Most likely, it was fractured too.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    The doctor had told Anastasia that her bone density was akin to that of a seventy or eighty-year-old


    woman, and it seemed


    to be true.


    Anastasia sat on the ground for a long while, her face pale.


    She could not get up.


    But she did not want to appear weak in front of these people.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The police officers rushed out after seeing it from the surveince cameras.


    ¡°And you still im there was no domestic violence. You all seem pretty bold, resorting to violence at


    the police station entrance, a policewoman scolded, approaching to help Anastasia up.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Anastasia stood up, her face deathly pale.


    It was too painful.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± the police asked.


    Anastasia nodded.


    ¡°Stop pretending. You¡¯re really a good actress,¡± Felicia mocked.


    Anastasia did not reply but exined to the police officer, ¡°Sorry to bother you, but there was no


    domestic violence. stor did beat me, and I fell.¡±


    The police frowned. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I apologize for causing trouble,¡± Anastasia said, gritting her teeth in pain as she hobbled up the


    steps.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    The police officer paid no further attention to Anastasia, allowing her to hobble into the lobby.


    In the interrogation room, Anastasia saw stor.


    He looked somewhat disheveled, with his tie loosened and a wound on the corner of his lip.


    Clearly, he had been in a fight.


    Anastasia¡¯s heart sank as she thought of Jason.


    Anastasia thought, ¡°Did Jason fight against stor? Because of me?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes reddened at the thought, and she moved over step by step. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing you


    trouble. It¡¯s all a misunderstanding. There was no domestic violence. It was just me who fell.¡±


    stor seemed like he had not slept all night, his eyes bloodshot. He nced at Anastasia with a


    complicated expression.


    Anastasia stood stiffly in ce, feeling like she was being stabbed all over her body.


    In stor¡¯s eyes, there was both disgust and disappointment towards her.


    ¡°He was disgusted by me¡± She thought.


    Thinking of everything that happened recently, Anastasia felt suffocated.


    O

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    ¡°Sign here.¡± One of the police officers handed a document to Anastasia.


    ¡°It¡¯s important tomunicate well between spouses and show care for each other,¡± the older police


    officer advised stor. ¡°Don¡¯t wait until your wife ends up in the hospital with a bone fracture without


    knowing what¡¯s happening.¡±


    He then turned to Anastasia. ¡°You, too. If you have something, call your husband. Calling other men, of


    course, would lead to a fight.¡±


    Anastasia listened in silence, unable to help but contemte, ¡°Call stor? Well, I most likely would


    have ended up deadst night.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Anastasia let out a sarcasticugh and signed the document.


    stor stood by Anastasia¡¯s side, and the two of them didn¡¯tmunicate throughout the entire


    process.


    The police officers also noticed it, but they didn¡¯t say anything


    It was hard for an outsider to meddle in domestic affairs.


    ¡°Did you juste from the hospital? You don¡¯t look well,¡± the older police officer asked:


    Anastasia remained silent.


    ¡°Let your husband take you back,¡± the police officer instructed stor to escort Anastasin.


    stor simply looked at Anastasia with indifference without saying anything


    ¡°No need¡­¡± Anastasia shook her head.


    It appeared as though stor had been waiting for Anastasia¡¯s ¡°no need.¡± The moment she uttered


    those words, stor departed without even ncing back.


    ¡°Hey? Ma¡¯am¡± one of the officers eximed.


    ¡°Ms. Lawson?¡± Another officer, who was closer to Anastasia, quickly reached out to help her up.


    stor hadn¡¯t reached the door yet, and Anastasia couldn¡¯t stand still any longer.


    She lowered her head and wiped away the dark nosebleed, but suddenly her vision went ck, and


    Anastasia fell to the ground.


    The police officers rushed over and called 911 in a nervous state.


    As for stor, he paused at the doorway, nced back, and then left without even looking back.


    It was as if Anastasia was a total stranger with no connection to him whatsoever.


    Numbly, Anastasiay on the ground, her gaze feeble as she watched stor¡¯s retreating figure.


    Anastasia observed everything. Felicia rushed nervously toward stor and embraced him, and


    storforted Felicia. And finally, Anastasia saw them leave together in a car.


    This tragic life. It seemed like Anastasia must havemitted heinous sins in her previous life.


    Inside the hospital, when Anastasia regained consciousness, darkness had settled outside.


    She didn¡¯t know how long she had been unconscious.


    This time, there was no one beside her.


    Perhaps, Jason had also be thoroughly disappointed with her.


    Taking a deep breath, Anastasia looked at the IV bag, remaining silent for a long time.


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, and with your hormone levels unstable, it¡¯s easy to faint at this stage. Given your


    situation, you¡¯re probably well aware of it. We rmend that you terminate this pregnancy. The


    doctor also noted that something was amiss with Anastasia¡¯s test results. He had reached our to


    Anastasia¡¯s attending physician. ¡°We¡¯ve also tried contacting your husband from our end, but¡­ he¡¯s


    not answering the phone.¡±


    Numbly, Anastasia nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we¡¯re getting divorced. This matter¡­ There¡¯s no point in telling


    him.¡±


    The doctor was momentarily taken aback before letting out a sigh. ¡°Your attending physician has


    already been here. We¡¯ve deliberated on a treatment strategy. There¡¯s a highly effective early


    intervention approach, but it necessitates terminating your pregnancy. Your health cannot withstand


    any further dy.


    The doctor observed Anastasia¡¯s reaction and spoke again. ¡°Ms. Lawson, you¡¯re still young. After your


    illness is treated, you¡¯ll have plenty of chances to have children. Your life is more important.¡±


    Considering Anastasia¡¯s condition, the doctor believed there was still a chance.


    After all, she was young, and her physical condition was far superior to that of elderly individuals in


    their 60s or 70s.


    Seeing Anastasia remain silent, the doctor sighed. ¡°This is just my personal rmendation. Take


    your time to think it over, Once you¡¯ve made a decision, contact your attending physician.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Anastasia nodded weakly and leaned against the bedside, feeling drained.


    She was torn between choosing her child or her own life.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t even notice that the IV drip had run out and turned red after some time had passed.


    ¡°Why is there so much blood?¡± A murse came in for rounds and rushed over in rm, quickly removing


    the needle from Anastasia.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t see it. Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    The nurse paused, looking at Anastasia. ¡°Is your husband stor?¡±


    Anastasia nced up at the nurse. It was someone she recognized, a distant rtive from stor¡¯s


    family who had gotten married on May 1st this year. Both Anastasia and stor had attended the


    wedding.


    ¡°Anastasia, it really is you.¡± The nurse chuckled at Anastasia. ¡°I saw stor at the obstetrics and


    gynecology department earlier. So, you¡¯re here.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers were starting to tingle.


    stor appeared in the obstetrics and gynecology department, not for her, but for Felicia, it seemed.


    ¡°You see, speak of the devil, and he appears,¡± the nurse quipped, turning around to see stor


    standing at the doorway of the


    room.


    He had changed his clothes and didn¡¯t look as disheveled as he did at the police station.


    He held a file folder in his hand, his demeanor extremely indifferent.


    ¡°stor, what acidence,¡± the nurse greeted stor and then left.


    stor nodded and approached the bed, handing the file folder to Anastasia. ¡°Take a look.¡±


    Anastasia opened the file folder and nced inside. It contained stor¡¯s will deration and a divorce


    agreement. ¡°Don¡¯t be too greedy. This is already my bottom line,¡± stor said.


    stor had not agreed to the terms and conditions after the divorce, where he would never marry


    Felicia, and Felicia¡¯s child would not inherit his estate

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    Anastasia looked at the agreement for a while before speaking. ¡°stor, would you be sad if I died?¡±


    stor frowned, his expression growing more disdainful. ¡°You value your life more than anyone else.¡±


    stor knew that Anastasia treasured her life more than anyone else.


    Indeed, valuing her life and having her life taken away were two distinct concepts.


    A prolonged silence enveloped the room as Anastasia perused the divorce agreement, and one of the


    terms caught her attention. ¡°Bearing this child and subsequently undergoing a DNA paternity test. If the


    child is proven to be yours, the will and agreement will remain valid. If not, the divorce will proceed


    without any financial settlement?¡±


    Anastasia was aware that stor had sought the expertise of a specializedwyer to craft this


    agreement.


    The words in this agreement were indeed chilling and frightening.


    stor didn¡¯t believe her, and he certainly didn¡¯t believe that this child was his.


    No wonder he had tried so hard before to persuade her to have an abortion.


    It was only after Andrea found out about the pregnancy that he changed his mind and allowed


    Anastasia to keep the child


    It turned out he wanted to know whether this child was really his.


    ¡°Dare not?¡± stor asked sarcastically.


    Anastasia was gripped by a searing pain in her chest, an intensity so overwhelming that it verged on


    numbing. Her thoughts raced, ¡®I don¡¯t dare? How could I not dare¡­ But why does this pain feel so


    agonizing, so suffocating?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice trembled as she asked, ¡°Why should I give birth to a child to prove anything to you¡­¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I thought you wouldn¡¯t feel guilty,¡± stor said, clearly expressing hispleteck of trust


    in her.


    Anastasia took a deep breath, put on a smile, and didn¡¯t exin. The nude photos and thepany


    group chat, when did those happen?¡±


    ¡°Latest year,¡± stor answered after a brief pause when he saw Anastasia calmly asking.


    It seemed like there was nothing much left to be concerned about.


    Before, he used to care about Anastasia¡¯s emotions and feelings.


    Now, it seemed like he didn¡¯t need to at all.


    In his perspective, the real Anastasia seemed to be quite calcting.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you report it to the police?¡± Anastasia looked at stor.


    stor frowned but didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°You still care more about your reputation and thepany¡¯s reputation, so even if you spend a lot of


    money to suppress this matter, it¡¯s not for my sake. Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    ¡°Think whatever you want.¡± stor just wanted Anastasia to sign the papers quickly.


    ¡°Xavier is best at colored pencil sketches. He takes photos of his drawings with his phone, and after a


    bit of processing, they end up in this state.¡± Anastasia still wanted to exin, regardless of whether


    stor would believe it.


    ¡°First of all, he knows your body structure better than I do,¡± stor said sarcastically. ¡°Why does he


    know even the location of your birthmarks and moles in intimate areas so clearly?¡±


    Anastasia felt suffocated and remained silent for a long time. Numbly, she picked up the pen and


    signed her name on the divorce agreement.


    When someonecked trust in others, no amount of exnation would prove effective.


    It was all meaningless.


    In stor¡¯s heart, he had already concluded that she was that


    nd of woman, unscrupulous before marriage.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°You can leave now.¡± Anastasia¡¯s hoarse voice sounded after signing the agreement.


    Starting next Friday, I¡¯lle to pick you up at home every week. I¡¯ll take you to see Grandma Andrea.


    I hope you cooperate well, stor reminded Anastasia, making sure she wouldn¡¯t forget about this


    arrangement.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Also, I hope you take care of your body. You¡¯re not alone now¡­¡± stor reminded Anastasia,


    emphasizing that she shouldn¡¯t harm herself to stir up some trouble since she had a child in her belly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If the child doesn¡¯te into the world safely. I¡¯ll leave this marriage with nothing as well.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice carried a hint of strain.


    In reality, she didn¡¯t actually want anything from stor.


    She just couldn¡¯t ept it and wanted to assert herself


    stor frowned and said, ¡°Whatever.¡± He then turned around to leave.


    ¡°stor¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse as she spoke again. ¡°You believe that this child isn¡¯t yours,


    right?¡±


    ¡°I only believe in DNA paternity test results.¡± stor didn¡¯t look back and left directly.


    Anastasia took a deep breath, her thoughts echoing. ¡°A DNA paternity test¡­ How revolting. He has


    absolutely no faith in


    me.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, acting so well. At the doorway, Felicia rolled her eyes and clung to stor¡¯s arm, apanying


    him as they left.


    Anastasia knew that was the posture of the victor.


    Felicia had achieved an unequivocal triumph, while Anastasia found herself utterly defeated, a reality


    that Anastasia couldn¡¯t. help but acknowledge.


    Anastasia stayed in the hospital for seven days. Initially, she was supposed to be discharged on the


    first day. However, the. doctor said she was severely malnourished and had immune system issues, so


    they insisted she receive seven days of nutritional injections in the hospital.


    During those seven days, Anastasia didn¡¯t contact anyone. Meanwhile, Kimberly went back to Atharia


    toplete her graduation matters.


    From what Kimberly had said. Jason had also returned and would be back before Penelope¡¯s surgery.


    On the day of her discharge, Anastasia went to the hospital room to visit Zeke first.


    Zeke was able to sit up now, and half of his body was mobile. His mouth was a bit crooked, and he


    struggled to speak clearly.


    ¡°Miss, your father has been mentioning you a lot these days,¡± Amanda whispered while washing a


    bedpan. ¡°The mother and daughter paid a visit, which angered your father, worsening his condition.


    You should go and see him soon. They also brought a divorce agreement.¡±


    Anastasia chuckled sarcastically, walked over, and picked up the divorce agreement Meredith had


    brought. ¡°We¡¯re truly at father-daughter pair, receiving divorce agreements on the same day¡­ I¡¯ve


    already signed mine. Have you signed yours?¡±

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    Zeke looked at Anastasia and started to stammer, making gestures, his words unclear. ¡°Di¡­ vorce¡­


    for¡­ he¡¯s not¡­


    Anastasia felt amused. She looked at Zeke but couldn¡¯tugh.


    It was the man who gave her life but had never taken proper care of her for even one day.


    Why did he let her be born since he couldn¡¯t care for her?


    It was as if she was born to atone for her sins and to experience a lifetime in hell.


    Perhaps, the world was really hell.


    ¡°Ah. Meredith is so cruel, making you leave the marriage with nothing¡­ Anastasia remarked in a


    hoarse voice and looked at the divorce agreement. ¡°She wants the house, the car, and even the shop.


    She¡¯s so greedy¡­ She took everything away, but not


    you


    Anastasia didn¡¯t want to deal with him. After all, it was karma. The pitiful state Zeke was in was all his


    own doing.


    However, Anastasia didn¡¯t want Meredith to have a good life either.


    ¡°After all, how could 1¡­ let her have her way?¡± Anastasia thought.


    ¡°You have raised a daughter for someone else for so many years, but you could care less about your


    own daughter¡­ Dad. now that she has thrown you away, what would you do?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was


    soft, but her words were deliberately triggering Zeke.


    Zeke hit the bed hard but said nothing.


    Anastasia smiled. As she smiled, she approached Zeke, raising her hand to grip his neck.


    Zeke looked at Anastasia in shock. He looked terrified. Obviously, he couldn¡¯t believe that his daughter


    would kill her father.


    ¡°Is it ufortable? Does this feeling feel good? That¡¯s what my mom did to me when she said she


    wanted to take me away¡­ Anastasia said in a hoarse voice, her grip getting stronger. That¡¯s how


    Meredith¡¯s brother gripped my neck, told me not to shout, and tore off my clothes!¡±


    Anastasia had gone a little out of control, and her eyes were red. ¡°You¡¯re just next door. At that time,


    have you slept? You said you couldn¡¯t hear me, right? But, in fact, you dare not interfere, right? I know


    because you lost to him in gambling, you gave me away to him! Why don¡¯t you die? Zeke,¡± she


    continued.


    Zeke¡¯s face became increasingly expressionless, and the veins around his neck burst out.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t let go until Amanda came back after washing theundry.


    Panting and gasping for air, Zeke looked at Anastasia in fear.


    Anastasia regained her gentle sinile and smiled at Amanda. ¡°Ms. Watson, take good care of my dad.


    He has to live a long, long life¡­¡±


    She wouldn¡¯t take Zeke away with her if she died. People like him only deserved to live.


    ¡°Oh, Zeke, you are so lucky. You¡¯re so fortunate to have your own daughter who pays and cares for


    you. Your stepdaughter is such an ingrate.¡±


    Anastasia smiled numbly and looked back at Zeke. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let these two, Meredith


    and Sienna, have their own way Before the divorce, I shouldn¡¯t have taken that pathetic reason that


    we¡¯re rted by blood into consideration and did not take action¡­ Now, I have to let them know what


    goes aroundes around.¡±


    Zeke looked at Anastasta with fear as if he had never found his daughter so frightening.


    After that, Anastasia left without saying anything.


    Her father was just a nightmare for Anastasia.


    On the way home, Anastasia contacted awyer and a private investigator who she had arranged long


    ago. ¡°It¡¯s time. This time, it was Meredith who proposed the divorce.¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    On the other side of the phone, the private investigator smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve waited for so many years but


    finally got what you


    want now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    Anastasia was always vengeful from the start.


    Moreover, she was dying. Why should she be afraid?


    ¡°Meredith has been together with that man privately for three years. What¡¯s more, during that period,


    she also had other men, The evidence is conclusive, and she¡¯s suspected of bigamy. Additionally, she


    has been putting a drug in your father¡¯s coffee all these years. This drug can cause your father to have


    cerebral infarction or acute myocardial infarction, and now.


    she¡¯s suspected of intentional homicide.¡±


    Anastasia had already known about this.


    Anastasia knew about it when she discovered that Meredith was secretly transferring property a year


    ago.


    However, she chose to be silent.


    No matter what happened, Zeke deserved it. She just needed to provide evidence to the police.


    As for Sienna, she would get what wasing for her.


    Now, Meredith had gone to prison. Sienna no longer had a father-daughter rtionship with Zeke. After


    losing everything, sleeping on the streets would be her biggest retribution.


    Anastasia had been waiting for this day for a long time.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    Anastasia left the hospital and went to Zeke¡¯s residence.


    Before Zeke married Meredith, Anastasia lived in a small old house in the resettlement area. Later,


    Zeke, who had been missing for a long time, returned and wanted to marry Meredith. They rented a


    decent three-bedroom house outside, which they imed to give Anastasia a home.


    At that time, she was still looking forward to living in the new house, even though she knew it was


    rented.


    Unfortunately, Meredith and Sienna entered the house not long after Anastasia got her own ce. On


    that day, Sienna pointed to Anastasia¡¯s room and said that she liked this room.


    The room Anastasia chose was the farthest and quietest from the main bedroom because she liked to


    stay alone.


    However, Sienna wanted to take it away. In order to give Meredith a good impression, Zeke gave


    Anastasia¡¯s room to Sienna without her consent.


    When Anastasia returned from school, her things in the room had been reced by Sienna¡¯s.


    Furthermore, even her things were taken by Sienna.


    ¡°She¡¯s your younger sister. You have to let her have it.¡± This was what Zeke said most.


    ¡°Younger? But she was only one year younger than me,¡± she recalled herself thinking.


    After that, Anastasia¡¯s biggest wish was to have a ce she could call home.


    She wanted to have her own home that would not be taken away.


    But now.


    her home was still taken away.


    It was just a change from Sienna to Felicia; she would always be the loser.


    During the summer vacation, when Anastasia graduated from high school, she worked three jobs


    alone. She would work until two to three o¡¯clock at night and get up after six in the morning until she


    had saved enough for her tuition fees. When Anastasia went to university, the first thing she did after


    she got a schrship was to rent a small house near her university.


    She was yearned to have a ce of her own.


    That was the sense of security she could give herself.


    Since then, Anastasia had basically stoppeding back to Zeke¡¯s so-called home,


    But even if she hid away from them, Meredith and Zeke didn¡¯t let her


    §Õ§à


    They still found an excuse to trick her into returning and let Meredith¡¯s brother, Harold Carter, hurt her


    at home without any inhibitions.


    ¡°Hah¡­ This is my father. Damn it,¡± she cursed inwardly.


    After marrying stor, Zeke asked stor for money to buy this three-bedroom house because the


    landlord didn¡¯t want Zeke to keep renting anymore.


    Anastasia let Zeke put the house under his and Meredith¡¯s names.


    Meredith was overjoyed. The woman thought the house was marital property and could get her hands


    on it.


    Unfortunately, it was all Meredith¡¯s wishful thinking.


    Anastasia endured all of these for years just to deal them the final blow.


    She had prepared everything early.


    When she bought the house for Zeke, she had asked Zeke and stor to sign a joint-name housing


    loan.


    ¡°This and this. Throw everything that should be thrown away. At the door, wearing a facial mask,


    Meredith was leisurely ordering the janitor to clean up and throw away Zeke¡¯s things.


    She probably felt that now Zeke had been paralyzed and could not speak, everything would be hers if


    she proposed a divorce and waited after the cooling-off period.


    ¡°Why are you back? You¡¯re not wee here.¡± Outside the door, Sienna clutched her waist and looked


    at Anastasia. ¡°Tin telling you, my mother has been with your father for so many years. Now she is


    divorced, this house belongs to my mother. After all, my mother has taken care of him for so long.


    She¡¯s entitled to it


    Anastasia looked at Sienna and Meredith quietly. She never thought people could be so shameless.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t me us for being cruel. Everyone in the vige knows what kind of man your father


    is. I¡¯ve suffered all these years with him. Everyone knows about how he did domestic violence to me.


    I¡¯m doing him a favor by not suing h¨ªm


    Meredith snorted and didn¡¯t let Anastasia in.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, domestic violence?¡± Anastasia smiled.


    Anastasia then pushed Sienna away, went straight into the living room, and sat on the couch. ¡°When


    my mom was together with him, Zeke often did domestic violence to her because she was meek and


    didn¡¯t dare to resist. I thought domestic violence was in his blood because, as they say, once a wife-


    beater, always a wife-beater. When you married him, I once worried for you.¡±


    Meredith looked at Anastasia. ¡°Look, you know what kind of person your father is. I hope we can part


    ways on good terms.¡±


    ¡°But ever since he married you, he was so afraid of you that he didn¡¯t dare to breathe in your presence.


    Forget about domestic violence. You beat him more often than the times he sneaked out and gambled.¡±


    Anastasia smiled and looked at Meredith. ¡°Actually, I learned a lot from you.¡±


    After all, people would look down upon those weaker than themselves.


    The weaker one was, the more others would bully the other person.


    The more one was like Meredith, someone shameless and belligerent, the more people would fear her.


    ¡°Cut the crap and leave my house,¡± Sienna ordered Anastasia to leave. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I told stor all


    the disgusting things you did before. He will definitely divorce you. He knows about all the times you


    have been ambiguous with all those men!¡±


    Anastasia leaned against the couch and looked at Sienna with an unfathomable gaze. She knew what


    Sienna had said to stor.

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    ¡°Anastasia, you know the best about your father¡¯s condition. You can¡¯t me us for that.¡± Meredith


    knew that she could not have aplete fallout with Anastasia. Otherwise, it would be troublesome for


    her to embroil in awsuit.


    ¡°Ikk! Mom, why are you afraid of her? When stor abandons her, she is nothing. She¡¯s only luckier


    than me to meet stor earlier. If I go to the blind date, I will marry stor.¡± Sienna rolled her eyes.


    Anastasia was silent for a long time before she whispered. ¡°What did you say to stor?¡±


    Her tone was very calm.


    She just wanted to know what Sienna said and what stor believed.


    ¡°Are you feeling guilty? Who doesn¡¯t know the embarrassing things between you and that jerk named


    Jace?¡± Sienna,ran into the room, took out some items that once belonged to Anastasia, and threw


    them on the table.


    Anastasia looked quietly at the items on the table, which she thought had long been lost.


    It turned out that they were all stolen by Sienna.


    There were sonte sketchbooks yellowed, diaries, and some drawing albums she liked.


    ¡°You¡¯re disgusting.¡± Sienna opened a drawing album that contained nude paintings of a young person.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Anastasia thought it was ridiculous. She could not attribute that to art because everyone had different


    understandings of art.


    In the eyes of dirty-minded people, everything was obscene.


    Anastasia never exined anything because it would not make any sense to exin to people at


    different levels from her.


    ¡°When you lived with Jace, he was not yet an adult, right? You¡¯re disgusting. How can you draw this


    kind of thing?¡± Sienna flipped through the album in disgust


    Anastasia leaned against the couch while hearing the buzz rung in her ears


    Sienna was superficial, probably because she was not educated. Anastasia wondered about stor


    ¡°Look at your diary full of darkness, redemption, and light. Jace is the love of your life, your redemption,


    and your light. You have someone else in your heart when you¡¯ve married stor for four years¡±


    Sienna sat on the couch aside and continued. ¡°Anastasia. I really admire you. You only take stor as


    a substitute when he¡¯s such a good man.¡±


    Meredithughed sarcastically. ¡°You¡¯re stupid. He¡¯s a boy who has nothing and can¡¯t even support


    himself. You choose a poor guy over a millionaire.¡±


    Anastasia kept silent. She took her yellowed sketchbook quietly, tenderly smoothed the folds, and


    gently wiped it with


    tissue.


    Then, Anastasia picked up the yellowed diary. It was full of memories that she left behind and chose to


    forget.


    ¡°Now, stor has known how disgusting you are. You¡¯re a scheming woman. You seduced Uncle


    Harold and ndered him for assaulting you. It was clear that you volunteered to do that Everyone in


    the family knows that you are not pure anymore. Why are you pretending to be innocent when you¡¯ve


    already lost your virginity?¡±


    Sienna¡¯s words were harsh, but she did not know that some trauma could not be mentioned.


    Anastasia sometimes felt that she was a lunatic and a monster.


    There was no boundary between good and evil for Anastasia because both always interchanged inside


    Anastasia¡¯s mind.


    Sometimes, Anastasia hated it until she wanted to kill everyone.


    Impulsiveness would make her lose her mind.


    When Anastasia drowned in the darkness alone, Jace was the one who pulled her out.


    ¡°Sienna, have you never seen hell?¡± Anastasia closed her diary and smiled.


    Sienna was stunned for a while, and her voice was a little tense. ¡°What the hell are you talking about


    here?¡±


    Anastasia smiled, but her gaze frightened Sienna.


    ¡°Wee to hell. As soon as Anastasia finished speaking, the police rushed in.


    ¡°Mrs. Meredith Lawson, you are suspected of intentional homicide. You have toe with us!¡±


    Meredith was shocked that she had her mask dropped. She looked at the policeman in disbelief. ¡°Are


    you mistaken¡±


    ¡°Take her away! Goodbye, dear Meredith.¡± Anastasia stood up with a smile and waved at Meredith.


    Only then did Meredith realize the situation. ¡°Anastasia, you frame me! You little bitch! You frame me!


    You¡¯ll suffer a terrible death!¡±


    Anastasia stood there numbly.


    If she could drag those demons to hell, she would be eager to suffer.


    Anastasia had nothing to be afraid of


    ¡°Anastasia, what have you done to Mom? What did you do? Sienna looked at Anastasia in horror. She


    tried to go after Meredith but looked at Anastasia, terrified.


    Anastasia strolled to the side of the living room and pointed at the surveince cameras she had


    already installed. ¡°You should ask your mother and her adulterer what they did to Dad. Your mother and


    Mr. Lowe are old but shameless. They are so disgusting. The couch you¡¯re sitting on¡­¡±


    Anastasia mimicked Sienna¡¯s tone and continued with a smile, ¡°I have the broadcast record here. I can


    give it to you if you


    want.¡±

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    Sienna looked at Anastasia in shock and fear. ¡°When did you install surveince cameras? This is my


    house. What right do you have to install surveince cameras?¡±


    Anastasia smiled. ¡°Your house? My identification registry is still on Zeke¡¯s household registry. This is


    also my home. I installed surveince cameras in my house to make it convenient to take care of Dad


    at all times to avoid idents. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    Sienna was at a loss for words with Anastasia¡¯s question.


    ¡°Your mother was in such a hurry. They did that in the living room before they entered the bedroom.¡±


    Anastasia sighed and picked up the ss on the table before adding. ¡°You didn¡¯t drink from the water


    dispenser, right? Your mother and Mr. Lowe added a drug with chemicalponents to it. If you drank


    too much, you would be exactly like Dad now.¡±


    Sienna looked at Anastasia in disbelief and slumped on the couch as her legs grew weak.


    ¡°Impossible. Absolutely impossible. Anastasia, you frame us! You frame my mom! You¡¯re using us!


    You lunatic! You¡¯re a monster! You monster, why don¡¯t you die?¡± Sienna cried in fear and imed


    Anastasia was a monster.


    Anastasia stood by the window and looked out of it. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I dead? Sienna, I¡¯m already dead.¡±


    Sienna felt chills run down her spine and stared at Anastasia with fear. At that moment, she only


    wanted to run away.


    Anastasia picked up the fruit knife on the table and approached Sienna step by step. ¡°Do you know


    what to do so that you can die less quickly but hurts like you wish you¡¯d died?¡±


    Sienna had almost gone insane from the shock. Looking at Anastasia with fear, Sienna pointed to the


    police, who searched for criminal evidence in the house. ¡°The police are still here. What do you want to


    do?¡±


    Anastasia smiled, picked up the apple on the table, and then she slowly sliced the apple.


    ¡°Do you know you should learn anatomy before studying art? It¡¯s hard to express a feeling in a


    drawing,¡± said Anastasia calmly.


    In Sienna¡¯s opinion, Anastasia was a devil at that moment.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Mom was wronged. It¡¯s because of you! It¡¯s her! She¡¯s the one who tried to frame Mom, shouted


    Sienna, and she asked the police to take Anastasia away.


    Anastasia sat next to Sienna and lowered her voice. ¡°Six years ago, you didn¡¯t sleep the night I was


    assaulted by Harold. You were at home and looked very excited. I saw you. You hid behind the door


    and recorded with your phone, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Sienna instantly became quiet. She stopped shouting and looked at Anastasia in disbelief. She did not


    expect Anastasia to see her that night.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the video?¡± asked Anastasia.


    stor had mysophobia. Anastasia was assaulted, which might be why stor did not get close to her


    after marriage.


    stor had no desire for Anastasia.


    Anastasia had almost been vited many times and never concealed it from stor.


    On the blind date, Anastasia told stor bluntly that she was not the kind of innocent girl he thought,


    but she did not reckon she was filthy.


    It was the person who had assaulted her.


    ¡°W-What video? I don¡¯t know what you are talking about¡­ Sienna looked away in horror, and her voice


    trembled.


    The police left after they obtained the evidence, and it was quiet.


    As soon as the police closed the door, Sienna wanted to run.


    Anastasia grabbed her hair and dragged her back to the couch.


    Anastasia felt a little pain in the fracture of her arm but was already numb. ¡°Where¡¯s the video?*


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± Sienna insisted that she did not record the incident.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯lle to beg me.¡± Anastasia released Sienna. Picked up the drawing albums and


    diary on the table, Anastasia was ready to leave.


    Sienna sat on the ground and cried. ¡°Anastasial You¡¯re not an innocent woman. What¡¯s wrong with


    Uncle Harold sleeping with you? You and Jace must have already slept together. Don¡¯t pretend to be


    wronged.¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath and trembled as she tightly clenched her fingers.


    She was afraid that she would lose control of herself and kill Sienna


    debt.


    ¡°Pack up your belongings and prepare to move out. I have already sued you. This house will be used to


    pay the debt.¡± Anastasia spoke calmly, and she ordered Sienna to move out.


    Sienna pondered, ¡°Where could I go after moving out?¡±


    Sienna¡¯s biological father was a jerk who hadmitted domestic violence. He was sent to prison for


    sexual assault several years ago and should be about toe out.


    Sienna shouted hysterically, ¡°What did you say? This is my house. Why should I move out? I won¡¯t!


    Anastasia, if you dare to force me, I¡¯ll post the video! I¡¯ll let everyone know that you are filthy.¡±


    Anastasia walked to the door, and her fingers slightly stiffened. She looked back at Sienna. ¡°You finally


    admitted that there was a video.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I recorded it. Uncle Harold said he was satisfied with you and told me you had a good figure and


    smooth skin. It¡¯s a loss to use you to pay off the debt!¡± Sienna viciously provoked Anastasia.


    Anastasia stood there, feeling numb, and she itched all over.


    She thought, ¡°Should I kill her? Will I be relieved after killing her?¡±

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    ¡°If you dare kick me out, I¡¯ll send the video to everybody, including stor¡¯spany chat group!¡±


    Sienna threatened, crying out loud.


    Anastasia suddenly remembered something. ¡°You¡¯re the one who posted my nude photo, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Sienna was stunned for a moment before averting her gaze in panic.


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Xavier?¡± added Armastasia. She had yet the time to deal with Xavier.


    She was not in any hurry, though. Time was on her side.


    None of them would be spared.


    ¡°What kind of rtionship? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Sienna was still ying dumb.


    ¡°Oh, really? I saw a colored pencil nude painting in Xavier¡¯s studio that seems to resemble you,¡± said


    Anastasia casually,


    Astounded, Sienna rose to her feet. ¡°That jerk¡¯ He really painted-


    ¡°Dropping the act already?¡± A smile spread across Anastasia¡¯s face. ¡°Sienna, scumbags would always


    keep their ugly side well


    hidden.¡±


    Xavier was Anastasia¡¯s senior, and he was rather talented in imitating a painting. Sadly, talent eluded


    him.


    Back when they were still at school, Xavier had always envied Anastasia¡¯s talent.


    He often said that no matter how much effort a person like hun was to put in, he could never be ¨¢s


    talented as others, not even remotely close.


    Because of that, he truly admired Anastasia¡¯s mentor, Charles, and had made multiple attempts just to


    be that man¡¯s


    mentre.


    Unfortunately, Charles was a stubborn individual, one who never gave a damn about anyone. The only


    thing he would take into consideration was the artwork.


    In Xavier¡¯s endeavor to get close to Charles, he befriended Anastasia.


    Anastasia, for one, was vignt to all men. At first, she had also observed Xavier for quite something,


    but eventually, she let her guard down.


    Anyone who could lower Anastasia¡¯s guard must either be an embodiment of a demon or a master of


    disguise.


    Xavier was too good at putting on an act


    Never would Anastasia have thought that she would find a pretentious scumbag like him lurking by her


    side if it had not been for the colored pencil painting.


    ¡°Xavier¡¯s even clear about where my birthmark and mole are on my body. The paintings are really


    realistic, I must say. Only professionals could tell that these photos are colored pencil paintings,¡±


    uttered Anastasia cidly.


    stor interrogated Anastasia about why Xavier knew better about her body structure than he did.


    Worse still, thetter had knowledge of her birthmark and the mole near the private part of her body.


    It turned out that Xavier and Sienna had long hooked up with each other.


    That was how the case was solved.


    Since she lived with Sienna, the two of them frequentlypeted to use the bathroom.


    For that, it was not surprising that Sienna had seen her body.


    Moreover, Anastasia knew that Sienna liked taking pictures of her secretly.


    ¡°I always know you fancy stor. You want everything that belongs to me¡­ You want to take stor


    away from me, but I didn¡¯t expect that you and Xavier had been colluding with each other for so long


    just to frame me¡­¡± Anastasiaughed and looked up feebly to prevent her voice from trembling.


    One was her stepsister, Sienna, and the other was her good friend, not to mention her partner in the art


    exhibition.


    Anastasia thought that she and Xavier were like-minded people, but she did not foresee that Xavier


    simply wished to destroy


    her.


    ¡°Why must he do this? To what extent could the evil intention of human nature escte?¡± she


    wondered.


    ¡°Anastasia, your blissful time will also be up soon enough. stor¡¯ll definitely divorce you! Just wait for


    your divorce agreement. Sienna gritted her teeth.


    Not a sound came from Anastasia as she opened the door and left.


    Right at that very moment when Anastasta opened the door, she only felt the cold wind outside piercing


    her soul.


    Not a single moment passed by that she could relinquish her regret.


    Back when her mother was suffering fromte-stage cancer, her mother had tried to strangle her to


    take her along. Thinking back, shemented her instinct at that time when she had struggled and


    resisted her mother


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be good if I had breathed myst alongside Mom? I should¡¯ve just died at that time, was


    her thought.


    Her tears streamed down her cheeks, searing her skin.


    Anastasta walked step by step in the cold wind, which only served to make her feel bitter.


    Christmas was around the corner. The streets and themunities of the residential area were all


    decked out with mboyant decorations. Jubtion filled every household.


    At the residential area, Anastasia stood downstairs and gazed at the peals ofughtering from her


    neighbor on the first


    floor.


    She began to wonder what exactly should a home look like.


    That juncture was when she suddenly questioned the point of her own persistence and obsession.


    Anastasia slowly opened both of her hands and hung her head low to look at her cracked palms. Tears


    gushed out of her eyes while grievances inundated her.


    ¡°Am I not worthy enough?¡± she asked herself


    To be honest, she only desired a ce to call home, a simple home full of joy and warmth.


    Yet, things often did not go as she wished.


    No one knew how hard she had worked during the past four years after marrying stor.


    She had tried whatever she could to keep her family together and at the same time foster a warm and


    sweet vibe at home.


    Not only she was gentle, sensible, and docile, but she had perfected everything a normal housewife


    could have added to a family


    Never in a million years did she anticipate being reciprocated by such an oue.


    It was then she felt a bone-chilling sensation, to say the least.


    Anastasia felt that she was about to freeze to death. Raising her chin, she was greeted by the snow.


    ¡°It¡¯s snowing. Anastasia! It¡¯s snowing!¡±


    In a trance, Anastasia seemed to have heard Jace¡¯s voice.


    During one of those days in the winter, they snuggled up in a cold rental house without a heater. They


    held on to the roasted sweet potatoes in their hands, enjoying the snowy scene outside the window.


    ¡°Ill grow up and protect you, Anastasia. We¡¯re going to live in a big house with heaters and massive


    floor-to-ceiling windows. Say, Anastasia, should we install a wall-mounted stove at home by then?¡±


    It rarely snowed around Hork, but the ce had always been bitterly freezing.


    Anastasia sketched a picture of Jace eating roasted sweet potatoes. The duo hid under the nket and


    giggled for a very long time? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Neither of them loved the crowd. Yet, Jace¡¯s existence had given Anastasia all the warmth she could


    hardly experience in her


    entire life


    Perhaps at that fleeting moment, Anastasia had had herself a home sweet home.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    Anastasia did not realize how she reached home. When sitting on the couch, all she could feel was her


    cold, numb limbs.


    Snowball meowed and came over to nest on Anastasia¡¯sp as if it was trying to help her warm up her


    stiff body.


    Gazing at Snowball in her embrace, Anastasia chuckled. ¡°I still have you with me Snowball¡±


    As she spoke. Anastasia got all choked up. ¡°I only have you now¡±


    She had lost everything. All she had left was Snowball to apany her.


    Snowball was most likely the only emotional support that kept her going


    After turning on the heater. Anastasia nestled by the ceiling-to-floor window and read her diary entry of


    the past.


    Whenever Anastasia was shaken up, forgetting the past temporarily would be her go-to choice.


    That was her protection mechanism kicking off


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    However, the diary re-awakened Anastasia¡¯s memories and ignited her sorrow.


    ¡°Anastasia, what kind of house do you like?¡±


    Jace had once asked Anastasia what type of house she adored.


    ¡°A stand-alone, quiet one with front and back yards. Also, it¡¯s better if ites with ceiling-to-floor


    windows, a wall-mounted stove, bloomed flowers in the courtyard, and a cat. Our home should consist


    of you, me, and our kitty.¡±


    Anastasia could barely remember what state of mind she was in when she wrote that sentence.


    That was all six years ago.


    Too many things were forgotten.


    ¡°Meow¡± Snowball had a sharper sense of hearing than Anastasia. It darted over the instant she heard


    movements at the door.


    As expected, stor came back.


    Every time he came home, he was always tired


    Seeing Snowball pounced at him, stor did not respond.


    In the past, he would always pick Snowball up and gentlyfort its head, even if he had to pretend to


    do it voluntarily.


    At present, he even found putting on an act to beborious.


    ¡°Did you call the police to get Meredith arrested?¡± The first thing stor did upon stepping inside was


    interrogate her.


    Anastasia closed the diary, put it aside, and rubbed her eyebrows. ¡°Are you nning to open a harem


    now? You¡¯re even sticking your nose into Sienna¡¯s matter.¡±


    stor approached Anastasia and eyed the diary Anastasia put aside. ¡°Just because Sienna showed


    me your diary and exposed the indecent acts between you and Xavier, you¡¯re getting back at her and


    Meredith?¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath, her gazended on the diary.


    It turned out that stor had long read through her diary.


    ¡°No matter how wicked Meredith is to you, Anastasia, she raised you and cared for you for so many


    years. You ought to be grateful to her.¡± A pucker creased stor¡¯s forehead. His voice was as deep as


    a bottomless pit.


    Anastasia could only feel a wave of suffocation looming, her fingers as numb as ever.


    ¡°Grateful¡¯ stor actually demands me to be grateful to that witch I¡¯m already grateful enough not to


    im their lives,¡± she mused


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You suddenly realized you don¡¯t know me at all? Indeed. I¡¯m such a vindictive


    person who¡¯s also hypocritical and good at disguising myself. Not only that, but I¡¯m even a promiscuous


    wretch with a messed up private life. Isn¡¯t that what you think of me?¡± Anastasia blurted out the words


    stor had been bottling up inside.


    Through stor¡¯s eyes, Anastasia could already see thebels he had on her.


    ¡°To think that you¡¯d install surveince cameras at home in advance and secretly record videos of


    Meredith and others just to threaten her to divorce your dad and leave the marriage with nothing. You


    even wanted to sabotage her and throw her behind bars. How could you be so vicious? To say that


    stor was astonished would be an understatement. ¡°Did you also install surveince cameras here in


    our house to deal with me in the same fashion?¡±


    If truth be told, he would never expect Anastasia to take such a drastic measure.


    After all, that woman was her stepmother, Meredith, who had lived with her under one roof for ages.


    ¡°How could a person be so savage?¡± he muttered inwardly.


    ¡°I used to think you were a smart guy. stor At least you could tell right from wrong¡± Anastasia smiled


    bitterly at that.


    In fact, when one had already stereotyped another as a diabolical person, no matter what the other


    party did, it would be regarded as atrocious nheless.


    ¡°I don¡¯t own the police station, and I don¡¯t dictate thew. If Meredith did nothing wrong, the police will


    release her.¡± Anastasia curled up in a ball and tightened her shawl. ¡°You came here today just to


    question me for Sienna¡¯s sake?¡±


    Anastasia stared at stor. Apparently, Sienna hadined to him.


    Even after four years of marriage. stor would rather believe an outsider than her.


    Clearly, the trust between them had never been established.


    There were things that would never take shape on their own all of a sudden. Rather, their formations


    were umted over


    time.


    stor¡¯s attitude on that day proved that he had never truly trusted the woman for the past four years,


    not even for a single day.


    Sure enough, he had always been on his guard against her.


    ¡°The home you wished for-a stand-alone mansion, preferably without neighbors, with flowers blooming


    in the front and back yards, and those ceiling-to-floor windows you so desired. Everything you ever


    wanted.¡± stor picked up the diary on the floor and flipped through the pages. I was the one who


    granted you those, Anastasia.¡±


    Anastasia shrank her legs and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll return them all to you.¡±


    In the past, she thought that the home she cared about was the house she lived in. It turned out that


    she was wrong.


    ¡°Ha¡­ You must be disappointed, right?¡± stor put the diary aside. I¡¯m the one who stays with you in


    this house, not your darling Jace.¡±


    ¡°Are you jealous, stor?¡± asked Anastasia with a grin.


    Actually, she deliberately turned stor¡¯s stomach by saying that.


    In her mind, she knew very well that it was impossible for a man like him who had never spared a


    thought for her to be jealous.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    stor¡¯s body tensed for a moment, and he frowned at Anastasia with a look of disgust in his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking.¡±


    Anastasia grinned in silence.


    ¡°Grandma asked me to buy you some fruits and ribs. You can handle them yourself.¡± stor gestured


    toward the ingredients on the table by the entrance, then turned around to leave.


    ¡°stor, are you doing charity by raising someone else¡¯s child?¡± Anastasia felt an unexpected surge of


    unwillingness and was unsure why stor was getting on her nerves.


    stor turned around with aposed expression and looked at Anastasia. ¡°So, can you tell me now


    whose child it is?¡±


    stor had never believed that the child in Anastasia¡¯s belly was his.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe the child is yours?¡± Anastasia asked, her voice choking with emotion.


    ¡°Anastasia, we¡¯ve been married for four years. You should know how cautious Ive been in our intimate


    moments. Even if there were an asion where we forgot, I would remind you to take the


    contraceptive pills. Given all this, what are the odds that this child is mine?¡± stor lowered his gaze to


    look at Anastasia, his tone carrying a sense of interrogation.


    Anastasia took a deep breath


    Having been married for four years. stor indeed wasn¡¯t a person with strong desires in that aspect.


    Due to past traumas, Anastasia also had reservations in that regard, so she had never suspected


    anything amiss with stor.


    It turned out, he simply didn¡¯t have any feelings for her.


    ¡°This child, is it Jason¡¯s or Xavier stor inquired once more, directing his question at Anastasia.


    With her head lowered. Anastasia¡¯s voice sounded numb. ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± she stated the truth.


    But stor didn¡¯t believe it at all ¡°Anastasia. Im waiting for your DNA paternity test.¡±


    Anastasia smiled numbly ¡°Okay¡±


    stor gazed deeply at Anastasia, his eyes holding a depth of emotions, struggling to find words to


    say.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    As he reached the doorway, stor addressed her once more. ¡°I was the one who approached Sienna


    for your journal and that sketchbook. It was also me who pressed Sienna to reveal your rtionship


    with Xavier. There¡¯s no need for you to hold. a grudge against Sienna. If you don¡¯t want others to know,


    the best way is to avoid doing it in the first ce.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t particrly concerned about how Anastasia would manage her family affairs.


    A single warning would be enough


    Snowball¡¯s meow echoed with protest as it desperately clung to its male owner.


    The sensitivities of small creatures are perpetually delicate, and it likely intuited that the family was


    about to fall apart. ¡°We¡¯ve agreed to get a divorce, and in the future there won¡¯t be any need for you to


    come back.¡± Anastasia stated in a hoarse voice as she gazed at stor.


    ¡°Don¡¯te back, I still wish to continue living,¡± she reflected


    The ongoing hurt caused by stor would eventually bring about her downfall.


    ¡°Alright,¡± stor agreed, seemingly cager not to return. ¡°Even if this child isn¡¯t mine, this house still


    belongs to you.¡± He had already shown enough generosity and magnanimity toward Anastasia.


    Anastasia smiled. ¡°Snowball,e here.¡±


    Snowball looked back at Anastasia and continued desperately trying to hold onto stor.


    stor lowered his head and looked at Snowball, clearly bing somewhat impatient. With one swift


    motion, he kicked Snowball away and left without looking back.


    In a state of panic, Anastasia scrambled to her feet and rushed over to hug Snowball. She sat on the


    ground, feeling numb


    for a while.


    Because the love had faded, even the effort to pretend had be too much to muster.


    He disliked children, and he had never liked small animals either.


    Snowball was also startled, seeking refuge in Anastasia¡¯s embrace, meowing incessantly.


    While Anastasia continued to console Snowball, she was actually providingfort to herself too.


    Lake Snowball, she too was a forsaken wanderer, clutching onto a newfound haven of warmth, fighting


    to maintain her grasp, only to be callously cast aside in the end.


    09:201


    Perhaps the fate of wanderers was to forever roam. Destined to never find a foothold.


    Anastasia visited Hork General Hospital for another round of check-ups. She had to exercise extreme


    caution to ensure the child¡¯s safe growth.


    ¡°The baby is very healthy, but you¡­¡± The attending physician appeared somewhat concerned.


    ¡°Anastasia, have you thought this through?¡±


    Time passed in the blink of an eye, and Anastasia¡¯s bulging belly had already begun to show signs of


    pregnancy.


    If the pregnancy isn¡¯t terminated in a timely manner, it won¡¯t be feasible to do so at ater time.


    However, given Anastasia¡¯s condition, she wouldn¡¯t be able to endure until the end of her ten-month


    term.


    ¡°Anastasia, there¡¯s a team of experts from Atharia consulting with our Hork experts. They will provide


    the most authoritative treatment n for your situation. You¡¯re fortunate to have this opportunity, and I


    can help secure it for you. You don¡¯t have much time to consider. If you insist on keeping this child,


    whether it¡¯s a natural birth or by cesarean section, both will pose life-threatening risks to you. You might


    not survive, the doctor informed Anastasia with a grave tone.


    Anastasia sat numbly on the stool, her voice hoarse as she finally spoke. ¡°Doctor¡­ give me some time.


    Just a little more time, please.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The doctor nodded. ¡°Christmas is just around the corner. Take your time to think it through.


    Come see me after Christmas.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ Don¡¯t you think you should discuss this with your husband or family? This isn¡¯t a trivial


    matter¡­¡± the doctor asked in a hushed voice.


    Anastasia smiled. She had be quite familiar with the doctor over time. ¡°You¡¯re aware of my family


    situation. My father is paralyzed, we¡¯ve just finished the divorcewsuit, and Meredith is in prison.


    There isn¡¯t anyone left in my family¡­


    She didn¡¯t really have any family left.


    The doctor sighed, ¡°Life tends to be most fragile at its weakest points. That¡¯s life.¡±

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    After leaving the hospital following her pregnancy check-up, Anastasia walked alone in the cold wind


    on her way home.


    Anastasia looked up at the densely overcast sky, her thoughts wandering.


    ¡°Do I forsake this child or my own life?¡±


    It was a difficult decision to make.


    Anastasia spotted stor¡¯s car at the entrance of the mansion from a dista


    He didn¡¯t enter the house and leaned against the car door, smoking, probably waiting for her.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Anastasia was a little surprised.


    After they signed the divorce agreement, stor never went back, except for their weekly Friday meet-


    ups to dine with his grandmother.


    It wasn¡¯t Friday, yet stor had returned.


    stor nced at Anastasia.


    Perhaps because of the cold weather, she was bundled up, her face appearing even smaller and paler


    against theyers, almost as if a gust of wind could blow her away.


    stor¡¯s heart tightened inexplicably, and he extinguished the cigarette butt. ¡°Stay back, there¡¯s


    smoke.


    Anastasia smiled and positioned herself at a distance, pondering, ¡°This man seemed perfect in so


    many ways, except for the part where he doesn¡¯t love me¡±


    ¡°Mr. Zahn from Prosper Group is currently in Hork for business discussions. Mrs. Zahn is very fond of


    you. They acquired a majority of your paintings during the previous charity art exhibition. They¡¯re


    interested in meeting you,¡± stor briefly exined.


    Anastasia understood.


    Interaction within the wives¡¯ circle was also amon approach to fostering business coboration.


    That was also the reason why stor hadn¡¯t made the divorce agreement public yet.


    At social events like those, he still needed to have Anastasia apany him.


    ¡®Sure, I¡¯ll go get changed and freshen up first,¡± Anastasia agreed without hesitation. After all, she hadn¡¯t


    reached the stage of harboring any resentment toward him.


    It was simply a matter of not being loved.


    stor gave a nod of acknowledgment, maintaining his position against the car door.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite cold outside. Aren¡¯t youing inside?¡± Anastasia asked as she reached the doorway.


    ¡°No.¡± stor declined.


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers stiffened for a moment. Without looking back, she opened the door and entered the


    house.


    A hint of warmth filled her eyes. Anastasia readied cat food for Snowball before soaking dried fish in


    special milk powder for the treats. Following that, she made her way to the restroom, quickly washing


    her face, applying a mask, and embarking on a search for clothes.


    Considering it was a business banquet, Anastasia had to dress a bit more formally, and her attire had


    toplement stor¡¯s suit.


    Havingpared a few outfits, Anastasia gazed at her reflection in the mirror and suddenly felt


    bewildered.


    Over thest four years, she¡¯d worked tirelessly to satisfy stor, aspiring to be an ideal spouse.


    She embodied a people-pleasing nature, giving up her own needs to amodate others. Yet, what


    she gained in the end was the present situation.


    In a state of disappointment, Anastasia tore off the face mask, randomly chose an outfit, tidied herself


    up hastily, applied some lipstick, and left.


    The strong wind outside led Anastasia to tightly wrap her windbreaker around herself.


    Walking up to the side of the passenger seat, Anastasia hesitated just as she was about to open the


    car door.


    Inside the car, stor looked at Anastasia without saying a word.


    Sensing the situation, Anastasia tactfully opened the back door and got in.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Reserved for his little fairy, the passenger seat was for his first crush, a ce for his beloved


    It wasn¡¯t meant for her; the ex-wife who had already finalized the divorce agreement.


    ¡°I¡¯ve changed cars.¡± Inside the car. stor furrowed his brows.


    He hadn¡¯t let Felicia touch that car even once.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good car, very spacious. It¡¯ll be more convenient for you two to make love in it,¡± Anastasia said


    bluntly.


    stor¡¯s expression grew even darker, and he didn¡¯t say another word to Anastasia throughout the


    journey.


    Anastasia was uncertain whether stor and Felicia had engaged in intimacy within the car. She also


    wasn¡¯t sure if it was due to her own psychological state or the effects of her pregnancy that she found


    the air inside the car stifling, causing waves of nausea and the sensation that she might throw up.


    Upon arriving at the hotel. Anastasia immediately rushed into the restroom after getting out of the car


    and spent a long time hunched over the toilet bowl as she vomited.


    After a brief pause, Anastasia collected herself, tidied her emotions, and walked out of the restroom.


    ¡°Why did youe? stor, did you bring Anastasia here? Who does she think she is toe with


    you? I said I wanted to meet Mrs. Zahn, and you brought her along! What gives her the right?¡±


    In the corner, Felicia¡¯s voice quivered with a barrage of questions.


    She was interrogating stor about his decision to bring Anastasia to the social event.


    Anastasia hid herself near the restroom door, feeling a bit embarrassed.


    ¡°Stop making a scene¡¯ stor was trying to appease Felicia. His tone sounded a bit impatient, yet he


    could tolerate her unreasonable outbursts again and again.


    ¡°stor, are you having second thoughts? Are you not nning to divorce her anymore? Do you even


    know that Zachary will also be present tonight? Anastasia was kept by Zachary during her junior year


    for two whole years. Won¡¯t their meeting be awkward now? What will they of you?¡± Felicia said angrily.


    Anastasia leaned against the wall and her body tensed up instantly.


    Zachary¡­ it had been quite a few years since shest heard that name.


    During her university days, there were indeed rumors associating her with Zachary, implying that she


    was kept by the CEO of Quinn Group, with luxury cars picking her up daily


    Anastasia never provided an exnation, as she simply spent three months crafting hand-painted


    murals in the newly acquired mansion of Zachary,


    Because Zachary¡¯s grandmother had a fondness forndscape paintings, he visited the Department of


    Art and sought advice


    from Charles.


    It was Charles who suggested Anastasia for the task, as he knew she was in need of funds and


    Zachary was willing to pay a handsome sum,


    It took her three months toplete the entire wall mural, and Zacharypensated her with

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    It was just an ordinary job. But ording to those people, Anastasia became a female university


    student who was kept as a lover and toyed with by rich people.


    Anastasia wanted tough, and she had exined it before.


    But in the eyes of those people, she was just defending herself and making excuses.


    No one believed her except Kimberly.


    Just like stor now. No matter how much Anastasia exined to him, he felt that she was making


    excuses.


    ¡°Actually, you can always just bring Felicia here. Anastasia walked out of the restroom and stopped


    hiding. She thought, ¡°It was Felicia who did something shameful, not me. So why should I hide?¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s more embarrassing to bring along a disgraceful mistress like Felicia than to bring


    me?¡± Anastasia smiled ironically.


    stor valued his reputation. On this asion, bringing a mistress like Felicia would be more


    disgraceful.


    stor rubbed his eyebrows and scolded Felicia in a low voice. ¡°All right, stop creating a scene. You §Õ§à


    back first.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, why are you still pretending? What¡¯s so great about you? Don¡¯t you know your own


    reputation? Who in your school doesn¡¯t know about the shit you did outside? You know clearly the


    rtionship between you and Mr. Quinn of the Quinn Group. You know it well that stor will only be


    laughed at if he brings you along to attend this event, Felicia shouted at Anastasia arrogantly.


    Anastasia stood there silently for a long time.


    ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship¡­ between you and Zachary?¡± The corridor was extremely quiet. stor took


    the initiative to speak, yet it was him questioning Anastasia about her rtionship with Zachary.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have an answer in your heart?¡± Anastasia responded with a sarcastic chuckle.


    She thought, ¡°You¡¯re already doubting me. Thus, is it even necessary for me to exin?¡±


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m embarrassing you, I can leave.¡± Anastasia shrugged. She didn¡¯t care at all. After all,


    she didn¡¯t want toe at first.


    Feeling slightly powerless, Anastasia turned around with a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯d better disappear now¡± Felicia clicked her tongue. ¡°Look in the mirror and see what kind of


    person you are, won¡¯t you? You¡¯ve caused stor a lot of trouble over the years. Because of you,


    stor-


    ¡°Enough!¡± stor reprimanded Felicia. ¡°Stop it.¡±


    Felicia lowered her head aggrievedly and snorted coldly.


    Anastasia stopped in the same spot, clenching her hands tightly. Her eyes reddened briefly before she


    turned around and looked at Felicia. ¡°No matter how much I look in the mirror, I¡¯m still stor¡¯s wife.


    We are still a legal couple with a marriage certificate. Who do you think you are? Do I need you to


    reprimand me? Are you a disgraceful mistress or a bitch with no moral bottom line?¡±


    After Anastasia found out she was ill, other than feeling sad and despair, only a few people could make


    her tremble with


    anger.


    Yet, Felicia always had that ability.


    ¡°Anastasia, that¡¯s enough


    Don¡¯t go too far with your words, stor protected Felicia. ¡°If you really have nothing to do with.


    Zachary, why not exin?¡±


    ¡°You want an exnation, don¡¯t you?¡± Anastasiaughed ironically. ¡®Fine. Come with me. I¡¯ll exin it


    to you.¡±


    Anastasia turned around and walked straight to the banquet hall.


    stor came early. This was a family banquet, and he was the host. Naturally, he had toe early.


    Zachary had already entered just now. Anastasia saw him. Since they weren¡¯t familiar with each other,


    Anastasia didn¡¯t take the initiative to greet him.


    Seeing Anastasia entering the private room in an unusual mood, stor felt his heart tighten and


    chased after her quickly.


    Looking as if she was watching a show, Felicia followed him as well.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Anastasia! You better stop fooling around herel¡± stor warned Anastasia not to do anything


    impulsive.


    Anastasia ignored stor and rushed into the private room, then looked at Zachary, who was already


    sitting on the couch.


    Zachary was chatting with others. Seeing Anastasiaing in, he was stunned for a moment. Then, he


    looked at stor and Felicia, who were chasing after Anastasia.


    He didn¡¯t really know what was going on.


    ¡°Anastasia? Long time no see. How have you been?¡± Zachary took the initiative to greet Anastasia.


    Zachary and stor were both rising stars in Hork¡¯s businessmunity. It was rare to see such


    capable individuals in the second-generation circle.


    Zachary¡¯s appearance was also outstanding. He personally sent Anastasia back to the campus several


    times, which caused a great sensation on the campus forum.


    ¡°Mr. Quinn, do you know my wife?¡± stor frowned. The man¡¯s sixth sense told him that Zachary


    looked at Anastasia differently than ordinary friends.


    ¡°Mr. Quinn, this is my husband, stor Lopez.¡± Anastasia first introduced stor and then pointed at


    Felicia. ¡°That¡¯s my husband¡¯s secretary and lover.¡±


    Hearing Anastasia¡¯s words, everyone in the room was stunned. They thought, ¡°Anastasia is¡­¡±


    stor took a deep breath and regretted taking Anastasia out today,


    Frowning, stor grabbed Anastasia¡¯s wrist. ¡°If there¡¯s anything, we can talk about it when we go


    home.¡±


    ¡°Whose home are we returning to?¡± Anastasia shook off stor¡¯s hand and looked back at Zachary,


    then continued to speak. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you were involved in this matter. My husband¡¯s mistress said


    that I was kept as a lover by you when I went to university, and it¡¯s regrettable that the internal conflicts


    and rumors within our family have affected you. If possible, I want to rify this matter face to face.¡±


    Behind stor, Felicia¡¯s face turned pale. She was trembling, unable to say a word.


    That was Zachary, who had a family background that was much better than stor¡¯s family. When


    Anastasia told him that, it would cause Felicia to offend Zacharypletely.


    Felicia was so scared that she couldn¡¯t control her fingers. She hid behind stor in a panic and clung


    to his arm. ¡°stor¡­

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Zachary¡¯s face darkened instantly. He nced at stor with deep eyes and then at the woman behind


    stor. ¡°Mr. Lopez, you¡¯re quite a poor judge of character.¡±


    stor frowned. Even if Felicia made a mistake first on this matter, he couldn¡¯t let Zachary dominate


    the situation at this critical moment. ¡°This is my personal business. It¡¯s not up to you to lecture me, Mr.


    Quinn.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­ Zachary got up and looked at Anastasia. ¡°When will you get divorced? Let me know.¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t get divorced, she¡¯ll never get the chance to gain a foothold. Why should I get divorced? I


    won¡¯t do it.¡± Anastasia choked with sobs as she spoke, clenching her hands tightly.


    She thought, ¡°Didn¡¯t stor prohibit me from speaking about the divorce and want to keep it a secret


    temporarily? I¡¯ll keep it a secret, then. He only said that the divorce is confidential, but he didn¡¯t say that


    his extramarital affair should be kept secret as well.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lopez, I don¡¯t know where your lover heard this filthy rumor. I knew Anastasia only because of


    work. My grandma likedndscape painting Anastasia is Mr. Lexington¡¯s beloved mentee, so she was


    rmended by Mr. Lexington to go to my home during her junior year and painted a mural for me


    and my grandma, which took three months.¡±


    Zachary was a person who waszy to deal with others, but he took the initiative to rify for Anastasia


    today.


    ¡°As for why someone makes the gossip so dirty, they probably have a dirty heart as well,¡± Zachary said,


    implying something


    with his wordsMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    stor looked at Anastasia and kept quiet for a long while.


    Anastasia knew stor wouldn¡¯t believe her if she exined.


    However, he would believe it if Zachary exined it.


    This was the trust between Anastasia and stor, which was pathetic.


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t deny it. Three months of interactions made me like Anastasia very much, and I did


    pursue her. But Anastasia had high standards at that time, so she cut off contact with me after directly


    rejecting me. After that, we¡¯ve never crossed paths again Zachary was telling the truth


    He pursued Anastasia before Moreover, he even went to her campus to give her flowers and bought


    many gifts for her. Yet, she returned all of them to him. After that, she broke off contact with him.


    Later, he went to Anastasia¡¯s art exhibition. He bought many paintings and even bid on them at a high


    price, but he knew Anastasia would not be with him


    ¡°But now it seems that Anastasia, your taste It needs to be improved,¡± Zachary said faintly and nced


    at the time. ¡°I came here today mainly to meet Mr. Cook Since Mr. Lopez and your lover ndered my


    rtionship with Anastasia, I don¡¯t think it is necessary for me to stay¡±


    People in the businessmunity were either partners orpetitors.


    Quinn Group and stor¡¯spany had always cooperated with each other. It was a pity that Felicia¡¯s


    malicious rumors caused the two sides to stop cooperating


    But Anastasia knew stor wouldn¡¯t me Felicia. He would only me Anastasia for exposing this


    matter in front of Zachary,


    As expected, when Anastasia summoned up the courage to look at stor, what she received was his


    deep and gloomy gaze.


    ¡°How¡­ ironic,¡± Anastasia thought.


    Seeing that Anastasia seemed off, Zachary asked. ¡°Anastasia, do you need me to drive you home?¡±


    Zachary shouldn¡¯t interfere in other people¡¯s domestic affairs, but Anastasia seemed to need someone


    to apany her.


    ¡°No need. Thank you, Mr. Quinn.¡± Anastasia shook her head.


    Zachary nodded and left sensibly, without saying anything.


    The others in the room also went out temporarily. They still had to leave space for Anastasia, stor,


    and Felicia to deal with such domestic affairs.


    Anastasia took the initiative and asked, ¡°I exined. Are you satisfied?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, you lunatic! You framed me!¡± Felicia was so scared that she didn¡¯t dare to breathe. As soon


    as Zachary left, she tried madly.


    ¡®Iframed you?¡± Anastasia smiled and looked at stor. ¡°Do you also think I¡¯m framing her?¡±


    ¡°Do you know how much stor will lose? Do you know what it means to cut off the cooperation with


    Quinn Group? You know`ut well, but you¡¯re just vicious and deliberately want to take revenge on us.


    Felicia cried while scolding Anastasia for


    being vicious. ¡°You just want to destroy stor.¡±


    Anastasia stood there, feeling a little light-headed. She didn¡¯t care how Felicia yed the victim. She


    only looked at stor, wanting to see what stor thought.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± stor was obviously angry and asked Felicia to shut up.


    Felicia snorted coldly and went aside without saying anything. But she just wouldn¡¯t leave.


    Anastasia sighed. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now if there¡¯s nothing else.¡±


    At a family dinner, stor brought the mistress and his wife to attend at the same time. It was unsightly.


    Anastasia thought, ¡°I better take the initiative to avoid suspicion.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you home, stor volunteered to escort Anastasia.


    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll take a taxi.¡±


    Just when Anastasia opened the door and was about to leave, she froze.


    Outside the door, there were Henry and Avery who rushed there, as well as Jason, who was following


    them.


    It had been more than a month since theyst parted.


    ¡°Mr. Lopez and Mrs. Lopez have already arrived long ago? There is a traffic jam on the way to our


    airport,¡± Henry took the initiative to exin. ¡°Fortunately, Jason drove us here.¡±


    stor¡¯s eyes also fell on Jason, and his face darkened.


    ¡°Mr. Zahn, do you know Jason?¡± stor asked tentatively.


    ¡°Jason is-¡± Avery wanted to exin.


    ¡°Mr. Zahn¡¯s son and I are ssmates. We both study in Atharia.¡± Jason took the initiative to exin.

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    ¡°Mr. Lopez, who is¡­ Avery asked as she saw another woman following behind stor.


    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Zahn. My name is Felicia. I¡¯m stor¡¯s secretary. Felicia took the initiative to step forward


    before exining with a smile. She wanted to make a good impression of herself.


    Basically, it was to build a foundation of connections for her to open an art exhibition in the future.


    Felicia had always been a self-important person. She had always thought that she was better than


    Anastasia.


    ¡°If I can take stor away from Anastasia, I can definitely outperform her in my career too,¡± Felicia


    thought.


    Anastasia smiled awkwardly. Apologetically, she said. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Zahn and Mrs. Zahn. I¡¯m not feeling


    well. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t keep youpany for dinner tonight. If you are not in a hurry to leave, let¡¯s have


    coffee together tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    Anastasia spoke with a gentle voice.


    Avery was a quick-witted person. She knew that Felicia was not merely a female secretary.


    Understandingly. Avery nodded and patted Anastasia¡¯s hand. ¡°Annie, I need a painting for the top floor.


    I want to consult you about it. Let¡¯s meet in private and talk about it tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    ¡°What is the decoration style of your house, Mrs. Zahn? It just so happened that I majored in design. I


    might give you some ideas.¡± Felicia took the initiative to suggest.


    It was obvious that she wanted to rece Anastasia in every aspect.


    stor furrowed his brows, Sure enough, he also felt Felicia¡¯s words were inappropriate. However, he


    did not say anything. Avery was a little displeased. ¡°Mr. Lopez, are you bringing a female secretary to


    the family dinner?¡±


    Felicia stood behind stor awkwardly.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that I do not hold any title now. Regardless of how strong my ability is, people will look down


    upon me,¡± Felicia thought.


    ¡°I must make stor file a divorce as soon as possible. Then, I can marry him and have my title,¡±


    Felicia continued silently. ¡°Tasked her to send Annie home.¡± stor said in a low voice.


    He wanted Felicia to leave too.


    However, Felicia was unhappy. ¡°Mr. Zahn and Mrs. Zahn are not outsiders, stor. You have already


    divorced her¡­¡± stor¡¯s expression darkened instantly, and he looked at Felicia coldly.


    Felicia panicked. Internally, she remarked, ¡°I just¡­ don¡¯t want to be looked down upon by the others.¡±


    Anastasiaughed ironically. Looking at stor, she thought. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not the one who said it.¡±


    ¡°Divorced? Henry and Avery looked at stor in shock. ¡°This is¡­ When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still confidential. My grandma is in poor health, so it can¡¯t be made public. stor exined in a


    low voice, gesturing for Henry and Avery to take a seat. ¡°It¡¯s inappropriate to talk about my family


    matters in public. I brought Anastasia here because Mrs. Zahn said that she liked Anastasia. I didn¡¯t


    expect her to be unwell¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath. She turned around and wanted to leave.


    Jason,e and have a seat. Let me introduce you.¡± Avery told Jason toe over.


    Nevertheless, Jason¡¯s gaze was fixed on Anastasia the whole time. It was as if he was silently asking


    her why she had not mentioned her divorce to him..


    ¡°Well, fair enough. Why should she tell me? There¡¯s nothing between us,¡± Jason thought.


    ¡°Mrs. Zahn, I¡¯ll take Annie home.¡± In front of everyone, Jason held Anastasia¡¯s wrist and took her out of


    the private room. Anastasia did not resist. She walked out numbly as Jason led her out.


    ¡°Anastasia and Jason are in a rtionship now.¡± Seeing that Henry and Avery were confused, Felicia


    took the opportunity to exin with a smile. Then, Felicia sat next to Avery, which was supposedly the


    seat of stor¡¯s wife.


    Avery felt a little awkward. Yet, seeing that stor did not give any exnation, she did not probe


    further.


    She turned to look at Henry and whispered, ¡°Anastasia, bless her.


    ¡°Yeah Henry nodded awkwardly. ¡°stor, we won¡¯t ask about your personal affairs with Anastasia. You


    two have been married for so many years. Even after the divorce, she is still willing to cooperate with


    you in taking care of Penelope and agreed to attend the family dinner tonight. It¡¯s not easy for her. I


    hope you¡¯ll continue to get along with her well regardless of your status.¡±


    stor nodded. ¡°Anastasia is wonderfully good.


    Sure enough, Anastasia had always been great. It was a pity that stor did not love her.


    On the way back. Anastasia¡¯s mind was nk.


    Jason was also silent all the way.


    Instead of taking Anastasia home, he drove to Lumonburg.


    When Anastasia came back to her senses, Jason had already driven to Hillscester Ind.


    That was where the mostvish and expensive luxury houses were located in the center of Hork City.


    ¡°Why are we here?¡± Anastasia turned to look at Jason.


    ¡°I have¡­ a friend who likes your painting style. I need your help to have a look at the home


    decoration.¡± Jason uttered softly.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Anastasia nodded.


    ¡°When did it happen?¡± Jason asked.


    ¡°The day after you misunderstood stor¡¯s domestic violence.¡± Anastasia looked down and added,


    ¡°We¡¯ve only signed the divorce agreement. We¡¯ve yet to file for the certificate.¡±


    ¡°What is his demand?¡± Jason tightened his grip on the steering wheel.


    ¡°Waiting¡­ for the DNA paternity test results. Anastasia lowered her head and looked at her belly.


    ¡°He¡­¡± Jason suddenly stepped on the brake. Obviously, he was full of rage.


    ¡°stor thought that the child was not his?¡± Jason pondered.


    ¡°Jerk!¡± Jason swore inwardly.


    ¡°I


    done.¡± Anastasia smiled. Shortly after, tears welled up in her eyes uncontrobly.


    Jason did not siz


    anything anymore. He parked his car by the roadside, got out of the car, and opened the door for


    Anastasia. Then he held and led her to the luxurious mansion. ¡°The scenery here is impressive. Do you


    like it?¡±


    Anastasia shook her head.


    To her, regardless offul the thing was, it would be pointless to like something that did not belong to her.


    B

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    The mansion located in the middle of theke was beautiful. The scenery and surrounding environment


    were impressive


    too.


    It was like a closed ind surrounded by theke, giving Anastasia the sense of security she wanted.


    After getting out onto the balcony on the second floor, Anastasia gazed up at the dark sky filled with


    twinkling stars.


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡± Anastasia could not help praising. She wondered who the owner of such a house


    was.


    *From the aesthetic point of view, the house owner should be a very stylish person,¡± Anastasia said


    softly as she nced at Jason. ¡°Actually, a simple painting can be ced in the activity room on the


    second floor. It¡¯s not needed anywhere else. Putting too many will affect the perfection instead.¡±


    Jason nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Jason, Grandma is going to undergo surgery. When are you leaving Hork?¡± Anastasia wanted Jason


    to leave Hork because it was time for her to decide..


    It was about keeping or aborting the baby.


    ¡°Regardless of my decision, I¡¯ll eventually have a falling out with stor and Felicia,¡± Anastasia


    thought.


    Jason frowned. I won¡¯t leave.¡±


    ¡°You know stor¡¯swork of connections. Henry and Avery are courteous to him, and he has good


    connections in the businessmunity and other social circles¡± After all, Anastasia had to admit that


    stor was powerful.


    It was very risky for her to go against stor.


    ¡°Did he threaten you with me?¡± Jason clenched his fingers tightly.


    Anastasia remained silent.


    In fact, she might have been more unscrupulous if Jace was not involved.


    ¡°I have already signed the divorce agreement. stor and I will soon have a falling out. I¡¯m not


    someone who will sit back and do nothing.¡± Anastasia said in a low voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you waited so many years before sending your stepmother to prison. Upon returning.


    Jason heard Anastasia¡¯s -stepmother, Meredith, was confirmed guilty of several crimes, such as


    intentional homicide, poisoning, and extramarital


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    affair. She was charged based on solid evidence.


    Currently, a brain hemorrhage left Zeke paralyzed, Meredith was imprisoned, and Sienna had nothing


    left that she had to sleep on the streets. Thetter¡¯s former best friends did not care about her at all. As


    she could not even find a ce to live, she could only rent a basement for tens of dors §â§Ö§Ô month.


    Anastasia had always been cruel. Moreover, those were some scumbags.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve gone too far, too?¡± Anastasia asked in a low voice.


    Jason shook his head.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, let me get my hands on those dirty jobs¡­¡± Jason said in a low voice after a long silence.


    He was willing to kill people for Anastasia, which he did six years ago.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes were reddened. After looking away, she uttered, ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±


    She did not need to rely on anyone anymore.


    She just wanted to be alone until she died.


    *Anastasia, give me a little more time. I can protect you after I¡¯ve done dealing with it.¡± Jason was a


    little anxious. He had been waiting for many years, and that was thest step.


    Over the years, he knew Anastasia had gone through a lot of hardships. He, too, had been working


    hard.


    He had been trying to get rid of all the difficulties to be with his first crush.


    However, she was already married


    Anastasia smiled. ¡°Jason, the society is very realistic. What you think about protection and how I want


    to be protected are two different concepts. You want to protect me from being hit by cars and bullied by


    passers-by. Yet, I want to stand at the high ground and look down on those who have bullied me.


    What Anastasia wanted was protection with power.


    What stor could give her was something Jace couldn¡¯t.


    Even Jace had grown into Jason, he still could not give her what she wanted.


    Anastasia was being realistic because she did not want Jace to be ruined by reality.


    ¡°Jason, what you said is right. I have changed. I have be very realistic. I¡¯m different from who I


    used to be¡­¡± Anastasia had been going through the mill in society for six years.


    With that, she was no longer Anastasia like before, whom Jace used to protect with all his might.


    ¡°Jace, I don¡¯t deserve it.¡± Anastasia wanted to cut her ties with everyone.


    She might die in the delivery room where she would give birth to the baby, or at any moment in the next


    day.


    Jason did not say anything but held Anastasia¡¯s wrist. ¡°Do you hate stor?¡±


    Jason could do anything for Anastasia.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Anastasia shook her head.


    ¡°How about Felicia?¡± Jason¡¯s gaze darkened.


    Jason had always been a man of few words and had always done things that made Anastasia feel


    lingering fear.


    ¡°Jason, to this day, I don¡¯t hate anyone. Don¡¯t interfere in my affairs anymore. Didn¡¯t what happened six


    years ago teach your a lesson? What else do you want to do?¡± Anastasia shook off Jason¡¯s hand.


    On that rainy night six years ago, Anastasia waited a long time, but Jace did not show


    1.


    Later, something happened to Harold, making him almost die. Meanwhile, Jace went missing.


    Jace had gone missing for six years.


    ¡°I won¡¯t¡­ act recklessly anymore.¡± Jason¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    ¡°Then listen to me. When Grandma Penelope¡¯s surgery has beenpleted, take her away and find a


    quiet city to recuperate, okay?¡± Anastasia was almost begging Jason.


    ¡°Don¡¯te back, Anastasia remarked inwardly.


    ¡°You want me to leave¡­¡± Jason looked at Anastasia with a piercing gaze.


    ¡°I hope you can forget me forever. Didn¡¯t you live a good life in the past six years?¡±


    Anastasia took a step back. Then, she turned around and left.


    Looking at Anastasia, Jason felt pain in his heart.


    He was under the illusion that Anastasia would disappear forever if he did not hold her back at the


    moment.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    On the way home. Anastasia received Felicia¡¯s WhatsApp messages.


    [Anastasia. I¡¯m sorry to tell you this. It was not my intention to reveal the news of your divorce today. I


    just don¡¯t want to see stor belittled any longer because of you.


    You¡¯ve been married for four years, and stor has been criticized for four years. stor never told


    you anything about these things.


    He even gave up many opportunities because of you.


    stor may not love you, but he had done what he was supposed to do as a husband.


    Anastasia, we all have feelings. I hope you don¡¯t hate him and ruin his career. Just part on good terms,


    all right?


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I¡¯m begging you.]


    Felicia sent her a lengthy message.


    The lengthy message mainly served to guilt-trip her.


    It was probably because she had revealed Felicia¡¯s nder to Zachary today and scared Felicia.


    In any case, this was the first time Felicia hadmunicated with her directly.


    Anastasiaughed resignedly. She looked at the night outside the window and thought. This is human


    nature.


    It¡¯s human nature to tter those above while trampling on those below, bullying the weak.


    Ignoring Felicia, Anastasia guessed that Felicia would flip out at her again after Zachary¡¯s incident. She


    just needed to wait quietly.


    Felicia wanted most to get Anastasia not only divorced, but also to have an


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Jason called her name softly after he brought Anastasia home.


    Anastasia looked back at Jason. She didn¡¯t know what he was going to say.


    Jason raised his hand to rub her hair and smiled at her.


    Anastasia used to do that for Jace.


    Jace sometimes resisted, saying it felt like she was petting a stray.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Just do whatever you want. I¡¯ll always be here for you.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s body stiffened, and she clenched her fingers tightly.


    He had always been there for her.


    abortion.


    He had always been quietly protecting Anastasia in his own way, out of her sight.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes turned red. She got out of the car and walked home without saying anything.


    Jason¡¯s headlights kept shining on the road ahead. Only after Anastasia entered the house did he


    finally turn around and


    leave.


    When the lights were gone, Anastasia couldn¡¯t contain her emotions, so she hid in a corner and cried


    for a long time.


    Everything is different now.


    ¡°Did he bring you back?¡±


    In the bedroom on the second floor, stor stood by therge window, looking out of it. His voice is


    cold. The time he returned was unknown.


    He probably saw Jason send Anastasia back and Anastasia hiding in the yard while crying for a long


    time.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy with him? Why did you cry?¡± stor turned around and looked at Anastasia. ¡°Or are


    you reluctant to leave everything you have now?¡±


    Anastasia was a little tired, and stor¡¯s questions gave her a headache.


    1


    ¡°Anastasia, you secretly contacted a private investigator and awyer behind my back to sort out the


    share transfer agreement¡­ You¡¯re so thorough.¡± stor said coldly, and his eyes became colder when


    he looked at Anastasia.


    ¡°Is using Felicia¡¯s loose tongue to make Zachary cut off cooperation with thepany today also part


    of your revenge?¡±


    stor had obviously discovered something new.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t deny it.


    She had indeed done everything stor said.


    ¡°I had no idea the woman I¡¯d been married to for four years and who slept beside me was a viper¡±


    storughed


    sarcastically, stood up straight, and walked to Anastasia. ¡°When did you start setting me up? On the


    day of the blind date? Or is it on the day of the blitz marriage?¡±


    Anastasia remained silent.


    ¡°Anastasia, judging by the way you treat Meredith and Sienna, you are really cruel.¡± stor pointed to


    Anastasia¡¯s heart. ¡°I wish I could open this ce and see if you have a heart of stone¡±


    Anastasia smiled weakly. stor was quite capable and could find out everything.


    But why couldn¡¯t he discover what her stepmother Meredith and her brother Harold had done to her?


    Well, that incident was very well hidden by Zeke. Moreover, stor was not at all interested in her


    experiences and past.


    Since he did not love her, there was no favoritism.


    ¡°Or perhaps, have you and Jace been plotting for a long time to dupe me into marriage, so you can get


    everything you want out of it and avoid living as poor as beggars?¡± stor¡¯s words were harsh and


    unpleasant.


    ¡°Anastasia, what I gave you is charity. But you schemed, and I can make you lose everything.¡± stor


    used the influence of alcohol to vent and forced Anastasia into the corner.


    Anastasia averted her gaze, her eyes red-rimmed.


    When she came to this world, she had nothing. What did it matter if she was going to die?


    stor held Anastasia¡¯s chin and surprisingly tried to kiss her.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t think this was stor lusting after her. It was pure venting and humiliation.


    ¡°Armastasia, I really underestimated you¡­ Upon seeing Anastasia dodging. stor grew angrier.


    ¡°Could it be that those men can do anything as long as they give you money? You are ruthless to


    everyone, but you¡¯re very dedicated to Jace.¡±


    She thought, ¡°Give my feelings to one person and use schemes and my body to swindle others out of


    their money?


    Heh¡­.


    Should I say this kind of woman has a big heart, or should I say she is heartless?¡±


    ¡°You disgust me¡­¡± Anastasia pushed stor away, her voice trembling.


    ¡°What about you? So filthy¡­¡± stor pulled open Anastasia¡¯s shirt and said in a hoarse voice.


    Anastasia suddenly understood why he didn¡¯t touch her much over the years.


    Sure enough, he thought she was filthy.

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    This hurt more than hisck of love for her.


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m filthy, don¡¯t touch me¡­ Anastasia tried to push stor away while holding back her


    emotions.


    However, stor seemed determined to humiliate her, expose her to the light, uncover all the scars


    again, and make her bleed.


    ¡°We only signed a divorce agreement and haven¡¯t received the certificate yet. You¡¯ve tried every means


    to be my wife, so I should naturally grant your wish. Didn¡¯t you beg for me to want you that day¡­


    stor¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    His words, however, were like sharp thorns, piercing her body and heart.


    They were suffocating her.


    ¡°stor, are you not at all picky? Anastasia gave up resisting because there was no strength left in her


    arms.


    On her own initiative, she took off her clothes. There were stubborn tears in her eyes.


    When he saw Anastasia taking the initiative, stor was even more disgusted.


    The word ¡°disgusting¡± was almost written in his eyes.


    Anastasia wanted tough and cry.


    She couldn¡¯t hold her emotions anymore.


    He really had no desire for her.


    ¡°You¡¯d better pray that the result of this child¡¯s DNA paternity test is what I want. This is the limit of my


    patience for you,¡± stor warned, pointing to Anastasia¡¯s belly.


    He had let her be until now because he still had a little hope for this chuld.


    If the child was not his, he would probably no longer be lenient to Anastasia.


    ¡°Do you really have no trust and feelings for me after four years of marriage? Anastasia asked in a


    lowered voice.


    stor frowned. ¡°What kind of feelings do you want me to have for you? What have you done?


    Rtionships are reciprocal. Anastasia.¡±


    Anastasia smiled and said nothing


    She asked him this question and humiliated herself again and again,


    ¡°stor, have you sealed your heart in cement during the past four years because you don¡¯t love the?¡±


    Anastasia thought it was highly ridiculous.


    After all, she had done, did stor not notice anything?


    ¡°Your mentor, Charles, promised to see Felicia. Her work was sent over, but it was unacknowledged. Is


    he humiliating Felicia, or did you do something?¡± stor took out his phone, pulled out the campus


    forum¡¯s post a few years ago, and presented it


    to Anastasia


    *Anastasia, I truly underestimated you. There are so many people more talented than you, but


    someone like Charles chose you as his apprentice. After you, he didn¡¯t recruit any other students or


    mentor any students alone. Among those he mentored, you are the worst one now.¡±


    stor mocked Anastasia. ¡®Do you know what people outside say about you and Charles? They say


    that he is of good repute, that he found himself a lover now and is too ashamed to face the public, so


    he simply shut himself away.¡±


    Anastasia held her hands tightly and looked at stor.


    ¡°Five years ago, pictures that someone took of you two going out alone frequently were posted on the


    campus forum. Anastasia, have you always done whatever it takes to achieve your goals?¡±


    Smack! Anastasia couldn¡¯t control her emotions and pped stor in the face.


    ¡°You can insult me, but you can¡¯t insult Mr. Lexington!¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse and trembling.


    Her face grew paler, and she seemed to be losing the ability to stand.


    For a moment, stor felt¡­ Anastasia was about to disappear.


    There was a dull ache in his heart. stor also didn¡¯t know why he said these to provoke Anastasia.


    Perhaps he was irked by her ambiguous interaction with Jason.


    stor also hated himself. For four years, he was fully aware Anastasia had been plotting against him,


    but he still fell deeply into her gentle trap.


    ¡°Why am I the worst among Mr. Lexington¡¯s students?¡± Anastasia smiled and lowered her head,


    murmuring in a hoarse


    voice.


    She thought. Why?


    Because I gave up everything, failed the expectation and high hope of Mr. Lexington, gave up the


    opportunity to study abroad for further education, gave up all tforms and prospects, and stayed at


    home wholeheartedly for this damn ridiculous home! And be a god-damn¡­ ridiculous and lowly


    housewife!


    Indeed, a woman who has given up her own light deserved to be trampled on by others. I¡¯m worthless!¡±


    Charles had looked for her countless times and even got angry at her.


    He said, ¡°Anastasia, you are trampling and wasting your talent!¡±


    He said, ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m disappointed in you. You are my most unsessful student¡­¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    He said, ¡°Is stor worth giving up everything for? If he really loves you, he should support your career


    and growth rather than guarding you, forbidding you from making public appearances, and ruining your


    future!¡±


    He said, ¡°Anastasia, you will regret putting your fate in the hands of others.¡±


    ¡°Do I regret it?¡± Anastasia wondered.


    She was very regretful.


    She thought she should have known that life was fleeting and that everything she had worked hard for


    and persisted in did not matter. She wished that she and stor had never met each other.


    ¡°stor, you¡¯re asking me why I¡¯m the worst student of Mr. Lexington¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s heart ached so


    badly she didn¡¯t dare to breathe. She felt like she was about to die suddenly. ¡°Over the years, you


    haven¡¯t allowed me to make public appearances, and you asked me why I am the worst¡­¡±


    In the past, her works were most worthy of being shown off by Charles.


    Butter, her development disappointed Charles.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t allow you to make public appearances because of your reputation outside¡­¡± stor looked


    away and stopped. provoking Anastasia.


    He did that¡­ to protect Anastasia.


    ¡°You are so disgusting. Don¡¯t show up in front of me again. Go away¡­ Get lost!¡± Anastasia shouted


    madly, telling stor to get lost.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    stor watched Anastasia as she went mad and acted hysterically


    His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down. The words that stor wanted to say were at the tip of his


    tongue, yet he couldn¡¯t bear to speak.


    ¡°Felicia¡¯s art exhibition needs Charles to step in to enhance the poprity and recognition in the


    industry. Meanwhile, I have arranged for Mrs. Gunn¡¯s surgery, so I hope you don¡¯t try anything funny


    behind my back,¡± stor said after Anastasia had calmed herself down.


    ¡°As expected, he came back only for Felicia,¡± she scoffed inwardly.


    Anastasia covered her forehead and slumped on the couch, breathing rapidly.


    It was Felicia again.


    Anastasia realized that after stor¡¯s adultery was exposed and they had signed the divorce


    agreement, he would always return to see her for Felicia¡¯s sake.


    Snowball heard their quarrel and curled up on the sofa in fear. Sometimes it would meow twice as well.


    After stor kicked Snowball away that day, even though its eyes were filled with yearning, Snowball


    dared not approach


    him


    agam.


    It merely curled up cautiously in Anastasia¡¯s arms,forting her.


    Even animals would choose to stay away after being hurt by their loved ones.


    ¡°Charles is only my mentor, not my father. If he does not like Felicia¡¯s artwork, even if you personally


    visit him, he will not show respect ¡°Anastasia¡¯s voice was weak. She could do nothing about this matter


    at all.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you full of tricks up your sleeve, Anastasia?¡± storughed sarcastically ¡°If you visit him


    personally, he will show respect toward you, won¡¯t he?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s hand that was holding Snowball suddenly froze. She looked up at stor in shock.


    Initially, he suspected her rtionship with Charles was ambiguous, but he still instructed her to visit


    him in person so she


    could exert her influence toward him.


    Even though he did not make his words clear, stor¡¯s disgusting intentions were obvious enough.


    He wanted Anastasia to sleep with Charles.


    It seemed to stor that Anastasia¡¯s achievements today were also the result of her sleeping with him.


    Anastasia breathed shakily. After feeling calm for a brief moment, she had to experience yet another


    emotional rollercoaster ride, falling rapidly off the cliff this time.


    ¡°Is Felicia that important to stor that he makes so much effort for her?¡± she wondered.


    ¡°You are really something, stor. We haven¡¯t announced our divorce yet, do you want the public to


    think that I cheat on you?¡± Anastasia stammered in a hoarse voice.


    She suspected that she would die in stor¡¯s hands that night.


    She might actually die.


    stor looked down at Anastasia in disgust. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you had nothing to do with Charles?


    How can it be that I¡¯m being cheated on by you when I told you to see him personally? After all


    these years, haven¡¯t you given me enough surprises?¡±


    Anastasia held her hands tightly. ¡°stor, even if you don¡¯t love me, there is no need to do this to


    me¡­¡±


    She could ept that he didn¡¯t love her, but she failed to understand why he had to hurt her as well.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ve thought about being kind to you many times, but your tricks are unbearable. stor


    had no intention of -leaving as he sat on the couch across from Anastasia, opened a file on his phone,


    and showed it to her.


    It was a video disying Zeke¡¯s former rented house where Anastasia had been assaulted by Harold.


    Anastasia¡¯s breath was scorching hot. She tried to click on the video with her fingers but failed as they


    were tremblingpletely out of control.


    After many attempts, Anastasia finally could click on the video.


    It was Sienna who edited the video, leaving only the part where Harold had beaten Anastasia until she


    was unable to resist, and then sent it to stor.


    ¡°Sienna, Meredith, and Zeke were all in the same house. You said that it was your Uncle Harold who


    forced himself on you. Anastasia, just look at the video. Do you even believe what exactly happened?¡±


    stor questioned Anastasia brutally..


    Indeed, all of her family members were there. In fact, Sienna was just outside the door.


    It was unbelievable that they refused to rescue her when she called desperately for help.


    That video was like the most brutal torture for Anastasia as it pulled her back into hell again, causing


    her to feel the pain and suffocation once more.


    ¡°Even if Meredith and Sienna refused to save you, which father would allow his daughter to be


    assaulted under his nose?¡± stor took his phone back and looked at Anastasia with disappointment.


    ¡°Anastasia, do you know what your father thought of you? He said it was not a sexual assault at all. It


    was actually you who volunteered.¡±


    Anastasia slipped off the sofa and sat on the floor, clenching her fingers tightly. Her breath quickened.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Seeing that Anastasia had stopped talking and did not defend herself, stor put his phone away.


    ¡°Anastasia, I didn¡¯t want to expose you. You have your own self-esteem and pride. Perhaps things


    would end differently if you didn¡¯t have so much. scheming going on.¡±


    Unable to say anything, Anastasia could only close her eyes, taking deep breaths desperately.


    ¡°You¡¯d better watch out for yourself¡± stor sighed and got up to leave.


    Anastasia hadn¡¯t regained herposure even after stor had left for a long time.


    Her entire body was in great pain as if it was about to fall apart from utter difort. Her stomach hurt


    so bad as though she had been stabbed.


    The pain, however, was nothingpared to what she suffered when stor stabbed her in the heart.


    ¡°Sienna hasn¡¯t handed in the video yet?¡± Trembling. Anastasia dialed the private investigator¡¯s number


    and spoke to him. ¡°About your case, Anastasia¡­ I can¡¯t go on any further. I¡¯ve been investigated by


    stor. Sienna initially nned to hand over the video to plead for mercy, but stor unexpectedly


    appeared out of nowhere. Not only did he pay arge sum of money to Sienna, but he also arranged a


    ce for her to stay in Strasson. She¡¯s living a much better life than me now, so why would she hand


    over the evidence to me?¡±


    Anastasia gritted her teeth and slowly closed her eyes.


    ¡°Everything¡­ All of this has been destroyed by stor,¡± she cursed inwardly.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    Over the years, she had nned everything and put up with the matter gradually. She sent Meredith to


    prison and forced Sienna into a corner. When there was no way out for Sienna, she would naturally


    hand over the only evidence in her hands. That evidence was what Anastasia had dreamed of all these


    years.


    She not only wanted to prove her innocence but also send Harold to prison.


    However, stor, the husband she had loved so much for four years, destroyed everything she did.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Anastasia went mad and smashed everything inside the house.


    She cried bitterly and hysterically. No one knew how broken and helpless Anastasia was


    She was just practically a step away. If she was able to aplish it, there would be no more regrets


    in her life. She could leave this world in peace.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t stor let me achieve thisst wish? Does he want me to die with regrets? How could he


    do that?¡±


    Anastasia fell to the ground. Her whole body hurt so much that she curled up in pain.


    Snowball hid in the corner with fear and kept meowing.


    However, it was too quiet at night around the mansion. Unless there were neighbors who happened to


    be passing by, they couldn¡¯t hear what had happened inside.


    The pain was unbearable for Anastasia. She struggled to crawl toward the side of the table to get some


    painkillers.


    ¡°How could stor know that hone cancer is the most agonizing and hellish cancer in the world?¡± she


    thought to herself.


    Enduring the pain, Anastasia trembled as she took out the painkillers.


    However, as she thought of the baby in her stomach, she hesitated.


    She couldn¡¯t consume them.


    Anastasia could only endure the pain until it was unbearable for her. Eventually, she mmed her head


    against the ground, hoping she would die instantly


    ¡°My baby¡­ I¡¯m worried about youing into this world. Let¡¯s just die together¡­


    Anastasia muttered like a mad woman, repeating what her mother had said to her before she died.


    Tears filled her eyes, irritating them.


    Before she passed out, Anastasia gazed at the dark skies outside the window and finally understood


    her mother¡¯s despair and emotions before her death.


    She suffered from domestic violence when Anastasia was still young. Moreover, she was at the end of


    her life due to her terminal stage of cancer.


    Anastasia¡¯s mother didn¡¯t want to die just like that, and she was worried about Anastasia as well.


    Therefore, a terrible idea popped into her head, wanting to take the young Anastasia¡¯s life with hers.


    Even so, Anastasia didn¡¯t hate her mother. In fact, she had never hated her mother at all.


    She hated the world.


    She hated Zeke


    Anastasia awoke slowly the next morning when the sun shone through the window.


    ¡°Haha¡­ I managed to survive another day. I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m still alive, she mocked inwardly.


    The tenacity of life only became apparent to her when her life wasing to an end.


    The only reason life would be worse than death was if one were to survive forever.


    Snowball had been guarding Anastasia, looking at her cautiously and licking the tip of her nose with its


    little tongue.


    Anastasia rubbed Snowball¡¯s head and propped up her body, trying hard to sit up. After that, she took


    quite some time to rpose herself.


    After feeding breakfast to Snowball, Anastasia grabbed the fruit knife from the table and hid it inside


    her sleeve. Then, she called the private investigator.


    Tim sorry, Anastasia, but I really cannot continue yourmission.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to continue with this anymore. Let¡¯s just call off our deal. Please help me out onest


    time. Find out where Harold is hiding Eventually, Anastasia canceled her cooperation with the private


    investigator.


    Harold had been hiding out of humiliation ever since he got into trouble. That¡¯s why Anastasia hadn¡¯t


    heard from him for


    many years.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°So stor has been letting Sienna live in Strasson. Haha¡­ she chuckled inwardly.


    After hanging up the phone, Anastasia drove to Strasson.


    She knew well the location of stor¡¯s ce and which building it was.


    After entering the elevator, Anastasia was still holding the fruit knife.


    She admitted that she was indeed impulsive for a moment.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes darkened. When she got out of the elevator, she decided to throw the fruit knife into


    the trash can.


    Taking her life would not solve the underlying issue.


    Some people simply didn¡¯t deserve death.


    In this case. living would be the punishment.


    For example, Zeke and Meredith.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Upon knocking on Sienna¡¯s door, Anastasia looked at her calmly and sneered, ¡°It seems you¡¯re living


    the good life now.¡±


    A smug Sienna leaned against the doorframe, with no intention of letting Anastasia inside the house.


    ¡°My brother-inw¡­.. Oh, I mean stor, is really kind to me! He gave me a lot of money to spend as I


    please, and even gave me this cet You must be waiting for me to beg you. Are you waiting for me to


    hand over the video to you? I already did. Didn¡¯t stor show you?¡±


    Anastasia pped Sienna in the face.


    Sienna went berserk and wanted to retaliate.


    ¡°The baby in my belly is stor¡¯s. If you dare to toucli me, are you sure he won¡¯t take everything


    back?¡± Anastasia said sarcastically.


    Sienna¡¯s face darkened with anger. She snorted coldly, ¡°Stop pretending, Anastasia. You¡¯re only


    clinging onto stor just because of this child. Without this child, he would have kicked you away.¡±


    Anastasia looked at Sienna. ¡°It seems that you didn¡¯t mean to give me the original video,¡±


    ¡®Do you think Im a fool? If I gave you the original video, Uncle Harold would be sued, and I would be


    exposed as a bystander!¡± It seemed to Sienna that Anastasia was treating her like a fool,


    Anastasia smiled faintly. ¡°So you¡¯re not a fool?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I won¡¯t give you the video. Just give up, will you?¡± Sienna said smugly.


    With everything she had at that moment, Sienna was no longer afraid of anything


    Anastasia narrowed her eyes and called stor in front of Sienna.


    ¡°I can ask Mr. Lexington to attend Felicia¡¯s art exhibition, and I can even help her make connections


    through my social circle. However, stor, you must take back everything you gave to Sienna.¡±

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    ¡°Anastasia, you did this just because she gave me the video. Your desire for revenge is too huge. Her


    mother has been sent to jail by you. Do you want her to be homeless? Do you know how


    miserable the consequences would have been if I hadn¡¯t met her yesterday?¡± stor¡¯s voice was low.


    ¡°You care so much about her. Are you the savior of the world? Or a phnthropist Anastasia¡¯s voice


    was hoarse, and her heart hurt.


    ¡°How miserable is she? How miserable can Sienna be?¡± she thought.


    She wanted to know.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor felt that Anastasia¡¯s behavior was unreasonable.


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t met her, what would have happened to her yesterday?¡± Anastasia asked with a weak


    smile.


    ¡°A homeless man almost bullied her.¡± stor felt that Anastasia was cold-blooded.


    ¡°Oh, such a good thing could have happened to her?¡± Anastasia spoke in a hoarse voice.


    Could it be considered as her retribution?


    ¡°Anastasia, you¡­¡± stor¡¯s mouth opened in shock, as if he had understood Anastasia¡¯s character


    thoroughly for the first time. ¡°What exactly do you want?¡±


    ¡°stor, you are a businessman. Is Felicia or Sienna more important? You have to choose. You¡¯re an


    adult. You can¡¯t have both of them. It¡¯s not good to have a harem¡± Anastasia took a deep breath and


    looked at Sienna with a smile.


    ¡®Let her get out of the house and freeze her card. Now¡± Anastasia said calmly, she looked at the


    colorful changes in Sienna¡¯s


    expression.


    ¡°Anastasia, why did you do this to me? How on earth did I offend you? Anastasia, you went too far.


    stor, please help me. My sister wants me to die.¡± Sienna began to put on an act.


    On the other side of the phone, stor weighed the advantages and disadvantages.


    Between Felicia and Sienna, who would he have chosen?


    If Felicia had been aware stor was torn between her and Sienna, then she would have been


    devastated.


    ¡°Anastasia, you are so vicious.¡± stor took a deep breath. ¡°I will ask the security guard to drive her


    away. My assistant has frozen the card. Are you satisfied now?¡±


    Anastasia raised her eyebrow. ¡°Satisfied¡­ I¡¯m very satisfied.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, be a person with some limits and leave some leeway for yourself. Otherwise, when you


    reach the point of homelessness, no one will help you and show you kindness.¡± stor reminded


    Anastasia that she was about to be kicked out.


    She behaved so arrogantly because of the baby in her stomach.


    ¡°stor, I have both hands and feet. I won¡¯t starve¡± Anastasia stniled.


    In stor¡¯s heart, it turned out that she and Sienna only knew how to sit about idly. They didn¡¯t know


    anything else and lived off their parents¡¯ money.


    He really never remembered her good points.


    ¡°Anastasia. you have disappointed ine, stor said weakly, he sounded exhausted.


    ¡°So have you, Anastasia responded hoarsely and looked at Sienna, who was throwing a tantrum.


    Beforeing up, she had already informed the property managementpany to catch Sienna.


    Obviously, the property had got a positive answer from stor.


    ¡°stor Will you regret it one day?¡± Anastasia asked in a low voice.


    When he knew the truth¡­


    When she got the original video in Sienna¡¯s hands¡­


    When she announced the truth to the public¡­.


    When she could throw the child¡¯s DNA paternity test on his face¡­


    The letter of eptance of her death was signed by him when her life came to an end.


    Would he regret it?


    Would he think of her kindness for a moment?


    ¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t regret it¡­ stor told Anastasia firmly that he would not regret the divorce.


    It was because he felt that he had seen Anastasia¡¯s true colors.


    Anastasia smiled and hung up the phone, she watched Sienna struggle as she was taken away by


    security.


    Anastasia looked quietly at Sienna, who was driven out of themunity. I¡¯ll tell you the same thing.


    I¡¯m not in a hurry. I¡¯ll wait for you to beg me.¡±


    Sienna looked at Anastasia with hatred. ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t speak. She didn¡¯t care about anything presently.


    The incident demonstrated that Sienna was capable and carried out the threat she had made.


    Sienna did it.


    She posted the edited video online.


    Instantly, the wife of Lopez Group¡¯s president was deeply involved in ethical scandals.


    Sienna personally revealed that Anastasia was a promiscuous woman


    Sienna said that a married man in college kept Anastasia, seduced Harold at home, and even spread


    rumors about Harold¡¯s sexual assault on her.


    She even said that Anastasia lived with a 16-year-old minor during her college years, and she also


    instigated the minor tomit crimes for her.


    She also said that Anastasia was a liar who pretended to be an upright, gentle, and virtuous woman.


    She imed that stor was fooled by Anastasia.


    When Anastasia was with stor, she purportedly had an ambiguous rtionship with the boss of a


    smallpany.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She also imed that the baby in Anastasia¡¯s stomach was not stor¡¯s. Apparently. Anastasia did not


    dare to give birth to the child because she was afraid of being found out by stor and getting into


    trouble. In the end, her scheme might be revealed, and she might be left with nothing.


    For a moment, stor was pushed to the fore.


    -stor¡¯spany was full of reporters.


    At that moment, numerous maliciousments directed at Anastasia swept the inte.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    stor thought if he didn¡¯t reveal the divorce, then he could have suppressed the trending topic.


    Unexpectedly, someone deliberately bought the trending topics to promote that matter.


    Anastasia knew that it must be Felicia.


    Felicia wanted her to be irreversibly doomed.


    As for stor, he was surprisingly quiet. He did not reply or refute any ims.


    The quiet silence was a tacit agreement in the eyes ofizens.


    Anastasia was greatly affected and didn¡¯t even dare to go out.


    In fact, Anastasia guessed that Sienna would do that..


    She didn¡¯t care. She wanted Sienna and Felicia to make the problem as huge as possible.


    She felt that would then be spared from a lot of trouble.


    It didn¡¯t matter. She would return it sooner orter.


    What was the truth and reputation?


    She didn¡¯t care.


    Anastasia was hiding at home for a week. It was the Christmas holiday, and people were bored during


    their vacation. Gossip about Anastasia was all over the Inte.


    The old gossip about her school-going days was dug out again.


    Even if a man was innocent, he would eventually be said to be guilty byizens.


    stor also chose to reveal his divorce agreement at that time.


    It was really the best Christmas gift from stor to Anastasia.


    For Anastasia, as long as stor didn¡¯t admit it, Anastasia would not be destroyed. At least it would not


    affect her career, art exhibition, and future work.


    However, stor revealed the divorce agreement. Although it was deleted in a few minutes, many


    netizens and reporters were swarming around his ount.


    Everyone scolded Anastasia on Twitter, saying that she was a slut and bitch.


    They said that she was not good enough for stor.


    Some people eve


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    said that she was a prostitute, and asked her to die.


    It was Christmas Eve.


    Anastasiay on the sofa, and she watched stor¡¯s announcement and admitted that stor and his


    wife were negotiating a divorce


    She looked at it and smiled.


    The so-called secrecy was just a matter of weighing the advantages and disadvantages.


    Now that her reputation had affected stor, he simply threw a divorce agreement.


    Clearly, he had the ability to suppress the matter.


    He could choose not to ruin her.


    However, he gave Anastasia a fatal blow.


    When they saw that stor had silently admitted Anastasia¡¯s promiscuous behavior, theizens


    began to attack her art exhibition and career frantically.


    Even the bosses anddies who once auctioned her paintings at high prices took the lead and sold


    them at low prices, and they said that they wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with women like her.


    Everyone who mentioned the matter tried to get famous and started to demean her artworks.


    Even her teacher, Charles, was implicated, and eventually, the school had to rify it. Charles also


    publicly said he would suspend all his work at the school.


    It was a big deal.


    It was


    big that it couldn¡¯t end easily.


    Even Sienna didn¡¯t expect that such a thing would happen. She was afraid and deleted the original


    Twitter post.


    However, thoseizens felt that Sienna had been threatened and went to stand up for her.


    Sienna knew she was on the losing end, and she was afraid of the provoked Anastasia, so she


    disappeared.


    Anastasia looked at the curses on the Inte andughed until she cried.


    In the dark vi, Anastasia sat on the ground alone.


    Kimberly went back to the country and called her madly. Anastasia didn¡¯t answer his calls at all.


    There were knocks and shouts outside the door.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t turn on the lights or doors.


    Anastasia curled up in the corner and listened to the sound of firecrackers outside the window, the


    laughter of hundreds of families, and the fireworks that exploded in the night sky.


    Anastasia was once again drowned by loneliness and suffocation.


    She felt like she was dying.


    It didn¡¯t matter. She could be relieved soon.


    Probably, stor was also afraid that Anastasia would want to kill herself. After all, he hadn¡¯t heard


    from her for many days and had hidden.


    So on Christmas Eve, stor came back.


    He turned on the light and looked serious.


    The house was dirty and messy, with the smell of cat food in the air.


    stor frowned in disgust. First, he poured cat food for Snowball and simply cleaned up the ground.


    He looked at the dry blood on the ground, his eyes darkened


    ¡°Trying to end your own life or self-injury? Didn¡¯t you ask for it? stor mocked Anastasia.


    Anastasia curled up in the corner with messy hair. She looked up at stor awkwardly.


    End her own life?


    ¡°Ha, I haven¡¯t lived enough. I only have a limited amount of time left on Earth. I won¡¯t end my own life,


    she thought.


    ¡°A person who ends his or her own life will go to hell.. Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    The mortal world was already very bitter.


    She didn¡¯t want to suffer after she died.


    Anastasia stood up and walked to the restroom step by step.


    On the ground, there was a series of bloody footprints.


    She broke the ss and stepped on the shards again as if she had no consciousness.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor grabbed Anastasia¡¯s wrist. He lost control of his emotions.


    Anastasia fell to the ground, even though he did not exert much force.


    At that moment, even stor¡¯s heart stopped beating


    Anastasia¡­ She looked like a puppet. She was too light and skinny.


    At the moment when Anastasia fell to the ground, stor almost thought that Anastasia was a corpse.

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    ¡°Anastasia, that¡¯s enough! Do you think I¡¯ll pity you if you do this? Do you think that I¡¯ll help you?¡±


    stor shouted at Anastasia with his emotions out of control. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. You deserve it!¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, did you listen to my warnings?¡± stor¡¯s voice was hoarse and trembling-


    ¡°Anastasia! I can¡¯t possibly help you for the rest of my life. I helped you suppress countless rumors, but


    this time¡­ I can¡¯t help you anymore. I gave Sienna money and a ce of residence. Do you think I pity


    her? I¡¯m pitying you¡­.¡±


    stor looked away in disappointment. ¡°Anastasia, Sienna promised me not to send it out. You must


    have forced her into a


    corner.¡±


    stor gave Sienna amodation to block her mouth.


    Anastasia¡¯s ears were buzzing so hard that she didn¡¯t want to hear what stor was saying.


    Pity her?


    ¡°Ha,¡± she thought.


    ¡°Anastasia, at this point, don¡¯t you want to reflect on yourself?¡± stor looked at Anastasia and wanted


    to hear a trace of repentance from her.


    Even if there was only a little regret, he might feel softhearted. He woulde forward to help her get


    rid of the matter. However, Anastasia still smiled proudly and stubbornly. ¡°Reflect on myself? What


    should I reflect on? Should I reflect on why I have nothing worthy of your love? Or why I allowed you to


    cheat even when I was your wife? Or¡­ Why don¡¯t we even have the most basic trust between us?¡±


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t sit on the ground anymore, so she had to lean against the wall and barely support


    herself.


    ¡°You¡¯re really helpless.¡± stor looked at Anastasia with disappointment. He really felt that Anastasia


    was incurable.


    Seeing what was going on at home, stor raised his hand and rubbed his eyebrows.


    He didn¡¯t leave but went to the kitchen and cooked a bowl of pesto pasta for Anastasia.


    After four years of marriage, stor had never been in the kitchen, let alone cooked. It was his first


    time cooking for


    Anastasia


    Perhaps, he really thought that Anastasia was in a terribly pitiful situation.


    Leaning against the wall, Anastasia kept wiping the blood flowing from her nose and her tears with her


    cuffs.


    Felicia was so blissful and lucky to get stor¡¯s love.


    In the future, they must be very happy together.


    stor¡¯s pesto pasta was made proficiently. He must have cooked for Felicia recently.


    ¡°I¡¯m so envious!¡± she thought.


    She was so jealous that she wanted to go crazy.


    After cooking a bowl of pesto pasta, stor thoughtfully made a poached egg.


    However, his temperament was very cold, as if he wanted to draw boundaries clearly with Anastasia.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already sent the divorce notice. It¡¯s hard to reverse it. We¡­ We¡¯re destined to be together until this


    point. If Grandma asks about it, I hope you can cooperate and talk about it carefully. If you tell her that


    you have met a better person,


    Grandma will unde vou


    stor hoped that Anastasia would be kind to his grandma.


    Anastasia spoke and leaned against the wall, with a nk look in her eyes.


    stor looked at the blood on Anastasia¡¯s cuff and sighed.


    He turned around to get the medicine box and helped her clean out the ss fragments on her feet.


    ¡°Take a taxi to the hospitalter.¡±


    Anastasia remained silent.


    ¡°Anastasia, eat your meal. You have a baby in your stomach. No matter who the baby belongs to, you


    should not be so irresponsible. stor frowned and reminded Anastasia.


    Anastasia looked at stor quietly.


    She looked at the strange man whom she had loved for four years and slept with in a bed for four


    years.


    ¡°stor¡­¡±


    Her voice was hoarse, and her vision was blurred.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± stor didn¡¯t know what he was hoping for.


    He was hoping for Anastasia to admit her mistakes and lose, beg for mercy, or suddenly repent.


    ¡°stor¡­¡± Anastasia called stor¡¯s name again, and her voice became weaker. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t love you


    anymore¡­..¡±


    She didn¡¯t have the strength to love him anymore.


    Her love for stor began four years ago and has now ended.


    stor had never loved her.


    stor looked at Anastasia in a daze for a long time before he came back to his senses.


    He didn¡¯t say a word.


    His heart ached.


    Anastasia in front of her was like a fragile work of art. As soon as the wind blew, she would disperse.


    ¡°Anastasia, the public opinion on this matter is indeed getting serious. No one expected it¡± stor knew


    that the consequences of public rage were beyond what Anastasia could endure.


    It hadpletely affected her career.


    Not only that, but many people were implicated, such as her mentor Charles and Zachary


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you want to see? She ruined me¡­ Ruined my everything. Anastasia smiled weakly and


    said again, ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you will be so stupid. Without someone doing something behind this,


    can this happen so fast?¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°stor, Felicia has made plenty of contributions, right? Anastasia whispered.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t think of everyone so badly. She doesn¡¯t have the ability.¡± stor frowned, apparently


    unwilling to see Anastasia frame Felicia.


    ¡°Ha, she is such a pure woman in your eyes¡± Anastasia looked down at her belly. ¡°My art exhibition is


    scheduled to be one. day after the Winter Light Festival. Felicia set up her art exhibition on the same


    day as me¡­. ording to the original n. you are going to attend my art exhibition. Did Felicia agree


    Obviously, Felicia deliberately destroyed her at that juncture.


    She took everything from her.

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    stor was stunned and frowned.


    ¡°Anastasia¡¯s art exhibition¡­¡± he thought.


    ¡°There is too much rage on the Inte. I suggest you¡­ cancel the art exhibition¡± stor asked


    Anastasia to cancel it.


    Anastasia looked at stor with no emotions in her eyes.


    That was herst art exhibition.


    She devoted all her efforts to that art exhibition.


    It was her beginning and also her farewell.


    It was also a memorial service that she had prepared for herself.


    ¡°I won¡¯t cancel it. stor. This is myst art exhibition. After this time¡­ I won¡¯t hold any more art


    exhibitions. Just take it as the onlypensation you would give me for our marriage for four years.¡±


    Anastasia looked at stor and begged him to participate.


    She wanted her memorial service to be a little moreplete.


    It was also aplete end to the rtionship..


    ¡°Why¡­¡± stor frowned in confusion. He felt anxious for no reason.


    ¡°No reason¡­ It¡¯s the end.¡± Anastasia shook her head. ¡°Felicia still has a lot of opportunities. You just


    need to¡­ Give me onest chance,¡±


    She begged stor to participate in the art exhibition, and then she would give him to Felicia.


    ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll live our separate lives.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯ll definitely be no more entanglement, she thought.


    Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse, and her eyes slowly focused on stor.


    ¡°TI think about it¡± stor frowned and didn¡¯t agree immediately.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you until the early morning¡± Anastasia whispered.


    stor didn¡¯t say anything more. He pointed to the pesto pasta on the table, motioned for Anastasia to


    eat, and turned around to leave.


    As she heard the door close, Anastasia¡¯s world was dark again.


    Anastasia slowly stood up and sat at the dining table, wiping her tears while eating that bowl of pesto


    pasta.


    The abuse on the Inte continued, and thoseizens were still attacking Charles madly.


    Anastasia called her teacher, but he didn¡¯t want to answer her calls anymore.


    Anastasia was unwilling to admit defeat. She made calls again and again, but Charles did not answer


    them.


    Anastasia cried and hugged herself tightly, throwing her phone aside.


    After a while, Charles called Anastasia.


    Anastasia adjusted her mood nervously and answered the phone with trembling fingers. ¡°M-Mr.


    Lexington¡­


    On the other side of the phone, Charles was silent for a long time and sighed. ¡°Do you regret it?¡±


    Charles¡¯ first question was to ask Anastasia if she regretted it..


    He pondered. ¡°If she obediently cultivated her talents and allowed her potential to flourish¡­ If she


    pursued higher education abroad and returned to chart her own path¡­ How wonderful would that be?¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    However, before she reached the peak, she retreated bravely and became a housewife.


    ¡®Mr. Lexington¡­ I regret it. I regret it.¡± Anastasia cried and said she regretted it while pulling her hair


    tightly.


    Yet, what else could she do?


    Time would not give her a chance to make another choice.


    The majority of life¡¯s paths are chosen by the individual living it, and the resulting consequences


    naturally followed suit.


    ¡°Anastasia, calm down. Your teacher is still here.¡± Charles sighed and said again, ¡°I will find a way to


    rify this for you. Don¡¯t


    be afraid.¡±


    Anastasia covered her mouth and cried like a child.


    In this cold world, she rarely experienced warmth.


    For Anastasia, her teacher was more like her benefactor and her father.


    ¡°Mr. Lexington¡­ Anastasia cried so hard that she couldn¡¯t speak anymore.


    ¡°Adjust your emotions.¡± Charles scolded Anastasia. ¡°You are Anastasia. What did you promise me


    when you were in school? You promised that no one would be able to defeat you! Artists should have a


    rich, colorful, and strong inner world¡±


    Anastasia covered her mouth and nodded desperately.


    Anastasia


    ¡°Mr. Lexington¡­ Should 1 still have an art exhibition after the festival? Anastasia wanted to hear her


    teacher¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t you do it? Canceling it now would make it seem like you¡¯re admitting guilt! Yes! It¡¯s not


    just about doing it; it¡¯s also about making a significant statement!¡± Charles eximed passionately.


    Anastasia grew confident. ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, adjust your emotions and open the door. Jason couldn¡¯t get in touch with you, so he came


    to me. He knocked on your door. Why didn¡¯t you open it?¡±


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment and thought, ¡°Jason¡­¡±


    ¡°The kid is looking for you. Open the door for him.¡±


    Anastasia looked out of the window nkly and didn¡¯t have time to think about how her teacher knew


    Jason.


    The weather was so gloomy. It rained and snowed, and it looked very cold.


    The yard was empty.


    Anastasia ran quickly to the window and saw Jason standing in the snow, waiting for her


    Anastasia¡¯s heart skipped a beat


    Was Jason standing outside when stor dropped by earlier on?


    He looked soaked, and she didn¡¯t know how long he had been standing there.


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers trembled a little. She ran quickly to open the door but stoppel.


    After hanging up her call with Charles, Anastasia called Jason.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ I¡¯m here. Jason¡¯s first sentence after answering the phone was that he was there for her.


    He would always be there for her.


    Anastasia squatted on the ground and started crying hoarsely.


    She cried for a long time before she said anything. ¡°Leave¡­¡±


    Jason could not be dragged down by her current situation.


    Jason was also one of the people in the art circle. Presently, she had a disgraceful reputation, and


    even Zachary had been involved. Netizens even managed to find out about him.


    She was afraid that Jason would also be exposed.


    She feared that Jason¡¯s secret of entering the juvenile detention center might be revealed.


    She was concerned that those individuals might discover Jace¡¯s scars and cause him further pain.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave.¡±


    Jason didn¡¯t leave, standing outside the house.


    The weather was cold, with a mix of rain and snow falling. He stood outside waiting for Anastasia to


    open the door.


    Anastasia stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at Jason standing outside the yard. She raised


    her hand and put it on the ss, gritting her teeth tightly.


    ¡°Why did he suddenly appear again?¡±


    She fell into deep thought.


    The sky was cloudy and frightening, and the sound of firecrackers continued to echo in bursts.


    Anastasia looked at the fireworks exploding in the dim sky, and her eyes stagnated.


    Anastasia mused. Think about it carefully. The four years of marrying stor and every Christmas


    seemed to be a business-oriented life.


    We would go to the Lopez residence on Christmas Day and have a family dinner together.


    There was nothing romantic or sense of ceremony


    Anastasiaughed ironically and threw the bowl of pesto pasta on the table into the trash bin.


    She felt disgusted.


    A bright light shed across the sky, and the fireworks exploded.


    Anastasia looked out subconsciously. The fireworks were being set off right outside her yard.


    It was Jason.


    Anastasia hurried to the window and looked up at the fireworks exploding overhead.


    ¡°So beautiful!TM


    ¡°Anastasia, do you know why the fireworks are beautiful? Because they disappeared quickly, leaving


    only a moment of colorfulness¡± Six years ago, before Jace disappeared, he left an oil painting for


    Anastasia.


    It was the fireworks.


    ¡°It¡¯s snowing.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse as she opened the door for Jason.


    Jason didn¡¯t enter the yard. He put a lit sparkler in Anastasia¡¯s hand and then wrapped his scarf around


    her neck.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy¡­ Anastasia said, her voice choking


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ve been there all the time and never disappeared.¡± Jason wanted to tell her that he had


    never disappeared. ¡°Jason, you said that the fireworks are beautiful because they disappeared quickly,


    leaving only a moment of colorfulness.¡± Anastasia said sarcastically. ¡°Since you¡¯ve disappeared, then


    you should nevere back.¡±


    Looking at Anastasia, Jason felt pain in his heart..


    ¡°She¡¯s too skinny¡±


    ¡°Go take a hot shower. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Anastasia motioned Jason toe in, providing him with a


    new bath towel. She wanted to find stor¡¯s clothes for him to change into, but she realized that


    stor had already taken all his things away.


    ¡°It turns out that this house was already empty¡±


    ¡°Can I stay overnight?¡± Jason asked Anastasia.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t my home¡­ Anastasia said in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°Can youe home with me then?¡± Jason looked at her with an intense gaze. ¡°Anastasia¡­ I can give


    you a home now.¡± Anastasia looked at Jason and shook her head. ¡°Jason, it¡¯s toote.¡±


    In the past, she foolishly thought that home was something others provided.


    So when stor said he would give her a home, her heart fluttered intensely.


    But now, Anastasia¡¯s heart seemed to have been broken


    There was nothing left to be moved by because she knew her final resting ce would be that little


    cremation ??.


    Jason held the bath towel tightly and his eyes turned red. ¡°Anastasia, give me another chance.¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Anastasia looked up at Jason.


    ¡°Is your phone not connected to the Inte? You¡¯re part of this circle too. Everyone is avoiding me


    now, even Mr. Lexington has been implicated. And yet, you¡¯reing to me?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t. I will never abandon you¡± Jason looked at Anastasia firmly.


    Even if the whole world abandoned her, Jason would always be Anastasia¡¯s Jate.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy¡­¡± Anastasiaughed sarcastically. She lost control and threw the paints next to the easel


    onto the ground.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ don¡¯t be like this.¡± Jason felt so distressed that he hugged her tightly from behind.


    He had a fever and his body was burning up. But Anastasia, on the other hand, felt ice-cold, and it


    frightened him.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± He was wrong-


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have been so impulsive back then. I was truly wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have left you alone,


    Anastasia¡±


    ¡°Go take a hot shower and then leave,¡± Anastasia said in a distant yet calm voice.


    Jason lowered his head and slowly released Anastasia


    ¡°I won¡¯t give up.


    When Jason entered the bathroom, Anastasia threw his wet clothes into the washing machine and


    initiated the drying process.


    Anastasia curled up on the couch and looked at her hands covered in paint, feeling lost.


    ¡°After I die, no one will remember me. stor will soon forget me and even be d that I¡¯m finally


    gone.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I ordered Christmas Eve dinner.¡± Jason, wrapped in a bath towel, stood at the bathroom


    door. ¡°Could you help me get it, please?¡±


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment. ¡°You¡¯d better¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s have the Christmas Eve dinner together. Jason interrupted Anastasia.


    Anastasia was silent for a moment and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Hearing the knock on the door, Anastasia opened the living room door but froze in ce.


    The person standing outside the door wasn¡¯t a deliveryman. It was Steven, Felicia and stor¡¯s


    mother.


    Seeing them standing outside the door with grim expressions, Anastasia frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°You are so shameless Where is that man?¡± Steven questioned.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Anastasia wanted to close the door and didn¡¯t want to dwell on the matter.


    ¡°Why waste words on her?¡± Naomi pushed the door open and shoved Anastasia out of the way. She


    barged in, ready to confrom the adulterer.


    Anastasia fell to the ground and her vision went ck.


    Jason walked out of the bathroom with wet hair. His face darkened.


    ¡°There he is!¡± Felicia pointed at Jason and shouted. ¡°It¡¯s him. Anastasia¡¯s baby is his, not stor¡¯s.¡±

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    Jason ran to Anastasia and helped her up. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°Please leave now.¡±


    Felicia clearly did it on purpose. There must have been reporters outside the door.


    Anastasia was afraid that Jason would get involved in public opinion.


    ¡°Anastasia, now we have caught you red-handed. Let¡¯s see how you can defend yourself¡± Felicia


    laughed ironically.


    Anastasia clenched her hands tightly. Felicia not only wanted to destroy her, but also Jason.


    ¡°You bitch, who is the baby¡¯s father?¡± Naomi asked madly, losing control. ¡°No wonder stor didn¡¯t


    want the baby. You little


    bitch!¡±


    Naomi came forward to hit Anastasia.


    Jason held Anastasia protectively in his arms. ¡°Anastasia and stor are already divorced. If you dare


    touch her, I will call the police


    Naomi looked at Anastasia in shock, ¡°Divorced?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Lopez, stor knew that she was a cheap woman, so he had already signed a divorce


    agreement with her. Felicia hurried forward.


    ¡°Mrs. Lopez, the baby in her womb is definitely not stor¡¯s Felicia added fuel to the fire.


    Naomi¡¯s face darkened with anger. stor didn¡¯t tell her that he had gotten a divorce.


    Anastasia sat numbly on the ground and looked at stor rushing in from outside. The baby is


    stor¡¯s,¡± she said in a hoarse voice.


    stor¡¯s face darkened, and the air pressure turned low. He said in a low voice, ¡°Who allowed you to


    come here?¡±


    ¡°stor! Look, look. Look what they¡¯re doing.¡± Naomi said angrily.


    stor nced at Anastasia and Jason and frowned.


    ¡°stor, they¡¯re being so tant Why are you hesitating?¡± Steven said angrily.


    Jason¡¯s air pressure was very low, and he wanted to take action.


    Anastasia stretched out her hand and pulled Jason tightly.


    Felicia was well-prepared, and there were reporters outside the door.


    ¡°Anastasia! My son must have been blind to marry you! Speak clearly in front of stor. How long have


    you been involved with this man? This is my son¡¯s house. Even if you¡¯re divorced, it¡¯s still the Lopez


    family¡¯s property. And you live here with another man? Shame on you!¡± Naomi cursed like a shrew.


    stor looked gloomy, but he didn¡¯t speak up for Anastasia.


    When he came back to cook pesto pasta for her, he knew that Jason had been standing onside the


    door in the rain.


    rul kill you now.¡±


    ¡°Say it! Whose child is in your womb? Little bitch! If you dare to be pregnant with someone else¡¯s child,


    I¡¯ll stor¡¯s mother wanted to hit Anastasia.


    Anastasia subconsciously hid in Jason¡¯s arms.


    Jason¡¯s expression grew increasingly darker.


    This showed that it was not the first time stor¡¯s mother had hit Anastasia.


    stor¡¯s face was also gloomy. He stared at Anastasia and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Whose baby is it?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, he is still suspecting me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already divorced¡­ just go.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse as she urged stor to leave.


    In the corner, Snowball was frightened and kept hiding under the couch.


    Anastasia looked at stor pleadingly for fear of scaring Snowball.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to part amicably? Today is Christmas Eve, give me a way out. Take Felicia and


    your Mom with you,


    and leave¡­


    The reason she was holding back was that she knew there were reporters outside the door. She had


    seen the camera shes. She also knew that Felicia¡¯s intention was not only to ruin her, but also to


    drag Jason down.


    Jason was an idiot. He seemed to have remained unchanged all these years, just like Jace six years


    ago.


    He didn¡¯t even know how to avoid harm.


    Anastasia was in trouble now, but Jason insisted on getting involved.


    ¡°Remember what you said today¡± Jason looked at stor coldly. ¡°Someday you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    stor held his fingers tightly until the bones werepletely drained of color.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve her.¡± Jason helped Anastasia stand up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Anastasia shook her head and looked at stor persistently. ¡°I told you, the baby is yours¡­ Today is


    Christmas Eve. Take your Mom and Felicia out of my sight.¡±


    ¡°This is my son¡¯s house!¡± Naomi said angrily. ¡°You should be the one leaving!¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath and her throat was burning-


    She waited for stor to speak


    Anastasia thought. He said he wouldn¡¯t want this house.


    He said that even after the divorce, the house was still mine.


    He promised to give me a home, a shelter from the storm.


    Over the years, the value my art exhibitions brought to the Lopez Group far surpasses this house.


    Can¡¯t I consider it as if I bought this house myself?¡±


    Anastasia waited for a long while, hoping for stor to speak up.


    But stor remained silent.


    ¡°stor¡­ Do you really want to destroy me that much?¡± Anastasia choked and pointed to the reporters


    outside.


    ¡°One who has done nothing wrong has a clear conscience. If you¡¯re not guilty, why fear the reporters?¡±


    Felicia said sarcastically with a disdainful look


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Anastasia was trembling all over, and her heart hurt badly.


    ¡°Fear the reporters? Hmph! Come, everyone,e take a look. My daughter-inw is having an affair


    at home!¡± Naomi was acting like a shrew, rushing outside and ndering Anastasia in front of the


    reporters.


    Once that usation was made, it would be extremely hard for Anastasia to clear her name.


    But stor just watched and never once stepped forward to defend Anastasia.


    A

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    ¡°Give me three days, and I¡¯ll move out of here¡± Anastasia was shaking all over.


    Faced with Naomi¡¯s usations, she was unable to exin herself.


    All she wanted was that this did not implicate Jason.


    ¡°You can continue to cause trouble like this, but when the baby is born, and if that baby is from the


    Lopez family, I think the child will forever be inferior. I wonder if the child will hate you when the time


    comes.¡± Anastasia threatened Naomi with a hoarse voice.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t really care if Naomi wanted to cause trouble.


    stor wouldn¡¯t cross the bottom line before the baby was born.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t do a DNA paternity test before the child is born. I think you just wanted to


    stall the time. We can do the test by amniotic fluid test.¡± Felicia stood aside with a smug look as she


    spectated themotion.


    She looked at Anastasia as if she had won. ¡°Do you dare take the DNA paternity test?¡±


    Anastasia frowned and looked at Felicia in shock. She thought, ¡®How vile could this wornan be?¡±


    ¡°How dare you even suggest she do an amniotic fluid test? The baby¡¯s condition is still unstable Jason


    looked at Felicia in


    anger.


    ¡°It seems like you really want to protect her, Jason. You can do that if you¡¯re from the Gunn family in


    Hork, but you¡¯re just a penniless bum. You even need a schrship and a part-time, and you¡¯re saying


    you want to protect her? What a joke,¡± Felicia mocked him.


    She didn¡¯t know Jason¡¯s background before and even thought that the son of one of the wealthiest


    families in Horks was his schoolmate, but it turned out he was just a peasant. ¡°How ridiculous. A


    pauper like him wants to act like a hero to save the beauty. What a joke,¡± she thought.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of karma if you belittle someone like that?¡± Jason sneered. He disdained Felicia and


    had no intention of arguing with her. He then took a shawl from the couch and draped it on Anastasia


    as he brought her to the door, looking at the reporters, ¡°stor and Anastasia have divorced, and it


    was stor who cheated on her with his secretary. I¡¯m in a normal rtionship with Anastasia, and as


    for any media outlets who want to embellish the story, I dare you to try.¡±


    After that, Anastasia followed Jason numbly. Her head was nk, and her ears were buzzing.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t even hear what Jason had said to the reporters, and her body was still ice cold even


    after she got into Jason¡¯s


    car.


    From Jason¡¯s deration to the reporters to Anastasia getting into Jason¡¯s car. stor didn¡¯t say a


    word. He just looked at


    her.


    Anastasia then took a deep breath and felt that her fingers were cold.


    It was like she had finally let go in that instant.


    She didn¡¯t love him anymore.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Anastasia said in a hoarse voice when Jason was about to drive away.


    Jason was a little nervous when he heard that. They¡¯re here to bully you. Leave with me, okay?¡±


    However, Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything and got out of the car.


    It was still raining, mixed with tiny ice-like snowkes, and it hurt when it got onto her face.


    Jason felt a sharp pain in his heart, thinking, ¡°You¡¯re still going back even after how badly stor hurt


    you?¡±


    Anastasia stood in the wind and rain, looking at stor standing at the door. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know


    whose baby it is?¡±


    stor looked at Anastasia and said in a deep voice, ¡°Do you finally want to tell me?¡±


    Anastasia was silent for a long time before she spoke. ¡°Tell the reporters to leave and buy out all the


    news tonight. I¡¯ll do the amniotic fluid test and the DNA paternity test in advance, but you¡¯re responsible


    for the risk.¡±


    There would be a high risk of bacterial infection if one did the amniotic fluid test, and it would be


    impossible for the baby to survive once infected, not to mention that she was still in her early


    pregnancy.


    stor frowned and clenched his fingers. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about the following conditions when the DNA paternity test results are out.¡± Anastasia


    walked into the living room, took Snowball out from behind the couch, and rubbed its head softly. ¡°Now,


    tell them to leave the house.¡±


    ¡°stor, you¡¯re too courteous with her. I would¡¯ve kicked her out if I were you,¡± Steven said in anger.


    Tll leave. You don¡¯t have to kick me out,¡± Anastasia interrupted Steven.


    ¡°Enough!¡± stor raised his hand and held his forehead. It seemed like he had a bad headache.


    ¡°Get out.¡± stor¡¯s voice was low.


    Feeling stor¡¯s anger, Felicia lowered her head and hid behind Steven before they went out.


    As for Naomi, she still wanted chatter on. ¡°stor, do the DNA paternity test with her as soon as


    possible. If that is really a child of the Lopez family, then you have to take the child and divorce her! I¡¯ve


    told you before not to marry a peasant like her, but you still married her anyway. Look at¡ª*


    ¡°Enough. Go home. stor pointed at the door.


    Naomi choked for a moment before she snorted and left. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for the DNA paternity test result.


    Don¡¯t you dare y any tricks on me?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t arrange for what happened today,¡± stor said in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Anastasia just turned off the lights and walked out of the living room. ¡°Remember to


    close the door when you leave.¡±


    stor frowned when he heard that. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°This is not my home, so I¡¯ll empty my things in three days.¡± Anastasia walked a few steps before she


    stopped. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t take anything else except for my paintings and art supplies.¡±


    She came empty-handed when she married stor, so she would leave empty-handed after the


    divorce¡­


    Anastasia would just regard the four years they had a dream.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    stor frowned and looked unhappy. ¡°You¡¯re doing this just because you¡¯re mad? Who do you think


    will suffer the most loss from this?¡±


    Anastasia just smiled before she got into Jason¡¯s car.


    ¡°I wonder who will suffer the most loss,¡± she thought.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    In the car, Jason was so nervous that his palms were sweating. He was afraid that Anastasia would still


    choose stor even after what happened.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go Take me to the hotel first Anastasia took a deep breath and sat in the passenger seat, holding


    Snowball as she looked out the window.


    To her, there was nothing to miss about the house besides Snowball and her paintings.


    She didn¡¯t want anything else.


    Felicia just sat in stor¡¯s car and looked at Anastasia as if provoking her.


    Bang! Just when Jason was about to drive away, his car was scratched by Steven¡¯s car on purpose.


    Jason frowned and clenched his fingers.


    He had tried his best to control himself since Anastasia was here, so Jason dared not do anything that


    would make him seem


    childish in front of her.


    Six years ago, he lost Anastasia because of his impulse, and Anastasia would distance herself even


    further if he didn¡¯t change and grow up after six years.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get out of the car¡­¡± Anastasia said in a hoarse voice, raising her hand to grab Jason¡¯s arm.


    She knew that Jason had been very patient tonight.


    Based on Anastasia¡¯s understanding of Jace, if he saw anyone bullying her six years ago, he would


    murder them on the spot. Sure enough, he had grown up in six years.


    Jason took a deep breath. ¡°Anastasia, you don¡¯t have to take the test if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I can take it,¡± Anastasia whispered ¡°What can we do even if we don¡¯t take it? Keep fighting with him?


    He¡¯ll have the evidence. Don¡¯t forget¡­ You have a criminal record.¡±


    Jason had been to a juvenile detention center before.


    Anastasia clearly knew that Felicia deliberately asked Steven to anger Jason, wanting Jason to lose


    control and hurt someone. Steven wouldn¡¯t even stand a chance against Jason if a fight really broke


    out, even if there were ten Stevens present.


    ¡°Oh? This car is not cheap. Where did you rent it from? Or did you borrow it? You need to pay quite an


    amount since there¡¯s a scratch on it now. Do you even have the money? Steven rolled down the


    window and looked at Jason ironically, ¡°You¡¯re just a gigolo selling yourself at the bar. Can you even


    pay for the car?¡±


    Jason held the steering wheel tightly, and his knuckles even turned white.


    ¡°So what if he doesn¡¯t have the money? I do. I¡¯m using stor¡¯s money to keep a man outside, and


    stor will be paying for the car anyway.¡± Anastasia rolled down the car window and smiled at Steven.


    ¡°You can hit the car again. Actually, it¡¯s best if you scrap it. I¡¯m sure your brother can pay a few hundred


    thousand dors.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia! How shameless can you be?¡± Steven¡¯s face darkened with anger, and he looked at


    Anastasia angrily.


    Anastasia just smiled. ¡°I like how you hate me but can¡¯t even do anything to me.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long your arrogancests! I won¡¯t let you off if the DNA paternity test resultes out


    and the child is not stor¡¯s Pointing at Anastasia, Steven cursed out before he drove away.


    Afterward, Anastasia rolled up the window and noticed her palm was injured because she was


    clenching too hard.


    Her body was numb, but she forced herself to look unbothered.


    ¡°Who did you borrow the car from?¡± Anastasia asked in a hoarse voice.


    Jason was silent and drove away slowly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Although stor stopped my card, I still have some money saved up these years,


    Anastasia reassured Jason. Her paintings were now worthless, and her future financial resources


    would be problematic, but she would still be responsible for Jason¡¯s car damage.


    ¡°You can leave after you send me to Waterhall Hotel, and don¡¯t be involved in my business from now


    on, or you¡¯ll get into trouble, Anastasia said calmly, wanting to keep Jason away from her.


    ¡°Today¡¯s Christmas Eve¡­¡± Jason nced at Anastasia and continued, ¡°I think all the hotels are fully


    booked


    Anastasia just looked at the time and smiled. ¡°No way¡­¡±


    After saying that, Anastasia called the customer service staff of Waterhall Hotel,


    Sure enough, the staff did say that the rooms were fully booked.


    Anastasia then looked at her phone nkly and called another hotel, but she got the same response


    even after she said she would pay more.


    Anastasia massaged her eyebrows. She wondered, ¡°Will I have to be sleeping on the streets tonight?¡±


    ¡°Come over to mine.¡± Jason¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    Seeing Anastasia hesitate, Jason spoke again. ¡°I rented a house, so if you don¡¯t mind¡­¡±


    After that, Anastasia nced at Jason. ¡°I¡¯ll go. It¡¯s just for a night.¡±


    Jason breathed a sigh of relief and finally smiled. ¡°Well¡­ My hometown is in the north, so I usually


    make ravioli during Christmas. I¡¯ve prepared all the ingredients. Do you¡­ want to help me with the


    ravioli?¡±


    Anastasia looked at Jason for a long time before she replied, ¡°You knew I¡¯d be homeless today and


    would follow you home?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Jason¡¯s palm sweated. ¡°I actually wanted to make some ravioli and bring it to you, but¡­ I was


    afraid something would happen to you based on the trending news online.¡±


    Anastasia smiled, d that at least someone still thought about her.


    ¡°Jason, how long will you remember me if I die?¡± Anastasia asked in a low voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Jason¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°I¡¯ll apany you wherever you go.


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment and frowned, looking at Jason angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t be so childish.¡±


    Their rtionship had not reached the point where she would want him to die with her.


    ¡°Then you should live well and not ask such childish questions again!¡± Jason stepped on the brake and


    looked at Anastasia angrily as well.


    Anastasia felt her throat burning as she thought. Tm just telling the truth¡­ I won¡¯t be able to live long.

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    Jason parked the car at Hillscester Mansion.


    Only when the car came to a stop did Anastasia look in shock at the mansion.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the high-end luxury home Jason showed me that day?¡± she thought to herself. ¡°You rented


    this ce?¡± she asked


    him.


    Was he crazy or out of his mind: ¡°How much is the monthly rent here?¡±


    Seeing Anastasia startled, Jason chuckled. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? My friend asked me to help him design


    this ce. He¡¯s abroad and won¡¯t be back for a while. The house isn¡¯t safe if it¡¯s vacant, and instead of


    charging him for design work, I get to live here for free.¡±


    Anastasia sighed in relief. ¡°You scared me.¡±


    For a house like this, let alone buying, even renting would cost tens of thousands of dors per month.


    Jason got out of the car, opened the door for Anastasia, and held an umbre to escort her inside.


    ¡°Your coat¡­ Anastasia noticed that Jason was only wearing a loose undershirt and damp pants, as his


    soaked coat was still in her dryer.


    ¡°You can pick it up tomorrow. Aren¡¯t you moving out?¡± Jason deliberately left his coat behind.


    ¡°Yeah, tonight I¡¯ll look for a ce Anastasia nodded.


    Jason cleared his throat. ¡°What¡¯s your budget for renting a house?¡±


    Anastasia pondered ¡°With my reputation tarnished, my paintings won¡¯t likely sell well. So, I¡¯m looking


    for a ce a bit farther from the city center¡±


    ¡°Well, how about we share the rent?¡¯ Jason looked at Anastasia carnestly.


    For a moment, Anastasia felt like Jason¡¯s sly fox tail was about to wag with excitement.


    ¡°Share the rent with you?¡± Anastasia squinted. I can¡¯t afford a ce like this that you have.¡±


    ¡°My friend won¡¯t be back for a year or two. It¡¯s a waste for me to live here alone, and I don¡¯t trust renting


    it out to someone else. If you pay me 400 dors a month for rent¡­ It¡¯ll work, Jason said seriously.


    ¡°This way. It lightens my burden a bit.¡±


    Anastasia nced at the mansion¡¯s surroundings.


    Looking at this ce, she thought that 400 dors a month probably wouldn¡¯t even get her a bathroom


    here.


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about burdening me and don¡¯t want to live together. I can find my own ce. It¡¯s a


    waste for me to live here, and you can stay on your own,¡± Jason worried thatndlords would make


    things difficult for Anastasia if she rented a ce elsewhere.


    Anastasia sighed in resignation. ¡°I can help share the burden of the rent, I¡¯ll pay you 1,000 dors a


    month, but I have a condition¡±


    This was an upscale neighborhood, almost inessible to reporters and random passersby. Thus, no


    one would notice she and Jason living in the same house. So, the security level here satisfied


    Anastasia.


    Plus, the house was surrounded by ake view and had a serene environment, which was perfect for


    her to focus on her work.


    Time was running out, and she needed to leave behind some of her creations.


    ¡°Just tell me!¡± Jason nodded.


    ¡°No interference in each other¡¯s personal lives, and no entanglements between us.¡± Anastasia


    reminded Jason not to do anything foolish for her sake.


    ¡°Anastasia, we¡¯re already too intertwined¡­ Jason looked somewhat innocent and pulled out his phone,


    showing it to


    Anastasia.


    Anastasia was taken aback and hastily grabbed the phone.


    The journalists got a clear picture of Jason¡¯s facel


    The headline read, [Surprise Mr. stor Lopez¡¯s Wife Is Already Divorced And Is Dating New Boyfriend


    After The Divorce.]


    What shocked Anastasia even more than the headline was the top trending search result.


    [Plot Twist: The Truth About Mr. stor Lopez and Mrs. Anastasia Lopez¡¯s Divorce Mr. stor Lopez Is


    Revealed to Be The Cheater.]


    [Plot Twist: Mr. stor Lopez Had An Affair With His Female Secretary.]


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    [Shocking Revtion: Mr. stor Lopez¡¯s Female Secretary Turns Out to Be His First Love from Years


    Ago.]


    Anastasia¡¯s previous news about being a mistress, a homewrecker, and a sugar baby had been


    immediately overshadowed by this news about stor and Felicia.


    ¡°Who could have done this?¡± thought Anastasia.


    ¡°stor?¡± she continued thinking.


    It was impossible. He valued thepany¡¯s reputation more, and even if he wanted to suppress the


    trending topic about her, he couldn¡¯t possibly use negative news about himself to do so.


    Who was helping her?


    Anastasia was surprised to find that Sienna had canceled her Twitter ount when she searched for it.


    What was Sienna afraid of?


    At this time, shouldn¡¯t Sienna take advantage of the situation against her?


    4


    Anastasia thought that the video clip was edited quite well and she couldn¡¯t argue against it in any way.


    Now, all the negative news about Anastasia was suppressed.


    While it wasn¡¯t enough to redeem Anastasia¡¯s reputation entirely, at least she had temporarily stepped


    out of the storm¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Who¡¯s helping me?¡± Anastasia hoarsely asked.


    ¡°Now everyone knows I¡¯m your boyfriend.¡± Jason furrowed his brows.


    Anastasia looked at Jason, thinking he should be worried or angry, but he seemed somewhat excited.


    ¡°I¡¯ll clear things up¡­¡± Anastasia sighed, her head throbbing.


    Her biggest fear was dragging Jason down, but now it seemed he was already in the mud with her.


    There was nowhere to escape.


    ¡°rifying will only make people remember me more vividly,¡± Jason reminded Anastasia.


    Anastasia sat on the sofa absentmindedly, her fingers feeling numb.


    Who was helping her?


    Before long, another search result shot up the trending list.


    ¡°Zachary, CEO of Quinn Group, Personally Debunks Rumors of Being A Female University Student¡¯s


    Sugar Daddy.¡±


    B

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    Zachary shared a few pictures on Twitter. There was a mural of a scendscape painting, along with


    a caption: [Those who are dirty always want to tarnish those who are clean. Some willingly y the role


    of a homewrecker, defying both morals and thew, yet they manipte trending topics to smear the


    rightful wife. I wasn¡¯t nning to exin, but these rumors have seriously damaged my reputation and


    that of thepany. Today, I¡¯m setting the record straight, and 1 won¡¯t address this again in the future.


    (The mural in the photo was painted by Anastasia during her university days, proving her worth.)]


    Zachary also included a picture of the payment he had given Anastasia back then, with the amount


    blurred but enough to show that she had earned her money in an honest manner.


    Anastasia was taken aback. Was Zachary the one lending her a hand?


    After years of no contact, she never expected Zachary to step in and help.


    How could she ever repay this kindness?


    ¡°Meow,¡± Snowball was in an unfamiliar setting, so it seemed a bit nervous and kept staying close to


    Anastasia.


    Anastasiaforted Snowball, stroking its head.


    Jason crouched in front of Anastasia and addressed Snowball. ¡°From now on, you will be staying here


    temporarily.¡±


    Snowball stared at Jason for a moment, not showing any shyness toward him. Then, it snuggled into


    his arms as if they were, old pals.


    Jason held Snowball and smiled at Anastasia. ¡°See? Even the little kitten knows how to find a new


    owner.¡±


    Anastasia looked at Snowball in surprise: Snowball was usually cautious around strangers.


    Sitting on the couch, Anastasia fell into silence for a moment. ¡°This isn¡¯t my own house, so if I have a


    cat, would the owner be okay with it?¡±


    ¡°Just consider this your home. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Jason reassured Anastasia.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t respond. She leaned back on the couch and felt a bit weary.


    Outside, fireworks illuminated the night, creating a festive atmosphere for Christmas.


    ¡°Anastasia, I bought a bunch of fireworks and firecrackers. Grandma said that on Christmas Eve, after


    making ravioli, we have to set off firecrackers Jason put Snowball down and washed his hands, getting


    ready to make ravioli.


    Anastasia grew curious and got up, watching Jason work at the counter. ¡°You know how to make


    ravioli? That¡¯s pretty impressive.¡±


    ¡°I can teach you?¡± Jason smiled at Anastasia.


    His smile was genuinely charming, radiating warmth and positivity.


    Unfortunately, Anastasia had grown resistant to being warmed up. She could no longer feel the


    warmth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to learn¡­¡± Anastasia shook her head. ¡°From now on, I won¡¯t have to cook for anyone or


    try to please anyone ever again¡­


    Her urge to please others was born from her fear of losing their affection, which had turned into a


    people-pleaser trait in her marriage.


    She had tried so hard to please stor, only to end up discarded anyway.


    ¡°Sure thing, just focus on eating. I¡¯ll handle the cooking,¡± Jason rolled out the ravioli dough and began


    making the little pockets.


    Anastasia propped her chin on her hands taught me how to make stuffed gnhi.¡±


    Anastasia murmured softly.


    watching


    mwork busily, then reached out and took the rolling pin. ¡°My mom


    ¡°Stuffed gnhi is moremon in the South; in the North, we usually go for ravioli,¡± Jason put a


    chestnut in one of the ravioli. ¡°The person who gets the chestnut is supposed to have good luck for the


    whole year.¡±


    Anastasiaughed at the superstition.


    It had been a long time since she hadughed like this.


    H


    ¡°My mom used to make me stuffed gnhi before she passed away. She knew I loved the ricotta


    cheese filling, so that day, she made it for me with her own hands,¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice grew husky.


    After they finished eating, her mother said, ¡°Annie, let¡¯s go together.¡±


    Her mother told Anastasia to go with her to somewhere very far away.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Jason put the ravioli dough she had prepared aside and spoke with determination. ¡°From


    now on. I¡¯ll forever be by your side


    Anastasia smiled. ¡°Do you know what ¡®forever¡¯ means?¡±


    Only death was eternal: everything else was subject to change.


    ¡°I do. As long as you give me a chance, I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡± Jason looked at Anastasia resolutely.


    Anastasia let out a sigh. ¡°Jason, I¡¯ve said it before. It¡¯s toote.¡±


    If she weren¡¯t sick, she might have genuinely considered it.


    Even if Jason was a broke man, she might have chosen to give their new rtionship a chance.


    She could have let go of stor and started a new love story.


    They could lead a calm and simple life.


    Perhaps they¡¯d get married, maybe have healthy children, and maybe be happy.


    Or perhaps reality would defeat them.


    Either way, with a healthy body, the future would hold limitless possibilities.


    But she was sick, and she only had one oue: death.


    Jason lowered his head and went back to making the ravioli.


    *Anastasia, I didn¡¯te toote,¡± Jason suddenly said, interrupting his ravioli-making ¡°I never left. I¡¯ve


    always been here. You just don¡¯t dare to turn around and see me.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s throat tightened, and she stared at Jason with a still look.


    ¡°Jason¡­ You deserve someone better.¡± She was just a divorcee with a tarnished reputation.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best,¡± Jason replied without hesitation.


    He didn¡¯t talk to Anastasian further.


    Anastasia let out a sigh and settled back on the couch.


    Her phone rang at midnight on Christmas Eve. It was stor.


    Anastasia remained silent for a moment but eventually answered the call from stor.


    ¡°Anastasia, I underestimated you. All those online stories about you have been suppressed. Did you


    personally spread those rumors about me? Did you?¡± stor¡¯s voice was low and dripping with anger.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Do you really think I have that much influence?¡± Anastasia chuckled.


    stor was truly overestimating her.


    ¡°Zachary actually came forward to debunk these ridiculous rumors personally. Anastasia, you say that


    you and him are just casual acquaintances and that nothing happened between the two of you. Do you


    really believe that?¡±

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    stor seemed to be hitting the bottle hard.


    Lately, he had been drinking a lot.


    Alcohol seemed to be the only way he would spill the thoughts he usually kept bottled up.


    ¡°Anastasia, you really know how to stir the pot.¡± stor¡¯s voice oozed with sarcasm.


    ¡°It¡¯s Christmas, so why don¡¯t you just hang up if you¡¯ve got nothing new to say? Happy Christmas.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice came out raspy


    ¡°Anastasia! Do you think I¡¯m having a st here? Since you came into my life, do you think I¡¯ve had


    even a single day of happiness? stor¡¯s frustration seeped through the words.


    Anastasia stayed silent, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.


    There hadn¡¯t been a single day of joy.


    It was because she wasn¡¯t the one in his heart.


    ¡°Then why the hell didn¡¯t you get a divorce earlier?¡± Anastasia fired back.


    ¡°Divorce? Ha.¡± stor¡¯s tone dripped with mockery. ¡°Anastasia, I want you back here tomorrow. Did


    you get that? I want you to move back here!¡±


    Sounds of things breaking echoed were made by stor in the background.


    ¡°No¡­ Scratch that, I want you back right now stor sounded like he was letting loose under the


    influence.


    Anastasia was starting to feel distanced from stor, emotionally and mentally.


    But one thing was clear to Anastasia: stor was home.


    He hadn¡¯t left.


    Or maybe he came back after a round of drinks?


    ¡°Sleep it off if you¡¯re acting crazy. Goodbye.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t want to engage stor.


    ¡°Anastasia, you get your ass back here right now If I don¡¯t see you and Snowball within the next 30


    minutes, there¡¯ll be hell to pay! stor¡¯s rage was palpable. He was demanding Anastasia return, and


    he even wanted Snowball to go back with her.


    It was probably Anastasia who took Snowball away that really set stor off.


    Anastasia held Snowball dear. She wouldn¡¯t have taken Snowball unless she was ready to leave


    everything behind.


    But she did take Snowball with her.


    stor was being driven insane by Anastasia, it seemed.


    ¡°stor, what the hell are you trying to pull?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice quivered as she asked.


    Couldn¡¯t they part ways without all this mess?


    ¡°Get back here! Until we¡¯re officially divorced on paper, you¡¯re still my wife. Got it? Don¡¯t push me to


    ruin Jason¡¯s reputation.¡± stor used Jason as leverage to threaten Anastasia once again.


    Each time he pulled this card, it worked like a charm.


    Anastasia wouldpromise for Jason.


    So each time Anastasia caved, stor got angrier.


    ¡°stor, you¡¯re repulsive.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice shook, and she hung up the call.


    She knew stor was capable of anything.


    Today, the news that exposed his affair with Felicia online had clearly set stor off.


    But Anastasia was puzzled. Why didn¡¯t stor immediately have his Public Rtions Department


    squash the rumors? Instead, he allowed the gossip to spread like wildfire.


    Ironically, the scandal of stor who cheated someone had temporarily overshadowed her negative


    news.


    She actually owed him a thank you.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Dig in on the ravioli.¡± Jason set down the piping hot ravioli, slightly burning his hand. He gave his ear a


    tug to cool it. Anastasia¡¯s vision was beginning to blur. She watched Jason buzzing around the kitchen


    and felt an indescribable ache in her chest


    The supposed home and the supposed festivity were all happening before her.


    Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t worthy of it.


    ¡°Jason¡­ I need to take Snowball back for a bit¡­¡± Anastasia spoke softly.


    Jason hesitated for a moment, looking somewhat downcast. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°All my paintings are there. I don¡¯t feel good about that¡­ The rain¡¯s stopped, I¡¯ve called a car, and the


    driver is on his way. Snowball and I are heading back for now. I¡¯ll contribute to the rent here. After I¡¯ve


    squared things with stor, I¡¯ll move in here,¡± Anastasia said quietly.


    ¡°Is stor causing a ruckus again?¡± Jason reached out and held Anastasia¡¯s hand, appearing


    concerned.


    ¡°Not really¡­¡± Anastasia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m notpletely divorced from stor yet.¡±


    ¡°Do you still n on forgiving him?¡± Jason¡¯s concern was evident.


    He also felt insecure.


    After all, he was scared Anastasia might backtrack.


    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°Jason, you need to understand something. Even if Ipletely sever ties


    with stor, I won¡¯t be with you. I agreed to stay here because it¡¯s peaceful, not because I want to build


    some sort of rtionship with you.¡±


    With Snowball in her arms. Anastasia nced at her phone and headed to the door.


    Jason stood there dejected, his voice husky. ¡°I get it¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to push her. ¡°At least¡­ Have some ravioli. I put a lot of effort into making the filling.¡±


    He simply wanted to make ravioli for Anastasia.


    His grandmother said having ravioli on Christmas Eve would bring good luck for the whole year.


    Anastasia¡¯s steps faltered, and she turned back to the dining table, settling down to eat some ravioli.


    On her first bite. Anastasia found the chestnut in the ravioli.


    As she stared at the chestnut nestled in the ravioli, Anastasia¡¯s vision blurred from tears.


    If four years ago, she had encountered Jason during that blind date, how wonderful that could¡¯ve been.


    Unfortunately, there were no ¡®ifs.¡±


    Fate led her to stor, which was a mistake in itself.


    ¡°Jason, have you been in any rtionships these past years?¡± Anastasia asked softly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a criminal record. Nobody wants me.¡± Jason looked away.


    Anastasia¡¯s heart ached. Felicia had pursued Jason for so long, but she abandoned the idea after


    digging into his past.


    Others likely did the same.


    ¡°Jason, what can I do for you?¡± Anastasia wasn¡¯t sure what she could offer Jason, apart from money.


    But before she left this world, she wanted to make up to Jason.


    ¡°Due to that incident, my chances of finding a wife are slim. Grandma¡¯sst wish was to see me


    married. Once you¡¯ve sorted things out with stor, let¡¯s get a marriage certificate. I know you don¡¯t


    feel anything for me, so let¡¯s turn it into a marriage agreement. It can be like a kind ofpensation


    from you to me.¡± Jason looked at Anastasia and spoke again.

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    Anastasia stared at Jason, utterly shocked. Marry him?


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Was he nuts, or was it her?


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°I know I can¡¯t offer you the kind of security you want because I¡¯m not stor. I don¡¯t have the same


    wealth or status, so none of you women is interested in me.¡± Jason looked down, disappointment


    written all over his face.


    Anastasia¡¯s heart clenched at his words, feeling a twinge of guilt for Jason¡¯s despondent expression.


    Felicia¡¯s words must have really hit him hard.


    ¡°If I were the son of a billionaire like Colbert, that would be great,¡± Jason mumbled softly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be anyone¡¯s son. Just being yourself, Jace, is more than enough.¡± Anastasia shook


    her head, not wanting Jason to entertain unrealistic notions. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about other people¡¯s opinions.


    You¡¯re good as you are, and you can lead a good life through your own hard work and efforts.¡±


    ¡°Since you understand that, why won¡¯t you fully give up on stor and start fresh with me? I can put in


    the effort and work to make your life better too.¡± Jason¡¯s eyes red as he earnestly implored


    Anastasia.


    Anastasia felt like she was walking into a trap. There was something off about Jason, but she couldn¡¯t


    quite put her finger on


    1.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it¡­¡± Anastasia averted her gaze. ¡°I have to go now.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, you won¡¯t even agree to this small request of mine? What if I fail to fulfill Grandma¡¯s


    wish¡­¡± Jason¡¯s eyes reddened.


    Anastasia¡¯s thoughts were tangled, and her fingers clenched tightly. ¡°Let me think about it.¡±


    Jason smiled. ¡°Sure!¡±


    Anastasia was taken aback. Was he doing this on purpose?


    But Anastasia didn¡¯t have time to ponder. She quickly walked away.


    ¡°Take this back and eat it. It¡¯s Christmas Eve, so you¡¯ve got to eat well.¡± Jason packed the steaming


    ravioli into a lunch box. and handed it to Anastasia.


    Worried still, Jason also grabbed a carton of milk and two apples.


    ¡°What¡¯s the significance of eating these on Christmas Eve?¡± Anastasia looked at the food in her arms,


    then at poor Snowball who was smothered underneath.


    ¡°It symbolizes peace and safety.¡± Jason ruffled Snowball¡¯s head. ¡®Grandma used to say that.¡±


    Anastasia found Jason¡¯s earnestness amusing. Jace remained the same, while she. Anastasia, had


    changed.


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit concerned. Should I go back with you?¡± Jason seemed like he wanted to squeeze into the car


    with Anastasia.


    ¡°Reporters don¡¯t have clear pictures of you yet, and you want to give them a chance?¡± Anastasia


    sounded a little irritated.


    Jason huffed. *Exactly! Are these reporters all blind? They couldn¡¯t even snap a clear photo of my


    face.¡±


    Anastasia sighed and got into the car, rolling down the window. ¡°Jace¡­ Happy Christmas.¡±


    Jason stood there, grinning at Anastasia, ¡°Annie, Happy Christmas.¡±


    As the car drove away, it grew smaller and smaller in the distance.


    Anastasia watched Jason¡¯s figure until her vision blurred.


    What a good person Jace was, and yet because he met her¡­


    Anastasia once thought that being saved by her was Jace¡¯s good luck, only toter realize that it


    wasn¡¯t¡­


    Being saved by her was the unluckiest thing that happened in Jace¡¯s life.


    If she hadn¡¯t met him, Jace wouldn¡¯t have ended up in a juvenile detention center, nor would he be in


    this state where he was constantly criticized by others.


    So, she was a catastrophe.


    She was the source of misfortune, and living in this world was her sin.


    o wonder even the heavens didn¡¯t want her alive.


    At stor¡¯s house, when Anastasia returned here, the house was in pitch darkness.


    She thought stor might have left, but upon entering, she found a mess, and stor was slouched on


    the couch.


    ¡°Trying to save on electricity?¡± Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Anastasia broke the silence.


    Snowball meowed and retreated to its cozy cat bed.


    stor ignored Anastasia and extended his hand toward Snowball. ¡°Come here.¡±


    In the past, even stor didn¡¯t say a word, Snowball would¡¯ve jumped right onto him, but now it refused


    to do so.


    It nestled into a corner, maintaining its distance from stor.


    ¡°Even animals know when to avoid trouble,¡± Anastasia quipped sarcastically.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± stor stood up and nced at the ravioli and apples that Anastasia had brought. ¡°Heh,


    he¡¯s just a man with no wealth and no abilities who attempts to find validation in these minor details.¡±


    stor¡¯s words dripped with sarcasm as he tantly looked down on Jason. ¡°Can he give you the life


    you want? Without me¡­ Can you. Anastasia, get everything you desire from him?¡±


    Anastasia gazed at stor, feeling a sharp pang in her chest.


    He truly regarded her as a gold digger¡­ |


    4


    ¡°In this world, anyone can survive without anyone else. I thought that over these four years, I spoiled


    you to the point where you couldn¡¯t live without me. I wondered if you could manage without me and if


    Felicia could handle you. Turns out, you¡¯re doing just fine, Anastasia retorted back at stor.


    ¡°Enough with these words to provoke me, Anastasia. How much evilness is there within you that I¡¯m


    still not aware of?¡± stor cornered Anastasia, his eyes bloodshot as he angrily punched the wall.


    Anastasia furrowed her brows, uncertain about what had set stor off this time.


    ¡°Steven was just a little impatient. He only bumped into your car and Jason¡¯s by ident. You nearly


    killed him over that?


    you know Felicia was in his car? She¡¯s pregnant!¡± stor seized Anastasia¡¯s chin, his anger palpable.


    Do


    Anastasia frowned. Was Steven in an ident?


    ¡°There¡¯s also Sienna. You certainly have a knack for making people disappear¡­¡± stor used


    coldly.

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    The way stor looked at Anastasia was getting even moreplicated.


    Before, he thought Anastasia was just a bit materialistic, and as long as he provided her with enough


    materialfort, she¡¯d


    be content.


    But now, the more he got to know her, the more he found Anastasia to be frightening.


    stor had initially nned to handle this media crisis for Anastasia and have someone look into


    Sienna, but he discovered that Sienna had vanished.


    There were signs of struggle and forced entry at the rental house where Sienna lived.


    It was clear that someone had kidnapped Sienna.


    Anastasia was equally shocked, staring at stor. ¡°Sienna is missing?¡±


    Sienna still had what Anastasia needed in her possession.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Heh, Anastasia, it¡¯s a shame you¡¯re not in showbiz, as you¡¯re really missing out on some good acting


    opportunities,¡± stor¡¯s eyes bore into Anastasia, heavy with anger.


    ¡°stor, Sienna¡¯s disappearance has nothing to do with me!¡± Anastasia stared at stor in


    desperation. Was he ming everything on her now?


    She thought, ¡°It¡¯s just a divorce. Have I be utterly heinous and unforgivable?¡±


    ¡°Sienna deleted and erased all the negative posts about you from her social media before she


    disappeared. You¡¯re saying her vanishing isn¡¯t rted to you? Anastasia, I think you¡¯ve lost it! If this


    blows up, no one will be able to save you.¡± stor thought Anastasia had gone mad. If the police got


    involved, what she had done could be considered a crime.


    Anastasia¡¯s breath grew rapid as she looked at stor, with her body bing stiff. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m


    capable of kidnapping?¡±


    ¡°What can¡¯t you do?¡± stor was unsure why, but whenever he wanted to have a reasonable


    conversation with Anastasia and try to convince her to right her ways, he couldn¡¯t seem to control his


    temper around her.


    Anastasia took a step back, pressing herself against the wall.


    She was too worn out to exin anymore.


    No matter how much she exined, stor wouldn¡¯t believe her.


    ¡°I¡¯m back. You can leave now¡­¡± Anastasia pointed toward the door, urging stor to go.


    ¡°We¡¯re not divorced yet!¡± stor reminded Anastasia once again. They had only signed the agreement.


    Anastasia¡¯s head throbbed, making her unsteady on her feet.


    Seeing Anastasia about to copse, stor instinctively pulled her into his arms. ¡°Stop with these little


    tricks.¡±


    Anastasia felt her chest tighten, but she couldn¡¯t release it.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave tonight. Tomorrow morning, we¡¯ll visit Grandma to wish her a Happy Christmas.¡± stor¡¯s


    voice was firm. It was amand, not a request.


    He ordered Anastasia to go with him to see Andrea tomorrow.


    ¡°Think carefully before you answer Grandma¡¯s questions tomorrow,¡± stor warned Anastasia.


    Anastasia took a deep breath, barely managing to support herself as she sat at the dining table. She


    couldn¡¯t get angry; she would meet her end¡­.


    Turning away from stor, Anastasia felt her fingers ached as if they¡¯d been crushed by a car wheel.


    It hurt so much.


    Every inch of her bones ached.


    Yet, she couldn¡¯t take any painkillers.


    Suppressing her tears, Anastasia opened the container of ravioli that Jason had brought her, her hands


    trembling as she picked one up. She bit into it, and a smile broke through, for there was a chestnut


    inside.


    As she ate, Anastasia¡¯sughter turned into sobs.


    Desperately stuffing ravioli into her mouth, she found that each contained a chestnut.


    Jasan badly wanted to see her happy. He had secretly slipped chestnuts into each of the ravioli.


    [Annie, Happy Christmas. You must be doubly happy this year.¡±


    Anastasia stared at Jason¡¯s message on WhatsApp, trembling as she cried.


    stor didn¡¯t leave. After showering, he emerged to find Anastasia trying to wolf down ravioli.


    When she couldn¡¯t eat anymore, she hugged a trash can and retched, only to resume eating afterward.


    Frowning. stor thought Anastasia was losing her mind.


    ¡°So, you love him that much?¡± Did she really love him that much?


    He thought, ¡°Does she love him enough to not want to waste anything he gave her?


    Anastasia paid no attention to stor and, as he reached for a ravioli, she stared coldly at him. ¡°These


    were made by Jason for me. You¡¯re not worthy.¡±


    stor¡¯s fingers slowly clenched, and veins protruded on the back of his hand.


    ¡°Very well. This is just perfect,¡± he thought,


    Anastasia¡¯s behavior guarding the ravioli was reminiscent of a fiercely territorial wolf.


    ¡°After all these years, what part haven¡¯t I satisfied you in?¡± stor was angry. Holding Anastasia¡¯s


    wrist, he dragged her into the bathroom.


    ¡°What can a penniless beggar like him offer you? Can he give you the security you want or the wealth


    and luxury you desire? Can he fulfill your vanity?¡± stor raged.


    He could tolerate Anastasia¡¯s vanity and materialism, but he couldn¡¯t ept that she would abandon


    the carefully calcted wealth he had provided her and choose a poor nobody.


    The male ego was indeed a terrible thing.


    Anastasia was bent over the toilet, vomiting heavily, yet she was smiling.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me what part you haven¡¯t satisfied me in?¡± Anastasia stood up, still holding onto the


    toilet, her tone dripping with irony. ¡°In the four years of our marriage, I can count on one hand the times


    you¡¯ve touched me. You couldn¡¯t satisfy me, so of course I went looking for someone else!¡±


    ¡°You put yourself in the role of my husband, yet you can¡¯t forget your first love. You¡¯re torn between me


    and her. Are you any better than me?¡± Anastasia continued to provoke stor, and herself, too.


    stor fell silent, his brows visibly furrowed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t satisfy you?¡± stor turned on the shower, trapping Anastasia between his body and the wall.


    Anastasia was drenched, and her whole body was wet. Still, she stubbornly stared at stor.


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll satisfy you tonight¡­¡± stor threw off his towel and, pressing Anastasia¡¯s head, kissed


    her fiercely.

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    ¡°Back off Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Anastasia freaked out and struggled like crazy, trying to shove stor away.


    She was seriously grossed out.


    Anastasia turned on the shower to freezing cold temperature, desperately trying to wash off the feeling


    of his hands on her. He used the hands that had touched Felicia to touch her.


    It was so disgusting¡­


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor was beyond irritated now.


    Was she seriously resisting him touching her?


    ¡°So Jason can touch you, but I can¡¯t?¡± stor cornered Anastasia against the wall. ¡°Just so you


    remember, we¡¯re not divorced


    yet.


    ¡°Don¡¯t freaking touch me!¡± Anastasia yelled, desperately telling stor to keep his hands off her. Her


    emotions were all over the ce.


    ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯ve let a bunch of people touch you. Did you really think I wanted to touch you?¡±


    stor¡¯s irritation was getting the best of him.


    stor was saying stuff he shouldn¡¯t have, and he knew it. Words, once spoken, couldn¡¯t be taken


    back.


    Some words were like knives: they could stab right into someone¡¯s heart.


    Even though stor knew these words were harsh, he still let them slip out.


    Anastasia suddenly went quiet, and the bathroom was just filled with the sound of water and stor


    breathing.


    He started to panic, regretting what he had just said.


    Once those words were out, they couldn¡¯t be undone.


    Anastasia stood there, numb.


    She thought, ¡°Yeah, why was I on my high horse?¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and get it over with¡­ Anastasia stopped fighting, stripped off her soaked clothes herself, and


    stood under the freezing water.


    The icy feeling momentarily distracted Anastasia from the pain in her body and heart.


    stor turned off the shower and pulled Anastasia into a hug. ¡°You left me with no choice¡­¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything. She was like a lifeless shell.


    stor wanted to say something, but the words just weren¡¯ting out.


    stor was revolting to her, and Anastasia knew it.


    But even so, he used sex to get back at her for thatment about not being satisfied by him after four


    years of marriage¡­


    ¡°stor¡­ My stomach hurts.¡±


    Her sex life with stor had been fine before. He might not have been very into her, but he¡¯d been


    gentle.


    But this time, even though he knew she was carrying a child, it felt like he was just taking it out on her.


    Anastasia cried out, saying her stomach hurt.


    But it was actually the pain in her chest that was unbearable.


    She knew deep down, stor had never really believed this child was his.


    He felt the child wasn¡¯t his, which is why he was acting so recklessly.


    Anastasia closed her eyes slowly, her tears burning hot.


    stor¡¯s movements became gentler, but his grip on Anastasia¡¯s waist tightened.


    ¡°stor, tomorrow¡­ I¡¯lle clean with Grandma Andrea and tell her it¡¯s my fault we¡¯re getting


    divorced.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was raspy, and she leaned weakly against his shoulder.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hug onest time,¡± she thought.


    ¡°Let¡¯s


    Over these four years, stor had given her everything she wanted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get the divorce certificate. You can pick a date, and we¡¯ll do a DNA paternity test. Anastasia


    was seriously tired. She didn¡¯t want to keep fighting.


    stor frowned, his grip on her getting tighter. ¡°You¡¯re in a rush to get those divorce papers so you and


    your boyfriend Jace can ride off into the sunset?¡±


    Anastasia thought stor was ridiculous. He was the one who wanted the divorce in the first ce.


    ¡°Why are you suddenly all cooperative? Are you trying to pull some sneaky move or get something out


    of this?¡± stor¡¯s voice was low. ¡°I¡¯ve already made a will. If the DNA paternity test says the kid¡¯s mine,


    the kid gets everything. But if not, the will¡¯s worthless.¡±


    Anastasia had almost forgotten about the will.


    ¡°As for thepany shares, don¡¯t even bother thinking about it.¡±


    stor frowned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse. She was about to copse.


    ¡°Anastasia cut the maniption. This house is yours, and I¡¯ll also give you 2 million dors in assets,


    plus you can choose any car from the garage,¡± stor said in a low voice.


    ¡°No need¡­¡± Anastasia replied, finding no meaning in these possessions anymore.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor felt like her refusal of the assets was a challenge.


    ¡°You just need to hurry up and get that divorce certificate with me¡­ Let¡¯s make a clean


    break¡­¡±Anastasia¡¯s voice was fading.


    Unable to hold on any longer, she slipped from stor¡¯s grip and fell to the ground.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡±


    stor was in a panic as he grabbed Anastasia¡¯s arm. His eyes widened as he saw the blood on her


    legs, which was a horrifying sight.


    At that moment, stor was terrified.


    He wished he could p himself.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Anastasia.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t handle it anymore, and that was why she admitted her stomach hurt.


    ¨C But stor-hadn¡¯t held back.


    He didn¡¯t know if they could save this child.


    stor called 911.


    Anastasia spent Christmas Eve in the emergency room.


    The next day, stor sat anxiously by her bedside, lookingpletely in a mess.


    It seemed like he had spent the whole night by her side.


    ¡°The kid¡­¡± Anastasia realized what was happening and panicked, covering her stomach with her


    hands.


    Sure enough, she still cared deeply about this child.


    She really cared about it.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    Seeing Anastasia awake, stor spoke with a dark face. ¡°The kid¡¯s okay.¡±


    Anastasia let out a sigh of relief and propped herself up. ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    As Anastasia thanked him, there was a noticeable aloofness in her tone.


    stor frowned slightly. He was the one in the wrong here, but Anastasia was thanking him as if he


    were a stranger. It was clear that she was starting to treat him as such.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Anastasia, you better not give me this attitude. Whether we divorce or not is my call. The choice and


    the initiative are in my hands. If I don¡¯t agree, you¡¯ll never be able to openly be with Jason!¡± stor


    didn¡¯t even know why he was getting so worked


    1.


    But every time he saw Anastasia like this, he just got angry.


    Admittedly, he was the one who didn¡¯t want to leavest night.


    During previous Christmas celebrations, Anastasia used to prepare a Christmas Eve dinner at home,


    sit on the couch, watching the Christmas¡¯ G, and wait for him toe home. She would then


    embrace him tenderly, wishing him a happy Christmas.


    But now, the once warm home was shattered.


    ¡°stor, what do you want? You clearly don¡¯t love me, yet you keep torturing me.¡± Anastasia choked up


    as she looked at stor.


    When she didn¡¯t want a divorce, stor was pushing for it.


    Now that she did want one, he was saying these things.


    She initially didn¡¯t want a divorce, because as long as she didn¡¯t, stor and Felicia could never be


    together openly. But now, he was using the same approach as his own threat.


    It was reallyughable.


    stor clenched his fists, avoiding eye contact. The veins on his temples became visible due to


    suppressed anger.


    In reality, he just wanted to break Anastasia¡¯s resistance, force her to surrender, and make her realize


    that the reality was that he could provide her everything Jason, the poor guy, couldn¡¯t


    ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling ufortable anymore, pack up ande with me. Let¡¯s go see Grandma.¡±


    stor¡¯s voice was heavy as he spoke, turning to leave.


    Anastasia felt like she was falling apart.


    Actually, her attending physician was at Hork General Hospital. If stor had truly cared, he could¡¯ve


    taken the initiative to speak with the doctor about her condition, and he would find out about lier cancer.


    But stor hadn¡¯t done that even once.


    This only meant one thing: stor deep down believed she was good at pretending, and that she was


    just purting on an act.


    He thought she was faking her illness, faking her fainting, and faking everything.


    ¡°When we¡¯re at my grandma¡¯s, think about what to say and what not to say. Be smart about it. stor


    reminded and warned Anastasia again.


    Anastasia took a deep breath, her gaze trembling as she looked at stor. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Grandma Andrea


    that I want a divorce¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you that until I agree, whether we get the divorce certificate or not is up to me.¡±


    stor seemed fixated on dragging out the divorce.


    Anastasia bit her lip and didn¡¯t say anything.


    Whatever.


    She thought, ¡°Well, we¡¯ll just drag it out until the day I die. That¡¯s fine with me.¡±


    ¡°I can cooperate, but I have one condition.¡± Anastasia looked at stor.


    ¡°Spit it out.¡± stor was clearly getting impatient.


    ¡°During Winter Light Festival, you have to attend my art exhibition.¡± Anastasia was being stubborn,


    insisting that stor attend her ¡°funeral.¡±


    I was her way of ending this marriage, their rtionship, and her life.


    This art exhibition was genuinely important to her.


    It was herst art exhibition, and she had put a lot of effort into each piece.


    stor scrunched his brows. Felicia¡¯s art exhibition was on the same day as Anastasia¡¯s.


    Anastasia knew Felicia had done it deliberately, but she stubbornly waited to see if stor would


    choose to attend her exhibition instead.


    ¡°Not this. You can propose any other condition.¡± stor¡¯s expression soured.


    Anastasia had noticed it. stor must have already agreed to go to Felicia¡¯s exhibition.


    Suddenly, her vision seemed to darken. Anastasia felt that stor was being excessively cruel to her.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much time left. Today¡¯s already Christmas Day¡­¡± Anastasia choked up.


    She didn¡¯t have much time left.


    It wasn¡¯t just about the art exhibition; it was also about the countdown to her life.


    ¡°You have toe to my art exhibition¡­¡± Anastasia hoarsely threatened stor.


    She didn¡¯t know what excuse to use to threaten him.


    But she just wanted stor to attend.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Finally, Anastasia began topromise as she pleaded with him.


    stor was walking away, but he halted upon hearing that. Then, he looked back at Anastasia.


    Was she begging him?


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± stor still said he would just think about it.


    ¡°You have toe¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s gaze trembled as she looked at stor.


    If he didn¡¯te, he would definitely regret it¡­.


    She was sure of it.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it another time.¡± stor got into the car and signaled for Anastasia to get in too.


    Anastasia stood outside the car, hesitating for a long while. ¡°I¡¯ll take a cab¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t stand stor¡¯s car.


    Anything rted to him and Felicia made her sick.


    Turning around, she hailed a cab. Anastasia had barely gotten in when she received a message from


    Felicia.


    She said, ¡°Anastasia, yesterday stor and I were sleeping in your bed. Your bed.

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    Soon, Felicia sent a picture from home. It was a selfie of her lying on Anastasia¡¯s bed, her shoulders


    exposed.


    Anastasia hurriedly took a screenshot, her fingers trembling.


    Shortly after, Felicia withdrew the photo. She thought this would only provoke Anastasia and that


    Anastasia wouldn¡¯t be able to use it against her.


    ¡°Felicia, stor and I aren¡¯t divorced yet. This is considered an extramarital affair,¡± Anastasia replied,


    her hands shaking. The mistresses are the only ones who aren¡¯t forced into marriage. You¡¯re really


    pathetic, Anastasia,¡± Felicia mocked. Anastasia¡¯splexion turned pale, and she trembled in the cab.


    ¡°Miss, did you have a fight? Is the car behind you your boyfriend¡¯s?¡± the cab driver asked in a low


    voice. Anastasia¡¯s face turned even paler, and her hands clenched so tightly they went numb. ¡°Don¡¯t


    mind him; let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°He looks like he wants me to stop, but his car is quite expensive. I wouldn¡¯t dare to


    damage it. The driver joked. Before Anastasia could speak, the driver mmed on the brakes. ¡°What¡¯s


    going on?¡±


    stor had pulled the cab over and stepped out of the car.


    The driver became a little worried.


    Anastasia took a deep breath. ¡°Sorry, mister.¡±


    The driver was also somewhat helpless. ¡°These young couples¡­ he thought.


    ¡°Get out of the car.¡± stor opened the cab door and handed the driver 20 dors, urging Anastasia to


    get out.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just a lover¡¯s quarrel. They end as quickly as theye. Women need to be coaxed and


    pleased. You can¡¯t use this attitude. My wife and I used to argue too, butter on, I learned to be smart


    about it. Be affectionate and change your attitude. It definitely works. You don¡¯t believe me? Try


    coaxing her. The driver happily received the money. He had only driven around 110 yards and had


    already earned 20 dors.


    stor nced at the driver, then at Anastasia. His voice softened in an unprecedented manner.


    ¡°Come down¡­¡± Anastasia sat still, refusing to get into stor¡¯s car. ¡®T¡¯ll take a cab. Don¡¯t force me.¡±


    H


    his anger


    ¡°Grandma is sick. Someone from the Lopez residence called, and she¡¯s in the hospital. stor said,


    suppressing his and speaking patiently to Anastasia.


    Anastasia paused, nervously looking at stor. ¡°Sick?¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t been feeling well recently. She said she wants to see you, stor grabbed Anastasia¡¯s


    wrist and pulled her out of the cab.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ride in your car; it¡¯s disgusting.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t want to ride in stor¡¯s car; she could take a


    cab.


    At this point, she didn¡¯t just find stor¡¯s car repulsive; she was starting to find her home repulsive too.


    ¡°Anastasia,pare what¡¯s more important. Know your priorities!¡± stor was very angry. He hadn¡¯t


    expected Anastasia to be so hard-hearted.


    ¡°Besides, what right do you have to call my car disgusting? Have I ever told you that your actions with


    those random people were disgusting?¡± he added.


    Anastasia stood still, finding it hard to breathe.


    I¡¯m disgusting she thought.


    ¡°I guess so. We¡¯re both the same,¡± she mused.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to argue with you¡­ Let¡¯s just go to the hospital.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t want to say


    much to stor anymore. She opened the car door and got into his car.


    stor rubbed his temple irritably. Stubbornly, he wanted Anastasia to sit in the front passenger seat.


    ¡°Come on! Sit up front.


    ¡°That¡¯s your girlfriend¡¯s seat. I don¡¯t deserve it,¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was low.


    ¡°Anastasial¡± stor¡¯s tone lowered. ¡°I told you to sit up front. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡± Anastasia


    knew that provoking stor would only lead to him threatening her with Jason again. Numbly,


    Anastasia got out of the car and sat in the front passenger seat at stor¡¯s insistence.


    In that instant, the sense of helplessness made Anastasia realize something: even the deepest love


    could be worn away.


    stor was gradually eroding all her feelings for him.


    Perhaps it was for the best.


    When it was all worn away, she wouldn¡¯t love him anymore.


    If she didn¡¯t love him anymore, she wouldn¡¯t feel hurt by him.


    Sitting in the front passenger seat, Anastasia felt like she couldn¡¯t even breathe.


    stor seemed to be doing these things deliberately today. Even the car seat had a sticker saying


    ¡®Girlfriend¡¯s Seat.


    Every car had it, showing just how much stor doted on Felicia.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes ached terribly. She didn¡¯t know if stor¡¯s actions were meant to torture her or


    provoke her.


    It felt like she was being roasted slowly, like on a barbecue grill.


    Anastasia averted her gaze, staring out of the car window and not saying a word.


    stor was so cruel to her.


    It was as if everything she had done in these five years had turned into heinous sins.


    He was using every means to retaliate against her.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t know what she had done wrong.


    Had she not treated him well? She had given up everything just to y the role of a so-called


    housewife.


    ¡°What does it take for you to agree to a divorce?¡± Anastasia asked hoarsely.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Before we divorce, you¡¯re still Mrs. Lopez.¡± stor¡¯s voice turned icy.


    ¡°stor, don¡¯t go too far. I haven¡¯t done anything wrong to you.¡± Anastasia¡¯s breath was scorching.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± stor sneered.


    Anastasia slowly closed her eyes and clenched her fingers.


    ¡°So suffocating.¡± she thought.


    -At this point in their marriage, there was no trust left.


    The car parked in a space, and Anastasia became dizzy.


    After a long while, Anastasia followed stor into the hospital.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± stor¡¯s mother was already waiting outside the ward, and upon seeing


    Anastasia, she became somewhat agitated.


    Apart from stor¡¯s mother, Naomi, Felicia was also present.


    ¡°Grandma wants to see her alone.¡± stor frowned.


    Naomi was furious. ¡°She¡¯s a really devious girl. As long as Felicia takes care of your grandma, that¡¯s


    enough. Felicia is a good girl, and I approve of her.¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath. They had even chosen their future daughter-inw.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    stor shot Anastasia a quick nce, and she stood there all cool and collected as if nothing


    happened.


    stor didn¡¯t even bother to argue, which pretty much meant he was on board with what his mother


    said.


    Felicia looked very excited as she eyed stor with happiness. ¡°Hey, stor, I¡¯ll handle taking care of


    Penelope.¡±


    Felicia knew stor cared the most about his grandma, especially when she wasn¡¯t feeling well.


    Giving Felicia the duty of caring for Penelope was like giving her a gold star of approval about her


    status.


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers were clenched tightly, and her eyes turned red.


    Felicia gave Anastasia a smug look and strutted into the room.


    Anastasia¡¯s throat felt parched as she turned her gaze to stor. ¡°I¡¯ll just pop in to check on Grandma


    Andrea¡­ Then I¡¯ll take


    off.¡±


    In the Gunn family, the only one who treated Anastasia decently was Penelope.


    Anastasia was grateful for that.


    ¡°What are you staring at? Hurry up and take the DNA paternity test,¡± Naomi barked at Anastasia. ¡°We¡¯ll


    talk further after the results are out.¡±


    ¡°stor, I¡¯ve got everything set up. Let¡¯s get her in for the DNA paternity test,¡± Naomimanded him,


    ready to send Anastasia on her way for the DNA paternity test,


    ¡°We¡¯ll have the results in about three hours. Until then, she¡¯s not allowed to see your grandma.¡±


    Naomi¡¯s face was serious.


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well today. Can we discuss this another time?¡± Anastasia calmly replied, attempting to


    navigate her way into


    the ward


    Naomi blocked Anastasia¡¯s path and gave her a slight push.


    Anastasia stumbled and nearly fell.


    Although stor moved reflexively as if to catch Anastasia, he quickly restrained himself aftering


    back to his senses.


    Anastasia let out a bitter chuckle as she took a step back. ¡°Well, since your mom isn¡¯t too keen on me


    visiting Grandma Andrea, I¡¯ll just leave now.¡±


    ¡°Leaving already? Are you trying to dy things? I think you¡¯re just feeling guilty! You have to go and


    take the DNA paternity test today! If we find out that the child in your womb isn¡¯t part of the Lopez


    family, you¡¯ll get it!¡± Naomi used Anastasia while gritting her teeth.


    Anastasia shook off Naomi¡¯s hand and turned to leave.


    ¡°Stop her!¡± Naomi said angrily.


    Steven and a few bodyguards who were waiting on a bench stood up and blocked Anastasia¡¯s


    Anastasia clenched her hands and looked at stor. ¡°You tricked me intoing here, didn¡¯t you? It¡¯s


    not about Grandma Andrea¡­ You¡¯re forcing me to take the DNA paternity test?¡±


    Last night she had bleeding and was hospitalized. Even if the fetus was okay, the doctor said she


    needed proper rest, otherwise, the fetus might not make it.


    ¡°I did promise I would do it. Do we really have to rush it?¡± Anastasia choked up.


    stor didn¡¯t say anything. He just furrowed his brow.


    ¡°What you¡¯re doing is illegal. You¡¯re restricting my freedom. I can report you.¡± Anastasia pulled out her


    phone, intending to call the authorities.


    ¡°Anastasia, why the act? It¡¯s pretty clear you¡¯re feeling guilty. If you¡¯re not scared, the DNA paternity


    test should work in your favor. But you¡¯re just scared,¡± Steven taunted, snatching Anastasia¡¯s phone


    away.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Anastasia reached out, wanting to retrieve her phone. ¡°Give it back!¡±


    ¡°See, stor, she¡¯s scared. She knows the kid isn¡¯t yours. Just like I said, right?¡± Steven taunted.


    stor looked at Anastasia. ¡°How long do you want to drag this out?¡±


    Anastasia looked at stor in disbelief. Had he really agreed to all of this? ¡°Yesterday, I had bleeding


    and was hospitalized. You know what the doctor said. Can¡¯t we wait a bit? The amniotic fluid test could


    harm the child!¡±


    ¡°Quite the actress, huh?¡± Steven sneered.


    Coincidentally, at that moment, Anastasia¡¯s phone rang. It was Jason.


    Steven nced at her, his anger evident. ¡°So cozy with your new boyfriend, huh?¡±


    stor¡¯s expression changed too. ¡°I asked the doctor before. The DNA paternity test won¡¯t harm the


    child.¡±


    Anastasia weakly lowered her head and let out augh.


    It seemed like everything she said was futile.


    It looked like there was no way around the DNA paternity test today.


    Otherwise, stor wasn¡¯t going to let this go easily.


    ¡°stor¡­¡±


    ¡°Get out! I already have a granddaughter-inw, and it¡¯s Anastasia. Tell this girl to leave!¡± Andrea¡¯s


    angry voice came from the hospital room.


    There was also Felicia¡¯s voice, sounding aggrieved.


    stor hurried into the room.


    One could tell he was quite worried about Felicia.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Annie? stor, what¡¯s going on? What¡¯s up with this woman? Why does she think she¡¯s your


    girlfriend? Let me tell you, I¡¯m not approving of this!¡± Andrea was quite upset.


    ¡°Grandma Andrea, Anastasia and stor¡­¡±


    ¡°Out.¡± Felicia tried to say something, only to be silenced by stor¡¯s cold voice.


    Felicia bit her lip, walking out begrudgingly.


    Sooner orter, she would take the position of his wife.


    Steven had made it clear that Anastasia had to take the DNA paternity test today.


    Felicia had already arranged everything. She was nning to tamper with the DNA paternity test and


    examination process to make Anastasia lose the child.


    ¡°Grandma, Annie isn¡¯t feeling well, so she can¡¯te to take care of you,¡± stor reassured Andrea.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking her for a check-up, and we¡¯ll be back to see you this afternoon, okay?¡±


    Andrea¡¯s emotions settled down. ¡°Sure, go ahead. Take care of Anastasia and the baby. She¡¯s


    pregnant.¡±


    stor nodded.


    Naomi seemed like she wanted to say something a few times, but stor¡¯s gaze frightened her off.


    They were definitely going to keep Andrea in the dark until the DNA paternity test results were out.


    As they left the room, stor¡¯s cold gazended on Anastasia. ¡°Time for the DNA paternity test.¡±


    ¡°Where do I have to do it?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice came out hoarse.


    ¡°Right here in this hospital at the gics testing department,¡± Steven chimed in.


    ¡°I don¡¯t agree. I¡¯m notfortable doing it here. Anastasia refused.


    She was not an idiot.


    She couldn¡¯t guarantee that Felicia and Steven wouldn¡¯t tamper with the results.


    ¡°Do you tone.


    think


    you can call the shots here? Do you think you¡¯re the one in control?¡± stor¡¯s voice took on a


    threatening

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    Anastasia took a deep breath, and she couldn¡¯t stand firmly.


    Don¡¯t y dead. Even if you were to really die today, you¡¯d still have to undergo a DNA paternity test.¡±


    Stevenughed sarcastically and thought Anastasia was so good at acting.


    ¡°Even if I were to die on the operating table today, would you still make me do a DNA paternity test?¡±


    Anastasia looked at stor.


    She could disregard others¡¯ opinions and mockery, but not those of stor.


    In fact, Anastasia knew that stor was definitely thinking the same way.


    After all, when the incident happenedst night, stor was the one who took her to the hospital.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as serious as you think.¡± stor frowned.


    Anastasia leaned against the wall and smiled in a sarcastic manner.


    ¡°Anastasia, are you scared?¡± Felicia also came over to provoke Anastasia.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the pretense? Just go through a DNA paternity test and take responsibility for your


    actions.¡± Naomi also walked


    over.


    Everyone surrounded Anastasia, and the sense of distrust suffocated her.


    ¡°Give me the phone¡­¡± Anastasia asked Steven for her phone.


    Steven refused to give it.


    ¡°Give it to her.¡± stor frowned.


    Steven reluctantly passed the phone to Anastasia.


    ¡°Give me half an hour. I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Anastasia took the phone and walked toward the restroom.


    ¡°Felicia, follow her. Don¡¯t let her y tricks!¡± Naomi didn¡¯t trust Anastasia, so she instructed Felicia to


    keep an eye on her.


    Anastasia frowned. It seemed like the Lopez family was guarding her as if she was a criminal.


    Anastasia¡¯s throat was hurting severely, and she suspected she had a fever, a rather high one.


    Inside theoom, Felicia no longer put on a front. ¡°Why the pretense, Anastasia? If stor genuinely


    loved you, would he


    doubt that this child wasn¡¯t his?¡±


    ¡°stor and I are childhood friends. Someone like you can¡¯tpare, Felicia said smugly.


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know yet. do you? stor¡¯spany has seized a new opportunity. It¡¯s going to get


    even better in the future. Given stor¡¯s capabilities, surpassing Zachary is not a problem. Do you


    thinktching onto Zachary makes you exceptional?¡± Felicia proudly raised her head, exuding a sense


    of triumph.


    She used to fear Zachary before, but stor would rise even higher than Zachary


    ¡°Oh, really? Well, congrattions then, Anastasia said casually and entered the restroom cubicle.


    If Felicia hadn¡¯t brought it up, Anastasia would have forgotten that she still had Zachary to turn to for


    help¡­


    In fact, Anastasia could call Jason. She knew that Jason would never leave her alone.


    However, Jasoncked a strong background, so she hesitated to drag him into this.


    But Zachary was different¡­..


    Sitting on the toilet, Anastasia hesitated for a long time before sending a text message to Zachary,


    In fact, Anastasia was very nervous. She didn¡¯t know if Zachary woulde to her aid, or if he¡¯d be


    willing to get involved in this mess


    However, she had no other choice.


    ¡°Anastasia, truth be told, I do feel sorry for you. Your stepsister, Sienna, is truly despicable. I simply


    offered her 20,000 dors, and she agreed to ruin you¡± Outside the door, Felicia took advantage of the


    opportunity to taunt her in the


    restroom.


    Anastasia held her phone tightly and sneered.


    Fortunately, she had turned on the recording in advance.


    Ever since she started guarding against Felicia, Anastasia had been recording and saving all of


    Felicia¡¯s WhatsApp texts, provoking pictures, chat logs, and calls.


    On the day when she was on the brink of death, she would surely give them a huge surprise.


    Anastasia¡¯s voice was husky as she sarcastically remarked, ¡°Sienna is worthless¡­ Just 20,000 dors,


    and she¡­¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, I¡¯m also quite taken aback. You¡¯ve actually been through such a thing. I¡¯ve seen the


    original video, and the segment that was posted online was screen-captured by someone I instructed.


    All those online incidents were manipted. by me as well. So Anastasia, if you want to challenge me,


    you¡¯ll only end up worse off.¡± Felicia sounded very smug.


    Felicia intended to make Anastasia back down and stop provoking her.


    ¡°Felicia, I¡¯m scared of you now. I want a divorce. I¡¯m willing to give up everything, but stor doesn¡¯t


    agree. Anastasia pretended to be panicked. She opened the door of the restroom and looked at Felicia.


    Felicia knitted her brows. ¡°Stop pretending.¡±


    Anastasia smiled gently and spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m stating the truth. Instead of trying to bring me down here,


    you should go persuade stor to get a divorce quickly. Tell me. Did you make Sienna go missing?¡±


    Felicia looked at Anastasia with suspicion. ¡°Don¡¯t nder me. Sienna, that sewer rat, can vanish into


    thin air anywhere. Who knows where she went after taking the money.¡±


    Anastasia nodded.


    Although Felicia was malicious, she wasn¡¯t particrly smart.


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t admit that she orchestrated these things to provoke Anastasia.


    Sienna¡¯s disappearance and the suppression of the online trends must involve someone else.


    Just then, her phone rang.


    Anastasia thought it was Zachary, but it turned out to be Jason.


    The message she sent to Zachary appeared to have fallen on deaf ears. It seemed that no one would


    be able toe to her rescue today.


    ¡°I see. So it¡¯s Jason. Well, Anastasia, you¡¯re actually quite impressive. In my opinion, Jason is not bad-


    looking, and I also like. him. However, he¡¯s just a poor guy, much inferior to stor. You really are quite


    foolish.¡± Feliciaughed with a mocking


    tone.


    Anastasia ignored Felicia and went to the side to answer the phone.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Annie, where are you? I came over to find you here, but you¡¯re not around.¡± Jason¡¯s voice sounded a


    bit urgent.


    sound


    ¡°Jason. Andrea is sick, and I¡¯m taking care of her in the hospital¡­ I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Anastasia whispered gently.


    Felicia was right. Jason was good, but his family background wasn¡¯t great.


    Getting involved with these people wouldn¡¯t bring even the slightest advantage.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    ¡°I¡¯lle over to find you¡± Jason was worried.


    Anastasia panicked and tried to stop him. ¡°No need! Jason, Grandma Andrea doesn¡¯t know about my


    divorce from stor, so¡­ You don¡¯t have toe.¡±


    Anastasia was afraid that if Jason came, he might end up in a conflict with stor.


    Given Jason¡¯s temperament, he and stor would surely butt heads.


    On the other end of the phone, Jason remained silent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± Anastasia hurriedly ended the call.


    Once Anastasia ended the call, Felicia leaned against the sink, smiling. ¡°Anastasia, can I ask you


    something? What exactly were you thinking? Between stor and Jason, you choose a poor guy?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better speak with some respect, Anastasia warned Felicia with a stern nce.


    ¡°Respect? Heh, it seems you don¡¯t know how Jason managed to get the opportunity to study abroad, or


    how he has survived these years overseas. He has done all sorts of things to make money I heard¡­


    Whether it¡¯s wealthy older women or older men who are fond of men, be¡¯s willing to keep them


    company. In this aspect, he¡¯s quite like you.¡± Felicia sneered.


    Anastasia clenched her hands tightly, not wanting to listen to Felicia¡¯s nonsense.


    Jason was not that kind of person


    However, Felicia clearly didn¡¯t want to let Anastasia go. ¡°Look at these photos. Felicia chased after


    Anastasia and showed


    them to her.


    ¡°You should know how much this car is worth, right? It belongs to Samuel Zabinski, the richest Clusian.


    He¡¯s probably in his fifties this year, unmarried, and fond of men. It¡¯s rumored that his vast empire will


    eventually go to his only nephew, the real scion of the Gunn family. Do you know about this?¡± Felicia


    asked Anastasia.


    Everyone in the business circle knew that the true scion of Gunn Group wasn¡¯t just born with a silver


    spoon but had been the sole heir of Gunn Group since birth. Not to mention, his maternal family¡¯s


    influence was even more formidable.


    His maternal uncle in the Gunn family was none other than Samuel, the richest Clusian.


    -Samuel hade out of the closet early on, openly acknowledging his intention to leave his wealth to


    his nephew.


    ¡°Do you know why I suspect Jason is the scion of the Gunn family? This Gunn family¡¯s scion is quite


    mysterious. Jason has the Gunn surname and has been seen with Samuel a few times. Many people


    specte that he¡¯s the Gunn family¡¯s scion. Little did they know he¡¯s just a decoy. Felicia sneered.


    Later on, at a social event, Felicia encountered the Gunn family¡¯s real scion. He had an unremarkable


    appearance, with greasy hair and overly dressed.


    It was only then that Felicia had someone investigate Jason.


    It turned out that he not only had a criminal record but also a tarnished reputation. He slept with


    numerous wealthy women and older men.


    ¡°This kind of man, except for that face, is really disgusting. You two really are a perfect match Felicia


    continued to provoke Anastasia.


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers clenched so tightly that they went numb, and she raised her hand to p Felicia.


    ¡°Keep your mouth shut. You can insult me all you want, but try insulting Jason and I¡¯ll end you.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s gaze became significantly dark, and her voice trembled.


    She didn¡¯t know what Jason had experienced over the years, but regardless of his experiences,


    Anastasia felt it was her fault.


    It was her fault that Jason had gone through things he didn¡¯t want to.


    -She was indebted to Jason, and she didn¡¯t know how she could ever repay him.


    ¡°Anastasia! You hit mel Stop pretending. Who do you think you are to keep hitting me over and over


    again?¡± Felicia was furious.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Felicia raised her hand to hit Anastasia


    However, the p nevernded on Anastasia¡¯s face as stor caught hold of her wrist.


    stor frowned as he looked at Felicia. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Felicia looked at stor with a sense of grievance, and she immediately flung herself into his embrace.


    ¡°stor, she hit me first Anastasia pped me just because I mentioned the scandalous things Jason


    has been involved in overseas, both with men and women.¡±


    stor frowned as his cold gaze locked onto Anastasia. ¡°I¡¯ve looked into it. Those things are true. If


    you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Jason.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s breathing was shaky. ¡°Even if it is true, it¡¯s not an excuse for you to insult him. You can say


    whatever you want about me, but when it concerns Jason, I won¡¯t let you off.¡±


    stor¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Anastasia, do you really defend him that much?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do. stor, he is my bottom line, and you¡¯ve crossed it over and over, pushing it too far¡­¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers clenched tightly into her palm.


    stor¡¯s eyes brimmed with anger as he stared at Anastasia. He was clearly infuriated.


    ¡°Huh, your bottom line! Very well then!¡± stor was truly furious.


    ¡°stor, make her go for a DNA paternity test right away. If the child isn¡¯t from the Lopez family, get her


    out of here quickly. If she¡¯s willing to be fond of a filthy man who sleeps around, just let her be. Sooner


    orter, she will regret it.¡± Felicia continued to embellish.


    Anastasia leaned against the wall in a flustered state. The DNA paternity test was unavoidable.


    If they really conducted the amniotic fluid test, she was afraid that neither the child nor herself would be


    able to cope.


    She didn¡¯t know what she should do.


    Zachary still hadn¡¯t responded, so it was clear he wouldn¡¯te to rescue her.


    Her eyes were searing with strong emotion, and Anastasia lowered her gaze in resignation.

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯d better stop ying tricks. Be good and go and take the DNA paternity test. It is good


    for you and us.¡± Naomi lowered her voice and spoke.


    In fact, she still hoped that the baby in Anastasia¡¯s belly was stor¡¯s.


    Although Naomi did not trust Anastasia, the former needed a result.


    As long as it was stor¡¯s, then this child would be what she looked forward to


    Anastasia smiled and walked to stor¡¯s side. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do the DNA paternity test, but I want you to


    apany me the whole time. The whole test process is required to be open and transparent¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± stor frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll do something in secret.¡± Anastasia took a deep breath. The current stor and Felicia


    were already capable of anything


    ¡°Okay,¡± stor agreed.


    Felicia was a little nervous. She was afraid that stor would find out she did something to the DNA


    paternity test.


    ¡°Just do the DNA paternity test. Why are you being so troublesome?¡± Felicia said angrily while holding


    stor¡¯s wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her. She is just stalling for time.¡±


    ¡°Is she the one who¡¯s stalling for time, or is someone else ying tricks behind the scenes?¡± At the


    corner, Zachary¡¯s voice was low.


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment. Then, she turned around to look at the corner. ¡°Zachary¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been 38 minutes since I sent the message. Did he actually rush over directly?¡± Anastasia thought.


    Anastasia gave Zachary a grateful look, and her throat was a little tight.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± stor frowned.


    ¡°What a coincidence. I happened to be visiting a patient in the hospital, and when I heard all of you


    talking about the DNA paternity test, I came here to apany Anastasia. After all, she and I are


    friends, Zachary said indifferently and walked to Anastasia¡¯s side.


    Thank you. Anastasia whispered.


    ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡± Zachary smiled. ¡°The DNA paternity test is such a big deal. With no


    one by your side, you could easily be taken advantage of.¡±


    Steven snorted and rolled his eyes. ¡°Mr. Quinn, you seemed to have a lot of free time.¡±


    At first nce, one would think the rtionship between Anastasia and Steven was ambiguous.


    Anastasia was quite impressive. No one expected that she could even hook up with Zachary.


    It was not a surprise that she had the means to marry stor for so many years.


    In these past four years, she really enjoyed it.


    ¡°Tve already asked the staff at the DNA paternity testing center. They did rece someone in advance,


    and it seems that someone deliberately tampered with it, Zachary whispered in Anastasia¡¯s car.


    That gesture looked extremely ambiguous.


    stor¡¯s face darkened stor clenched his fingers so tight that it made a cracking sound.


    stor averted his gaze and stared angrily elsewhere.


    As expected stor still cared about Anastasia.


    ¡°Can it be solved¡± Anastasia asked in a low voice.


    ¡°What result do you want? Zachary raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°Normal result.¡± Anastasia just wanted to be fair.


    Zachary nodded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Steven urged Anastasia to hurry up,


    Anastasia followed behind stor without saying anything.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    stor¡¯s face was darkened the whole time, and stor said nothing.


    ¡°stor, Anastasia is only two months pregnant. You should know that doing a DNA paternity test now


    requires using a


    specific instrument to extract fetal villus for testing, and it can be very painful,¡± Zachary said in a deep


    voice, warning


    stor.


    stor nced at Anastasia.


    Anastasia let out a sarcasticugh. The child isn¡¯t just mine. It¡¯s your fault if I can¡¯t keep it¡­


    stor frowned and stopped in his tracks.


    Then wait a few days¡± He might also be afraid of an ident.


    ¡°stor¡± Felicia was reluctant. ¡°stor, don¡¯t listen to her words and start to waver. She has a wicked


    heart and intends to use this to stall for time until the end.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Isn¡¯t it just a DNA paternity test? How painful can it be?¡± Steven also spoke unhappily.


    stor¡¯splexion did not look very good. He had a dark expression the whole time.


    Anastasia followed behind Zachary the whole time, feeling uncertain in her heart.


    She always felt that something would happen to her.


    At the DNA paternity testing center, the doctor said, ¡°Given your wife¡¯s condition, I don¡¯t rmend


    taking a DNA paternity test now. Firstly, the child has not yet passed the critical phase, and secondly,


    extracting the fetal villus involves. higher risks and pain levels. It is better to opt for the amniotic fluid


    test at about four months. Although there is also some risk of infection. at least¡­¡±


    The doctor had been reced, apparently arranged by Zachary in advance.


    Felicia waspletely panicked. This was not the person she had arranged.


    The doctor continued. ¡°We still need to ask for the consent of the parties involved. If the mother doesn¡¯t


    agree, we won¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Anastasia interrupted the doctor.


    She no longer held much hope for stor.


    stor did not care about her or the baby at all. He only cared about the result.


    Since he wanted a result, then she would provide it to him under fair and just circumstances


    -It was up to fate whether this child could stay or not.


    Anastasia lowered her head to look at her belly and sneered.


    Anastasia thought. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to keep you, but this time, it¡¯s Daddy who does not want


    you.¡±


    stor¡¯splexion did not look good the whole time. He remained silent and did not say anything.


    ¡°What about the child¡¯s father?¡± The doctor looked at Zachary,


    Zachary pointed at stor.


    The doctor looked at stor again. ¡°You have to think it through. We will not be responsible if


    something happens to the child and mother.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t even know who the child belongs to yet. If we knew who the child¡¯s father was, would we still


    come for a DNA paternity test? You¡¯re talking too much, Steven said angrily.


    ¡°Get out¡± stor was a little frustrated and asked Steven and Felicia to go out.


    ¡°Ill have a chat with Anastasia, stor said in a low voice.

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about. Since you want a result, then let¡¯s do it¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse as


    she looked at stor. ¡°I just hope you go through the divorce procedures with me as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor was inexplicably angry.


    ¡°stor, don¡¯t you want the result?¡± Anastasta looked at stor.


    stor frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it now. If you feel ufortable, let¡¯s do it another day.¡±


    After all, stor could not bear to harm Anastasia¡¯s body directly.


    He did not mean to force Anastasia to lose the child or harm her body.


    He was just mad at Anastasia for keeping things from him and plotting against him.


    He was mad at Anastasia¡¯s malicious intentions and cunning plots.


    ¡°No need to wait for another day¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Let¡¯s do it today.¡±


    Anastasia had to give stor a result today.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± stor frowned and looked at Anastasia.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure.¡± Anastasia got up and walked out of the doctor¡¯s consultation room. I want to do a DNA


    paternity test.¡±


    stor wanted it, so she gave it to him.


    She also wanted to know what would happen if stor knew the result.


    The doctor had no choice but to take Anastasia to the operating room.


    The process of extracting the fetal villus was somewhat painful, and there had been a continuous


    presence of blood.


    Anastasia was already in poor health, and she had causedplications to the babyst night. Today


    it hurt so much that she did note down from the bed in the obstetrics and gynecology department


    for half a day.


    Anastasia¡¯s face was extremely pale, and her forehead was beaded with sweat. Anastasia curled up to


    ease the difort for a long time.


    Anastasia got out of bed by supporting herself and almost lost her bnce.


    Her legs were trembling, and her stomach was experiencing intense cramps.


    ¡°Are you okay? The medical staff asked.


    Anastasia shook her head and leaned against the wall as she walked out the door.


    Outside the door, the one standing guard was actually Jason.


    Anastasia stood at the door and looked at Jason in shock.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Anastasia said.


    She thought, ¡°Why is he here?¡±


    Jason¡¯s expression darkened. He reached out and pulled Anastasia into his arms, hugging her for a


    long time without saying anything


    A feeling of bitterness surged within Anastasia. ¡°How did you find me?¡±


    Jason still did not speak. He remained silent for a long time and scooped her up in his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go


    home.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute Anastasia wanted to know the result. ¡°Where are stor and Zachary?¡±


    ¡°After I came. Mr. Quinn went back first, Jason exined.


    Anastasta did not speak.


    ¡°stor and Felicia went to wait for the result.¡± Jason¡¯s voice was deep and filled with intense anger.


    stor¡¯s entire focus was on the oue,pletely disregarding Anastasia¡¯s life or death.


    Anastasia let out a sarcasticugh, and her vision went dark.


    Finally, Anastasia could not hold back and passed out in Jason¡¯s arms. She seemed to be immersed in


    the darkness.


    stor really did not care about her life or death.


    After all, it was true that it had only been four years.


    She thought, ¡°Over the course of four years, how deep could their feelings truly be?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, Annie?¡± Jason said.


    Anastasia did not know how long she had slept. She only felt intense soreness all over her entire body.


    Anastasia slowly opened her eyes and saw Jasoning over with hot chowder.


    Upon looking around, she realized Jason had taken her back to Hillscester Mansion.


    ¡°Drink some, Jason whispered.


    Anastasia did not move. She raised her hand and rubbed her forehead, feeling a little tired.


    Suddenly, she remembered Felicia¡¯s words about Jason. Felicia said he had suffered a lot in order to


    make money and study abroad.


    Anastasia did not care what happened to Jason in the past. She just felt a little distressed. ¡°Jason¡­.


    Which friend of yours owns this house? One can¡¯t afford this prime location with money alone, right?¡±


    Even stor might not be entitled to buy the house here.


    Besides, it was bought for others to live for many years.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Jason was a little stunned, as if he wanted to make an excuse. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a friend I met while


    studying abroad in Atharia.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s heart tightened, and Anastasia did not ask more questions. ¡°Oh, you cooked chowder?¡±


    Jason nodded.


    Anastasia took a sip and found it quite mellow. ¡°It tastes good.¡±


    Jason smiled. ¡°Then eat more. You are too thin.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Anastasia also smiled.


    ¡°stor called. I turned off your phone.¡± Jason did not hide it from Anastasia.


    Anastasia nodded.


    Actually, it did not matter.


    The divorce agreement had been signed. As long as there was a year of separation to confirm their


    loss of affection, she -could look for awyer and directly file for divorce.


    ¡°The result of the DNA paternity test is out.¡± Jason looked at Anastasia.


    Anastasia was not curious at all because she knew that the baby belonged to stor.


    ¡°Oh, did stor know?¡± Anastasia looked at Jason.


    Jason nodded.


    ¡°Go over there and help me pick up Snowball. I won¡¯t be going back in a short time.¡± Anastasia decided


    to leave the so-called home.


    Jason was a little excited and quickly stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll pick up Snowball!¡±


    Jason ran out excitedly, as if he was afraid the


    that


    To the extent that he almost bumped into the door.


    would go back on her words.


    Anastasia leaned against the headboard and looked at Jason helplessly.


    She thought, ¡°He¡¯s so nice¡­ Why did he have to meet me?¡±


    Anastasia waited for Jason to leave. Then, she turned on her phone and nced at it.


    It was all froin stor.


    He made almost 20 missed calls.


    Before Anastasia could reply, stor called again.


    Anastasia answered the phone. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, stor was silent for a long time before he said, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    His voice was a little hoarse.


    Do you know the result?¡± Anastasia changed the topic.


    ¡°Whatever it is, let¡¯s talk about it at home,¡± stor asked Anastasia to go home.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Go where?¡± Anastasia curled up her legs and held herself tightly. ¡°stor, I don¡¯t have a home


    anymore¡­


    On the other end of the phone, stor fell into silence again.


    ¡°The matter of the child, consider it a misunderstanding on my part.¡± stor¡¯s voice was low.


    It was not an apology or repentance but considered that he had misunderstood her.


    He wanted to dismiss it with a casually uttered sentence.

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Anastasiaughed weakly.


    stor only admitted that he misunderstood who the baby¡¯s father was, not that he misunderstood her


    as a promiscuous


    Woman.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for what you did, I wouldn¡¯t have misunderstood that the baby is not mine.¡± stor


    sounded a little panicked as he made excuses for himself.


    Feeling suffocated, Anastasia took a deep breath.


    ¡°Since you misunderstood me this time, then can we divorce?¡± Anastasia inquired softly.


    ¡°Anastasia, I told you that we¡¯re not getting divorced for the time being.¡± stor had no idea why he


    was dying.


    ¡°Why do you have the say about our divorce?¡± Anastasia couldn¡¯t hold back her emotions. ¡°When I


    begged you not to divorce, you did everything you could to force me to. Now, I¡¯m not begging you


    anymore. I¡¯ll let you go so you can be with Felicia. I don¡¯t want anything else; I¡¯ll leave this marriage


    without taking anything. All I want is to divorce.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to do that so you can take my child and live with Jace?¡± stor was furious. ¡°Come back


    now.¡±


    ¡°Your child? Have you ever admitted that the child is yours?¡± Anastasia asked sarcastically.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard the story of ¡®The Boy Who Cried Wolf.¡¯ I have to be responsible for


    myself,¡± stor told Anastasia seriously. He had to ensure his interests because he didn¡¯t trust her.


    Anastasia had made stor draft a will and asked for shares, so it was difficult for stor not to


    overthink.


    Not wanting to exin further, Anastasia sped her hands tightly.


    From stor¡¯s point of view, she was not trustworthy at all because she was a woman of loose morals.


    ¡°When are you going to divorce me? At least give me a date,¡± Anastasia said in a low voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re bearing my child, and you must stay in the Lopez residence until the baby is born. Leave the


    baby to me after it¡¯s born. By then, I will agree to divorce you if you want.¡± stor was using the child to


    make Anastasia stay.


    Even though he didn¡¯t love her, he still refused to let her go.


    ¡°I still stand by my point. I can agree to your request, but you must promise to attend my art exhibition.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.-


    ¡°Anastasia, why are you so obsessed with the art exhibition? Over the years, you¡¯ve gained enough


    fame as Mrs. Lopez in the Lopez Group. Now, your reputation is quite poor. You¡¯ll suffer if you hold an


    art exhibition now,¡± stor said impatiently.


    It was clear he didn¡¯t want Anastasia to hold this art exhibition.


    Thements about Anastasia on the inte were prized, and there were many extreme people


    out there.


    Anastasia would be hurt if she insisted on holding an art exhibition.


    Thoseizens had already thrown eggs at the door of theirpany.


    If this continued to escte, Anastasia wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the pressure of public opinion.


    Even though the issue had been suppressed temporarily, theizens refused to ept it.


    ¡°I must hold an art exhibition.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was firm.


    t topete


    ¡°Anastasia, this isn¡¯t about the art exhibition, is it? You just with Felicia, right?¡± stor thought


    Anastasia was too superficial.


    ¡°Felicia¡¯s art exhibition is important as it is her first after returning from overseas, so I need to attend


    and support her. That¡¯s why you¡¯re asking me to attend yours. What are you trying to prove? Do you


    want to prove that you are better than Felicia? Or show the media that our rtionship isn¡¯t that bad?¡±


    In stor¡¯s opinion, Anastasia¡¯s every move


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes turned red, and she held


    calcted.


    quilt tightly.


    She thought, ¡°Who am I to him? I¡¯m stor¡¯s wife. We haven¡¯t divorced, but he imed to the public


    that we have. Now, he¡¯s going to attend his mistress¡¯ art exhibition openly, yet he¡¯s questioning my


    intentions. This is so ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I am pulling tricks. I just don¡¯t want a mistress¡¯ art exhibition to turn out sessful. Felicia and


    are holding our art exhibitions at the same time. Are youing to mine or hers? If you are not


    attending mine, I will get an abortion.¡±


    Since stor thought she was ying tricks, she decide.¡±


    to go


    ¡°Anastasia! Why did you be like this?¡± stor¡¯s rage grey with


    the flow and threaten him.


    Anastasia shed a mocking smile. ¡°Why did I be like this? Haven¡¯t I always been like this?¡±


    In stor¡¯s eyes, she was a scheming bitch from the beginning; meeting him, getting close to him, and


    marrying him were all part of her plot.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go back on my word. If you don¡¯te, I will abort the child,¡± Anastasia reiterated and then


    hung up the phone.


    She wanted to live for a little longer, so she had to stay away from stor.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Anastasia curled up in bed and cried for a long time after hanging up the phone.


    She was not sure what she was crying about..


    Was it due to her miserable life, or was it due to the baby in her belly?


    The art exhibition was about to be held soon. Yet, the invitations that she sent out seemed to have


    fallen on deaf ears.


    In fact, Anastasia was ready for this art exhibition to have near to no visitors.


    However, it did not matter.


    It did not matter if everyone went to Felicia¡¯s.


    She just wanted to finish herst art exhibition and draw a perfect end to her life.


    The only thing was that she did not know if stor woulde to her art exhibition after using their


    child as a threat.


    Anastasia had already told stor that this would be herst art exhibition. If he really would note,


    she would then give uppletely.


    Her stomach hurt so much that she felt like a knife was stabbing her.


    It was only after drinking the warm chowder which was prepared by Jason that Anastasia felt better¡­


    Lying on her bed, Anastasia fell asleep in a daze yet again.


    Anastasia did not know how long she had slept. However, it was already dark when she woke up! Yet,


    Jason was not back yet.


    Anastasia sat up and nced at her phone. Jason was not back, nor did he call her.


    Anastasia suddenly felt nervous, and her heart was beating hard.


    Picking up her phone, Anastasia called Jason.


    She could not help but wonder if anything had happened.


    ¡°Was stor at home? Did he hit Jason? Did he not allow Jason to bring Snowball?¡± Anastasia thought


    anxiously.


    The call went through, but no one answered it.


    Anastasia was scared and panicked.


    Meanwhile, at Lopez Group.


    ¡°Stop looking at the contract, stor. Can¡¯t you apany me?¡± Felicia asked in a cute tone.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She was nearly sticking herself onto him.


    stor¡¯s expression was dark. Furrowing his brows, he turned to Felicia. ¡°Don¡¯t cross the line.¡±


    Felicia was frightened by stor¡¯s aura and stood nervously. ¡°What happened, stor?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me this?¡± stor spat, looking at Felicia icily. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one asking you this


    question?¡±


    Felicia was flustered. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know why I kept staring at the DNA paternity test today?¡± stor asked as he threw the


    documents on the table. His every move exuded a strong sense of anger.


    Felicia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She looked at stor in panic and wanted to defend herself.


    ¡°I can give you whatever you want, Felicia. But you should know what you can ask for and what you


    should not, especially if it involves the children of the Lopez family. Understand?¡± stor warned.


    He would not let her go


    if she harmed the child.


    Fortunately, Zachary found out and managed to intervene. stor kept a close eye on her. If Felicia


    were to find someone to tamper with the results, the consequences would be obvious.


    stor could not help but feel scared as he thought of the consequences.


    Even if Anastasia was not good, at least the child was his and belonged to the Lopez family.


    can tolerate you causing trouble every other day, but you should be mindful of it,¡± stor warned


    Felicia again before standing up and leaving.


    It was the Christmas holiday, and he suddenly wanted to go home.


    He wanted to go back to his and Anastasia¡¯s home.


    He wanted to see Anastasia busy in the kitchen.


    He wanted to eat the family dinner prepared by Anastasia.


    ¡°stor, can you stay with me tonight?¡± Felicia asked in a choked voice. ¡°I feel so ufortable. The


    baby in my stomach keeps kicking me.¡±


    stor¡¯s expression was dark. Furrowing his brows, he nced at Felicia. ¡°Are youcking money? If


    so, you could just ask


    Lionel.¡±


    With that, he left.


    Felicia¡¯s face darkened with anger as she clenched her hands.


    Ever since Anastasia appeared, stor had been too indifferent to her.


    She had to get rid of Anastasia and the child as soon as possible.


    However, she had a big gift prepared for Anastasia that day.


    Anastasia should have already received it by then.


    Meanwhile, at Hillscester Mansion, Anastasia was pacing around uneasily.


    ¡°What happened, then?¡± she thought.


    At eight o¡¯clock in the evening, Anastasia received a call from Kimberly, who stuttered, ¡°Anastasia¡­¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Anastasia asked, feeling her heart tighten.


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t feel overwhelmed, Anastasia,¡± Kimberly started. ¡°Snowball¡­ Snowball is missing.¡±


    Anastasia stood


    up


    for a split second and clenched her phone in fear. ¡°What¡­ What do you mean?¡±


    She could notprehend Kimberly¡¯s words, suggesting Snowball was missing.


    ¡°You know how obedient Snowball is, right? Are you with Jason?¡± Anastasia asked, pretending to be


    calm.


    1


    ¡°Jason and I have been looking for Snowball. Naomi came to the house and said that you were


    pregnant with the Lopez family¡¯s child and could no longer keep the cat. Therefore, she asked people


    to take away the cat. Jason went berserk and tried looking for it all afternoon. Finally, he heard that


    Snowball was thrown out of the home.¡±


    Kimberly knew that Snowball was a cat. However, to Anastasia, it was more like family and even


    emotional support.


    Anastasia could not live without Snowball.


    At least, she could not lose Snowball due to such a thing.


    ¡°Naomi is still at your home,¡± Kimberly cried out anxiously. ¡°She didn¡¯t let us watch the surveince


    cameras at home. That¡¯s why Jason could only try to find it around the residential area, We have no


    idea where Snowball is now.¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath and said in a low voice, ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    On the way back to the vi, Anastasia had been calling stor.


    Yet, stor did not pick up.


    Anastasia felt that she was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. She could even feel herself


    gasping for air.


    What if something really happened to Snowball¡­


    What was she supposed to do?


    ¡°Could you please hurry up?¡± Anastasia choked.


    The driver nodded and elerated.


    Just as the car parked around the residential area, Anastasia got off and ran toward the mansion.


    Naomi was sitting on the sofa in the living room with a serious expression. It was obvious that she was


    waiting for Anastasia.


    of


    ¡°I see that you still treat this as your home,¡± Naomi said in a deep voice with an orderly tone. ¡°Don¡¯t you


    have shame? You are still running around while pregnant.¡±


    Anastasia suppressed her anger and took a deep breath. ¡°Where is Snowball?¡±


    any sense


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± Kimberly ran in and said anxiously. ¡°I haven¡¯t found Snowball yet, Annie.¡±


    Anastasia lowered her eyes and looked at Naomi, who she had been taking care of for four years.


    ¡°Where is Snowball?¡± Naomi felt dissatisfied upon hearing Anastasia raise her voice. ¡°What attitude is


    this? Don¡¯t think you¡¯re important just because you¡¯re pregnant with a child of the Lopez family. You


    better get a divorce right after you give birth to the baby.¡±


    Anastasia walked over and shouted desperately, ¡°Where is Snowball?¡±


    Naomi had never experienced Anastasia being so disrespectful to her. ¡°What¡¯s with your attitude?


    Where are your manners? How could you be all hysterical?¡±


    Anastasia felt pain in her and her breath hitched. She felt like she was about to go crazy.


    eyes


    ¡°I¡¯m mannerless? Sure, you¡¯re the one with manners. Then tell me, where is Snowball?¡± Anastasia


    demanded. She was not in the mood to quarrel with Naomi. She only wanted to find Snowball.


    ¡°I threw it away,¡± Naomi said casually.


    Anastasia almost lost her bnce. She took a step back and was held by Kimberly.


    ¡°You are now pregnant with the Lopez family¡¯s child, who will be my precious grandchild. You¡¯re the


    beneficiary now. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that this child is stor¡¯s, you would¡¯ve been kicked out. And


    you think I¡¯d let you keep a cat?¡± Naomi asked sarcastically.


    ¡°Besides, you¡¯re pregnant. Having pets around is not good for the child. I asked someone to throw it


    out. So stop trying to look for it,¡± Naomi continued in a deep voice.


    Anastasia clenched her hands tightly and trembled. She felt that she was going crazy because of


    anger.


    She felt that she could not hold it anymore.


    ¡°How could you? How could you throw away Snowball? Why you? Who are you to do that?¡± Anastasia


    demanded hysterically as she grabbed Naomi¡¯s clothes, crying for her to return Snowball to her.


    Snowball had been with her for four years in that house.


    Compared to stor, Anastasia had deeper feelings for Snowball.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too overwhelmed, Anastasia! Calm down, Anastasia,¡± Kimberly cried as she hugged


    Anastasia.


    Anastasia could no longer contain her emotions.


    She truly had nothing left.


    She did not have a mother; her father deserved to die; she had no family nor a home.


    Snowball was all she had left.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She wanted to at least find a good family for Snowball before she died.


    She had never thought that Naomi would do such a thing.


    Naomi knew how important Snowball was to her.


    ¡°Give it back! Give me Snowball back!¡± Anastasia cried as she pulled onto Naomi¡¯s cor.


    Naomi was frightened by Anastasia¡¯s crazy look. ¡°What are you doing? Are you nning to use


    violence on me? I¡¯m an elder.


    Is this how you treat an elder?¡±


    Right then, stor came back.


    ¡°Look at this crazy woman you married, stor! What kind of upbringing does she have? She¡¯s


    nning to use violence on me!¡± Naomi shouted hysterically.


    Anastasia was already experiencing an emotional breakdown. She just wanted Snowball back.


    ¡°Have you gone mad, Anastasia?¡± stor furrowed his brows, still unsure of the situation. He could


    only see a crazed look on Anastasia¡¯s face. Thus, he quickly walked over and grabbed her wrist.


    ¡°Let go!¡± Anastasia could not hit Naomi, but she could hit stor. With that, she pped him in the face


    madly.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor was furious and pulled her away.


    Anastasia was unsteady on her feet and fell to the ground. Her forehead scratched the ground, and


    blood started gushing


    out.


    ¡°stor! How could you hit Anastasia?¡± Kimberly rushed over in a panic and hugged Anastasia.


    ¡°Naomi threw Snowball out! Why don¡¯t you ask what Naomi did? You know how important Snowball is


    to Anastasia!¡±


    stor was stunned for a moment. He wanted to protect Anastasia when he saw her fall. Yet, he was


    slightly slower.


    He did not want to harm Anastasia, but she looked crazed. All he wanted to do was to calm her down.


    He did not expect her to fall over.


    ¡°Snowball?¡± stor felt his heart tighten. ¡°What do


    you mean?¡±


    ¡°Give me Snowball back!¡± Anastasia cried, but she had already lost consciousness.


    ¡°Annie,¡± Kimberly said, looking at Anastasia in horror.


    Anastasia was suffering from a nosebleed again. The blood was dark red, looking rather terrifying.


    Anastasia lowered her head and could not see anything clearly. She wiped her nosebleed, and with a


    hoarse voice, she said agitatedly, ¡°Give me Snowball back!¡±


    stor frowned and looked at Naomi angrily. ¡°Where¡¯s Snowball?¡±


    Naomi felt a little guilty. After all, she was afraid of stor.


    Naomi averted her gaze and let out a snort. ¡°You are forbidden from raising pets if you¡¯re pregnant with


    a child of the Lopez family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you about Snowball!¡± stor clenched his fingers subconsciously. He knew better than


    anyone what Snowball meant to Anastasia.

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    Although it was just a pet cat, in stor¡¯s eyes, Anastasia¡¯s concern for Snowball was no less than


    caring for a child.


    Anastasia could not let go of Snowball, so as long as the cat was still at home, she would definitely


    return.


    stor also hoped that by keeping Snowball, he could make Anastasia stay a little longer.


    He did not expect his mother to actually harm Snowball.


    Naomi was frightened by stor¡¯s roar of anger, trembling as she looked at him. ¡°Why are you yelling?


    Do you want to scare your mother to death for the sake of a small animal?¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you again. Where did you throw Snowball?¡± stor stepped forward, questioning his


    mother.


    Naomi felt guilty and avoided eye contact. ¡°I-I asked Jeremy to throw it.¡±


    Jeremy was Naomi¡¯s driver.


    Anastasia sat on the ground, unable to speak anymore. She wiped her nosebleed and tried to get up


    by supporting herself with her arms.


    ¡°Where is Jeremy?¡± stor asked as he hurriedly went outside to help Anastasia find Snowball.


    His eyelids twitched, feeling that something terrible would happen.


    Just then, Jeremy returned from outside. However, before he could enter, stor grabbed his cor,


    pushed him against the wall, and yelled, ¡°Where¡¯s the cat?¡±


    Kimberly supported Anastasia, and they walked out. Both of them looked at Jeremy.


    Jeremy was stunned and looked at Naomi in shock.


    Nevertheless, Naomi furrowed her brows, avoiding his gaze and remaining silent.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my cat?¡± Anastasia shouted. She was getting anxious. Her sixth sense was usually urate.


    Something terrible might have happened to Snowball.


    ¡°Someone jumped into the river. Someone jumped into the river over at the scenic area! He jumped in!


    I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s looking for.¡±


    Anastasia anxiously grabbed a passerby and asked, ¡°Where?¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Over there. At the scenic area in the residential area,¡± the passerby hurriedly replied.


    Anastasia let go of Kimberly¡¯s hand and ran over in a panic.


    Jeremy was also somewhat bewildered. ¡°Mr. Lopez, Mrs. Lopez asked me to deal with the cat¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you throw it into the river?¡± stor gasped as he looked at Jeremy in shock.


    Jeremy looked around and did not dare to speak.


    stor calmed down and quickly ran over to stop Anastasia.


    He was afraid that something was about to go wrong.


    Anastasia ran to the scenic river in the residential area and saw Jason in the water. He waspletely


    soaked, taking a deep breath on the surface before diving down again.


    ¡°Jason¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse, and her eyes were burning with tears.


    ¡°Come up!¡± Anastasia shouted at Jason.


    Anastasia panicked and wanted to run into the river. ¡°Jace¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? You¡¯ll risk your life!¡± stor rushed over and pulled Anastasia back, his anger evident.


    ¡°Jace¡­¡± Anastasia desperately tried to push stor away. At that moment, she only knew she could


    not lose Jace again.


    If Snowball was beyond saving, then Jace must be safe.


    But after a long time, Jason still had note out of the water.


    ¡°Jace!¡± Anastasia cried out for Jace, desperately trying to break free from stor¡¯s grasp.


    stor held Anastasia tightly in his arms and reprimanded her, ¡°He¡¯s gone crazy over finding a cat, and


    now you¡¯ve gone mad too?¡±


    stor had already called the police and informed the property management to handle the situation.


    ¡°Get away from me!¡± Anastasia yelled at stor madly.


    ¡°In his eyes, could everything be done with such rationality andposure? In fact, it¡¯s because he did


    not care enough. If Felicia was the one who jumped into the river, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be more impulsive than


    anyone else,¡± she said inwardly.


    stor held Anastasia¡¯s wrist tightly with a gloomy expression and refused to let her go.


    He could not let Anastasia go there.


    Anastasia lowered her head and bit stor¡¯s hand hard, not wanting to let go.


    stor¡¯s face turned pale in pain, but he did not loosen his grip.


    ¡°Get away from me!¡± Anastasia cried, asking stor to leave. ¡°If anything happens to Snowball and


    Jace, I won¡¯t let you and your mother go. I absolutely won¡¯t¡­¡±


    She had nothing left now except for Snowball and Jace.


    stor¡¯s heart ached tremendously as he saw the hatred in Anastasia¡¯s eyes when she looked at him.


    stor was clearly at fault in Snowball¡¯s matter.


    Finally, she broke free from stor¡¯s grasp. Anastasia immediately wanted to rush into the river, but


    fortunately, Jason emerged from the water, holding a woven bag and walking toward the river bank.


    Anastasia stood rooted to her spot, her entire body numb with shock.


    Jason¡¯s expression was grim as he hastily wiped the water off his face. Once he reached the shore, he


    anxiously untied the woven bag.


    Inside, Snowball was barely breathing, and the corners of its mouth were covered with blood. Clearly, it


    had endured inhumane abuse before being thrown into the river.


    ¡°Annie¡­ Don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll rush it to the hospital now.¡± Jason sounded flustered as he


    picked up Snowball, his voice hoarse.


    Anastasia¡¯s vision darkened, and she copsed to the ground.


    She could not bear to look at Snowball.


    ¡°Anastasia! Go to the hospital first,¡± stor said while trying to support her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Anastasia red at stor with hatred. With Kimberly¡¯s help. she slowly rose to her


    feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the animal clinic.¡±


    stor stood still and looked back at Jeremy with intense anger.


    ¡°Mrs. Lopez asked me to end its life. I¡¯m just¡­¡± Jeremy muttered.


    ¡°That¡¯s too much¡­¡± stor raised his hand and rubbed the space between his brows.


    At that moment, stor realized Anastasia would never forgive him for the rest of her life if something


    happened to Snowball.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    At the animal clinic, Anastasia waited anxiously


    outside the emergency room, her hands tightly clenched together.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Jasonforted. He was soaked from head to toe, and the weather was freezing.


    Even though it did not freeze in Hork during winter, the river water in the residential area was bone-


    chillingly cold.


    Nevertheless, Jason understood how important Snowball was to Anastasia, so he rushed into the river


    without a second thought.


    ¡°Go take a shower and change into dry clothes. You¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± Anastasia choked with sobs while


    nervously looking at Jason¡¯s pale face from the cold.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Jason sneezed. ¡°I often swim in the winter.¡±


    Anastasia averted her gaze, her eyes red.


    ¡°We suggest euthanizing it. The cat has multiple fractures, was violently beaten, and almost drowned.


    Continuing treatment would be excruciating for it.¡± The veterinarian came out and let out a sigh.


    Upon hearing that, Anastasia¡¯s legs went weak, and she almost fell to the ground.


    Both stor and Jason stepped forward to support Anastasia. However, this time, stor chose


    Jason.


    With teary eyes, Anastasia reached out to hold Jason¡¯s hand. ¡°Snowball is my only family now.¡±¡­


    ¡°You still have me,¡± Jason replied as he pulled Anastasia into his embrace. At the same time, he shot a


    warning look at stor.


    stor clenched his fingers, and Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. He wanted to say something, but the words


    were stuck in his throat.


    The veterinarian sighed again, saying, ¡°You guys should go and see the cat.¡±


    Anastasia walked into the operating room and looked at Snowball lying on the hospital bed, her voice


    hoarse. ¡°Snowball has been with me for four years.¡±


    Jason felt his heart break seeing her in that state. Hence, he looked away.


    Anastasia nced at stor. ¡°Since the day you decided to let me raise Snowball, I¡¯ve treated it as my


    family.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    stor clenched his fingers tightly. He knew he was in the wrong.


    Although it was just a cat, Anastasia truly cherished Snowball.


    ¡°But your mother ruined everything,¡± Anastasia said hoarsely.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a cat? Stop being so dramatic.¡± Felicia and Naomi walked in from outside the animal clinic.


    Anastasia could not hold it back after hearing those words and shouted emotionally, ¡°It¡¯s just a cat? For


    you, it¡¯s just a cat. But for me, it¡¯s my emotional support!¡± She could not help but tremble.


    ¡°stor, why did you let your mothere and upset Annie?¡± Jason questioned while holding


    Anastasia¡¯s hand to support


    her.


    stor¡¯s gaze fixed on Jason and Anastasia¡¯s tightly held hands. He frowned and remained silent for a


    long time.


    ¡°So dramatic,¡± Naomimented disdainfully.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± stor¡¯s expression darkened, asking his mother to leave first.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t Ie? She¡¯s making such a fuss over an animal. I have to see her and keep an eye on my


    grandchild. After all, she¡¯s carrying the Lopez family¡¯s child.¡± Naomi was furious. She wanted to keep


    an eye on Anastasia for fear that she would y any tricks.


    stor rubbed his eyebrows and shouted, ¡°Enough!¡±


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Naomi was infuriated.


    stor did not want to deal with his mother. ¡°Please leave now and stop bothering Anastasia. Both of


    us raised the cat together. It¡¯s not just an animal like you called it.¡±


    stor, too, was mad. However, he did not know how to handle the situation at that moment.


    Moreover, Anastasia and Jason were openly holding hands. stor still considered themselves a


    married couple, and her actions seemed like a provocation to him.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± On the other side, Anastasia¡¯s face turned pale, and her stomach started to hurt badly.


    Anastasia sat on the ground, clutching her belly as blood flowed down her legs. In the next second, her


    vision started to blur.


    Behind Naomi, Felicia stood with a smug look. She was waiting to see Anastasia¡¯s fate.


    Zachary was present during the DNA paternity test, so Felicia could not tamper with the results. Hence,


    she found a way to get rid of the child.


    Anastasia had just undergone the DNA paternity test. Her body was already weak and could not handle


    too much stress. Therefore, Felicia instigated Naomi to get rid of Snowball, knowing that would upset


    Anastasia.


    After that, she brought Naomi to provoke Anastasia, hoping she would have a miscarriage.


    Felicia would never allow Anastasia to give birth to the Lopez family¡¯s child. Even if they wanted one,


    the former should be the one to bear the child.


    Why right did Anastasia have?


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Jason panicked and wanted to carry her.


    ¡°Get lost!¡± stor pushed Jason aside, his face turning pale as he picked Anastasia up.


    stor¡¯s voice was shaking as he spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital. We need to go to the hospital.¡±


    He had a bad feeling, sensing that something terrible was about to happen.


    Anastasia¡¯s body seemed too fragile, unable to withstand all the stress.


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s going on?¡± Even Naomi was afraid and stepped forward to take a look. ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯re


    really good at acting. You better don¡¯t let anything happen to my grandchild!¡±


    ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Seeing his mother blocking the way, stor was genuinely angry.


    stor could not bear the thought of anything happening to Anastasia.


    That day, when Anastasia walked barefoot on the ss fragments, he realized his heart hurt as well.


    It was impossible to say that he had no feelings for her. After all, they had been married for four years.


    However, Anastasia had yed too many tricks on him.


    He could not trust her anymore.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Worried that they might be wasting time, Jason did not dare to fight over


    her with stor. His face turned pale, and he wanted to follow them outside.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    ¡°Change your clothes, Jason!¡± Kimberly ran in with the newly bought clothes and grabbed Jason. ¡°Your


    body can¡¯t take it if you keep being like this. Take a shower and change your clothes first. I¡¯ll leave


    Snowball for you to handle while I go to the hospital with stor.¡±


    Anastasia was pushed into the emergency room by a doctor at the Hork General Hospital. Her vision


    was blurred as she looked at the light above her head.


    ¡°Are you her husband? Please sign here. This child can¡¯t be saved. Otherwise, the patient will bleed


    heavily. If she is in critical condition, we may need to remove her uterus.¡±


    A nurse asked stor to sign a consent form outside the emergency room.


    stor¡¯s face turned pale, and there was a tremor in his voice. ¡°Please save¡­ the mother.¡±


    ¡°No! My grandson can¡¯t be aborted. You must save the baby! You have to save him!¡± Naomi followed


    from behind and rushed to stop stor anxiously.


    ¡°You can¡¯t sign this. The baby must be saved!¡± cried Naomi madly as she tried to snatch the pen from


    stor¡¯s hand.


    From Naomi¡¯s point of view, Anastasia¡¯s life wasn¡¯t important at all. She already had such thoughts


    when the baby was still in the early stages of pregnancy and hadn¡¯t taken shape yet. If anything, she


    would have insisted on ensuring that the doctors saved the baby regardless of whether or not


    Anastasia survived.


    The nurse urged stor, ¡°Please decide as soon as possible. The patient is still waiting for surgery.¡±


    stor¡¯s hand, which was holding the pen, did not move for a long time.


    He had also chosen to put his faith in luck before the child¡¯s paternity test results came out. He


    wondered if he could use the child to keep Anastasia by his side if the child was indeed his.


    But would it mean theplete end of his rtionship with Anastasia if this child was gone?


    stor hesitated when he thought of Anastasia¡¯s determined look when she asked for a divorce.


    ¡°Can¡¯t this child be saved?¡± asked stor in a low voice.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    The nurse looked at stor in surprise. ¡°The patient is physically poor and in an unstable condition.


    Saving the baby will incur a great risk, and the severe bleeding can be life-threatening.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t care. We must keep the baby!¡± shouted Naomi like a shrewish woman.


    In the emergency room, Anastasia leaned against the operating table with emptiness and despair in


    her eyes.


    ¡°Ms. Lawson¡­¡± The doctor found himself in a difficult position.


    ¡°Just do as I say,¡± said Anastasia in a hoarse voice.


    She had given up all her hope for stor.


    stor was going to insist on saving the child just because it was his, regardless of whether Anastasia


    lived or died.


    ¡°But your body can¡¯t bear it at all if you choose to keep the baby.¡± The doctor sighed. If she continued


    this way, the pregnancy was going to weaken her so badly that there was going to be nothing left of


    her.


    He feared Anastasia was not going to make it till the postpartum treatment n after giving birth.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Anastasia wiped away the tears from her reddened eyes. She then asked in a low


    voice, ¡°Mr. Quinn has contacted you, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    The doctor nodded. ¡°But if an ident happens, we will not be responsible for it. You need to sign a


    disimer personally.¡± Anastasia nodded and signed an agreement.


    She wanted to keep the baby, not because it was stor¡¯s, but because it was her own.


    However, she didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with stor anymore.


    The doctor came out from the emergency room.


    ¡°The patient has personally signed the abortion agreement. We shall follow her will.¡± The doctor


    paused before he continued in a deep voice, ¡°Please maintain silence inside the hospital.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Naomi¡¯s face darkened when she heard that Anastasia was about to have an abortion. She


    rushed forward, wanting to stop the doctor. ¡°She has no right to terminate the pregnancy! Who does


    she think she is? I disagree with her aborting a child of the Lopez family!¡± raged Naomi.


    ¡°Enough! Haven¡¯t you said enough already? Would Anastasia have been so agitated that it affected her


    pregnancy if you hadn¡¯t sent someone to get rid of Snowball?¡± snapped stor in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°To think that Anastasia has given up on this pregnancy so willingly¡­ I guess our rtionship is over


    for good,¡± thought stor.


    ¡°stor, why are you so stupid? She is plotting against you. Can¡¯t you tell that she is intentionally


    terminating the pregnancy? She¡¯s doing this on purpose to take revenge on us!¡± Naomi sat on the


    ground crying.


    stor stood quietly aside and didn¡¯t say anything.


    When Anastasia was transferred out of the operating room, her face and lips were a deathly white.


    Shey there numbly and didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°You malicious woman! You aborted the Lopez family¡¯s child for such a beast.¡± Naomi was still crying


    on the ground.


    Felicia was still persuading Naomi gently. ¡°Mrs. Lopez, don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s not worth it to get angry at a


    malicious person who would use her child to get back at someone. Besides, I¡¯m still carrying a


    descendant of the Lopez family in me.¡±


    Anastasiay on the bed. She could feel the scalding tears roll down as she closed her eyes numbly.


    She clenched her fists tightly, although she knew that Felicia was aggravating her on purpose.


    How could she not be angry?


    She had lost her child, while the baby in Felicia was the only child of the Lopez family.


    ¡°Are you all satisfied?¡± Anastasia opened her eyes and asked in a hoarse voice. ¡°Now that this has


    been done, you to worry about the will anymore, stor.¡±


    stor opened his mouth but didn¡¯t say anything. He remained silent for a long time.


    ¡°You vicious woman, how can you do that?¡± Naomi got up crying, wanting to argue with Anastasia.


    ¡°She might be dead if she didn¡¯t terminate the pregnancy!¡± Kimberly stood beside Anastasia and


    stopped Naomi.


    ¡°Piss off, you vicious woman! No parent will hurt their own child!¡±


    won¡¯t have

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    Naomi med Anastasia as she wailed.


    No parents will hurt their children. However, Anastasia was not even willing to spare her child.


    Anastasia looked at Naomi and smiled sardonically. ¡°Do you feel heartbroken at losing your future


    grandson or granddaughter?¡±


    Naomi red at Anastasia, clearly enraged.


    ¡°Now, you can understand how I feel. You got rid of my cat while I aborted your grandchild. I think it¡¯s


    fair.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse but full of hatred.


    ¡°I knew it, you malicious woman! You aborted my grandson for a little beast!¡± Naomi was so angry that


    she had a sudden ckout. Felicia held her because Naomi could barely stand still.


    ¡°stor, look at this vicious woman. Look how she aborted your child over a beast!¡± Naomi was still


    crying as she yelled. ¡°She aborted my grandson just because I asked someone to get rid of that beast.


    She did this to take revenge on you


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I truly am that vicious. You know what? That fetus was almost three months old. He had


    already developed facial features, and one could clearly distinguish his eyes, ears, and mouth. Would


    you like to take him home? He¡¯s inside the trash can in the operating room. You can take him back if


    you like him so much.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse while she spoke. Her heart felt like it was being cut by a knife with each


    word she uttered.


    Why did she have to please stor and Naomi when they had made things so difficult for her?


    She wasn¡¯t a saint after all.


    From now on, her child had nothing to do with stor and the Lopez family.


    ¡°You vicious woman¡­¡± Naomi felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe and nearly fainted.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor yelled at Anastasia. He asked someone to send Naomi home to rest.


    ¡°Do you have to say such provocative things?¡± stor gave her aplicated look. He clenched his


    hands tightly until they turned pale, and he felt like his heart was bleeding.


    Anastasia¡¯s words not only aggravated Naomi but also riled up stor.


    ¡°What should I say? Should Ifort you? Should I say something like, ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if Snowball is


    dead and the child is gone, we can still raise another cat and have another child¡¯?¡± Anastasia was


    bing mor¨¦ riled up as she spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t agitate the patient, please. She just had an abortion and is rtively weak.¡± The nurse frowned


    and asked someone to wheel Anastasia back to the ward.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see him, doctor,¡± said Anastasia in a hoarse voice.


    She just wanted to be alone.


    Later, stor truly didn¡¯te to see her. Anastasia heard that Naomi was hospitalized for heart


    palpitations.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± Kimberly sat beside the hospital bed in fear and looked at Anastasia.


    She thought that Anastasia resembled a corpse at this moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± whispered Anastasia.


    Kimberly choked out, ¡°I¡¯ll go buy you some light chowder. Don¡¯t take things too hard. Snowball isn¡¯t in


    pain, and Jason is dealing with it.¡± She got up and left when she saw Zachary had arrived.


    ¡°Mr. Quinn, thank you for what happened today and the DNA paternity test. I don¡¯t know what to do to


    repay you.¡± Anastasia propped herself up and sat down. She wouldn¡¯t have known how to hide it from


    stor if Zachary hadn¡¯t helped


    her.


    Now both stor and Naomi believed that the baby had been aborted.


    ¡°I will certainly lend you a hand if you ask me for help.¡± Zachary sat beside the hospital bed and looked


    at Anastasia. ¡°Have you considered how to live your life after divorcing him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to think about it now. People like me muddle along from day to day.¡± Anastasia smiled


    bitterly.


    Zachary was silent for a moment before he spoke again. ¡°Jason is a good guy. I can see that he truly


    loves you.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Quinn, you know Jason?¡± Anastasia had always been curious that Zachary and Jason seemed to


    know each other. ¡°Well, a friend asked me to take care of him,¡± exined Zachary briefly.


    ¡°Mr. Quinn, do you know who owns the only single mansion in the center of Hillscester Ind?¡±


    Anastasia wanted to learn more about Jason.


    That mansion was too expensive and couldn¡¯t be bought easily just because one had money.


    ¡°That mansion?¡± Zachary was stunned. ¡°It was bought over by Samuel Zabinski, a rich Clusian man, at


    a sky-high price of 60 million dors during an auction five years ago.¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment, and her body stiffened slightly.


    ¡°Samuel? Why would a rich man like him let Jason live in his mansion for no reason? Felicia said


    before that Jason used to keep both men and womenpany in order to survive in Atharia,¡± thought


    Anastasia.


    Anastasia rubbed her eyebrows and whispered, ¡°Did Samuel publiclye out of the closet?¡±


    Zacharyughed. ¡°Do you still care about that? Why are you interested in Samuel all of a sudden? The


    Zabinski family and the Gunn family are indeed powerful and are iparable to the business circles


    in Hork. But don¡¯t choose Samuel if you want to take revenge on stor, it¡¯s better not to choose


    Samuel. He is not young and not interested in women, not to mention he hase out publicly.¡±


    Anastasia felt more heartbroken when she heard this.


    She didn¡¯t know how much Jason had suffered.


    ¡°You can choose me if you really want to take revenge on stor. I can help you with it.¡± Zachary


    looked at Anastasia seriously.


    Anastasia smiled weakly. ¡°Mr. Quinn, you must be kidding. Although my rtionship with stor is


    over, and our marriage will not continue, it still hasn¡¯t reached the stage for me to take revenge on him.¡±


    Zachary shrugged and said nothing more.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± Jason had arrived and stood outside the door. He had changed his clothes and wore a


    surgical mask, looking unhappy.


    It was clear that he had caught a cold.

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Quinn.¡± Jason was very polite to Zachary. After all, Zachary was the only one who


    dared to stand up and speak for Anastasia when public opinion caused quite a stir on the inte.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. But I¡¯m not a phnthropist.¡± Zachary got up and looked at Jason meaningfully.


    He was not a phnthropist and did not have any contact with Anastasia over the years. Naturally, he


    was only willing to help her because he had his own intention of doing so.


    Zachary liked Anastasia very much. Now that Anastasia was going to get a divorce and it caused such


    a hugemotion, he naturally wanted to fight for a chance.


    Jason¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Quinn.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if he wants benefits. But if he wants Anastasia, it won¡¯t happen,¡± Jason mused to himself.


    ¡°About Snowball¡­¡± After Zachary left, Jason sat by the bed. ¡°I buried it under the cherry tree in the


    backyard.¡±


    Anastasia looked at Jason and spoke in a low voice. ¡°The house¡­ We won¡¯t be staying there forever.


    Now that we buried Snowball there¡­¡±


    Anastasia spoke cautiously for fear of hurting Jason¡¯s pride.


    After all, in Anastasia¡¯s memory, Jace did not like men.


    However, in order to survive, he must have suffered a lot abroad.


    Jason was embarrassed for a moment. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he did not say anything.


    Anastasia looked at Jason who hesitated to speak. She felt that it must be difficult for him to bring it up.


    Moreover, it must be some past that he did not want to recall.


    ¡°Why did you choose to study abroad, Jason?¡± Anastasia asked in a hoarse voice.


    Jason lowered his head and remained silent for a long time. He did not say anything.


    Anastasia¡¯s heart tightened. She was afraid that she might touch on Jason¡¯s painful past, so she


    quickly changed the topic. ¡°We can¡¯t live in Hillscester Mansion forever, Jason. I still have some


    savings. Do you think we can rent a house first and buy itter after we have more money?¡±


    Upon hearing her remark, Jason was stunned for a moment and looked up at Anastasia in shock. ¡°Did


    you say¡­ us?¡±


    Anastasia was silent for a long time before she finally spoke, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Jason¡¯s life had been hard enough. Although she lived a broken life, she always wanted to help others.


    ¡°Even if it was six years ago, or even now, I always treat you as a young man, Jason. We can be a


    family, and we can be siblings. But the only thing that we cannot be is lovers¡­¡±.


    Anastasia had to remind him about it first.


    Before she died, she wanted to take good care of Jason and help him to make all his scars from the


    past disappear as much as possible.


    Moreover, she wanted to take him out of the traumatic events.


    Furthermore, she wanted to give him a home.


    Nevertheless, she could never be his lover.


    It was because Anastasia did not know what crazy things Jason would do after she died once she had


    that kind of rtionship with him.


    Jason¡¯s eyes darkened and he kept silent.


    After all, they had a long time ahead of them, so he could do it slowly.


    Even if he had missed out, Anastasia would still fall in love with him one day.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to rent a house in a hurry. Let¡¯s stay in Hillscester Mansion without any worry. I will work


    hard to support you and Grandma.¡± Jason looked at Anastasia solemnly.


    It was obvious that he did not take Anastasia¡¯s words seriously.


    She could say anything she wanted, but he would do things in his own way.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Jason¡­¡± Anastasia was helpless and wanted to say something more.


    Nevertheless, Jason did not listen at all. ¡°Annie, the things that you have at stor¡¯s ce. Can I call


    FedEx to pick them up for you today?¡±


    Jason was worried that Anastasia would go back to that house again.


    When he looked at how stor behaved before, thetter did not look like he wanted to let Anastasia


    off that easily.


    Anastasia thought for a while and nodded. ¡°Okay, but don¡¯t try to have a direct confrontation with


    stor.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Jason nodded.


    Nevertheless, Anastasia still felt slightly distressed as she looked at Jason. Her gaze was fixed on him


    all the time.


    Meanwhile, Jason looked around in confusion and then at himself. ¡°Is there¡­ any dirt on my face?¡±


    He felt that the way Anastasia looked at him was strange.


    ¡°Have you suffered a lot all these years, Jason?¡± Anastasia asked in a low voice. Then, she added,


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you contact


    me?¡±


    ¡°I tried my best to make myself stronger first when I still didn¡¯t have the power to give you enough


    sense of security.¡± Jason was silent for a moment. Then, he added, ¡°I thought you would choose the


    opportunity to further your studies abroad. But I didn¡¯t expect that you chose to get married¡­¡±


    Initially, Jason wanted to stay in Atharia and waited for Anastasia. However, he had waited for her for


    four years.


    He still did not manage to meet Anastasia..


    The only thing that he received was the news that Anastasia was already married.


    When Kimberly mentioned that her best friend had married a rich and handsome man, his heart hurt so


    much. Nevertheless, he did not have the power to change it and he was afraid that he would disturb


    Anastasia.


    Therefore, in those four years, he chose to disappearpletely from Anastasia¡¯s world.


    It was right until the time that Anastasia suddenly appeared in Atharia and they met each other by


    chance in the elevator.


    In fact, when he entered the elevator and saw Anastasia walking straight into his arms, Jason thought


    he had been drinking too much the previous night.


    He thought it was a dream.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia did not recognize him because he had changed a lot over the past six years.


    Nheless, he could always recognize Anastasia at a nce, no matter what she had turned into.


    This was probably the difference between someone who loved another and someone who did not.


    ¡°I bought you a vegetable beef casserole, pasta, and pumpkin chowder, Annie.¡± Kimberly came back


    and saw that Jason was around as well. ¡°If I had known you woulde, I¡¯d have bought you a rib to


    boost your health.¡±


    ¡°Kimberly will take care of you, Annie. I¡¯ll go there and pack your things up and move them out.¡± Jason


    stood up and wanted to leave.


    ¡°Jason¡­¡± Anastasia stopped him. ¡°If stor is at home, don¡¯t move my things first. Call me and wait


    for me to be discharged before moving them out.¡±

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    Anastasia knew that stor would not go back to that house because it was meaningless to him. After


    all, he had so many properties.


    However, Anastasia also wanted to think of something as a precaution. The moment stor was at


    home, he would feel that Jason was provoking him. Once there was a conflict between them, it would


    not be beneficial for Jason.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Jason nodded and left quickly.


    ¡°Does Jason¡­ like you?¡± Kimberly asked in a low voice. After all, she was not stupid.


    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. He¡¯s just a young man I knew before. We haven¡¯t met


    for six years and he changed so much that I didn¡¯t recognize him at the elevator.¡±


    Kimberly sat next to the bed and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Do you know that Jason¡­¡±


    She stopped for a long time. Then, Kimberly was hesitant to continue speaking. ¡°Oh, forget it. It¡¯s good


    that you don¡¯t have the intention. Anyway¡­ Jason is a good person, but he¡¯s not really the most


    suitable person to fall in love with and get married to.¡±


    ¡°When he¡¯s at the university-¡± Anastasia wanted to know Jason better.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? Many people thought Jason is the scion of the Gunn Group. Jason had never


    admitted it directly, but he had never denied it as well. A few days ago, I went back to the university and


    found someone attacking Jason on the forum. That person said that he was vainglorious and


    deliberately used the name of Gunn Group¡­¡±


    Then, Kimberly added in a whisper, ¡°Besides, someone had photos and knew the truth. That person


    said that Jason¡­ apanied an influential man who was also homosexual sleeping in a hotel.¡±


    Anastasia pinched the space between her eyebrows.


    She did not have to guess it as she was confident that the person was Felicia.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Help me find out who is the person attacking Jason. Then, do something for me.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice


    was low.


    Recently, she was busy with the child, divorce, and the matter of the art exhibition. Thus, she ignored


    Felicia and thetter was able to do things unscrupulously.


    Her fingers gradually clenched tight. Anastasia¡¯s eyes, meanwhile, were brimming with tears.


    She also did not have to guess it at all as she knew that Felicia must have something to do with what


    happened to Snowball.


    Kimberly leaned over and listened to Anastasia.


    Anastasia spoke in a low voice and looked at Kimberly with a deep gaze.


    Kimberly pped her thigh. ¡°You should have done something to that vile person long ago. Otherwise,


    she will think you are easy to be bullied.¡±


    ¡°An


    eye


    for an eye. She has crossed my bottom line.¡± Her bottom line was Snowball and Jason.


    It was obvious that Felicia had made a mistake.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll help you.¡± Kimberly nodded and signaled Anastasia to quickly eat the food.


    ¡°Oops! Why do you still have the strength to eat, Anastasia? It looks like you¡¯re not sad at all when the


    child is gone.¡± It was Felicia¡¯s voiceing from outside the ward.


    As a matter of fact, her baby bump was still not obvious. However, she already deliberately put on


    loose clothes and supported her waist with her hand to provoke Anastasia.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was low.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mr. Lopez¡¯s secretary. Obviously, I¡¯m here on behalf of Mr. Lopez to see if you¡¯re all right.¡± Felicia


    put the fresh flowers and fruit basket on the table beside her.


    Get out Kimberly threw the flowers out.


    Felicia looked at Anastasia proudly. ¡°Previously, you were pregnant, so you had a bargaining chip over


    me. But there¡¯s nothing left now¡­ What do you have topete with me? Are you going to rely on


    Jason, that poor liar?¡±


    ¡°Speak nicely for the sake of the child in your womb,¡± Anastasia said indifferently.


    ¡°Stop being sarcastic here, Anastasia. You¡¯re just jealous of me and jealous that I can give birth to a


    child for the Lopez family.¡± Felicia deliberately showed off her left hand. ¡°Look, this is what Naomi¡­


    Oh, no. It¡¯s the ring that my future mother-inw gave me. She said that it¡¯s a family heirloom and worth


    a few hundred thousand dors.¡±


    Anastasia looked at Felicia coldly and merely let thetter do what she wanted.


    ¡°By the way, stor also proposed to me. He said that after he divorces you, he will take me to have


    our registration of


    marriage.¡± Then, Felicia continued to provoke Anastasia as the former added, ¡°Do you know how much


    is the price of the wedding dress that I like? The design fee is already tens of thousands of dors. It¡¯s


    purely handmade and is also a high-end custom-made dress. The whole set costs several million


    dors.¡±


    Felicia knew that stor had never held a wedding for Anastasia.


    Moreover, he never gave her the wedding party that she wanted.


    This was what Anastasia had dreamed of.


    Anastasia held her hands tightly and endured silently.


    ¡°Our wedding party is scheduled to be held in Baridoki. If you have time, you can attend our wedding


    party¡­ Felicia chuckled. After that, she added, ¡°Anastasia, you won¡¯t have a decent wedding like this


    in your entire life. Even if Jason is willing to marry you, he¡¯s just a fake scion. He¡¯s so poor that he can¡¯t


    even support himself. So, your wedding to him will be very horrible¡­¡±


    Upon seeing that Anastasia was silent, Felicia spoke again. ¡°When the timees, don¡¯t endure it


    yourself. Give a call to stor. Considering the rtionship that you had for four years, my husband


    won¡¯t leave you on your own.¡±


    ¡°If stor married you, it will be a joke in the businessmunity.¡± As Jason stood at the door, he


    spoke in a slightly low voice. ¡°Felicia, do you really think there is no evidence in others¡¯ hands about


    everything that you did at the university? Why don¡¯t I send them to stor? Will he treat you equally


    and take you to do a DNA paternity test as well?¡±


    Felicia¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°What are you pretending to do, poor guy?¡±


    ¡°Ha! Why don¡¯t I show stor the photos and videos you sent me when you pursued me before?¡±


    Jason¡¯s voice was low.


    Felicia gritted her teeth and did not dare to confront Jason directly. She merely snorted and left quickly.


    ¡°Why are you back?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    ¡°I saw Feliciaing up¡­ And I¡¯m worried.¡± Jason approached Anastasia. ¡°Have your meal first. I¡¯ll


    leave after you finish.

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    ¡°Have you read the campus forum, Jason?¡± Kimberly asked in a low voice. Then she added, ¡°Well¡­ I


    think the situation is bad for you. Do you want to rify it?¡±


    Jason took out his phone and nced at it. Then he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not necessary. One who has


    a clear conscience fears


    no usation.¡±


    ¡°I always feel that there¡¯s someone behind this who controls everything. It¡¯s simr to what happened


    several days ago when Annie¡¯s affairs became trending on the inte all of a sudden, and many


    people were scolding her.¡± Kimberly was a little worried.


    Anastasia also nced at Jason worriedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t care.¡± Jason shook his head.


    Anastasia felt a bad omen wasing. Moreover, she always felt Kimberly was right, and the situation


    was not so simple.


    Perhaps everything that had happened really was just too excessive. After all, it started from the


    forums of the university abroad to the outbreak of public opinion within the country.


    Nevertheless, Felicia¡¯s character would not allow her to stop until she destroyed Anastasia.


    Moreover, she would not let Jason go off easily as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to be careful.¡±


    Anastasia stayed in the hospital for three days. Before she was discharged, stor had not visited/her


    even once.


    Nevertheless, stor came over on the day that she was being discharged.


    ¡°Did you move out all the things in the house?¡± stor frowned and approached Anastasia to ask her


    why she moved all her


    stuff out.


    It was obvious that stor had not been home for three days.


    ¡°Well, I want to make room for you and Felicia,¡± Anastasia said quietly as she gave a gentle smile.


    stor¡¯s body stiffened and his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed.


    Then he was silent for a long time before he spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it, Anastasia.¡±


    Anastasia nodded and did not decline. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± stor got a new car. It was clean, and there was nothing inside.


    Moreover, there was no more sticker pasted on the passenger seat that indicated it was Felicia¡¯s


    personal seat.


    Anastasia looked at stor, who took the initiative to open the passenger door for her. Nheless,


    she went straight into the back seat.


    stor stood rooted to his spot and looked at Anastasia, who was already in the car. Then he quietly


    closed the door for the passenger seat.


    ¡°Is there anything you really wanted to eat?¡± stor turned around and asked Anastasia.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She did not know if it was because he was too busy in thepany or because he was too busy


    proposing to Felicia. Nevertheless, stor looked very tired and seemed to have lost weight.


    His voice was also hoarse.


    ¡°stor, let¡¯s go to the restaurant where we met for the first time and had a blind date.¡± Anastasia kept


    smiling.


    However, her smile looked unfamiliar and distant.


    stor tightened his grip on the steering wheel and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The first time she met stor was at the Epean restaurant.


    Anastasia was anxious to have a blind date because she wanted to get married. Meanwhile, stor


    was in a hurry to find someone to get married to because he wanted to take over the shares in Lopez


    Group.


    For some reason, the two of them met in the restaurant and immediately came to an agreement.


    It was because each of them was the ideal type for the other.


    ¡°In the past, I always thought that rtionships could be developed. But¡­ It¡¯s actually not true.¡±


    Anastasia looked out of the window and spoke in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s take some time to develop it even more¡­¡± stor said in a deep voice.


    ¡°Huh? Anastasia did not hear clearly, so she looked at stor.


    ¡°We¡¯ll start over, Anastasia.¡± stor parked his car on the roadside and spoke solemnly.


    However, Anastasia frowned and looked at stor without saying a word.


    ¡°Has he gone mad again?¡± she wondered.


    ¡°I can give you whatever you want. It¡¯s something that Jason won¡¯t be able to give you.¡± stor spoke


    again.


    When Anastasia heard stor¡¯s first sentence, she thought that she was hallucinating or that he was


    possessed by someone


    else.


    Nevertheless, she knew that he was still him when he said the second sentence.


    ¡°Did someone provoke you all of a sudden? Or do you finally have your conscience? Do you feel bad


    about it because your child is gone?¡± Anastasia said in a hoarse voice.


    In the past, she thought she would be happy to hear stor say he did not want to get a divorce.


    Now, she finally realized that she would not be happy about it. On the contrary, she felt disgusted by it.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± stor called out her name tiredly


    He seldom called Anastasia¡¯s nickname. Thus, when he called out the word ¡°Annie, it sounded


    awkward.


    ¡°There will be more children. If you like children, let¡¯s have another one. Is it okay?¡± stor seemed to


    be asking for


    Anastasia¡¯s consent.


    Nheless, Anastasia looked at stor andughed sarcastically. ¡°Are you kidding me? stor, are


    you a man? Do you have a heart?¡±


    After that, she mused to herself. The child is gone, and Snowball is gone.


    How dare he say this now?


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ I¡¯ve let go of your past I forgave you. You can forgive me once as well. Can¡¯t you?¡±


    stor was almost pleading with her. ¡°Felicia and 1. There was only that one time. It was really an


    ident.¡±

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    Anastasia looked at stor in shock. She did not know how he was able to say something so shocking.


    ¡°What did you say? Did you say that you forgave me? Ha!¡± Anastasiaughed. She averted her gaze


    because she did not want tears to fall down her face.


    ¡°Anastasia, I swear. Felicia and I¡­¡± stor wanted to exin, but it seemed that all the exnation


    was useless.


    Anastasia did not want to hear it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not mention those things anymore. The divorce agreement has been revoked. I haven¡¯t thought


    about it carefully¡­ stor said in a low voice.


    ¡°When will you think about it?¡± The only thing that Anastasia wanted was a divorce,


    ¡°L. stor did not know what to say.


    ¡°stor, Snowball is gone. The child is gone¡­ Do you think there¡¯s still a chance for us?¡± Anastasia


    did not think stor suddenly wanted to stop the divorce because he fell in love with her.


    stor had probably gotten used to her gentleness for the past four years.


    ¡°Anastasia,e on¡­ I owe you everything about the child and Snowball. I can make up for it¡± stor


    did not want to see Anastasia like this.


    ¡°Stop it, stor. You don¡¯t love me, but you want to keep me with you. Moreover, you have ruined me,


    and you still want to trap me¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°I¡¯ll give you time to think about the time


    to file the divorce. I don¡¯t think the divorce agreement can be revoked. It¡¯s because there are two


    copies of it, and you have already signed them.¡±


    After a long silence, Anastasia spoke again. ¡°I have fallen in love with someone else. If you agree to


    divorce, I will marry again.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor looked at Anastasia angrily. ¡°I won¡¯t let you be with Jason. He can¡¯t give you the


    life you want¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s my business.¡± Anastasia wanted to open the door, but stor had


    already locked it.


    ¡°Open the door, stor!¡± Anastasia was slightly angry.


    ¡°Anastasia, let¡¯s stop fighting, okay? I can give you everything that Jason can give you. I know that


    you¡¯ll hate me because of the child and Snowball. We¡¯ll start over.¡± stor seemed to be very


    persistent about not having a divorce.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia did not know what provoked stor these few days.


    ¡°Then, what about Felicia? How are you going to deal with it? What about the child in her womb? Or


    are you really nning to have a harem? You don¡¯t want to get a divorce, but you want to have a


    mistress outside?¡± Anastasia looked at stor.


    stor was silent.


    It was obvious that he had not figured out how to deal with Felicia yet.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± stor¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Give me some time to deal with it.¡±


    ¡°Time?¡± Anastasia smiled. What shecked the most was time.


    In fact, she did not have much time to wait.


    ¡°stor, I can¡¯t wait for you.¡± Anastasia shook her head.


    stor held the steering wheel tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going back to the ce anymore. I¡¯ve moved all my things out. Drop me off here, and I will


    leave on my own.¡± Anastasia refused to go back.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor was suppressing his anger. ¡°I will give you time to think about it before Winter Light


    Festival!¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers were numb as she knew that stor was going to do something to her.


    He wanted her to ept the reality.


    Anastasia thought they could file for divorce and obtain the divorce certificate once she had a good talk


    with stor.


    Nevertheless, she did not expect that stor was very persistent and did not want to get a divorce.


    Moreover, he did not want to let her go.


    Anastasia did not want to file for divorce. It was because once thewsuit was filed, stor would


    refuse to get a divorce during their first appearance in court. In that case, it would be adjourned for half


    a year.


    Anastasia could not wait for half a year.


    Anastasia dragged herself in exhaustion back to the Hillscester Mansion. Meanwhile, Jason was


    already waiting for her inside the house.


    11:31


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me pick you up in the hospital?¡± Jason felt slightly wronged.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the reporters will take photos of us and write nonsensical things.¡± Anastasia sat on the couch


    and smelled a whiff of a cooked meal. ¡°Did you cook?¡±


    Jason nodded. ¡°Are you hungry? I cooked chowder.¡±


    Anastasia felt slightly moved and nodded. ¡°Indeed¡­ I¡¯m a little hungry.¡±


    Then, Jason smiled. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s have our meal.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes were nearly brimming with tears as she heard his simple words telling her to have a


    meal.


    As she looked up at the ceiling ironically, Anastasia got up and walked to the dining room.


    ¡°Did you wash your hands?¡± Jason took an alcohol wipe and helped Anastasia to wipe her hands.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia looked at Jason nkly.


    It was a feeling that gave her the illusion of home.

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    ¡°Annie, did stor agree to divorce?¡± Jason asked.


    Anastasia remained silent. She thought, ¡°Him?¡±


    Jason also knew that he shouldn¡¯t have asked. He continued, ¡°Do you want me to help you?¡±


    ¡°Help me? How? Don¡¯t get involved in this.¡± Anastasia smiled helplessly.


    Jason said nothing and gave Anastasia a bowl of spinach stuffed gnhi with light chowder.


    ¡°It¡¯s still the Christmas holiday. Happy Christmas!¡± Jason gave Anastasia another apple.


    He just wanted Anastasia to be safe and sound.


    ¡°How is Grandma?¡± Anastasia asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s waiting for the operation. She needs to wait until after Winter Light Festival. Jason nced at


    Anastasia and added, ¡°The art exhibition¡­ I¡¯ll help you with it. I havemunicated with Mr.


    Lexington. I can help.¡±


    Anastasia did not want Jason to participate initially, but this was herst art exhibition.


    ¡°In this art exhibition, I won¡¯t donate anymore in the name of Lopez Group.¡± This was because


    Anastasia knew that few people woulde if she did so.


    After what happened on the Inte, nobody in the business industry wanted to have anything to do


    with her.


    ¡°Just in your own name.¡± Jason nodded.


    ¡°By the way, I have moved back your paintings. Look.¡± Jason pointed to the picture frames in the


    corner.


    It could be seen that Jason was really thoughtful.


    ¡°It seems that this work has not beenpleted yet.¡± Jason lifted one of the paintings, and only half of


    it was drawn.


    ¡°It¡¯s finished¡­¡± Anastasia said in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°What?¡± Jason felt nervous and looked back at Anastasia.


    ¡°I said¡­ The painting is finished. That¡¯s it¡­ It¡¯s a new way of painting.¡± Anastasia smiled, but her voice


    had be hoarse.


    This unfinished painting was like her life. It had to die before even seeing the end.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite creative.¡± Jason smiled.


    It seemed that everything was good as long as Anastasia made it.


    ¡°Jason, have you ever thought about the future?¡± She wondered what he would want to do if she died.


    ¡°Me?¡± Jason shook his head.


    In fact, his future had long been nned.


    ¡°However, no matter what I be, I must have you in my future,¡± Jason whispered.


    Anastasia looked at Jason nkly.¡±


    She thought, ¡°It¡¯s impossible¡­¡±


    ¡°Anastasia! Something went wrong. Look at the Inte. The news about you and Felicia having the art


    exhibition at the same time has be trending again. Somebody is using money to boost the


    headlines!¡± Kimberly called Anastasia.


    This time, Anastasia and Charles were also reported to be suspected of corruption and bribery. Charles


    was under investigation.


    He uploaded a post saying that a clear conscience feared no usation.


    During the investigation, he could not attend or participate in any public events, especially an art


    exhibition.


    Obviously, someone deliberately did this to prevent Charles from participating in Anastasia¡¯s art


    exhibition.


    If Charles did note, Anastasia would not have had any resources andworks for her art


    exhibition.


    If people in the business world refused to go because of public opinion, at least some people who liked


    art would still follow Charles to the exhibition. However, at this time¡­


    Anastasia could already imagine how empty her art exhibition would be.


    However, it was one thing to imagine. When that day arrived, she might feel even more upset.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ they suddenly said that they can¡¯t open the exhibition hall where the art exhibition was


    nned to be held to the public on the day of the Winter Light Festival¡­¡± The assistant also made a


    call.


    11:31


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes burned red, and her voice was hoarse. ¡°Did the curator say who doesn¡¯t allow¡­¡±


    The curator had a good rtionship with Anastasia.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Lopez¡­ It¡¯s because the Lopez Group donated 600 thousand dors of books and funds to the


    venue¡­¡±


    Anastasia slowly closed her eyes. She knew that it must be stor who was behind this.


    She thought, ¡°Does he really want me to back down and beg him?¡±


    ¡°Which venue is still avable?¡± Anastasia was anxious.


    There were two days left until the Winter Light Festival.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°The biggest venue in Hork is the Waterhall Art Gallery, but we can¡¯t rent it¡­ Even if Mr. Lopez steps


    in, he won¡¯t be able to get it. I heard that Felicia has always wanted to hold an art exhibition there. She


    made a lot of connections, and Mr. Lopez also helped coordinate for a long time. However, they failed.


    This is because the Gunn Group owns the Waterhall Art


    Gallery.¡±

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    Anastasia took a deep breath. She thought, ¡°It seems that I have to beg stor this time¡­¡±


    ¡°What about Moana Art Gallery?¡± Anastasia asked in a choked voice.


    ¡°Moana Art Gallery, as the art gallery adjacent to the venue we use, has been booked by Felicia.¡± The


    assistant felt sorry for


    Anastasia.


    Anastasia went silent. ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯ll figure something out for the venue.¡±


    Anastasia thought for a long time after hanging up the phone.


    Anastasia leaned against the back of the chair and tapped on the table with her fingers.


    After a while, she summoned up the courage to call stor.


    The atmosphere in the dining room was a little depressing. Jason looked at Anastasia with distress and


    worry. He guarded her in silence.


    ¡°stor¡­¡± stor picked up the phone. Anastasia continued to ask angrily, ¡°The art gallery. Did you do


    that?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ve said this before¡­ I can take back what I gave you at any time.¡± stor wanted


    Anastasia to think about it carefully.


    He wanted her to think this matter through.


    Sure enough, it was he who did it.


    ¡°Stop messing around ande back. If you don¡¯t like the house here and think of Snowball all the


    time, we can¡­ We can change house. I can also help you adopt a new kitten. What do you think?¡±


    stor thought he had given Anastasia a way out of the situation.


    ¡°Do you think the cat will still be Snowball?¡± Anastasia¡¯s eyes were filled with tears.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Anastasia said persistently again, ¡°I won¡¯t go back¡­ I won¡¯t beg you even if I¡¯m to hold an art exhibition


    at the roadside. Then Anastasia hung up the phone directly.


    ¡°Something happened to the art gallery?¡± After Anastasia calmed down, Jason asked.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Anastasia nodded.


    ¡°Let me figure out a way. Have some food first.¡± Jason picked up his phone and stood up.


    Anastasia did not think Jason coulde up with a solution. After all, stor had already talked to the


    art gallery.


    However, soon, Anastasia received a call from her assistant.


    ¡°Anastasia! Someone from the Waterhall Art Gallery took the initiative to call and ask if we¡¯re going to


    hold an art exhibition!¡±


    Anastasia held her phone in her hands and froze for a moment. She looked back in shock at Jason,


    who was making a call in the living room.


    Waterhall Art Gallery was thergest art gallery in Hork. Even stor couldn¡¯t take it down.


    Even the teachers from the Department of Art might not be able to hold an art exhibition at the


    Waterhall Art Gallery either.


    She thought, ¡°Jason gor Waterhall Art Gallery just by making a phone call? The gallery belongs to


    Gunn Group¡­ Wait.¡± Anastasia hung up the phone and suddenly stood up.


    She started thinking again, ¡°This house belongs to Samuel, the uncle of the heir of the Gunn Group.


    Could it be because Jason asked Samuel?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes turned red. She ran to Jason and took over his phone. She hung up the call directly.


    ¡°The Waterhall Art Gallery¡­ Did you help me with that?¡±


    Jason looked at Anastasia nkly and nodded. ¡°I happen to have a friend¡­¡±


    ¡°A friend again? What kind of friend? Is it Samuel? I don¡¯t need his help!¡± Anastasia did not want Jason


    to owe anyone a favor because of her.


    She did not want him to owe any favors, especially to Samuel.


    ¡°You¡­ You know about it?¡± Jason was surprised that Anastasia knew Samuel.


    ¡°Do you know that Samuel likes men?¡± Anastasia felt sorry for Jace.


    She wondered, ¡°What did Jason undergo to have caused him to turn out like this?¡±


    11:31


    Jason was silent for a long time before bursting intoughter. ¡°Anastasia¡­ are you jealous?¡±


    Anastasia raised her hand to cover her forehead and found that she overreacted. ¡°Jason, Samuel is not


    a good person. Don¡¯t let him bully you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Jason wanted tough, but he held back. He continued, ¡°What should we do, then? I begged


    him, and he agreed. It would be a pity if we didn¡¯t use it.¡±


    Anastasia looked away. ¡°We won¡¯t use it either. I won¡¯t live in this house anymore.¡±


    Anastasia stubbornly insisted on moving out.


    When Jason was about to exin, Anastasia¡¯s phone rang again.


    It was from Felicia.

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    Anastasia hung up Felicia¡¯s phone directly. She was annoyed to have heard thetter talking on the


    phone.


    Felicia sent her WhatsApp message instead when Anastasia did not answer her phone.


    ¡°Anastasia, you will regret not answering my calls.¡± Anastasia ignored Felicia and wanted to block her.


    She thought against it, as she might have needed their chat history to be used as evidence.


    Instead of blocking, Anastasia changed Felicia¡¯s contact settings to ¡°Do not disturb.¡± Subsequently, she


    began her search for suitable amodation.


    ¡°Annic, we can continue to stay in that house. We are short of money. Moreover, Grandma still needs


    medical care. I want to save more money. So, let¡¯s keep living here,¡± Jason said while looking at


    Anastasia.


    Anastasia sighed and put the phone aside. ¡°Then promise me that you will not have any further


    involvement or contact with Samuel. We can buy a house and move out when we have money.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    1 22 2


    Jason nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He would listen to anything Anastasia said.


    ¡°Thank you for that art exhibition, Jason.¡± If he had not helped her, she would not have known where


    she could hold herst art exhibition.


    Maybe she would choose a park or even a corner. Or perhaps, nothing could be done.


    Anastasia sat on the couch, feeling helpless and powerless.


    It was stor, the husband who cornered her to desperation.


    ¡°Between us, do you need to be so polite?¡± Jason frowned and was a little unhappy.


    Anastasia smiled and concurred, ¡°Yes, we are family. There¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡±


    ¡°We are a family¨Cfamily members.¡± Jason sighed and could only ept the categorization of them as


    ¡°family members.¡± He continued, ¡°I¡¯ll go to Mr. Lexington¡¯s ce this afternoon and work on the art


    exhibition. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything. You just stay at home. There will be no idents in


    the art exhibition. I promise you that. Trust me.¡±


    Jason¡¯s gaze was firmly locked on Anastasia, and he told her not to worry about anything but to rest at


    home. Anastasia felt a tug at her heartstrings and nodded nervously.


    She felt that Jason had.been too good to her, so much so that it was unsettling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so good to me, Jason.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    ¡°What are you talking about? We are a family. Shouldn¡¯t we support each other?¡± Jason smiled and


    stood up to leave. He paused after a few steps, looked back at Anastasia, and said, ¡°I¡¯d like to have


    something light for dinner.¡±


    Anastasia was stunned. At that moment, there was an ovep between Jason and stor.


    stor had a liking for light meals because of his gastric problem.


    Every morning, Anastasia would wake up early and prepare breakfast. Then, she would help stor


    choose the suit and tie for that day.


    Before Felicia returned home, stor had even smiled at Anastasia and said to her, ¡°I want to have


    something light tonight.¡±


    Anastasia was like a fool at that time.


    She was a fool to be a full¨Ctime housewife willingly for four years because of stor¡¯s simple


    words.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes were a little blurred. She burst into tears and cried uncontrobly after Jason left.


    Anastasia wiped her tears and curled up on the couch, lying quietly.


    Felicia had probably called Anastasia, to which thetter did not answer. And it was the same with


    WhatsApp as well. Felicia was getting anxious and began to text Anastasia instead.


    Anastasia ignored Felicia and directly blocked her.


    It was peaceful, atst.


    Anastasia curled up on the couch and fell asleep,


    She was exhausted those days. The immense tension had caused her to be unable to sleep well at


    night.


    Anastasia had no idea how much time had passed when her phone rang and woke her up from her


    sleep.


    It was her new private investigator, Jayden Lambert.


    11.310


    Chapter 109 ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t find the one named Sienna, Anastasia. There is no news about her, which means that she has


    definitely not fled alone. Someone must have helped her,¡± Jayden sighed, and he continued before


    Anastasia could speak, ¡°In Hork, for one to have been able to hide someone so well that even I cannot


    trace, and I¡¯m not bragging, is not an ordinary person.¡±


    Anastasia was lying on the couch. Her body was aching badly. She replied, ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, you don¡¯t believe me? Let me tell you. I¡¯m not bragging. Those of us in our industry are


    afraid of rich and powerful people. I¡¯m not, for Ie from a family with a background,¡± Jayden


    exined hurriedly.


    Anastasia smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t doubt your ability. I know you are capable of the task since you dare


    to take on my case.¡±


    Since stor knew she was looking for a private investigator, none of them in Hork dared take on her


    case.


    Only Jayden had dared to.


    Perhaps he was young and fearless, or maybe he was the scion of a wealthy family.


    He was driving a luxury car, and he seemed to be quite righteous.


    ¡°Hey, Anastasia, I like customers like you. Since you are the first customer of my entrepreneurship, I


    will have Sienna found, even if I do that for free. I don¡¯t believe that any person in Hork can hide


    anyone from me. Jayden was blowing his own trumpet.


    Anastasia said thanks to him and hung up the phone. The smile on her face was frozen.


    ¡°Who else, apart from stor, could have been that powerful in Hork to want to hide Sienna? stor


    could be kind to everyone, with the exception of me. He had to be cruel to me.¡± Anastasia sighed.

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    Anastasia was about to fall asleep when her phone rang again. On the phone, a voice sounded,


    ¡°Anastasia!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Anastasia answered, and it was Kimberly.


    ¡°Something happened. Look at the trending topic,¡± Kimberly said, and her voice was a little rushed.


    Anastasia¡¯s heart tightened. She took a deep breath.


    Anastasia quickly tapped open the trending hashtag and took a look after she hung up the phone.


    The first trending news story was about Jason. Someone had rummaged through a photo of Jason at


    school.


    Obviously, someone had started to nder Jason openly.


    ¥ß¥ß


    [Overseas student from Atharia¡¯s Xosa University. Would do anything to improve one¡¯s social standing.]


    [The wife of Lopez Group¡¯s CEO had an extramarital affair. The wife cheated on him with a young


    hunk.]


    [The young hunk¡¯s identity was revealed. Thest name is Gunn. Swindled his way through while


    overseas. Imposed as a scion to a wealthy family. Fake identity exposed.]


    [The lover of the wife of Lopez Group¡¯s CEO was revealed. Imposter as a scion of a wealthy family


    exposed. Swindler, who uses thest name Gunn. imed to be the only heir to the Gunn Group.]


    There were all kinds of news headlines. All sorts of ridiculous information were published on multiple


    online tforms.


    Someone even pointed out that the heir of the Gunn Group had used an alternate ount and replied:


    [We don¡¯t have such a person in the Gunn family. Thank you.]


    In an instant, Jason had been ced in the spotlight and ndered by the mass public.


    Anastasia trembled and breathed unevenly. Anger poured through her as she checked WhatsApp


    messages from Felicia.


    Sure enough, it was Felicia who could not get hold of Anastasia, so she sted the news of Jason to


    unleash her anger.


    Felicia had warned and threatened her on WhatsApp more than once that she would make her regret.


    Apparently, Felicia seeded.


    Anastasia was trembling all over, uncontrobly.


    Jason, too, had been exposed on the Inte.


    Anastasia tried to edit a post on Twitter with trembling fingers. However, she pondered long and hard


    but could note up with what to post.


    ¡°How should I put it on Twitter? What can I do to minimize the damage to Jason?¡± she wondered


    worriedly.


    Anastasia was trembling when she called Jason. She requested, ¡°Come back. Come back home,


    Jason.¡±


    Anastasia was scared. It did not matter what she had gone through with the online violence. She was


    dying. However, Jason could not. She had to keep Jason alive, well, and safe.


    ¡°Anastasia? Are you scared? Don¡¯t be. I¡¯lle back right away!¡± Jason immediately detected the fear


    in Anastasia¡¯s voice andforted her immediately.


    Anastasia hung up the phone and got up. She paced around, wondering what could be done.


    She thought, ¡°How can help Jason? What can be done to salvage his reputation? Should I up to all the


    mistakes and


    plow them on myself


    Anastasia returned to sit on the couch and started to edit the messages on Twitter.


    [stor and I signed a divorce agreement several months ago. The marriage hase to an end.


    Jason graduated recently¡­]


    Anastasia deleted and retyped it after thinking for a while.


    She repeated it several times, for she did not know whether there was any w in her words.


    ¡°Anastasia.¡± Jason came back in a hurry and rushed into the living room.


    ¡°Have you seen the news? Felicia ndered you. Apart from her, who else can it be? She said she¡¯d


    make me regret it.¡± Anastasia choked with sobs and cried.


    The suppressed grievances that had built up in her instantly exploded.


    Jason took a deep breath, held Anastasia in his arms, andforted her, saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°What should I do to help you?¡± Anastasia asked Jason with tears in her eyes.


    11:31


    Jason frowned. ¡°Annie, I¡¯ve admitted to others that I am your boyfriend. Now, you can help me by


    announcing our rtionship publicly.¡±


    Those people suspected that Jason deliberately posed as the scion of a wealthy family to get close to


    Anastasia.


    After all, the wife of Lopez Group¡¯s CEO and that of Gunn Group were still iparable.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Everyone assumed Anastasia was a snob who yed up to the rich and powerful. At the time, she had


    shot herself in the


    foot.


    Felicia and everyone were waiting to ridicule Anastasia and witness her embarrassment.


    Thoseizens were ready to mock Anastasia andugh in her face.


    If, after all, that had been said, Anastasia could continue to publicize her rtionship with Jason, that


    would automatically put a stop to the rumors.


    At least, it would prove that Jason did not lie to Anastasia about his scion¡¯s identity.


    Anastasia, too, had not chosen Jason because of his scion identity.


    They were just two people in love.

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    Anastasia looked at Jason in shock and remained silent for a long time.


    She thought, ¡°Disclose our romantic rtionship to the public?¡±


    She had signed the divorce agreement with stor, and they would file for a divorce after six months.


    However, she did not know what was wrong with stor recently, as he said that he did not want to get


    a divorce anymore.


    Anastasia was afraid that stor would take revenge on Jason.


    Felicia dared to offend stor because he had given her confidence.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Anastasia, if we can¡¯t disclose our romantic rtionship, they¡¯re going to dig me up.¡± Jason seemed


    worried.


    Anastasia¡¯s heart tightened.


    Jason was telling the truth. If the incident continued brewing, even Jason¡¯s previous record in the


    juvenile detention center would be exposed.


    When the time came, Jason would be more passive.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Anastasia nodded with red eyes.


    She had tolerated stor and Felicia again and again. However, they became even more aggravated


    in return.


    ¡°You have something on Felicia, don¡¯t you?¡± Anastasia asked quietly. ¡°We¡¯ll let them get a taste of their


    own medicine. She¡¯s the one who has crossed the line first.¡±


    Jason nodded. ¡°Felicia was mistaken about me during the whole text conversation. I never admitted


    that I was the heir of Gunn Group.¡±


    Anastasia nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll post it on Twitter first. Give me the evidence, and I¡¯ll look for people to spread it.¡±


    Anastasia trusted Jayden. He should be able to do it.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Jason nodded.


    Anastasia bit the corners of her lips tightly. ¡°Felicia brought all this to herself,¡± she thought. ¡°I¡¯ve already


    tolerated them enough. I¡¯ve been courteous enough.¡±


    Since Snowball was not here anymore and Anastasia¡¯s things had been moved away, stor¡¯s ce


    had been empty.


    stor sat on the couch alone, feeling inexplicably deste.


    After sitting for a long time, stor asked unexpectedly, ¡°Annie, what are we going to eat tonight?¡±


    Nheless, no one replied to him.


    stor clenched his fingers andy down while having a headache.


    It seemed that he had lost a lot of things when Anastasia was not here


    anymore.


    stor did not expect that he would be so pathetic.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± Before stor fell asleep, he called out Anastasia¡¯s name.


    In the past, when he had been too tired and had rested on the couch, Anastasia would carefully cover


    him up with a nket.


    However, even if he was woken up by the cold now, no one was there for him.


    Moreover, when he opened his eyes after resting, Anastasia would have finished preparing the meals.


    He always thought Anastasia had not contributed much to this house in the past four years.


    It turned out that was not the case.


    Apparently, Anastasia had unintentionally infiltrated his life and everything.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± stor shouted in his hoarse voice and slowly opened his eyes.


    It seemed that he couldn¡¯t divorce Anastasia.


    ¡°stor!¡± His phone rang. It was Steven. ¡°Look at the trending topics on Twitter! Anastasia has officially


    dered her rtionship with that escort. She stated that the two of you signed a divorce agreement


    several months ago. It wasn¡¯t umon for her to date Jason!¡±


    stor¡¯s fingers instantly became numb, and he quickly opened Twitter to have a look at the news.


    On the trending topics, there was negative news about Jason.


    However, it was Anastasia¡¯s Twitter ount that got trended among theizens.


    Anastasia tagged Jason and posted: [I am not rted to Mr. Lopez of the Lopez Group anymore. We


    signed a divorce agreement several months ago, and I chose to leave our marriage with nothing. Jason


    and I are in a normal rtionship. Jason is someone I knew six years ago. He has never borrowed


    anyone¡¯s identity, nor has he needed to borrow anyone¡¯s identity. He is his own person. He shines


    brighter than anyone else.]


    Anastasia did not post many words, but her statement was solid and unquestionable.


    It was a surprise that she had chosen to disclose her rtionship with Jason..


    stor was so furious that he couldn¡¯t suppress his anger and kicked the coffee table away.


    Since Anastasia was so heartless, he did not have to show her respect anymore.


    ¡°Steven, I¡¯ll bring Felicia to attend the business banquet tomorrow!¡± stor blurted.


    Originally, stor had wanted to bring Anastasia there and try to ease their rtionship a bit.


    However, he did not expect Anastasia to be so heartless.


    ¡°It was all because of Jason!¡± he eximed inwardly.


    ¡°He was useless, extravagant, and liked to deceive people. He¡¯s a conman tricking people with Gunn


    Group¡¯s name!¡±


    After taking a deep breath, stor held his phone tightly and intended to call Anastasia. However,


    eventually, he did not.


    ¡°Does my fate with Anastasia really end here?¡± he wondered. ¡°It¡¯s impossible. As long as I don¡¯t let


    Anastasia go, she could never leave me! I would never give up Anastasia to Jason.¡±


    At the Hillscester Mansion, Anastasia was sitting on the couch. She was relieved to see the ranking of


    the trending topics.


    Jason gave Anastasia the chat history between Felicia and him. Anastasia blushed after seeing it.


    Felicia had flirted with Jason with all kinds of sexy photos.


    Anastasia asked softly, ¡°You¡¯ve never been aroused by these photos before?¡±


    Afrown etched across Jason¡¯s face. He was obviously unhappy.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± Anastasia lowered her head. ¡°I mean, she¡¯s quite crazy.

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112


    Jason ignored Anastasia. He got up and went to the kitchen!


    In fact, Jason was quite stubborn. He wouldn¡¯t spoil anyonepletely, even if that person were


    Anastasia.


    Anastasia had also known of Jason¡¯s stubbornness. She had known about it for six years already.


    He had always kept silent and liked sulking. Then he would silently do whatever he thought was right.


    ¡°Jason¡­¡± Anastasia felt a little guilty. She noticed that Jason was furious, so she got up and went to


    coax him. ¡°Should I not post these photos?¡±


    Anastasia felt it would be disgusting to take revenge on Felicia using her own method. Jason might be


    dragged into it too.


    Moreover, in reality, she was just using Jason for her own sake.


    She was using the fact that Felicia had pursued Jason before, and she was going to post their privacy


    online.


    ¡°You can do whatever you want,¡± Jason said indifferently, exuding a cold aura.


    Anastasia did not continue talking. She knew that Jason was angry at her.


    This was good, in a way. After living together, he would gradually be more and more disgusted


    with her.


    It was the same for stor.


    At the very beginning, he still had a bit of interest in her. At least he had returned home every night.


    Later, he did note home for seven or eight days a month.


    Following that, he only stayed at home for seven or eight days a month.


    Anastasia would often look for a reason within herself. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m not good enough to be liked by


    others,¡± she had thought.


    Anastasia sat back on the couch in disappointment. She curled up her legs and held herself tightly in


    silence.


    Tears welled up in her eyes but never flowed out even after some time.


    Snowball used to apany her when she was sad. However, Snowball was gone now.


    ¡°Here you go.¡± Jason appeared from the kitchen and saw Anastasia sitting while hugging her legs. She


    seemed a bit lonely.


    Jason sighed. He did not know what to do with her.


    He handed Anastasia a washed apple, turned around, and left.


    He did not know how to say sweet words to make women happy. He just sincerely hoped that


    Anastasia would be blissful every day in the future.


    ¡°Meow¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Anastasia heard a cat meowing.


    Anastasia instantly raised her head and looked around nervously.


    ¡°Was it my hallucination?¡± she pondered.


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    BIRA


    It was another cry from the kitten.


    Anastasia hurriedly stood up and looked for the sound.


    Finally, she found a small incubator in the corner of the living room. There was a tiny kitten inside.


    Anastasia looked back in surprise at Jason, who was cooking silently in the dining room. ¡°Jace, what¡¯s


    with this kitten?¡±


    Jason huffed and put the cooked pasta on the table. He was still a bit angry at her.


    He had thought that Anastasia would prepare meals for him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t see me at all.¡± Jason walked over. ¡°I was carrying it when I came back just now. You didn¡¯t


    even see it.¡±


    Anastasia was a little embarrassed to hear Jason¡¯s resentment. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice anything just now.¡±


    Jason was annoyed and stopped talking.


    He knew that when Anastasia felt a little guilty toward him, she would call him Jace. Usually, she called


    him by his full name.


    In fact, he was not used to Anastasia calling him Jason.


    It seemed like he had gotten used to and epted his identity as Jace.


    ¡°It looks so cute,¡± Anastasia mumbled in a tight voice. She was squatting beside the incubator while


    looking at the kitten inside.


    Snowball had been as cute when it had just been picked up.


    It looked a bit pitiful too.


    ¡°I picked it up when I was looking for Snowball. It was sent to a veterinary hospital to be examined and


    treated. It has been vinated and allowed toe home today,¡± Jason exined.


    Anastasia looked at Jason with red eyes and immediately shifted her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    She seemed to be a little unconcerned about Jason.


    Jason had really done his best to search for Snowball.


    She got frightened when she saw him jumping into the river.


    Jace had always been very impulsive, not bothered about anything.


    Nheless, this was who Jace was.


    Even after six years that his appearance and height had changed, his characteristics and soul were still


    the same old Jace.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to hear the word ¡®sorry.¡± Jason opened the incubator, took out the kitten, and handed it to


    Anastasia. ¡°What¡¯s the point of saying sorry if the hurt has been inflicted?¡± His statement contained a


    deep meaning.


    Jason intended to remind Anastasia that it applied to both huge and small matters.


    There was no such person as one who couldn¡¯t continue living after they left someone. He hoped that


    Anastasia would soon get out of the hell stor had given her.


    She would live as long as she would return to him.

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    Anastasia said nothing. She sat on the rug with the kitten in her arms and focused on ying with it


    carefully.


    ¡°What should we name the kitten?¡± Jason asked.


    ¡°Maybe you should name the kitten since you¡¯re the one who saved it.¡± Anastasia looked at Jason.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I found it on the seventh day after Christmas. Let¡¯s name it Septimus, then. ¡°Jason made


    some milk using the kitten form and put an egg yolk in it for Septimus.


    ¡°Septimus,¡± Anastasia called the kitten¡¯s name.


    It dawned on her that humans could really find substitutes to relieve their feeling of missing their


    beloved after losing them.


    At that moment, Anastasia seemed to understand why stor had treated her well when he had just


    married her.


    It was as if she had a kitten. If the kitten ran away with another stray cat one day, she would be angry


    but still keep a new kitten to fill the vacancy around her.


    In the beginning, she would also like the new kitten very much. However, when it came to making a


    choice, she would still subconsciously select a kitten that looked simr to the previous one.


    If the lost kitten came back one day and looked like a mess after being bullied by the stray cat, she


    would most likely feel sorry for it and keep it beside her, slowly ignoring the new kitten she had kept


    later.


    ¡°I guessed that¡¯s human nature,¡± she thought.


    ¡°Septimus, eat.¡± Anastasia let the kitten drink milk form while sitting beside it, taking care of it


    patiently.


    She thought it was unfair for her to treat Septimus as a substitute for Snowball.


    Ring!


    Anastasia¡¯s phone dinged suddenly.


    She picked up her phone and nced at it. It was from the chamber ofmerce, inviting her to their


    banquet as stor¡¯s wife.


    Anastasia was a little suspicious. Technically, the people from the chamber ofmerce shouldn¡¯t


    have sent her the invitation since stor had admitted he was divorced, and she had also posted a


    tweet publicly recognizing her rtionship with Jason.


    Anastasia forwarded the invitation to stor and asked: [It¡¯s the chamber ofmerce banquet. Could


    you arrange for it?]


    Anastasia guessed stor would prefer to let Felicia attend the banquet.


    Soon, stor replied to her WhatsApp message: [I¡¯ll get the driver to pick you up tomorrow.]


    Anastasia frowned and typed: [I¡¯m not going.]


    stor replied: [Jason¡¯s poprity seems to have dropped.]


    His words were full of threats.


    Anastasia¡¯s face darkened. She typed: [How the hell will you leave me alone?]


    stor replied: [At least you are still my wife for now.]


    That pissed Anastasia off a little. She texted: [Thewyer should have notified you.]


    However, stor informed Anastasia that he had not agreed to divorce: [I don¡¯t agree to divorce.]


    Anastasia¡¯s hands trembled as she typed: [Don¡¯t go too far. It was you who forced me to sign the


    divorce agreement. You were the one who publicly announced that we were already divorced and also


    the one who exposed the divorce agreement!]


    stor replied: [Well, I don¡¯t agree to divorce now. Come home now. Otherwise, what I will do with


    Jason is not as simple as the exposure earlier.] He seemed like he was throwing a tantrum at


    Anastasia.


    Seeing that, Anastasia pressed her palm against her forehead.


    She felt that stor had lost his mind.


    With reddened eyes, Anastasia asked: [What the hell do you want? Can¡¯t you just let me go?]


    She only wanted to live thest moments of her life simply.


    Yet, stor only replied with two words: [Come home.]


    Anastasia threw the phone away.


    She eximed inwardly, ¡°It¡¯s him! I ignored Felicia today, so she used Jason to retaliate against me. As


    expected, stor was helping her.¡±


    After feeding the kitten, Anastasia stood up and looked at Jason, who was cing tes and forks on


    the table. ¡°Jason, I¡­ I have to go.¡±


    Upon seeing Anastasia¡¯s expression, Jason walked over and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Anastasia whispered, ¡°I left something at home¡­¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°How about we have dinner first, and I¡¯ll go back with you after that?¡±


    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°Jason, we are not really in a rtionship. Even family members need to


    leave some space each other. You don¡¯t have to apany me.¡±


    If stor refused to divorce, the court would probably reject her application and only execute it after six


    months.


    Anastasia knew that stor did it on purpose.


    for


    She thought that stor would agree to the divorce as long as she agreed to leave their marriage with


    nothing in court.


    That was why she publicly admitted her ¡°romantic rtionship¡± with Jason and spoke up for him.


    Little did she expect stor to change his mind and refuse to divorce suddenly. It was obvious that he


    wanted Jason to bebeled as a homewrecker.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you leave after having dinner?¡± Jason had prepared the dinner wholeheartedly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Anastasia shook her head and left.


    Seeing Anastasia leave the house, Jason crouched down on the ground in disappointment and looked


    at Septimus. ¡°We¡¯ve been abandoned again¡­¡±

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114


    Outside stor¡¯s house, Anastasia failed to unlock the door using her thumbprint.


    Anastasia¡¯s face darkened, and she smiled ironically.


    ¡°He¡¯s changed the door lock so soon?¡± she thought.


    Then, Anastasia rang the doorbell and stood outside, waiting for stor to open the door.


    stor¡¯s car parking in the yard indicated that he was at home. However, no one opened the door for


    her for a long time.


    Anastasia called stor directly, but he did not answer the phone.


    Anastasia knew that stor did it on purpose and did not continue to call him.


    Anastasia stood outside the door and continued waiting.


    Apparently, stor was giving her a hard time.


    After a while, a few people came to the door.


    One of them asked, ¡°Hello, are you the owner of this house? Did you make an appointment to donate


    clothes?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s legs began to go numb. She looked back at those people and shook her head.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    One of them then rang the doorbell. Soon, someone went to open


    the door.


    It was Felicia.


    She was dressed in a pink silk nightgown, and her makeup was exquisite. Looking at the people


    outside, she said condescendingly, ¡°This, this, and this. I want to donate them all.¡±


    Standing outside the door, Anastasia was somewhat indifferent.


    ¡°Is this the reason stor asked me toe home? So he wants to force me toe back and live


    with Felicia, huh?¡± she mused.


    ¡°Where is stor?¡± Anastasia asked in a hoarse voice.


    Felicia ignored Anastasia and arrogantly kicked the box beside her. ¡°Get rid of this, too!¡±


    Only after the box was kicked over did Anastasia find that it was all her things inside.


    Anastasia had left all the things stor had bought her in the past four years at home when she moved


    out and did not bring them along.


    ¡°Mrs. Lopez, these are all valuables. Are you sure you want to get rid of them?¡± The service staff who


    came to the door looked at Felicia in shock.


    Probably the way the service staff addressed Felicia had pleased her. She smiled and said


    sarcastically, ¡°These¡¯re just some old things I can only buy new ones after I get rid of them.¡±


    ¡°Understand. You are so beautiful and kind, Mrs. Lopez.¡± The people from the recycling center grinned


    from ear to ear.


    Anastasia held her hands numbly to see what stor and Felicia were up to.


    Felicia only spoke like thedy of the house after the people from the recycling center left. ¡°stor


    asked me to throw away all your things. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Where is stor?¡± Anastasia asked, clenching her fists.


    Felicia sat on the couch and had some water before replying, ¡°stor is sleeping.¡±


    Anastasia said nothing more. Looking at the house where she had lived for four years, she felt


    somewhat ridiculous and ironic.


    ¡°Your things have already been thrown out, so you no longer need toe here in the future. This


    ce and stor belong to me now. Since you¡¯re together with Jason, you should just stay in the rental


    house with him obediently.¡± Felicia looked at Anastasia provocatively.


    Anastasia took a few steps forward in the living room and pushed the vase on the antique disy shelf


    onto the ground, deliberately shattering it.


    Felicia stood up angrily. ¡°Anastasia, what are you doing?¡±


    1


    Anastasia did not respond and smashed the ornament on the side.


    Feeling it was not enough, Anastasia took all the new ornaments and frames from the table and threw


    them onto the ground.


    Those were all Felicia¡¯s things.


    ¡°Anastasia, how dare you break my things? This ce and stor are mine now!¡± Felicia yelled


    angrily.


    Without saying a word, Anastasia continued smashing the things inside the house. She even got a


    lighter from the drawer and burned everything Felicia had bought.


    ¡°Are you crazy? I¡¯m calling the police now. You must paypensation at the original price for all the


    damages you¡¯ve caused!¡± Felicia looked at Anastasia in shock.


    ¡°This is my house, and I am the property owner. Didn¡¯t stor tell you about that?¡± Anastasia turned


    around and looked at Felicia. ¡°Tell me. How can youpensate for throwing all my things away?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia! Why are you so full of yourself? So what if you are the property owner? stor already


    said he paid for it. There¡¯s none for you, even if you file for a divorce.¡± Felicia looked at Anastasia


    arrogantly.


    ¡°So, stor said he wouldn¡¯t divorce me and summoned me over just to let us quarrel?¡± Anastasia


    smiled and looked up in the direction of the second floor.


    She wondered if that was what stor wanted to see.


    ¡°Since you want to watch the drama between two women, I¡¯ll do it then.¡± Anastasia looked at stor,


    who was standing on the second floor and pped Felicia in the face.


    Felicia looked at Anastasia in shock and wanted to fight back after regaining her senses.


    However, Anastasia grabbed Felicia¡¯s wrist, picked up the fruit knife on the table, and pressed it against


    thetter¡¯s face. ¡°You already said I was crazy. Move, and you will die.¡±

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115


    stor merely looked at her with a frown.


    Felicia screamed in fear and wailed. ¡°stor! stor,e here!¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, put the knife down,¡± stor said in a low voice.


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re finallying downstairs, huh?¡± Anastasia dragged Felicia and pushed her onto the


    couch. She tossed the fruit knife aside. ¡°stor, when did you be so childish? What have I done


    to deserve this? How could you ask me over while your mistress is here?¡±


    stor¡¯s expression darkened at once. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same? How could you announce your


    rtionship with your lover and ask for my blessing?¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath.


    She did not think stor was such apetitive person before.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine for you to bepetitive in the business world, but we¡¯re talking about divorce now. It¡¯s not a


    joke. Moreover, you are the one who suggested it. Are you going back on your word now?¡± Anastasia


    argued with stor in despair.


    ¡°Yes, so what if I want to go back on my word?¡± stor looked at Anastasia indifferently.


    Anastasia


    wered her head and smiled. ¡°What are you taking revenge on me for?¡±


    ¡°You aborted the baby without my consent, hung out with your lover, and schemed against me from the


    beginning until the end. Which one of these do you think I should let you off?¡± stor was also


    infuriated.


    Anastasia was really hurt all over by stor¡¯s usations.


    Anastasia¡¯s throat hurt severely, and she did not want to talk anymore.


    She had ¡°aborted¡± the baby because she was going to die.


    stor knew about it, and he was outside the operating room.


    He would rather sacrifice her life to keep his child alive.


    However, he now med her for aborting the baby and began to retaliate against her.


    It was so ridiculous.


    ¡°You can do anything as you please, but let¡¯s get a divorce certificate first.¡± Anastasia lowered her head


    and almost knelt down to beg stor.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    That was because if stor went back on his word and refused to get a divorce certificate with her,


    Jason would be the third wheel.


    She had not thought it through when she promised Jason to rify for him by iming they were


    dating.


    Jason, too, had acted too rashly the other day at home by telling the reporter that they were in a


    rtionship.


    stor was now trying to destroy her and Jason using that.


    ¡°Are you here to beg me?¡± stor clenched his fists tightly.


    He could not ept Anastasia would yield for Jason¡¯s sake.


    ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s dumb. You have yet to get a divorce but couldn¡¯t wait any longer to be


    with your lover, that


    liar. I can understand if he¡¯s the sessor of Gunn Group. What a shame.¡± Felicia had calmed down


    but still couldn¡¯t stop saying sassy words.


    Anastasia looked at Felicia coldly. ¡°Honor is living by virtue. Do you think your identity is an honor?¡±


    Felicia snorted for fear that Anastasia would go crazy again.


    stor sat on the couch and looked at Anastasia. ¡°Since you are here to beg me, act like one then.¡±


    ¡°How do you want me to beg you?¡± Anastasia looked at stor.


    ¡°Are you going to ept anything I tell you to do for Jason¡¯s sake?¡± stor became even angrier when


    he saw Anastasia be so obedient suddenly.


    He gritted his teeth when he said that.


    ¡°What about you? Will you do anything for Felicia?¡± Anastasia asked stor.


    stor knitted his brows.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t listen to you, you will tell the public that Jason is a homewrecker. Am I right?¡± Anastasia


    stated what stor nned to do next.


    ¡°I have a WhatsApp chat record with Felicia. Since the second half ofst year, she told me that the two


    of you have been together and kept sending photos, videos, and texts to provoke me. I will not hold


    myself to destroy Felicia if you dare to destroy Jason. Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice trembled as she looked at stor.


    stor froze for a moment and subconsciously looked back at Felicia.


    Felicia clenched her fists, seemingly guilty. ¡°stor, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense..

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    stor¡¯s face fell. His eyes obviously zed with fury.


    Felicia clenched her fists guiltily as if she did not expect Anastasia to be so blunt. Anyway, she did not


    care, as every time she sent Anastasia a picture she shouldn¡¯t, she immediately recalled it. Nothing


    would be found on the chat record from Anastasia¡¯s side.


    ¡°What did she send?¡± stor reached out and asked Anastasia for her phone.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know what she sent?¡± Anastasiaughed at his reaction. ¡°Aren¡¯t you two


    together on Christmas Eve, Valentine¡¯s Day, and every important festival since Felicia returned? Didn¡¯t


    you give her money, buy her bags and cars, and gift her luxury items?¡±


    stor furrowed his brows and only spoke after a long time. ¡°Those¡­ are


    Anastasia took a step back weakly and sneered. ¡°Compensation? There¡¯s so muchpensation for a


    mistress. What about me? What am I to you after being with you for four years?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ve already done all I can for you.¡± stor looked at Anastasia and spoke again in a low


    voice. ¡°Stop making a fuss. I didn¡¯t make a public statement to keep Jason and your dignity. Listen to


    me and leave him.¡±


    Anastasia leaned against the wall and barely supported herself. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far.¡±


    ¡°I have yet to make a move against you, Anastasia.¡± stor rubbed between his eyebrows as if he


    knew he was about to lose control of his emotions.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    He mused, ¡°I haven¡¯t started to do anything yet. Is this considered as going too far? What about her?


    Isn¡¯t it too much for her to be with Jason?¡± ¡ª ¡°stor, let me exin this. I just¡­¡± Felicia could tell that


    stor was


    angry from the tense aura he exuded.


    ¡°Take your stuff and scram,¡± stor ordered Felicia.


    Anastasia wondered what stor had up his sleeves and whispered inwardly, ¡°He already summoned


    Felicia over, and she had already changed the furnishings and ornaments in the house. Why does he


    still put up an act?¡±


    178


    12:04


    ¡°stor¡­¡± Felicia whimpered.


    stor seemed to be suppressing his anger and red at Felicia.


    Submitting to the circumstances, Felicia lowered her head and left without saying a word.


    She knew that things would get worse if she provoked stor.


    ¡°stor, what good does it bring to you if you don¡¯t divorce me and drag me with you?¡± Anastasia


    walked over to the couch and sat on it after Felicia left.


    ¡°The baby is gone, and Snowball isn¡¯t here anymore. I no longer have anything to hold dear here.¡±


    Anastasia nced around and found the ce had be foreign to her.


    ¡°The doctor said Grandma¡¯s condition has be critical.¡± stor leaned on the couch and sounded


    exhausted.


    Anastasia knitted her brows when she heard that.


    In fact, she had already figured it out. There were only two reasons why stor pestered her like that.


    One was he was afraid of her scrambling for property, while the other was he was worried about


    Andrea.


    ¡°The doctor said her cancer has spread, and she can only live for another year at most.¡± stor looked


    at Anastasia. ¡°So, no matter how deep your love for Jason is, please hang on until the end of this year.¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath. ¡°stor, it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t wait for a year, but I don¡¯t want to. Humans


    are selfish. That is your grandma. The one who cheated in our rtionship was you, so you will be the


    one who should be responsible for exining to her well. I can cooperate if you need me to visit her


    often. However, I can¡¯t ept it if you threaten me not to divorce.¡±


    She had to get the divorce certificate as soon as possible.


    Otherwise, it would always be a ticking time bomb in her hand.


    ¡°stor, let¡¯s get the divorce certificate. I¡¯m willing to leave the marriage with nothing and not ask


    anything from you. If Grandma Andrea really can¡¯t handle the shock, I can cooperate with you to put on


    an act. I only want a divorce.¡±


    Anastasia was firm.


    Andrea was in poor health, and her cancer had spread.


    As for herself, she did not have much time to live after she gave birth to


    the baby.


    She wanted to live for herself and her child in her limited life.


    Anastasia gazed down at her belly and murmured in a hoarse voice, ¡°If I gave birth to the baby and lost


    my life, would you be kind to the baby? Will Felicia treat my baby as her own?¡±


    She knew the answer would be ¡°no.¡±

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117


    Anastasia knew that stor would not treat the child well, and it would even be impossible for Felicia to


    do so.


    Therefore, she wanted to give birth to the child secretly and entrust it to someone trustworthy so that


    the child could live a better and happier life, instead of letting it stay with stor, tortured from a young


    age.


    ¡°Grandma treats you well. But for Jason¡¯s sake, don¡¯t you even care about Grandma¡¯s health?¡± stor


    did not expect Anastasia to be so persistent with a divorce certificate. He continued, ¡°You know the


    best about Grandma¡¯s condition. She can¡¯t take any shock. Once she does, her heart can¡¯t stand it at


    all. I even dare not to tell my mom that you¡¯ve gone for an abortion and that the child is gone now. Yet,


    you are only thinking about divorce. You are so selfish!¡±


    stor thought Anastasia was selfish to the core. For the sake of Jason, she really did not care about


    anything.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need toy a guilt trip on me.¡± Anastasia lowered her head and clenched her fists tightly.


    ¡°As I said, I will leave the marriage with nothing after getting the divorce certificate. In theing year, I


    can cooperate with you in acting so that Grandma won¡¯t know about it. It¡¯s just a divorce certificate. No


    one will know if both of us keep our mouths shut.¡±


    Anastasia only felt that stor was unreasonable as he made it soplicated, even though it was a


    simple matter.


    She thought there was really no point for them to be enemies. ¡°Anastasia, you are always


    confused about the situation.¡± stor got up and looked down at Anastasia. ¡°The decision is on me,


    not you. If you want to expose Felicia, go for it. I don¡¯t care whether she is regarded as a mistress.¡±


    Anastasia clenched her fists tightly. She thought sarcastically, ¡°That¡¯s right. It doesn¡¯t matter if Felicia is


    regarded as a mistress. What matters to stor is that he likes her.¡±


    ¡°However, what about Jason?¡± stor asked in a deep voice.


    ¡°stor!¡± Anastasia¡¯s eyes turned red, and she felt that stor was despicable.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± stor looked at Anastasia but only said he was hungry.


    Judging from his current state, Anastasia knew he had a hangover and did not sleep wellst night.


    ¡°What? Can¡¯t Felicia cook?¡± Anastasia looked at stor ironically.


    stor did not say anything.


    ¡°Anastasia, what I need is a good wife. I hope you will continue to y your previous role well. If I think


    your performance is not good enough, I can¡¯t guarantee that Jason will be as famous as you,¡± stor


    satirized Anastasia.


    He was mocking her as a painter, which caused an uproar on the inte some time ago.


    Even at present, the inte was full ofments about her.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    stor not only did not help her but added insult to injury, as he admitted that he cheated.


    Anastasia did not dare to open Twitter anymore. She did not block thements and let theizens


    abuse her as much as possible. She did not care about it.


    However, her heart still could not bear it.


    An example was when she came home on the day, some students from the Department of Art


    recognized her and mocked her all the way. ¡°Where are you going?¡± When stor saw that Anastasia


    got up and was about to leave, he got slightly angry.


    ¡°There are no ingredients at home. I¡¯m going to the farmer¡¯s market to buy some.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice


    was hoarse.


    stor was stunned for a moment, and unexpectedly, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Anastasia also paused for a moment. She did not know what was wrong with stor, as he suddenly


    wanted to go to the farmer¡¯s market.


    After four years of marriage, stor probably did not even know what the farmer¡¯s market looked like.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Anastasia asked.


    stor followed behind Anastasia without answering her but said, ¡°I¡¯ll drive.¡±


    ¡°The farmer¡¯s market is crowded with people and cars now. It¡¯s not suitable for driving.¡± Anastasia¡¯s


    voice was low.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we go to the supermarket?¡± stor was a little displeased.


    ¡°The ingredients in the supermarket are not very fresh, and there are only a few kinds. Plus, you¡¯re so


    picky¡­¡± Anastasia whispered.


    stor nced at Anastasia and frowned. ¡°Then, take the subway?¡±


    ¡°There is no subway station over there. We take the bus.¡± Anastasia walked outside the residential


    area, followed by stor.


    stor probably had never gotten on a bus in his life.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    When stor was on the crowded bus with Anastasia, his expression had already darkened.


    He wondered, ¡°Is this how Anastasia usually goes back and forth every day to buy ingredients and


    cook?¡±


    Suddenly, the bus braked, and stor almost lost his bnce.


    On the contrary, Anastasia kept her footing firmly because she was used to it.


    stor was very unhappy. He grabbed the handle and stood beside Anastasia to protect her.


    But Anastasia did not feel anything.


    ¡°In the future, ask the butler to buy the ingredients and bring them over.¡± stor was very unhappy.


    ¡°At first, the ingredients were bought by the butler. You forgot you said the vegetables bought by the


    butler were not tender enough. But you would eat a few bites of the vegetables I bought,¡± Anastasia


    said indifferently and calmly.


    stor went speechless. He knew he seemed to be picky indeed.


    He thought the butler was the one that had been buying the ingredients for so long.


    When the bus arrived at the next stop, a group of women squeezed in, and the bus became more


    crowded.


    stor, who had mysophobia, had an even darker expression.


    Meanwhile, Anastasia looked out of the window calmly and very quietly. stor felt the anger in his


    heart, which he could not vent out and was hard to bear.


    stor sighed and looked at Anastasia. ¡°How long will it take to reach?¡± ¡°There are two more stops. It¡¯s


    very close.¡±


    stor was finally relieved after hearing that.


    When the bus arrived at the stop, that group of women rushed down and almost pushed stor into


    the ditch.


    stor was helpless and looked at Anastasia with resentment.


    Anastasia ignored him.


    stor was upset and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t treat me like this before. Even though it was just acting, you


    have to do it properly. Don¡¯t upset me.¡± Anastasia looked at stor indifferently with a fake smile.


    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go in and buy the ingredients.¡±


    stor snorted and followed Anastasia closely. He was so close that one might think stor feared


    that Anastasia would run away.


    Anastasia ignored stor and chose the ingredients on her own.


    In the past four years, she had a clear understanding of stor¡¯s taste and his preference.


    ¡°I want to eat that.¡± stor was like an angry child, pointing at a row of fresh asparagus.


    Anastasia picked one and looked carefully.


    ¡°How do you pick them?¡± stor also took one, very confused.


    ¡°Do you want to learn how to cook and pick ingredients?¡± Anastasia asked stor.


    stor was gloomy and looked away. ¡°What? Can¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Can¡­ Why not?¡± Anastasiaughed ironically.


    She thought, ¡°Sure enough, no love means no love. For the sake of Felicia, stor is willing to learn to


    buy ingredients and cook.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    She pointed to the end of the asparagus with her numb finger and exined, ¡°Here, you should choose


    those with soft and tender fibers and short segments.¡±


    stor listened carefully.


    ¡°For potatoes, you should choose yellow potatoes without sprouts. It will taste softer when cooked in


    soup.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice was calm.


    ¡°What about the ribs?¡± stor asked.


    ¡°For ribs, they must be fresh and not frozen.¡±


    They had been shopping in the farmer¡¯s market for a long time. When they left, stor was sshed


    with mud by a car.


    His expression was very dark, and he looked at the car with deep eyes. He was so angry that he


    wanted to curse.


    ¡°That¡¯s what the farmer¡¯s market looks like. Everyone is busy with life and


    rushing home to care of their families, cook, and do housework. No one cares about you. Who asked


    you to stand next to the puddle,¡± Anastasia said lightly.


    stor was a little angry.


    ¡°I-I¡­¡± he stammered for a long time and could not say anything.


    stor did not speak until he stood by the road, carrying a lot of ingredients and waiting for the bus. He


    asked, ¡°Anastasia, are you the one who carries these many things home on ordinary days?¡±


    Anastasia looked back at stor and retorted, ¡°Otherwise, who else?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ should find you a housekeeper,¡± stor whispered.


    Anastasiaughed ironically and said, ¡°Do you know what time I usually get up in the morning? .¡±


    When she got up, stor was still sleeping¡­


    Butter, he did not sleep at home most of the time.


    He never told Anastasia clearly if he did not spend the night at home. So every day, she prepared three


    meals for him attentively.

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119


    For Anastasia, her daily routine consisted of having three meals a day, washing and scrubbing, and


    taking care of household chores like a


    full-time wife. After returning home, she diligently cleaned up the house and waited for her husband.


    It was an endless wait.


    She waited at home, waiting for her husband toe back.


    She would greet him, asking whether he was tired, and gently prepare dinner for him.


    Thinking about it now, she realized she used to live like a robot, not knowing how tired she was.


    Anastasia sneered and reached out to help stor carry some groceries. But stor refused her help.


    He insisted on carrying everything on his own.


    Fortunately, there was another seat around. ¡°Take the seat.¡±


    Anastasia asked stor to sit down.


    She looked as if she was going to get car sick.


    stor was a little unhappy. ¡°How can a gentleman sit when a woman is standing?¡±


    Hearing that, Anastasia sat down without hesitation.


    And so, stor stood like a resentful woman, holding bags of groceries in his hands for four stops.


    When they finally got home, stor¡¯s face was visibly sullen.


    Anastasia took the ingredients from stor and silently washed the vegetables before cutting them.


    ¡°Let me try.¡± stor took the kitchen knife and wanted to cut the asparagus.


    Slicing the asparagus was supposed to be an easy task. Unfortunately, stor wasn¡¯t skilled at it.


    After all, how could people who had never held a kitchen knife be able to cut vegetables skillfully all of


    a sudden?


    Therefore, it was no surprise that stor cut himself.


    Anastasia¡¯s face darkened even more. ¡°Will you stop making trouble? If you want to eat, get out now!¡±


    Anastasia was a little impatient as she thought, ¡°Is stor crazy today? He¡¯s so annoying.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Seeing Anastasia getting impatient, stor tapped on the table unhappily. ¡°Were you like this


    previously? My hands hurt.¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath and gritted her teeth.


    ¡°He can do whatever he wants,¡± she thought.


    Her phone on the dining table suddenly rang. It was Jason.


    Anastasia wanted to get her phone, but stor grabbed it first.


    stor answered the phone.


    Anastasia wanted to snatch the phone away from him, but stor raised


    his hand and trapped her in his arms.


    Their position became extremely intimate.


    ¡°Give me the phone!¡± Anastasia gritted her teeth.


    stor ignored Anastasia and said to Jason over the phone, ¡°I won¡¯t divorce Anastasia. You can give


    up.¡±


    After saying that, stor hung up Anastasia¡¯s phone.


    Anastasia thought stor was crazy.


    Since she terminated her pregnancy, Anastasia felt something was wrong with stor.


    She wondered if it was probably because stor hated her so much that he decided to retaliate


    against her in another way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far.¡± Anastasia took back her phone angrily, ignored stor¡¯s finger injury, turned around,


    and went to the living room to return Jason¡¯s call.


    However, Jason didn¡¯t answer the phone. She wondered if he was angry.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t answer your call?¡± stor leaned against the door frame of the kitchen and seemed to be


    gloating.


    Anastasia ignored stor and felt that he must have been mentally ill.


    ¡°My hand!¡± stor pointed to the cut on his finger.


    ¡°Haha. I¡¯m sure that if you wait a little longer, the wound would have healed,¡± Anastasia said


    sarcastically.


    ¡°Would you talk to me in this way before?¡± stor was a little unhappy. ¡°You should continue your


    performance of being a good wife, just like you have maintained for the past four years.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to remind me.¡± Anastasia looked at stor. ¡°Give me a deadline. I want the paper


    contract!¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t want to y pretend with stor here.


    She wanted stor to specify the exact time when she could end the rtionship and obtain a divorce


    certificate with him. ¡°I want you to indicate in the contract that no matter what happens, you are not


    allowed to target Jason. Our rtionship automatically ends at the end of the contract or if Jason gets


    hurt because of you. The other party should agree to the divorce unconditionally.¡±


    stor looked at Anastasia with a gloomy face. ¡°Do what you should do.¡± Anastasia assumed stor


    agreed to her condition. ¡°Will you draw up the contract, or will I?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll have my assistant send you the contract,¡± stor said gloomily.


    -After a very unpleasant dinner, Anastasia had nned to go to bed early. The master bedroom was


    given to stor, and Anastasia nned to sleep in the second bedroom.


    However, she didn¡¯t know what was wrong with stor as he pulled her into his arms and trapped her


    in the corner before giving her a smooch. ¡°You¡¯ve agreed to go back to life before, so we should fulfill


    our obligations as husband and wife, just like before.¡±


    Anastasia clenched her hands and, for the first time, felt humiliated when she was touched by him.


    ¡°Let me go¡­¡±


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± stor suddenly said in a hoarse voice. ¡°Let¡¯s have another child.¡±

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120


    ¡°Get lost!¡± Anastasia pped stor in the face. ¡°Fuck off¡­¡±


    stor stood there stiffly and looked at Anastasia.


    ¡°stor, don¡¯t go too far¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s breath trembled, and she turned to leave.


    She didn¡¯t want to face stor again.


    ¡°What does he mean? Is he asking me and Felicia to live here together? It is disgusting,¡± she thought.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± stor grabbed Anastasia¡¯s wrist. ¡°I told you to stay here tonight¡­¡±


    Anastasia shook off stor¡¯s hand in disgust. ¡°Are you asking me to stay here and sleep on the bed


    you slept with Felicia?¡±


    stor frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t let Felicia sleep here before.¡±


    ¡°Haha! The photos are all here. Do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡± Anastasia shouted at stor in a hoarse


    voice.


    stor¡¯s face darkened as he looked at the photo on Anastasia¡¯s phone. It was the bed photo that


    Felicia withdrew in time, but Anastasia managed to take a screenshot of it.


    ¡°I can exin this¡­¡± stor said nervously.


    Anastasia shook off stor¡¯s hand. ¡°Exin? Isn¡¯t this room full of things in the style Felicia liked?


    Didn¡¯t she bring them in?¡±


    stor covered his forehead. ¡°No, it¡¯s not because of Felicia. It¡¯s because Snowball is no longer


    around. I was afraid that you would be sad when seeing familiar things, so¡­ I thought of changing the


    furniture style.¡±


    Anastasia


    smiled ironically and took a step back. ¡°It turns out that you and Felicia share the same preferences¡­¡±


    Anastasia looked at the ornaments destroyed by her on the ground.


    Felicia had posted all of these on Instagram.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯lle early tomorrow morning to make you breakfast, but I won¡¯t live here.¡± Anastasia stepped back


    to the door and spoke again. ¡°We¡¯re divorced. Don¡¯t force me.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor closed the door with anger. ¡°Felicia has just returned from overseas. She has no


    rtives or friends in Hork. I just wanted to


    help her because¡­ We¡¯ve been together.¡±


    Anastasia clenched her hands tightly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear the story between you two.¡±


    ¡°I really have no other feelings for her. When I was in school, we were together just because of that


    time-¡±


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± Anastasia interrupted stor, and her whole body was trembling.


    ¡°Anastasia, do you remember the corporate dinner in Hork a year ago? I asked you to apany me,


    but you made an excuse not to go! Everyone brought their wives with them that day. Only I was taking


    my secretary there that day. Do you know what those people said? They said you were with Zachary


    before¡­¡±


    stor was still drinking, as if he wanted to voice all his dissatisfaction. ¡°Haha¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s eyes


    were burning.


    ¡°So he believed the rumor?¡± Anastasia thought.


    ¡°Zachary didn¡¯t exin anything at all.¡± stor was angry. ¡°Who do you think Zachary is? If he really


    cared about you, he should have stood up and rified it for you at that time, not acquiesced to the


    rumor!¡±


    Anastasia clenched her hands and said nothing.


    ¡°That day¡­ I was just in a bad mood and drank some wine. I just¡­¡± stor raised his hand to cover


    his forehead, not knowing how to exin it. ¡°Anastasia, I don¡¯t know what happened that night. I can¡¯t


    remember¡­¡±


    When he woke up, Felicia was lying beside him with red eyes.


    Felicia said that they had slept together, and she would tell Anastasia the truth.


    At that time, he really didn¡¯t want Anastasia to know.


    He really didn¡¯t want to lose the marriage, even though Anastasia had been plotting against him.


    ¡°Only once, I swear.¡± stor wanted Anastasia to believe him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Anastasia pushed stor away.


    It was just like he had never trusted her.


    ¡°Take a good rest.¡± Anastasia insisted on leaving.


    stor was silent for a long time. He kept pushing the door and refused


    to let Anastasia go.


    After a long time, stor looked up at Anastasia and asked in a hoarse


    voice, ¡°In what way in hell is he better than me?¡±

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121


    ¡°He is better than you in every aspect. He trusts me unconditionally and does everything for me. He


    may not have your good family background, your wealth, and social status, but he treats me as a


    human being and Snowball as his family!¡± Anastasia looked at stor and spoke with a trembling


    voice.


    ¡°Haha¡­¡± stor let go of the hand pushing the door and took a step back.


    In Anastasia¡¯s eyes, Jason was better than him in every aspect.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ve been too gentle to you in the past four years. I told you that I was not negotiating with


    you. Don¡¯t you understand?¡± stor¡¯s voice was hoarse, and his eyes were full of anger.


    Since Anastasia said that he was inferior to Jason, he would beat Jason on this matter.


    As long as he disagreed, Anastasia would still belong to him.


    ¡°You¡¯re disgusting.¡± Anastasia wanted to leave.


    ¡°I must see you early tomorrow morning,¡± storpromised in the end and let Anastasia leave.


    He knew he had to handle the issue slowly.


    Anastasia opened the door and walked out with red eyes.


    Outside the courtyard, as soon as Anastasia walked out of the door, she saw Jason rushing over, out of


    breath.


    He ran all the way here because there was a traffic jam.


    He was afraid that Anastasia would be bullied by stor and Felicia.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± Jason stood there, breathing fast.


    Anastasia stood on the spot and looked at Jason with red eyes.


    Jason¡¯s heart tightened. He stepped forward and held Anastasia in his arms.


    stor felt a pang of sadness by the window when he saw Jason holding Anastasia.


    He knew that this woman had been approaching him with ulterior motives from the beginning.


    Although he knew Anastasia was a promiscuous woman, over the past four years, he still fell into her


    trap, step by step.


    He couldn¡¯t pull himself out.


    ¡°Mr. Lopez, we have found that the heir of the Gunn Group will attend the dinner tomorrow.¡± The


    assistant called stor. ¡°There is another woman, Jason¡¯s ssmate in Atharia. She knows a lot about


    Jason.¡±


    stor rubbed his eyebrows. ¡°Okay.¡±


    He would let Anastasia know that Jason was nothing but a liar.


    In the park, Anastasia sat on the bench and quietly gazed at the stars in the sky.


    It was almost Winter Light Festival, and some people set off fireworks at night.


    ¡°There is a fireworks show in the Clearwater Park.¡± Jason bought Anastasia a cup of hot coffee.)


    He had been apanying Anastasia without saying a word.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°How long will it take?¡± Anastasia nced at the time.


    ¡°It starts at eight o¡¯clock sharp.¡± Jason wrapped his scarf around Anastasia¡¯s neck.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and blew it out on her fingers to warm them up.


    Jason reached out and held Anastasia¡¯s cold fingers.


    Anastasia held the coffee in one hand and wanted to withdraw her hand, but Jason didn¡¯t let go of her.


    ¡°Jason, even though I helped you rify by admitting your so-called rtionship, you need to


    understand that there is no chance between us,¡± Anastasia told Jason firmly.


    ¡°Why?¡± Jason asked back. ¡°Just because I can¡¯t give you everything you want?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Anastasia nodded. ¡°Because of your social status, you can¡¯t afford to be targeted and picked on


    by others.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared.¡± Jason lowered his eyes and refused to let go.


    ¡°Stop being foolish. You¡¯re too young.¡± Anastasia sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m young, so I want to be foolish.¡± Jason let go of Anastasia¡¯s hand. ¡°I won¡¯t give up.¡±


    ¡°I may apany stor to the corporate dinner tomorrow. The banquet will be attended by influential


    figures in the business circles. Any one of them could easily destroy us if they desire,¡± Anastasia said in


    a hoarse voice.


    In fact, this society had already been divided into different sses.


    The so-called equality of all people was nothing more than a superficial notion of equality.


    ¡°Does attending that party signify anything?¡± Jason looked at Anastasia with burning eyes.


    ¡°It signifies your social status.¡± Anastasia sighed. ¡°You¡¯ve been in Atharia for so many years¡­ You


    must understand.¡±


    Since Jason knew Samuel, he must have understood that.


    ¡°Give me some time, Anastasia. I can give you everything you want.¡± Jason looked at Anastasia firmly.


    Anastasia shook her head.


    What she needed most was time.

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    Bang! Suddenly, the fireworks burst into the air.


    Fireworks bloomed in the sky.


    Anastasia was amazed and stared at the sky.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. It is just that this moment is too transient,¡± she eximed silently.


    Anastasia gazed at the fireworks, and Jason¡¯s eyes were fixed on her.


    It was as if they were witnessing the most beautiful scenery in the world.


    ¡°The beauty of fireworks lies in their fleeting nature. They leave behind a trace of awe-inspiring beauty,¡±


    Anastasia said, raising her hand as if trying to grasp the transient splendor.


    Jason took photos of the fireworks and sent them to Anastasia.


    Anastasia took a look and smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve taken such good photos.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re beautiful fireworks.¡± Jason smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be by your side until you ept me.¡±


    The sound of fireworks was too loud, and Anastasia couldn¡¯t hear Jason¡¯s words clearly.


    The next morning, Anastasia appeared at stor¡¯s house.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe in?¡± stor¡¯s eyes were red. Anastasia wondered if he didn¡¯t sleepst night.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    stor opened the door and looked at Anastasia standing outside.


    Anastasia looked at the door lock. ¡°You¡¯ve deleted my fingerprints and changed the password, have


    you not?¡±


    stor was stunned for a moment before he remembered. ¡°I changed my fingerprint lock and


    password. It¡¯s to guard against my mom¡­¡±


    Because she knew the password to his house, she entered the house easily and took Snowball away.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything and went straight to the door.


    ¡°The password is the day Snowball came home,¡± stor spoke again.


    Anastasia stopped and said in a deep voice, ¡°Snowball is dead.¡±


    Anastasia walked into the kitchen and helped him make breakfast.


    Soon, the hot breakfast was served.


    Looking at the breakfast on the table, stor¡¯s heart softened a little. ¡°Have you made up your mind to


    live here?¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°You only have one day to think about it.¡± After breakfast, stor said again, ¡°Think it over. My


    assistant wille to pick you upter, and we¡¯ll attend the dinner party. Dress up nicely.¡±


    Anastasia clenched the fork in her hand, torn between wanting to refuse and being afraid of stor¡¯s


    reaction if she did.


    stor put down his fork and motioned Anastasia to prepare clothes for him.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and helped stor find the suit he was going to wear today, as usual.


    stor knew that Anastasia always had a good fashion sense.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. Don¡¯t bete for dinner.¡±


    After saying that, stor left.


    Anastasia cleaned the kitchen and dining table, then sat on the couch, lost in thought.


    At 2:30 PM, stor¡¯s assistant came to the door.


    ¡°Ms. Lawson, Mr. Lopez asked me to pick you up,¡± the assistant said indifferently.


    In the past, he had to call Anastasia Mrs. Lawson even if he was reluctant to do so, but now, he just


    addressed her as Ms.


    Lawson.


    Anastasia was not in high spirits. ¡°Take me to Laces in Garments for a gown.¡±


    Felicia had donated her gown. Besides, Anastasia also didn¡¯t have any suitable clothes for going out.


    The assistant looked disgusted. ¡°Sorry, Laces in Garments is for members only.¡±


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment. She almost forgot that she had tailored gowns in Laces in


    Garments under stor¡¯s


    name.


    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t I attend the dinner party as Mrs. Lopez?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was low.


    The assistant didn¡¯t dare to say anything. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Anastasia got in the car with a sullen face and found that the assistant had been deliberately making a


    detour.


    ¡°Is Laces in Garments far away?¡± Anastasia could tell that the assistant deliberately wanted her to be


    late or make a fool of


    herself.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not familiar with the road,¡± the assistant said perfunctorily.


    ¡°As an assistant of stor, you¡¯re not even familiar with the way. You can take the me and resign.¡±


    Anastasia was a little


    angry.


    The journey from stor¡¯s house to Laces in Garments was supposed to take only ten minutes.


    However, the assistant spent thirty minutes driving her there.


    When the car stopped in front of Laces in Garments, Anastasia understood why.


    Felicia was also there, apparently here to choose a gown too

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    ¡°Hello, miss. Are you a member here?¡± The receptionist smiled at Anastasia.


    ¡°stor,¡± Anastasia said with a frown.


    She didn¡¯t want to attend the dinner party.


    The receptionist was stunned for a moment and looked back at Felicia, who was walking out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.


    The membership here can only be used by one person at a time.¡±


    Anastasia looked at Felicia and sneered, ¡°So, you and Lionel are waiting for me here.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you very capable, Anastasia? I thought you could live well without stor.¡±


    Felicia shot Anastasia a sarcastic look.


    ¡°Who are you without stor? You can¡¯t even get in this shop,¡± Felicia said with increasing sarcasm,


    smiling all the while.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything and ignored Felicia.


    ¡°I want the most expensive haute couture in your store. Show me around,¡± Felicia deliberately said to


    the receptionist.


    The receptionist nodded with a smile and asked the visual merchandiser to show Felicia around.


    ¡°Anastasia, I might let you use my membership if you beg me. After all, it¡¯s not good to bete,¡± Felicia


    said arrogantly.


    Laces in Garments, as the highest-end private brand under Gunn Group, had always been a


    bargaining chip for businessdies topete for their family standing and also how much their


    husbands love them.


    Given stor¡¯s position in the business world, he was given the Premium Diamond card membership


    in Laces in Garments.


    There were less than ten people in Hork who had this card.


    Only those with the Premium Diamond card were qualified to choose the most expensive dresses in


    the store.


    Felicia¡¯s membership card was at most entry-level, limiting her selection. Furthermore, wearing


    something from that selection to the dinner party would make her theughingstock.


    ¡°Ms. Lawson, you¡¯d better pick something as soon as possible,¡± the assistant said with a smile.


    Anastasia clenched her fingers. ¡°It¡¯ll be stor¡¯s problem, not mine.¡±


    Felicia sneered, ¡°This is what stor wanted. Can¡¯t you see that? He just wants you to know that you


    are nothing without him.¡±


    ¡°Jason can¡¯t help you on this,¡± Felicia thought.


    Felicia waved her phone and said, ¡°I¡¯ve notified Jason. Let¡¯s see if he dares to show up.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia.¡± As soon as Felicia finished speaking, Jason came running in.


    Jason was doing a delivery then, so he was wearing the uniform of a cake shop deliveryman.


    The delivery staff from that cake shop had strict requirements, including height, weight, and


    appearance.


    But in the eyes of Felicia and others, he was still just a deliveryman.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re in the midst of delivering takeouts. To think that you¡¯d daree here now. Aren¡¯t you


    worried about gettingints aboutte deliveries?¡± Felicia covered her mouth and chuckled. The


    staff in the store were also secretlyughing.


    Jason walked to Anastasia and whispered, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Anastasia shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯ll just wear this one. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Since stor asked her to go deliberately, what was she afraid of?


    Jason frowned and said nothing.


    Seeing that Anastasia¡¯s man was just a deliveryman, the faces of the staff changed instantly. ¡°If you¡¯re


    not picking anything, please leave for now.¡±


    Jason¡¯s expression turned dark.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Felicia walked to the high-end custom-fitted section. ¡°Are the best in your store here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Stewart.¡± The merchandiser nodded and smiled.


    Felicia looked at Anastasia. ¡°What do you like? I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°As far as I know, Laces in Garments is a high-end private store. There are 32 stores around the world,


    each of which has its


    own gship clothing made by famous designers. Every one of them is different and has strict


    requirements on the wearer¡¯s body shape. Those are the real high-end custom-fitted products, right?¡±


    Jason spoke in a deep voice.


    The merchandiser was surprised. ¡°Oh, you actually know that.¡±


    He sure knew a lot as a deliveryman.


    ¡°My girlfriend deserves the best,¡± Jason said in a low voice.


    ¡°Pfft!¡± Felicia couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Jason, are you still dreaming?¡±


    The othersughed too.

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    A young man who was delivering takeouts said he wanted the gship clothing of this shop.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. The gship clothing in our store is not for sale. We belong to the Gunn Group, and that


    dress is considered the private property of the Gunn family. Only people from the Gunn family are


    qualified to wear it,¡± the receptionist said sarcastically with a smile.


    ¡°Jason, did you think the locals will buy that little trick of yours? Did you think that you¡¯re rted to the


    great Gunn family just because yourst name is Gunn?¡± Felicia mocked Jason. ¡°Please take a good


    look in the mirror. What else do you have, apart from your slightly handsome face?¡±


    ¡°Oh, maybe not. When you were abroad, many rich women and old men liked you because of your


    beauty. You should have saved a lot of money over the years,¡± Felicia added, deliberately defaming


    Jason¡¯s reputation.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you decide to be good after returning to this country? Or did those big shots get


    tired of you and sent you away, leaving you with no choice but to be a mere deliveryman?¡± Felicia


    continued with her mockery.


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± the receptionist and stylists in the shop wereughing.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. How dare a deliveryman im to want our gship dress.¡±


    The others were whispering.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Anastasia picked up the ss of water on the table and sshed it on Felicia¡¯s face.


    Anastasia stood in front of Jason, shielding him, and said in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯re just a mistress who¡¯s


    spending stor¡¯s. money. What gives you the confidence tough at a man who earned his money


    through his own hard work? Since when is working hard to earn money something to beughed


    about?¡±


    Anastasia nced at the people around her coldly. ¡°I know you guys are just employees of this shop,


    but you¡¯re all acting like you¡¯redies from some rich family.¡±


    They exchanged nces with each other, unable to refute what Anastasia just said.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you think you are much better than a deliveryman?¡± Anastasia stood in front of


    Jason and didn¡¯t allow anyone to bully him.


    -Jace used to protect her with his life too.


    Jason looked at Anastasia nkly and didn¡¯t say anything.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Anastasia, you crazy bitch!¡± Felicia wiped the water on her face and body. Her whole body was


    shaking in anger. She stepped forward, ready to fight Anastasia.


    ¡°Try it.¡± Jason held Anastasia in his arms and looked at Felicia coldly.


    Felicia saw Jason protecting Anastasia and gritted her teeth. ¡°Just wait. No one is allowed to enter


    tonight¡¯s banquet without an invitation. I¡¯d like to see how Jason can enter the chamber ofmerce!¡±


    ¡°You should worry about yourself. What identity are you attending tonight¡¯s banquet with? A secretary


    or an assistant?¡± Anastasia asked sarcastically.


    Felicia was stunned for a moment, and her anger grew stronger.


    Originally, stor had promised to take her with him to this chamber ofmerce banquet. However,


    he suddenly changed his mind and chose Anastasia.


    Felicia could not ept it, but she had no choice. After all, it was stor¡¯s decision.


    ¡°Since


    you are attending as a secretary, shut up and don¡¯t mess with me,¡± Anastasia warned Felicia, turning


    around and holding Jason¡¯s wrist to leave.


    Jason¡¯s eyes were always on Anastasia.


    She was still the same. In fact, she had never changed..


    In Jace¡¯s eyes, Anastasia was never a pushover.


    ¡°Ms. Lawson, I¡¯m sorry, but we ran out of time. Are you sure you want to dress like this for the


    banquet?¡± The assistant reached out to stop Anastasia.


    Everyone was waiting to see Anastasia embarrass herself.


    Anastasia knew that stor was waiting for that.


    Felicia choosing her dress from this shop in stor¡¯s name must have been arranged by him.


    A secretary got to wear a gorgeous and expensive dress to attend the dinner banquet, while his so-


    called wife could only


    wear simple clothes.


    What Anastasia had to endure was not just the gaze from everyone, but also their condemnation.


    Those people would say, ¡°Look, this is what it¡¯s like when you don¡¯t cherish stor.¡±


    They would think, ¡°Anastasia is nothing without stor. So, don¡¯t be foolish.¡±

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125


    ¡°M-Ms. Anastasia Lawson, right?¡± the receptionist stammered all of a sudden, her words following a


    phone call she had just answered.


    ¡°A-Are you Ms. Lawson?¡± The receptionist regarded Anastasia with apprehension. Her demeanor


    conveyed a hesitation to even breathe, her eyes fraught with unease. ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t aware of your


    connection with my superior. He called in person and asked me to allow you to try on the gown. If it¡¯s


    not to your liking, I¡¯ll promptly arrange for another gown to be sent to you.¡±


    Anastasia halted in her footsteps and cast a suspicious nce back at the receptionist.


    Anastasia¡¯s reaction was not unique; the entire room was taken aback by the unexpected turn of


    events.


    Among those present, Felicia and stor¡¯s assistant, Lionel, appeared to be the most perturbed by the


    situation. Anastasia¡¯s brow furrowed as she directed her attention to the rec¨¨ptionist and inquired,


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°Apologies, Ms. Lawson. Please have a look at this gown. It boasts impable craftsmanship and a


    stunning design.¡± The receptionist¡¯s head bowed in a fluster as she led Anastasia to inspect the dress


    disyed in the ss window.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Indeed, the gown was the epitome of luxury.


    Anastasia cast an inadvertent nce at Jason, whose expression appeared innocent.


    ¡°Is this your doing?¡± Anastasia inquired softly. ¡°Did you call Samuel again?¡±


    Anastasia felt a hint of frustration. She hadn¡¯t required Jason¡¯s assistance in this manner.


    The grandeur of the attire was inconsequential to her.


    She remained indifferent, regardless of how exquisite the clothing might be.


    Jason lowered his head guiltily and said nothing.


    Anastasia heaved a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m not fond of such extravagant clothes. Could you suggest some other


    options?¡±


    She did not have time to be upset over such a trivial matter, for she could not afford to lose face when


    she would be at the chamber ofmerce.


    With just two days remaining until her art exhibition, Anastasia held onto the hope that someone would


    participate in her art exhibition.


    As she stood aside, Felicia¡¯s expression soured.


    Nheless, the staff seemed eager to curry favor with Anastasia, going as far as to disy the dress


    Felicia had selected.


    Coincidentally, Anastasia found herself drawn to the dress Felicia had picked out.


    ¡°It¡¯s hardly a surprise that our tastes align, Anastasia,¡± Felicia remarked through gritted teeth. ¡°Whether


    it¡¯s men or clothing, it appears you have a penchant for what I¡¯m fond of as well.¡±


    ¡°Do you


    also like this one?¡± Anastasia inquired, rising from her seat.


    ¡°This gown has been chosen by Ms. Stewart,¡± Lionel spoke in Felicia¡¯s stead.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re certainly quite attentive to her preferences, even knowing which dress she had chosen.


    Could it be that your rtionship isn¡¯t as straightforward as it appears?¡± Anastasia inquired, adopting


    Felicia¡¯s tone in her retort.


    Since Felicia seemed to relish spreading rumors about others, Anastasia decided to retaliate in kind.


    In an instant, everyone¡¯s gazes fell on stor¡¯s assistant Lionel.


    This man seemned excessively concerned about Felicia.


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Lionel retorted, clearly angered.


    Felicia¡¯s expression darkened, and she said indignantly, ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t cross the line!¡±


    ¡°You seem to develop an affinity for whatever others happen to be enamored with. Had I selected the


    alternative dress, you¡¯d probably insist you adore it as well. It¡¯s as though you¡¯re trying to vie with me to


    establish your superiority,¡± Anastasia remarked, passing the dress back to Felicia.


    ¡°Men are akin to clothing. I¡¯m not partial to those that have been handled by others. It¡¯s distasteful,¡±


    Anastasiamented before selecting an untouched dress and departing.


    She then addressed Lionel, ¡°Apany your boss¡¯ future wife to the banquet. Tell stor I¡¯ll be there


    on time. After saying that, Anastasia selected her attire and intended to pay by card.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ your card has been declined, Ms. Lawson,¡± the staff stated with a tinge of


    awkwardness. ¡°However, my superior indicated that you can just take the gown with you.¡±


    Anastasia was momentarily taken aback. She examined the card in her possession, bearing her name.


    How had stor managed to freeze her bank card?


    Anastasia¡¯s brows furrowed in annoyance.


    She couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°Isn¡¯t stor taking things too far? So he¡¯s nning for me to make a fool


    of myself at the banquet today, huh?¡±


    ¡°Annie, you don¡¯t have to go if you don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s fine even if you don¡¯t attend the banquet,¡± Jason


    stated, not wanting Anastasia to be mistreated at the event.


    The situation was escting, with stor now openly mistreating Anastasia and even enlisting the help


    of both Felicia and his assistant to bully and humiliate her.

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126


    Anastasia held the bank card in her hand and fell silent for a long time. ¡°Did it dy your work?¡±


    Hearing that, Jason shook his head. ¡°The dessert shop wasn¡¯t particrly busy today.¡±


    ¡°Was it tough?¡± Anastasia asked in a soft voice.


    Once again, Jason shook his head.


    Nheless, Anastasia could tell that the hair on his forehead had been soaked in sweat.


    He must have been rushing to deliver food to customers if he was drenched in sweat even on such a


    chilly day.


    ¡°You should go back soon,¡± Anastasia assured Jason with a smile.


    ¡°After the banquet is over, I¡¯lle pick you up.¡± Jason looked at Anastasia with a determined gaze.


    He would never let stor bully Anastasia.


    need¡­¡±


    However, Anastasia shook her head. ¡°No need¡­¡±


    Those people at the banquet could easily crush them, the lower-ss members of society.


    Anastasia also feared that stor might go crazy and harm Jason.


    ¡°Wait for me. I wille and pick you upter.¡± Jason moved his scooter forward. The scooter used for


    delivery looked incongruous with his attractive appearance.


    When Anastasia saw that, she felt likeughing.


    ¡°Don¡¯tugh. This scooter is environmentally friendly.¡± Jason alsoughed when he saw Anastasia


    laughing.


    Anastasia nodded while holding back herughter. ¡°Okay. Put your helmet on. Don¡¯t cause trouble for


    the traffic police.¡±


    Jason felt somewhat helpless. ¡°Anastasia, you used to treat me like a stray and now you treat me like a


    child?¡±


    ¡°I treat you as my younger brother.¡± The smile on Anastasia¡¯s face faded as she gave Jason a serious


    look. ¡°The only person I consider family is you.¡±


    Jason¡¯s fingers tightened around the helmet strap. He did not say anything.


    He hated the term ¡°younger brother.¡±


    ¡°Be careful on the road.¡± Anastasia was a bit worried and reminded him multiple times.


    With a gloomy face, Jason gave Anastasia an annoyed look.


    Anastasia believed she had been overly concerned as well. After all, he had grown up and developed


    his own sense of dignity.


    Jason snorted and sped away on his out-of-ce scooter.


    Anastasia stood by the roadside, watching Jason¡¯s receding figure.


    She wished for Jason¡¯s lifelong happiness.


    ¡°Annie!¡± At that moment, Kimberly¡¯s car pulled over to the side of the road, and she rolled down her


    window.


    Anastasia got into Kimberly¡¯s car and fastened her seatbelt.


    ¡°Are you really going to the banquet despite knowing how dangerous it is?¡± Kimberly knew that stor


    and Felicia were conspiring to bring Anastasia down.


    Anastasia might suffer humiliation if she went to the banquet that evening.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that bad. After all, we were married for four years,¡± Anastasia replied, still holding a


    glimmer of hope.


    She reasoned that stor most likely just wanted Felicia to provoke her a little. He probably would not


    try topletely destroy her at the banquet.


    ¡°Besides, my art exhibition is about to start. I¡¯m not going to the banquet for stor. I¡¯m doing it for


    myself.¡± After all, public opinion had greatly harmed Anastasia¡¯s reputation.


    Truth be told, Anastasia was worried that no one would show up to her art exhibition. That would be


    embarrassing.


    ¡°If you say so¡­¡± Kimberly sighed and drove away with Anastasia.


    ¡°Annie, are you living at Jason¡¯s ce now?¡± Kimberly asked in a low voice. ¡°I think it would be best if


    you and Jason tried to keep a low profile. All thosements about Jason on the inte¡­¡±


    Anastasia smiled as she looked at Kimberly. ¡°I simply think of Jason as a member of my family.¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°I am not saying Jason is bad, Annie. It is just¡­¡± Kimberly appeared anxious.


    In Anastasia¡¯s memory, Kimberly was not the type to casually gossip about others behind their backs.


    Anastasia also knew that Kimberly wasn¡¯t intentionally speaking ill of Jason. She probably just did not


    want Anastasia to be with Jason.


    ¡°I just think stor is a better choice than Jason. After all, stor-¡±


    ¡°Kim, stor, and I can never get back together again, and it is not just because he cheated,¡±


    Anastasia interrupted Kimberly. ¡°Why are you suddenly speaking up for stor today? Did he say


    anything to you?¡±


    Kimberly took a deep breath and replied, ¡°He didn¡¯t. It¡¯s just that stor has a much higher social


    status than we do. If you and Jason do not keep your distance from one another, stor will definitely


    go after Jason. Jason is only a worker.¡±

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127


    After hearing that, Anastasia fell silent for a long time.


    A woman¡¯s sixth sense was actually very urate. Moreover, she knew Kimberly well.


    ¡°Do you like Jason?¡± Anastasia did not want to be estranged from her best friend.


    Kimberly nced at Anastasia and grew even more flustered. ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not good at lying.¡± Anastasia sighed.


    ¡°Well, he is undeniably handsome, and he is loved by everyone everywhere he goes. I admit I had a


    little crush on him; that was why I was watching him so closely. But a man would not affect our


    friendship in any way!¡± Kimberly patted her chest firmly.


    As soon as Anastasia heard that, she chuckled helplessly. ¡°You scared me. At first, I thought you


    disliked Jason.¡± After a long silence, Anastasia spoke again. ¡°Jason is definitely a good person.¡±


    ¡°Except for his somewhatcking family background, he is perfect, especially in terms of his physique.


    He participated in a swimmingpetition at school wearing nothing but his swim trunks. His physique


    is amazing!¡± Kimberly nearly drooled.


    Anastasia just smiled, recalling the time she bumped into Jason¡¯s embrace during their reunion in


    Atharia.


    ¡°You and Jason would make a good couple if stor did not get in the way. I can tell he likes you.¡±


    Kimberly sighed.


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    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not worthy of him.¡±


    She didn¡¯t even know how much time she had left.


    ¡°You do not have to overthink things, Anastasia.¡± Kimberly parked her car in front of the hotel. ¡°You


    simply think too much. You should live every day as if it were yourst. Regardless of whether the


    person you love reciprocates your feelings, the first thing you must do is love yourself.¡±


    Anastasia looked at Kimberly in a daze and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Despite having lived for so long, she felt she had not gained much wisdom or rity in her life.


    She had never truly loved herself in those years, which may have contributed to her developing cancer


    at such a young age.


    Indeed, it was time for a change in lifestyle.


    For the rest of her life, she promised to love herself properly.


    After changing into her dress, Anastasia casually tied up her hair and applied some lipstick before


    getting out of the car.


    Kimberly was a bit worried and waited outside for a while. She only left after Anastasia entered the


    venue.


    She had no idea how stor would humiliate Anastasia that evening.


    At the venue, a security guard stopped Anastasia. ¡°Madam, may I see your invitation?¡±


    Anastasia took out the invitation and showed it to him.


    ¡°I am sorry. Since you are attending as Mrs. Lopez, you must enter with Mr. Lopez. Are you-not


    together?¡± The security guard was simply carrying out his duties.


    Hearing that, Anastasia stood there and waited.


    ¡°stor hasn¡¯t arrived yet?¡± she wondered.


    ¡°Mrs. Lopez, did you not get in touch with Mr. Lopez? I saw him walk in with another woman earlier.¡±


    The security guard felt awkward and went over to Anastasia when he saw her standing there in high


    heels. ¡°Why not give him a call?¡±


    Anastasia smiled at the security guard. ¡°All right. Thank you.¡±


    The security guard was a bit puzzled and thought, ¡°What is going on?¡±


    Next, Anastasia took out her phone and called stor.


    However, stor didn¡¯t answer the phone.


    At business banquets, guests usually had to leave their phones outside.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and turned to leave.


    ¡°Anastasia. Suddenly, she was stopped at the entrance of the venue by Felicia.


    Anastasia furrowed her brows, displeased. ¡°Since stor doesn¡¯t need me to attend, tell him I¡¯m


    leaving.¡±


    Just then, stor¡¯s assistant approached Anastasia and said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Lopez said that if you


    leave now, you will have to bear the consequences.¡±


    Anastasia stopped moving and remained still, clenching her fists.


    He simply wanted her to wait outside until the banquet was over so that everyone could see how she


    was humiliated.


    ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯re truly pitiful,¡± Felicia said mockingly. ¡°I heard that your art exhibition venue was


    canceled. And yet, you¡¯re not willing to swallow your pride and ask stor for help.¡±


    Anastasia straightened her posture and looked at Felicia coldly. ¡°Did stor send you to tell me all


    this?¡±


    In actuality, Anastasia had already guessed that stor probably wanted her to relent and ask for his


    help with the art exhibition venue.


    ¡°Without a venue, where are you going to hold your art exhibition? Do you n to do it in a park or by


    the side of the road?¡± Felicia covered her mouth andughed.

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128


    ¡°Anastasia, everything you have was given by stor,¡± Felicia said, shaking her head dramatically.


    ¡°And now, he no longer wants you. What else do you have? You have nothing.¡±


    Anastasia knew thating here today would result in Felicia humiliating her.


    This was what stor wanted to achieve.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes turned red, but she said nothing.


    ¡°What are you cocky about? Remember the first time we met? You looked so arrogant when I said I¡¯m


    Mr. Lopez¡¯s secretary. You acted like you wanted everyone to know your identity as stor¡¯s wife. How


    dare you interrogate me about why he drank so much wine? Do you think you¡¯ll always be superior to


    me?¡± Felicia¡¯s face twisted with malicious delight, making it clear that her revenge had been sessful.


    Anastasia took a deep breath. That day, she had asked why stor was drinking so much because


    she felt sorry for him. She had never intended to interrogate Felicia.


    On the other hand, Felicia overreacted because she knew she was wrong.


    ¡°You and the Lawson family are like beggars, pestering Mr. Lopez every day and night. In the four


    years of your marriage, he has to deal with many problems for your family and lose a lot of money to


    your greedy father. I don¡¯t know how Mr. Lopez endures living with a woman like you for four years.¡± An


    annoyed Lionel chimed in, supporting Felicia¡¯s indignation.


    Lionel spoke as if he felt sorry for stor. ¡°With your lowly family background, do you think Mr. Lopez


    wants to marry you? You only got lucky because you met him when he needed a woman to get


    married.¡±


    Their derision caused Anastasia to lose her strength to stand. She had to lean against the wall.,


    There was no escape for her. She could only stand there, feeling like she was ced in a pillory of


    shame, exposed to the humiliation of anyone passing by.


    Many people wereing and going, and quite a few of them would stop to take a look, drawn by the


    commotion.


    Now, a triumphant Felicia did her best to degrade Anastasia. She wanted people to believe that


    Anastasia constantly bothered stor, even though he did not consider her a legitimate wife.


    Only in this way would those who wanted to please stor choose to support Felicia¡¯s art exhibition,


    not Anastasia¡¯s.


    ¡°Anastasia, leave stor alone. You¡¯ve divorced him, and you have a boyfriend. This is what you¡¯ve


    admitted. Since you already have a new boyfriend, why are you attending this function as if you¡¯re still


    stor¡¯s wife?¡± Felicia deliberately raised her voice, aiming to make her words heard by others.


    Her shrill voice sessfully drew the attention of thedies at the dinner party.


    ¡°How disgraceful. This so-called Mrs. Lopez seems to have a messy personal life. How dare she pester


    Mr. Lopez again? She is shameless!¡± one of them remarked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. She publicly admitted she had a boyfriend online, and Mr. Lopez also announced their


    divorce. Doesn¡¯t she realize how disgraceful it is for her to show up and harass Mr. Lopez?¡± another


    person sneered.


    ¡°In my opinion, she¡¯s in trouble. I heard she will have an art exhibition a few dayster. In the past,


    many people went to her art exhibition because of Mr. Lopez. Now, without his support, that exhibition


    will be doomed to fail. Her new boyfriend is a poor student who delivers takeout and works in a bar.


    What can he possibly provide for her?¡± yet anotherdy smirked.


    Everyone was talking about Anastasia¡¯s disgrace. Those piercing gazes, derogatory words, and the


    shrill sounds of sneering and smirking felt like knives cutting through her body.


    Anastasia tried to stand, but exhaustionpelled her to lean slightly against the wall for support. She


    couldn¡¯t stop those people from humiliating her.


    ¡°They can say whatever they like. If this is what stor hoped to see, let him have it,¡± she thought in


    despair.


    ¡°Anastasia, why don¡¯t you guess why stor asked you toe to the party?¡± Felicia¡¯s smirk was


    meaningful and mockery. ¡°He wants to destroy you. He wants you to know that without him, you¡¯re


    nothing. Your slumdog boyfriend can¡¯t protect you or provide for you. Without the support of the Lopez


    Group, is there anyone who cares about your art exhibition? Your painting is worthless, anyway.¡±


    Anastasia felt her head buzzing, rendering her speechless.


    This world was harsh and unforgiving. Only those who were favored could have confidence. Yet, she


    had nothing except


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    stor.


    With her current predicament, it was impossible for her to fight stor and protect Jason.


    She had no choice but to persevere and be patient.

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129


    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe to me?¡± stor¡¯s voice echoed.


    The humiliation felt like razor-sharp knives cutting through Anastasia repeatedly, and she lost count of


    how many cuts she had received. Like going through a torture session, her body was in excruciating


    pain.


    Just when she was about to copse, stor came out from the dinner hall.


    He stood not far from Anastasia and stared at her greedily.


    Anastasia lifted her gaze towards stor, but she no longer had the strength to stand upright.


    Everyone else was watching the absurd scene for their amusement. To them, what had transpired was


    nothing more than a joke, and the individuals involved had beughingstocks.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t anyone entering the hall?¡± stor asked in a deep voice.


    Of course, he knew these people were belittling Anastasia, but he didn¡¯t utter a word to support her.


    ¡°stor¡­¡± Felicia rushed toward stor and took his hand.


    As the onlookers gazed, stor didn¡¯t push Felicia away. This action was a confirmation of the gossip


    they had heard.


    It didn¡¯t matter if Felicia was a mistress or not. Now, she was acknowledged by stor and had his


    support.


    Anastasia was the loser.


    stor looked at Anastasia with a gloomy face as if he wanted her to say something. He was hoping


    that she would beg him.


    ¡°All of you, please leave.¡± When Lionel saw stor was unhappy, he hurriedly requested the security


    guards to evacuate the crowd.


    Those who watched the show became even more certain that Anastasia and stor had experienced


    aplete fallout.


    ¡°Such a woman will never have a good ending.¡± They hade to a conclusion.


    It was clear. No one would attend Anastasia¡¯s art exhibition. Those who had gone before would never


    go again. At least those who were at the dinner party today wouldn¡¯t go.


    ¡°Why?¡± Anastasia asked in a hoarse voice.


    Shecked the strength even to clench her fists. ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡±


    Anastasia was trembling.


    She just wanted to know why stor was humiliating her like this.


    She didn¡¯t understand what she had done wrong.


    Even though stor didn¡¯t trust her and was angry with her schemes, she had alreadyplied with


    his demands. She had attempted every possible means to divorce him. What more did he want?


    ¡°You owe me¡­¡± stor said.


    ¡°I owe him?¡± This thought shed through her mind.


    ¡°What do I owe you?¡± Anastasia asked in a trembling voice


    ¡°stor, she¡¯s officially announced her rtionship with that slumdog. Why don¡¯t


    t lost,¡± inore her?¡± Felicia quickly said.


    stor withdrew his arm from Felicia¡¯s, his gaze at her turning frigid. ¡°Get lost,¡± he said sharply.


    Felicia panicked. She looked at stor nervously and then turned her gaze


    The assistant exchanged a nce with Felicia, signaling her to leave first. Felicia thought, ¡®At this


    moment, stor is furious.


    to Lionel.


    I¡¯ve achieved what I want. As long as Anastasia fails to stage aeback, I¡¯ll have the chance to marry


    Moreover, Anastasia¡¯s child is gone.


    stor.


    For twomoners like Anastasia and Jason without any reliable family background, they can¡¯t


    threaten me at all.¡¯ With these thoughts, Felicia left.


    ¡°Is it because of the child? Or is it because I¡¯m promiscuous?¡± Anastasia could guess what was


    bothering stor.


    Before she had the ¡°abortion,¡± there was some restraint in how stor treated her.


    But now, he was doing everything he could to humiliate and crush her. She managed to choke out the


    words, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you, the one who didn¡¯t want the baby? Wasn¡¯t it you¡­ the one who said you don¡¯t


    like kids? Wasn¡¯t it you¡­ the one who wanted me to have an abortion?¡±


    ¡°You used every means to get pregnant and used that as a threat against me. And then, you


    terminated the pregnancy without any hesitation. That was a living being. Is the child nothing to you?


    Am I nothing to you?¡± stor demanded, losing control of his emotions as he tightly grabbed


    Anastasia¡¯s wrist.


    At the very beginning, he had made it clear that he would not have children, and Anastasia agreed with


    him.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    stor didn¡¯t care which method she used to get pregnant with his child. For him, he had mustered all


    the courage he had, trying to have the child and be a good father.


    However, to exact revenge on his mother and him, Anastasia gave up the child without hesitating.


    Anastasia felt excruciating pain in her wrists, and her eyes turned red. However, she held back her


    tears.


    ¡°You announced your rtionship with Jason before our divorce. Anastasia¡­ You are much crueler


    than me.¡± stor¡¯s voice trembled as well.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡± Anastasia smirked bitterly.


    It was ironic because he forbade her from doing what he had been doing himself. ¡°You¡¯re the one who


    forbids me from announcing our divorce, yet you¡¯re also the one who jumps at the first chance to


    publicize our divorce agreement. Moreover, you¡¯re the one who leaves me defenseless when everyone


    attacks me on social media¡­¡±


    stor had destroyed herpletely.

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130


    Yet, he was now talking about meaningless topics again.


    ¡°You wanted me to be here¡­ You intend to humiliate me from the start, don¡¯t you?¡± Anastasia


    questioned stor.


    ¡°Humiliate? So you think what you went through is humiliating? Anastasia, aren¡¯t you the one who


    abandoned me?¡± stor shoved Anastasia away. ¡°It¡¯s you who humiliates me.¡±


    She had tried every means to divorce him. She would rather be with a slumdog who delivered takeout


    and worked in the bar than stay married to him. It was a disgrace in his eyes.


    ¡°You used my money to support Jason. Do you think I¡¯ll stay blind to that?¡± stor was furious.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    He was livid because he had supported Anastasia financially over the years, but she used his money to


    keep Jason afloat.


    ¡°Your money?¡± Anastasia drew a deep breath. ¡°The money I gave to Jason is the money I earned from


    selling my paintings!¡±


    1


    ¡°Your paintings?¡± stor snorted. ¡°As you can see, if I¡¯m not your backer, how many people will attend


    your art exhibition? There are so many people in Hork City are waiting to book the art gallery for their


    art exhibitions. You couldn¡¯t even book the venue without me, could you? Can your Jace help you with


    these things?¡±


    He had heard Anastasia calling Jace¡¯s name many nights in the same bed.


    This was probably the real reason leading to the couple¡¯s fallout.


    With her trembling body, Anastasia stepped back and leaned against the wall in despair.


    ¡°Sure enough, he¡¯s humiliating me because of Jace,¡± she thought desperately.


    ¡°stor¡­ I told you this is myst art exhibition. Why must you¡­ push me over the brink?¡± Choking


    back her tears, Anastasia looked at stor helplessly. ¡°Is Sienna under your control, too? Well, what a


    good man you are¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed, what a good man he is! He¡¯s good to everyone, but he did his best to drive me to my demise,¡±


    Anastasia murmured to herself. With a sarcastic smile, she lowered her gaze feebly.


    There was nothing for her to say to him. stor would never believe her, no matter what she said.


    The reason was that he believed that he had seen Anastasia¡¯s true colors and had stamped all the


    discriminatorybels on her.


    ¡°Anastasia, why are you so stubborn? Is the rtionship you had in your youthful years so important?¡±


    stor¡¯s voice became hoarse. He didn¡¯t know why she would rather be with Jason.


    ¡°Why does her first crush mean so much to her? Jace has a stronghold in her memory for so many


    years,¡± he thought angrily.


    ¡°You want me to beg you?¡± Anastasia knew stor wanted her to implore him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made it obvious. You just need to relent to me¡­¡± stor felt Anastasia was out of touch with


    reality. ¡°Let¡¯s not divorce each other. What shall be yours is


    yours. I can give you what he can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s too naive. Otherwise, she won¡¯t choose Jace over me,¡± he convinced himself inwardly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll not bother you anymore regarding my art exhibition, Mr. Lopez.¡± Anastasia stood upright and


    breathed deeply. ¡°stor, I¡¯ve loved you. It doesn¡¯t matter if you believe it or not. I¡¯ve loved you¡­¡±


    stor frowned. He stared at Anastasia, his eyelids twitching.


    Anastasia knew he didn¡¯t believe her.


    ¡°Do you know why Jace¡¯s so important to me?¡± Anastasia stared at stor. ¡°In this world, romantic or


    sexual love is not the only connection between men and women. It¡¯s you¡­ and your people, who have


    an impure mind when you encounter a friendship between men and women.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s smile was ironic, and her exnation was powerless. However, there were things she must


    express now. ¡°You refused to trust me when Sienna¡¯s uncle assaulted me. In addition, you used me


    of volunteering myself for the assault. Never mind. Jace trusts me. He¡¯d kill someone for me.¡±


    While Anastasia couldn¡¯t say what Jason did was right, he would protect her with his life and trust her


    unconditionally. These


    were what storcked.


    ¡°He spent years in the detention center for me. He then had to leave Hork for Atharia because of me.


    He has no background while Grandma Penelope is ill. Can you imagine how much suffering he had to


    endure alone in Atharia? There¡¯s no way for me to repay him.¡± With her breath hitching, a defiant


    Anastasia swiped her tears away.


    She knew stor would never understand her feelings and inner thoughts.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m your husband. You owe him a lot, but that¡¯s not a reason to hurt me instead!¡± Indeed,


    stor couldn¡¯t understand what she tried to convey.


    Their arguments showed they didn¡¯t understand each other on the same level.


    This was often the case between married couples. For example, the wife said she wanted to have


    some fruit. She meant to have apples, but the husband bought a cart of bananas.


    The husband would think it didn¡¯t matter, because bananas qualified as fruit, too.


    But the wife believed if her husband truly loved and understood her, he would have known that she


    preferred apples to bananas. By saying her request vaguely, she was testing if her husband cared


    about her.


    One didn¡¯t care for the details, and the other didn¡¯t care to exin.


    It was a sorrowful sight to see.

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    At this time, everything stor had done so far disappointed Anastasia beyond despair. She raised her


    hand to stop stor from continuing.


    ¡°We¡¯re not suited to stay married. Why can¡¯t we have an amicable break-off? Why must we torture


    each other? stor, leave me alone, please¡­¡± Anastasia was losing control of her mental state. Now,


    she stared at him, hoping he would let her go. ¡°Now I know. What you wanted is for me to lose all


    standing and reputation. You enjoyed seeing me humiliated. You want to destroy everything I¡¯ve gained


    from you. stor, you want to tell me if I¡¯ve never met you, I¡¯ll be even more worthless than a dirty rat


    in the sewer!¡± Anastasia had a nervous breakdown, and she shouted in desperation. She no longer


    cared how the guests of the dinner party viewed her.


    She continued, ¡°stor, do remember this¡­ Even if I didn¡¯t marry you, I¡¯d have my career and life.


    While I won¡¯t have the shortcuts and fame you brought me, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll end up worse than this!¡± She


    lamented her past choice. Why didn¡¯t she choose another path instead of marriage?


    Anastasia cried in her heart, ¡®Why did I trust naively when he said he was giving me a home?


    I¡¯m an idiot, an idiot who¡¯s unbelievably foolish!


    It¡¯s my fault from the beginning to the end.


    I¡¯m wrong! I¡¯m wrong from the very beginning.


    What an asshole I am! I¡¯ve failed Jace and Mr. Lexington.


    ¡°stor, I don¡¯t hate you¡­ I deserve this!¡± Anastasia pointed to the ground and stressed her every


    word. ¡°I¡¯ll go to hell¡­ But after I die, I¡¯ll never want to see you again. I hope you an go to heaven¡­¡±


    Anastasia wiped her tears and leaned against the wall. Her fingers felt numb. ¡°Is that enough?


    Anastasia¡¯s nce swept over the people engrossed in discussing, ming, and deriding her. Some


    were taking photos. ¡°Are you now satisfied with the humiliation I went through tonight?¡± she asked


    stor if he was happy now.


    stor froze on the spot. He clenched his fists tightly until he felt pain.


    stor mused, ¡®Is this what I want to see?


    No. I don¡¯t want this at all.


    In the past four years, Anastasia¡¯s never been like this.


    Is she too good at hiding her true self?


    Or¡­ I don¡¯t know her well enough, and I¡¯ve never really tried to know and understand her. The


    thoughts in stor¡¯s mind scared him.


    He had always assumed Anastasia to be a docile woman who relied entirely on men. She should have


    no temper and be meek, subservient, and obedient.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    However, he found Anastasia in front of him to be extremely unfamiliar.


    ¡°Anastasia, the first tomit a mistake is you.¡± stor lowered his head. He suddenly felt tired.


    stor thought, ¡®It¡¯s exhausting.


    Anastasia¡¯s the one who¡¯s wrong in the first ce.


    Anastasia¡¯s the one who couldn¡¯t forget her first crush. In his heart, he ced all the me on her.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m guilty.¡± Anastasia nodded.


    Anastasiamented inwardly, ¡®Indeed, I¡¯m a sinner.


    My existence itself is a sin.


    I should¡¯ve died when I was ten.¡¯


    ¡°If you¡¯re reminiscing about our marriage, do you know the anniversary of my mother¡¯s death? How


    about our wedding anniversary and my birthday? You never remember them.¡± Anastasia smiled wryly.


    ¡°But I remember your birthday. I also remember Grandma Andrea¡¯s birthday. I even remember your


    parents¡¯ birthdays and the birthdays of everyone important


    to you¡­


    She spent countless efforts on the people whom stor considered important. Yet, she was nothing to


    him.


    ¡°Why am I saying these? There¡¯s no point anymore.¡± Anastasia knew her words meant little.


    ¡°Can I go now?¡± Anastasia pointed at the people who took photos and watched their altercation. ¡°You


    achieved what you wanted. You¡¯re now the victim. It doesn¡¯t matter what you do or who you¡¯re with;


    none will condemn you anymore¡­ Moreover, you don¡¯t have to worry about me impacting your


    company and shares¡­¡±


    Anastasia continued, ¡°The child is gone, and there are no other potential threats. Everything that linked


    us together is broken. I¡¯ll never be loved again, and no one will marry me. My career is also ruined¡­


    Are you now satisfied? Can you leave me alone?¡± She stared at stor.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor felt utterly powerless. He swore this was not what he intended.


    ¡°What I really want is for you to give Jason up. You said you don¡¯t love him romantically. In that case, I


    can give him money and ask him to leave you alone¡­ Why can¡¯t we go back to before? Why is it so


    difficult?¡± stor asked Anastasia in a low


    voice.


    ¡°Why must she choose Jason instead of me?¡± hemented internally.


    ¡°stor, you¡¯re now the loser.¡± Suddenly, Jason¡¯s voice reached them.

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132


    Jason walked to Anastasia and pulled her into his arms. ¡°stor, you lost when you didn¡¯t trust her.¡±


    He continued, ¡°Besides, you crossed the bottom line of a marriage.¡± Jason nced at Felicia, who was


    eavesdropping in the distance. ¡°I should thank you for giving up on Anastasia for a snobby and


    opportunistic woman like Felicia¡±


    stor looked at Jason as he clenched his fingers tightly.


    ¡°Can anyone enter the chamber ofmerce¡¯s banquet as they wish now?¡± Being afraid Jason would


    speak ill of her, Felicia ran over promptly. ¡°Security! Does this man have an invitation? Why is he in


    here?¡±


    Felicia was still shouting.


    Anastasia grabbed Jason¡¯s wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    With that, Anastasia left with Jason.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor¡¯s voice was low. ¡°Think it over.¡±


    However, Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything and left with Jason.


    Though Anastasia¡¯s mind went nk, she didn¡¯t want Jason to be bullied.


    ¡°Where did you rent your suit?¡± Anastasia turned around and asked.


    Jason remained silent while following closely behind Anastasia.


    ¡°Where is your ride?¡± Anastasia went around, looking for Jason¡¯s scooter.


    ¡°It¡¯s at the parking lot. How can it be on the roadside?¡± Jason was lost for words by her question.


    ¡°You parked your scooter at the parking lot?¡± Anastasia was surprised.


    Jason could tell that Anastasia was in a bad mood and reached out to pull her wrist. ¡°Anastasia, let¡¯s


    talk.¡±


    Anastasia avoided his gaze. ¡°Nothing¡­ There¡¯s nothing I want to say. What is there to talk about


    anyway? Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, why did youe here when you knew that stor would humiliate you at the banquet?¡±


    Jason wanted to know the answer.


    She knew that stor and Felicia were trying to ruin her reputation.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Now, everyone at the banquet knew that Felicia had seeded in taking over Anastasia¡¯s ce and


    that Anastasia got dumped by stor.


    No one would go to Anastasia¡¯s art exhibition even more.


    To Jason¡¯s probing question, Anastasia stood silently by the roadside without saying anything.


    ¡°Did he threaten you with the venue or something?¡± Jason wanted Anastasia to tell him the truthi


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ You used to-tell me everything.¡±


    ¡°Tell


    you¡­ Tell you about what?¡± Anastasia was still in a breakdown. ¡°Like six years ago, when I told you


    that I was bullied and almost vited by someone, you went to end his life without saying a word?


    Jason¡­ Six years ago, you got lucky because Harold didn¡¯t die. Also, you were still a minor back then.¡±


    Since he was a minor, Jason¡¯s criminal record would be sealed up, and no organization or social unit


    would know about his past.


    However, he had disappeared for six years.


    The price of an impulsive action was being gone for six years.


    Anastasia was terrified.


    Now, she dared not tell Jason anything.


    After all, once bitten, twice shy.


    ¡°Besides, the society is very realistic.¡± Anastasia took a deep breath and walked to the scooter by the


    roadside. ¡°We¡¯ll ride a scooter. Let¡¯s notpete with those who drive a car.


    Let¡¯s go¡­¡±


    Jason looked at Anastasia in distress and walked over to hold her wrist. ¡°Why did youe here when


    you knew the scooter was not good enough for your gown?¡±


    ¡°What nonsense¡­¡± Anastasia wanted to cry. She said as she pointed at the scooter, ¡°Hurry up.¡±


    Jason looked at Anastasia and didn¡¯t speak for a long time.


    A man who came outside to take out the trash came over and looked at Anastasia and Jason with a


    wary face. ¡°Is my scooter in the way?¡±


    Jason was dumbfounded at first then he smiled. ¡°Sorry, no.¡±


    Anastasia was pulled away by Jason to the parking space aside. ¡°Get on. I¡¯ll take you for some hot


    chicken wings, okay?¡±


    Jason knew that Anastasia loved hot chicken wings.


    The ordinary hot chicken wings could satisfy Anastasia and make her happy.


    However, stor did not have even the slightest idea about this.


    This was because stor never ate hot chicken wings. Also, he thought that the dish was


    overwhelmingly rich and unhealthy.


    After she heard what Jason said, Anastasia wiped her tears and nodded. ¡°Hmm! I want some hot


    chicken wings.


    She hadn¡¯t eaten something she liked in four years, all because of stor.


    ¡°I knew it. I shouldn¡¯t have tried to fit in a circle that I don¡¯t belong to. It was really tiring,¡± she thought.

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133


    Anastasia took a deep breath as she looked at the night scenery.


    It didn¡¯t seem too terrible to leave stor and the ce that made her feel suffocated.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m not Jace from six years ago anymore.¡± Jason looked at Anastasia.


    However, Anastasia didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°So, why did youe here knowing that stor and Felicia want to humiliate you?¡± Jason insisted on


    knowing.


    He wanted to know if Anastasia still had lingering feelings for stor or if she was threatened by him.


    ¡°Stop asking.¡± Anastasia frowned. ¡°It¡¯s between me and stor. Don¡¯t get involved.¡±


    Jason was a little disappointed and looked away. Anastasia always treated him as an outsider to her


    rtionship with stor.


    That was right. He had left for six years.


    It was toote.


    He had missed out on her life too much.


    In the evening, Jason had to deliver takeouts. Penelope¡¯s surgery and hospitalization expenses were


    too expensive, so he had to work several jobs.


    Anastasia looked at the bank card that Jason hadn¡¯t used and sighed.


    Sighing, she thought, ¡°This kid is still as stubborn as before. He doesn¡¯t have to work so hard but


    insists on not using the money I gave him.¡±


    Anastasia sat on the couch and answered a phone call from Jayden. ¡°Anastasia, guess who I found.¡±


    ¡°Sienna?¡± Anastasia took a guess.


    Jayden sounded a little excited.


    ¡°Xavier!¡±


    After Anastasia heard that, she froze for a moment.


    Xavier was her partner.


    In the past, Anastasia cooperated with Xavier on all her art exhibitions.


    Over the years, Anastasia¡¯s only trusted friend of the opposite sex was Xavier.


    That was the extent she trusted him.


    However, this man stabbed her in the back.


    ¡°Haha,¡± Anastasiaughed sarcastically. Then, she lowered her head and kept silent.


    ¡°That jerk hides well. He has strong counter-reconnaissance ability and knows the most dangerous


    ce is the safest ce. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t be able to guess where he hid,¡± Jayden said smugly. ¡°It


    isn¡¯t hard for me to deal with this. He is hiding in a rented house near the university. I will send you the


    address in a while, but don¡¯t look for him yourself, miss. You have to go with me,¡± Jayden reminded


    Anastasia.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Anastasia agreed but wouldn¡¯t drag Jayden down.


    She would solve the problem between her and Xavier herself.


    There was absolutely a connection between Xavier and Sienna.


    Finding Xavier meant that they could find Sienna soon.


    Before she died, she had to deal with these people.


    She wouldn¡¯t let these evil people go, even if she had to go to hell.


    After hanging up the phone, Anastasia checked the time.


    She thought, ¡°Xavier must be home at this time,¡±


    Anastasia looked at the address sent by Jayden and walked out of her house.


    She wanted to know why Xavier treated her the way he did, even with all the help and kindness she


    had given him all these


    years.


    Creating calumny, falsifying evidence, framing, extorting¡­ He had done it all.


    Anastasia wanted to ask him what she did to him so that Xavier had to betray her.


    At the rental house near the university town, Anastasia walked on the familiar street and looked at the


    old buildings on both sides of the road.


    Once, the house she rented when she was still in school was an above-ground storage room here.


    There were memories of her and Jace in the rental house less than 325 square feet.


    She looked up at Xavier¡¯s rented house, and the lights were turned on.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Knocking sounds could be heard as Anastasia stood in front of the door.


    Inside the house, Xavier asked, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t think about concealing her identity.


    He was silent for a long time inside the house and finally opened the door.


    Xavier looked at Anastasia standing outside the door and nced around the area.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I came here alone.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was low.


    When Xavier was sure that no one was around, he was relieved.


    ¡°What are you afraid of? You have ruined me. No one will believe me or protect me.¡± Anastasia entered


    Xavier¡¯s house, untied her scarf, and threw it on the ground.


    Xavier frowned and looked at Anastasia. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious that when you painted the nude paintings¡­ Were you aroused?¡± Anastasia turned around,


    looked at Xavier, and smiled. Then, she took off her coat and threw it on the ground.


    After that, she began to take off her sweater.


    ¡°Anastasia! What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Xavier was frightened by her behavior.

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134


    ¡°It¡¯s not fun to only see the photos Sienna took in secret. I will show you what¡¯s real¡­¡± Anastasia


    unbuttoned her sweater, took it off, and threw it on the ground.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Xavier grabbed Anastasia¡¯s wrist, and his eyes turned red. ¡°What do you want¡­ Just say it.¡±


    ¡°I want you to end your life. Will you do it?¡± Anastasia stared into Xavier¡¯s eyes.


    Xavier was stunned for a moment. The next second, he avoided her gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m such a fool and should never judge a book by its cover.¡± Anastasia sat on the couch and kicked


    over Xavier¡¯s table.


    Everything on the table fell to the ground.


    The paintings hanging on the wall were drawn by Xavier, all of which were human body sketches.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m nice to you. Why did you treat me like this? Even if you wanted to ruin me, you have to give


    me a reason why.¡± Anastasia choked up.


    She was hurt by her most trusted friend of the opposite sex, betrayed by her husband, and sold out by


    her biological father. In short, she was abandoned by all her loved ones.


    Therefore, she was guilty.


    Her existence itself was the original sin.


    ¡°Anastasia, do you think that you are good? You¡¯re not wrong at all. Everything bad that happened is


    someone else¡¯s fault?¡± Xavier looked at Anastasia and couldn¡¯t suppress his voice.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t speak, and her fingers trembled.


    ¡°You¡¯re just lucky. Don¡¯t you think? You¡¯re so lucky. Before you went to college, you met someone who


    appreciated your talent. That person happened to be Mr. Charles Lexington¡¯s rtive! So you were


    favored by Mr. Lexington when you entered university. Did you know that because you upied a spot


    to be Mr. Lexington¡¯s student, people like me with limited talent and had to work extra hard were


    rejected?¡±


    Xavier was venting his grievances.


    This was hisint against Anastasia.


    ¡°Yes, you were lucky but were capable too. That was why Mr. Lexington cared about you. He was so


    kind to you. I begged you to help me meet him and make me his student. If you were sincere in helping


    me, would he have criticized my works without looking at them?¡±


    Anastasia frowned as she looked at Xavier. She didn¡¯t expect that he had been jealous of her since


    they were in school.


    ¡°Anastasia, you are fortunate to meet Mr. Lexington at school and get to know stor through a blind


    date after graduation! Who is stor Lopez? His family, the Lopez family, is one of the four biggest


    yers in the businessmunity in H?rk. They are only second to the Gunn family, the richest


    family!¡± Xavier smiled ironically. ¡°So, with someone like stor, a high and mighty scion, how can you


    fall in love with a slumdog like me?¡±


    Xavier lit a cigarette and leaned against the door. ¡°You were respected and admired by others ever


    since you got together with stor. You held art exhibitions with me because you pitied me. People


    only remember your name, Anastasia. No one remembers mine. They always fought to buy your work,


    leaving mine alone in the exhibition hall. You humiliated me.¡±


    Anastasia lowered her head and smiled. ¡°I guess the ancients were right. It was only in human nature


    to be jealous. I thought we were simr and wanted to give you a push since you were not doing well.


    How could you think I was deliberately humiliating you? And that I was showing off my luck.¡±


    Anastasia smiled wryly.


    The evil of human nature was reflected in her life to the fullest extent.


    ¡°Xavier, is this the real reason why you tried to ruin me, make calumny of me, send it to stor¡¯s


    company group chat, and extort stor?¡± Anastasia got up and approached Xavier step by step. ¡°Let


    me guess. It¡¯s only part of the reason?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so smart. I¡¯m sure you know why.¡± Xavier watched Anastasia approach


    ¡°You like me¡­ I saw you secretly drawing me in my freshman year. I didn¡¯t.


    and his heart beat faster.


    to destroy our rtionship, so I pretended


    not to see it.¡± Anastasia approached Xavier indefinitely, took a cigarette from his cigarette box, and


    matched it to the


    cigarette he had on his lips to light up her cigarette.


    Xavier¡¯s body stiffened, and his breathing became quicker.


    Anastasia¡¯s unconscious provocation was fatally seductive to him.

 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m ruined. stor doesn¡¯t trust me. He cheated on me and divorced me. I lost my reputation. No


    one wille to my art exhibition again¡­ Are you satisfied now?¡± Anastasia smiled and asked Xavier,


    blowing the smoke on his face.


    Xavier subconsciously avoided Anastasia¡¯s gaze as he dared not look at her. ¡°That¡¯s not what I


    wanted¡­¡±


    ¡°You cooperated with Sienna to ruin me so I would divorce stor as soon as possible, right? But you


    didn¡¯t expect that Sienna would betray you.¡± Anastasia flicked the cigarette ash. ¡°To get my nude


    photo¡­ Did you sleep with Sienna, Xavier?¡±


    Xavier frowned and said nothing.


    ¡°It¡¯s pathetic¡­¡± Anastasia took a deep puff of smoke. ¡°Were you aroused sleeping with a fake?¡±


    Xavier looked at Anastasia in disbelief.


    Over the years, he had known Anastasia. She was gentle like clear water in front of stor, unlike the


    passionate and enthusiastic vixen now.


    ¡°I¡¯m standing in front of you. Don¡¯t you want me?¡± Anastasia stepped on the cigarette butt and looked at


    Xavier.


    ¡°What on earth do you want?¡± Xavier couldn¡¯t understand what Anastasia wanted.


    If she wanted revenge, this was not the way to do it.


    ¡°I want to ruin you¡­¡± Anastasia was telling the truth.


    She wanted to destroy Xavier the way he ruined her.


    Xavier was stunned and looked at Anastasia.


    Anastasia tore Xavier¡¯s clothes ruthlessly, rubbed her lipstick on him, tore her clothes into a mess,


    scratched the back of his hand with her nails, and then shouted for help.


    However, Xavier didn¡¯t move or stop her.


    He knew what Anastasia was up to.


    Soon, the police rushed in.


    Before Anastasia came, she had called the police and handed over evidence, such as Xavier making


    false rumors, pictures, and how he threatened stor to the police.


    Until the police held Xavier down, he didn¡¯t say a word and just looked at Anastasia with a scorching


    gaze.


    Anastasia sat on the ground, looking disheveled as she watched Xavier being taken away by police.


    ¡°Anastasia, wait for me toe out¡­¡± Before leaving, Xavier looked back at Anastasia.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Anastasia sneered, ¡°I won¡¯t have time for that.¡±


    It did not matter how many years Xavier would be sentenced to, but he could never see Anastasia


    again.


    It was because Anastasia was at death¡¯s door.


    ¡°Stop your nonsense!¡± The police took Xavier to the police station.


    Anastasia was also taken for an injury test.


    ¡°Anastasia, Xavier pleaded guilty.¡±


    In the lounge, Anastasia looked up at the police. ¡°Hmm¡­ Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Well, we found many photos that were taken in secret¡­ He admitted that he had bribed your sister,


    Sienna, to take nude photos of you. His drawings, manuscripts, processed photos, and evidence of


    extortion from stor¡­ He had confessed to them all.¡± The policeman felt a little sympathetic to


    Anastasia.


    He added, ¡°He also admitted that he bore ill intention to you in the rented house¡­ Don¡¯t worry. We will


    deal with him -impartially and punish him severely.¡±


    Anastasia sat on a bench, feeling her limbs go cold.


    Even though she had dealt with Meredith and Xavier, she wasn¡¯t as happy as she imagined.


    I


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Anastasia said numbly, holding a water cup and sipping from it.


    ¡°We have informed your husband. He should be here soon.¡±


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment and looked up at the police. ¡°My husband?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it shows that your emergency contact is your husband. So when you went to the hospital, we


    called your family¡±


    Anastasia was silent.


    Outside the police station, it was clear stor had rushed over from the chamber ofmerce¡¯s


    banquet. He looked gloomy.


    Felicia wore an evening gown with stor¡¯s coat draped over her shoulder.


    After entering the police station, stor asked angrily, ¡°You went to look for Xavier again?¡±

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    ¡°Anastasia, it¡¯s natural for Xavier to be handsy with you. You met him in person at night even though


    you knew he was interested in you. Did you do it on purpose?¡± Felicia rolled her eyes and deliberately


    criticized Anastasia.


    Anastasia sat on the bench, her fingers bleeding from how tightly she pinched herself.


    ¡°Mr. Lopez, Xavier has ndered and forged nude photos and ckmailed you with 520 thousand


    dors. Is it true? Please cooperate and sign here. Your wife has provided evidence, such as money


    transfers, and you need to confirm it.¡±


    stor frowned and looked at Anastasia.


    He thought, ¡°Did Anastasia sue Xavier for ckmailing?¡±


    Xavier was indeed ckmailing, but stor wanted to suppress it and avoid making things worse.


    Initially, he was also trying to look out for Anastasia.


    ¡°stor, Anastasia even checked your ount,¡± Felicia uttered shamelessly.


    stor looked at Anastasia¡¯s messy hair and demeanor and clenched his fists.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Anyone could tell what had happened to Anastasia at a nce.


    ¡°Anastasia, did you still meet him even though you know what he¡¯s trying to do to you? Only you will


    know whether you are truly willing or forced,¡± stor said coldly, leaving with the police.


    What he said had hurt Anastasia.


    These words, spoken out of distrust, felt like a knife piercing her heart.


    Felicia looked Anastasia up and down, mockingly draping herself in stor¡¯s suit. ¡°Anastasia, you are


    so cruel. Did this just to put Xavier in prison? You can¡¯t even let go of your lover. Tsk, you are so cruel,¡±


    F¨¦licia said and sneered.


    Anastasia sat on the bench numbly.


    She knew what Felicia was thinking was also what stor thought.


    you


    do


    stor must have viewed her in the same way. He believed she was cruel enough to use Xavier and


    send him to prison.


    ¡°Get lost. If you don¡¯t want me to p you at the police station, please leave me,¡± Anastasia said to


    Felicia in a low voice.


    Felicia sat next to her arrogantly, saying, ¡°Why should I leave? I¡¯m waiting for stor.¡±


    Anastasia leaned against the back of her chair, took a deep breath, and said, ¡°You can wait for him


    patiently, then.¡±


    Then, Anastasia got up and left.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡±


    As Anastasia approached the entrance of the police station, stor hurriedly followed her.


    Anastasia feigned ignorance and briskly walked out, pretending not to hear him.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor¡¯s voice was slightly anxious.


    ¡°stor¡­¡± Felicia quickly followed him.


    ¡°Anastasia, stop,¡± stor ran over to her and grabbed her wrist.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The police didn¡¯t know that we had already signed the divorce agreement, so my emergency


    contact in their files is still you, which has caused you trouble,¡± Anastasia said as she shook off


    stor¡¯s hand and politely took a step back.


    stor was slightly short of breath. He uttered nervously, ¡°Anastasia¡­¡±


    Felicia chased after stor and interrupted him, saying, ¡°stor, she did it on purpose to make you


    pity her. Even though she knew there was danger, she threw herself into it. Who is to me for this?¡±


    ¡°stor, you don¡¯t have to keep bringing this woman around just to disgust me every single time. It¡¯s


    bing rather tiresome,¡± Anastasia said, looking at stor.


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant. I just wanted to send her back,¡± stor exined.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡± Anastasia was speechless. ¡°There¡¯s no need to exin to me.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, the police told me that it was Sienna who took your photos at home and sent them to


    Xavier. Xavier used those to forge those nude photos,¡± stor said, realizing that he had


    misunderstood Anastasia.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± stor lowered his gaze and apologized.


    ¡°stor, do you believe her too? Do you believe everything she says? Now that Sienna can¡¯t be found


    and Xavier was sent to prison by her, don¡¯t you think Anastasia is a cruel and brutal woman?¡± Felicia


    was getting anxious.


    She was afraid that stor would feel guilty toward Anastasia again.

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137


    ¡°Can you just leave?¡± Anastasia looked at Felicia and spoke again. ¡°Both of you, just go.¡±


    stor grabbed Anastasia¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ll drive you home.¡±


    ¡°What about her?¡± Anastasia pointed to Felicia.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to get a cab here, and she¡¯s pregnant¡­¡± stor wanted to suggest that they first send


    Felicia back and then have a proper talk with Anastasia.


    Anastasia felt numb and smiled faintly at Felicia. ¡°Goodbye¡±


    stor was getting angry. ¡°Anastasia! Get in the car. Don¡¯t make me say it again.¡±


    Anastasia took two steps, then halted and looked back at stor.


    Felicia¡¯s face turned dark with anger, and she turned around to get into the passenger seat next to


    stor.


    Anastasia stood still, looking at stor.


    She just stared at him and didn¡¯t say anything.


    But stor did not intend to ask Felicia to move to the back. ¡°Anastasia, she gets car sick, and her


    morning sickness has been severe recently¡­¡±


    Since Felicia was experiencing morning sickness, she sat in the front while Anastasia was asked to sit


    in the back.


    2


    Anastasia stood there without any intention of getting into the car. She clenched her fingers slowly.


    Felicia nced at Anastasia provocatively, snorted, got in the car, and closed the door.


    stor looked at Anastasia and frowned when he saw she wasn¡¯t getting into the car. He said, ¡°She


    lives nearby. I¡¯ll drop her off ande back to pick you up. Wait for me here.¡±


    It was winter. Even though Hork wasn¡¯t cold, it still made Anastasia stand in the chilly wind waiting for


    his return. Only stor coulde up with such an idea.


    Since she was no longer pregnant now, he had to take care of Felicia.


    Besides, Felicia was pregnant with his child.


    Anastasiaughed sarcastically and looked up at the dark sky.


    stor had said he didn¡¯t like children.


    However, he still took care of Felicia meticulously.


    ¡°Do you hear me? Wait for me here. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± stor was anxious and regretted not asking


    his assistant to send Felicia back.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything. She didn¡¯t agree or refuse him.


    stor assumed Anastasia had agreed. After all, Anastasia was always obedient.


    Anastasia stood in ce, watching stor¡¯s car drive away.


    She suddenly thought of the winter one year ago when it had been snowing heavily in Hork, and she


    was trapped at the bus stop outside the mall. At that moment, she had considered calling stor,


    thinking he might have passed by on his way home.


    stor had said he would have arrived in about ten minutes, but Anastasia had waited at the bus stop


    for over an hour. If stor had said he was busy and couldn¡¯te, Anastasia could have taken a taxi


    back herself.


    However, since stor hadn¡¯t said anything, Anastasia hadn¡¯t dared to leave.


    She had been afraid that stor would havee for nothing if she had left.


    She had called stor several times, but he hadn¡¯t answered.


    Later, stor exined that his employee had fallen sick, and he had to send them to the hospital.


    There had been a traffic jam on his way.


    Back then, Anastasia hadn¡¯t dwelled on it much. She had believed it was eptable to endure the cold


    for over an hour, considering the urgency of taking the sick employee to the hospital.


    Now, she realized how foolish she had been.


    It was so ridiculous that it scared her.


    Anastasia realized that the one who had fallen sick and had gone to the hospital that day had been


    Felicia.


    stor had never been one to meddle in others¡¯ affairs. Even if an employee got sick, he would have


    his assistant send the employee to the hospital instead of himself.


    She had been too naive.


    If Felicia hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to expose this rtionship, she wouldn¡¯t have known that stor


    had been with Felicia for so long.


    She wouldn¡¯t have known Felicia was his first girlfriend and that he had hidden thetter in his office.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and called Jason. ¡°Jason, where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just finished thest order and was about to call you.¡± Jason was smiling as if he was d that


    they shared some form of telepathy.


    When he noticed Anastasia didn¡¯t speak, Jason uttered, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. What do you want to eat?


    I¡¯m at Hofcaster Food Street. There are so many delicious foods in the night market. Let me buy some


    for you.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence. I¡¯m also nearby. I¡¯m at the police station in the university town,¡± Anastasia said.


    On the other end of the phone, Jason was silent.


    Anastasia picked up her phone and nced at it without hanging up.


    ¡°Wait for me there.¡±


    Jason didn¡¯t hang up, but Anastasia knew that he was in a hurry.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    At that moment, Anastasia suddenly understood that this was likely the difference between love and


    indifference, between caring and not caring.

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    In less than ten minutes, Jason arrived.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    When Jason spotted Anastasia standing by the roadside, he ran over in a panic before he could even


    park his scooter properly. He took off his coat while running and covered Anastasia with it. ¡°What¡­


    What happened?¡±


    Anastasia smiled and said, ¡°I just fell on the road and was used of faking an ident, so I called the


    police.¡±


    Jason heaved a sigh of relief and asked, ¡°Is everything clear now?¡±


    ¡°There are surveince cameras. There is no way he could frame me.¡± Anastasia returned Jason¡¯s coat


    to him. ¡°You will get cold riding the scooter. If I sit in the back, I won¡¯t feel cold.¡±


    Jason stared at Anastasia suspiciously. But he saw that she had been smiling all this time, so he didn¡¯t


    think much about it anymore. ¡°The next time something like this happens, call me right away,¡± he said.


    ¡°Jason.¡± Anastasia sat on the scooter and tugged at Jason¡¯s clothes.


    Jason turned to check on Anastasia and put the helmet on her head, smiling. ¡°Sit tight. My scooter is


    going fast.¡±


    Anastasia was amused. ¡°You might get caught if you don¡¯t wear a helmet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the alleyway to avoid the traffic police.¡± Jason elerated, and the scooter drove off.


    Anastasia nced at the time. ¡°Thirty-five minutes,¡± she mumbled inwardly.


    It had been 35 minutes since stor went to send Felicia off.


    Jason rode a scooter and arrived in less than ten minutes, while stor drove a car but couldn¡¯t make


    it in 35 minutes during off-peak hours.


    Looking up at the night sky, Anastasia tightened her grip on Jason¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°Are


    you cold?¡± Jason constantly looked back at Anastasia.


    ¡°Focus on driving.¡± Anastasia knocked Jason on the head.


    ¡°Jason, do you like me?¡± Anastasia asked.


    Jason suddenly mmed on the brake and turned his head to look at Anastasia.


    ¡°Never mind.¡± Anastasia smiled.


    ¡°Anastasia, I don¡¯t like you.¡± Jason looked at Anastasia very seriously. ¡°I had disliked you since six


    years ago because you were so nosy. You took me in and protected me recklessly when I was being


    chased and beaten by those people. I hate you for many things. You only had an egg and a cup of 10-


    cent hot chocte for breakfast but kept the pie for me.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°So I already annoyed him six years ago,¡± she thought.


    ¡°I hate that you always act on your own, follow your ideas, and specte what others think at will,¡±


    Jason rebuked Anastasia mercilessly.


    Anastasia was a little disappointed. It turned out that she was really unlikable.


    ¡°But Anastasia, loving someone is not because this person is perfect or has no ws. Liking someone


    is not necessarily love, but loving someone means tolerating all shorings of that person.¡± Jason


    turned around, wondering if Anastasia could understand what he said.


    The scooter continued to move forward in the cold wind through the sycamore forest. The withered,


    yellow leaves were falling and scattering all over the ground.


    In the best time of their youth, they missed each other.


    Sometimes, once missed, it would be for a lifetime.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Anastasia stretched out both her hands and shouted.


    ¡°I am about to die soon. Why should I care so much?¡± she thought. It seemed she was suddenly


    enlightened.


    ¡°Jason, don¡¯t love me. I¡¯m not worth it.¡± Anastasia lifted her head and looked at the dark sky.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t be so self-righteous. It¡¯s not up to you whether it¡¯s worth it or not.¡± After that, Jason


    brought Anastasia to the night market and bought her mini bagels, cookies, candied nuts, coconut


    pudding, and fresh coconut juice.


    I can¡¯t hold any more food in my hands.¡± Anastasia was really happy as she smiled brightly and


    cheerfully.


    Iturned out that visiting the night market could also be very fun.


    Not far away, stor¡¯s car was parked on the side of the road.


    Earlier on, when stor hurriedly drove back, Anastasia had already gotten on Jason¡¯s scooter and


    left.


    stor had been following behind them the whole time, watching Anastasia smile and turn in circles.


    After four years of marriage, he had never seen Anastasia so happy.


    It seemed that she was really unhappy to be with him.


    ¡°Jason! I can¡¯t eat anymore. Stop buying!¡± Anastasia wasughing as she chased Jason around,


    nagging him not to buy more food.


    Jason was alsoughing as he yfully pushed Anastasia along to pay the bill.


    Such a scene was something stor had never imagined.

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    Leaning against the seat, stor raised his hand and covered his forehead. Obviously, he should let


    Anastasia go and let her be happy just like this. But he wondered why he felt so depressed and


    frustrated in his heart.


    He did not want to let go.


    He wanted to keep Anastasia by his side by any means necessary, even if it would mean torturing each


    other. ¡°Anastasia, is this good?¡± Jason leaned over and asked Anastasia if the mini bagel in her hand


    was delicious.


    ¡°No.¡± Anastasia turned her head and ate on her own.


    ¡°Let me try it, or I¡¯ll buy another one.¡± Jason was able to grasp Anastasia¡¯s weaknesses precisely.


    It was not possible that Anastasia would let Jason spend any more money. ¡°How can you be such a


    spendthrift? You are not the son of the richest family. Even the son of the richest family shouldn¡¯t be a


    spendthrift.¡±


    After lecturing Jason, Anastasia grabbed a mini bagel and wanted to put it in Jason¡¯s mouth.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    At this moment, Anastasia was pulled into stor¡¯s arms from behind before the mini bagel reached


    Jason¡¯s mouth.


    Jason¡¯s face darkened, and he frowned at stor.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait for me where you were?¡± stor spoke in a deep voice.


    The smile on Anastasia¡¯s face froze. Obviously, she didn¡¯t expect stor to find her.


    ¡°Anastasia, let¡¯s go home.¡± Jason


    wanted to hold Anastasia¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have figured out the situation. We haven¡¯t received the divorce certificate yet,¡±


    stor warned Anastasia.


    ¡°stor, don¡¯t go too far!¡± Jason clenched his hands. He uncontrobly wanted to fight stor, but he


    knew Anastasia wouldn¡¯t be happy about it.


    ¡°Jason, you go back first.¡± Anastasia put all the food in Jason¡¯s hands. ¡°Be good.¡±


    ¡°He has already made your divorce public but refused to get a divorce certificate with you. It¡¯s clear that


    he is just stalling you.¡± Jason was a little angry.


    Anastasia sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, no one in this world can¡¯t live without another person. If he doesn¡¯t cherish you, then there


    is no need to tangle yourself with him,¡± Jason retorted.


    He didn¡¯t want stor to continue humiliating Anastasia. People like stor didn¡¯t deserve Anastasia


    at all.


    The four years of marriage could simply be regarded as false love. If they split up, then let it be,


    There were many choices in one¡¯s life. It was not a shame to have chosen the wrong one.


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Anastasia nodded. ¡°Listen to me. You go back first.¡±


    At this moment, she was only afraid that stor would suddenly act up and attack Jason.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you over there.¡± Jason refused to leave Anastasia alone. He put the food in the scooter¡¯s


    basket and stood by the roadside waiting for her.


    ¡°Were you happy to have your hands frozen, riding on his scooter?¡± stor said in a hoarse voice,


    looking at the scooter.


    He didn¡¯t understand why a realistic woman like Anastasia, who was full of schemes, worshipped


    money, and acted ruthlessly, would give all her affection to Jason.


    ¡°Being happy has nothing to do with what kind of vehicle one rides. It¡¯s more about who one is traveling


    with,¡± Anastasia said quietly..


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t go too far.¡± stor grabbed Anastasia¡¯s wrist. ¡°After four years, even a heart of stone


    would have been warmed up.¡±


    Anastasia stared at stor. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been four years. Even a heart of stone should be warmed up by


    now, but what about you? Did I put you in someone else¡¯s bed?¡±


    ¡°We are not going to get past this, are we?¡± stor somewhat lost control of his emotions. ¡°That day¡­


    really just drank too much and mistook her for you.¡±


    ¡°You mistook Felicia for me? I¡¯m so ttered!¡± Anastasia shook off stor¡¯s arm. ¡°She is your first


    crush, first love. But who am I? I am nothing but a woman you unwillingly married only to achieve your


    goals. That¡¯s all.¡±


    stor frowned and gulped. He realized that he was not good at exining and expressing himself in


    the face of Anastasia.


    ¡°Come home with me.¡± He figured he should just bring her back first.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a home.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t want to listen to stor. ¡°You have achieved your goal. I have


    been humiliated in front of everyone at the banquet today. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    ¡°Jason didn¡¯t tell you he was starting a business, did he?¡± stor said in a deep voice. ¡°Did he also not


    tell you that he apanied a female CEO of apany in and out of the hotel, in order to establish a


    company of his own?¡±

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment and looked back at stor in shock. ¡°You¡¯re truly crazy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m crazy? Yes, I¡¯m crazy.¡± stor let go of Anastasia. He knew that Anastasia would not run away


    again.


    stor also reckoned he was crazy.


    stor thought he could part ways with Anastasia on good terms after spending merely four years


    together. Even if Anastasia did not love him, he could turn around and leave without hesitating.


    However, he still could not figure out what was wrong.


    stor wondered, ¡°What exactly went wrong?¡±


    He could not figure out when he did not want to lose Anastasia anymore.


    ¡°Grandma is discharged from the hospital. She wants everyone gets together. Come back with me.


    Grandma will be happy to see you,¡± whispered stor.


    He knew Anastasia wouldpromise when mentioning Andrea.


    ¡°I am only going back to visit Grandma Andrea. It has nothing to do with you¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was


    hoarse.


    After a long time, Anastasia spoke again. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt Jason.¡±


    ¡°I just told you what I found. If I really wanted to hurt him, he won¡¯t be standing here!¡± stor thought


    Anastasia was too distrustful of him.


    Anastasia only smiled sarcastically.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the car.¡± stor turned around. Then, he asked Anastasia to send Jason away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let me see him again.¡±


    Anastasia did not say anything. After stor got in the car, she walked over and looked down at the


    ground. ¡°Jason, you can go home first.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ leaving with him again?¡± Jason looked at Anastasia and sounded hurt as usual.


    He could not keep up with the number of times Anastasia had left him for stor.


    ¡°His grandmother is discharged from the hospital. I have to go and visit her,¡± exined Anastasia


    casually.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ can I ask you a question?¡± Jason sounded like he almost choked.


    [


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Anastasia did not raise her head. She did not know why she felt that her head was heavy.


    She dared not to lift it up or look into Jason¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Have you been looking for me over the years? Have you ever thought about finding me even once?¡±


    Jason looked at


    Anastasia.


    It would be seven years soon.


    Jason realized it had already been seven years.


    Anastasia did not answer because she dared not look for Jace.


    She was afraid she might hear news of him getting into an ident and the nightmare that would loom


    over her


    Anastasia was afraid that Jace was dead and could never return.


    She was simply deceiving herself by choosing to forget, not look for him, and not see him. She could


    only live in her imagination that face would always live well in a ce she could not see.


    ¡°What about you? Why didn¡¯t youe to me aftering out of the juvenile detention center?¡± asked


    Anastasia with a hoarse voice.


    I¡­ Jason wanted to exin but did not know what to say.


    Anastasia looked up at Jason¡¯s eyes. ¡°Jason, you¡¯re not Jace anymore. Your name is Jason now. If you


    get into trouble, just tell me. I¡¯ll find a way to help you whenever I can.¡±


    Jason looked at Anastasia and watched her turn around and get into stor¡¯s car.


    Every time Anastasia went away with stor, Jason felt his heart hurt.


    He hated himself but could not change.


    ¡°Is he insane?¡± asked stor.


    On the way home, stor was driving fast.


    Due to the traffic jam, they had to stop every now and then


    Meanwhile, Jason kept following them with a scooter on the frontage road.


    Anastasia looked back from the rearview mirror and clenched her fingers tightly.


    *Anastasia, how can hepete with me?¡± stor¡¯s voice was low. He thought Jason was not


    qualified topete with him for Anastasia in all aspects.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have topete.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    She was someone stor did not want.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    stor suddenly stepped on the brake and nced at Anastasia.


    He mentally remarked, ¡°Yes, Jason doesn¡¯t have topete. Even if he has nothing but a chaotic


    private life and would do anything to achieve his goal, it¡¯s nothing to Anastasia.¡±


    stor stopped talking, and the light turned green. Stepping on the gas pedal, he overtook the other


    cars and left Jason behind.


    Jason could not catch up to stor¡¯s car with his scooter.


    As expected, Jason still lost them.


    He stopped at the intersection nkly and could not find a direction.


    In fact, Jason knew that it was useless to follow them. He did not even know why he followed them all


    the way. Jason pondered, ¡°Would Anastasiae back if I followed them?¡±

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    ¡°Was it fun?¡± As soon as stor¡¯s car stopped, Anastasia rushed down and began to throw up.


    Anastasia¡¯s stomach churned violently, and she could feel her vision turning ck.


    stor deliberately drove fast just to get rid of Jason.


    However, he was driving a car, and Jason was riding a scooter.


    She did not know who stor was angry with.


    ¡°Grandma doesn¡¯t know the abortion. She won¡¯t live for long, and the doctor said she can¡¯t be


    triggered.¡± stor lowered his voice and gave Anastasia a bottle of mineral water.


    Anastasia pped away stor¡¯s hand and looked at him with a frown, feeling unhappy. ¡°When the


    dayes, should I give you a child out of nowhere?¡±


    stor lowered his head and spoke again. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this. When Felicia gives


    birth, you¡¯ll be the mother of the child. We-¡±


    Anastasia interrupted him and said, ¡°stor, are you still human?¡±


    She looked at stor in shock as if she could not believe what he said.


    She thought, ¡°Is stor asking me to raise a child born by the mistress? What does he think of me?


    Am I worthless to him?¡±


    stor wanted Anastasia to ept the child. ¡°Anastasia, it was just an ident. The child is innocent.


    Just pretend that it¡¯s our own child. I¡¯ll just get Felicia to leave Hork and never bother us again.¡±


    Anastasia was agitated that sheughed. ¡°In your opinion, everything can be reced, right? Snowball


    could be reced by other kittens, and my child could be reced by the mistress¡¯ child. stor, why


    can¡¯t I rece you with Jason?¡±


    stor looked at Anastasia angrily. ¡°It¡¯s him again. You never forget Jason.¡±


    ¡°What about you? Can you forget Felicia?¡± Anastasia raised her voice at stor.


    ¡°I can let Felicia leave Hork forever. Can you make Jason disappear?¡± stor frowned and looked at


    Anastasia.


    ¡°Well, let Felicia disappear first. Show me.¡± Anastasia shook off stor¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Anastasia¡± stor wanted to say more. When he saw Andrea standing at the door, he shut up


    instantly.


    Anastasia was also stunned for a moment. She adjusted her emotions, walked over quickly, and smiled


    at Andrea. ¡°Grandma Andrea, are you feeling better?¡±


    ¡°Are you two quarreling?¡± asked Andrea carefully.


    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°No. We merely have some disagreements.¡±


    Andrea smiled. ¡°It¡¯s inevitable for couples to quarrel.¡±


    Anastasia nodded.


    Andrea sighed and patted the back of Anastasia¡¯s hand. ¡°Annie, I¡¯m old and have seen everything. Life


    is different for everyone. You have the experience for people your age, and I also have the experience


    for people my age. Don¡¯t be trapped by anyone or things. Living in the moment and being happy is the


    most important thing.¡±


    Anastasia was momentarily stunned. She nodded with red eyes. ¡°Grandma Andrea, you¡¯re right.¡±


    Happiness was the most important thing. She had to live in the moment.


    ¡°Aunt Andrea, you have such an arrogant granddaughter-inw. You even have to pick her up in


    person,¡± someone added.


    There were many rtives at home. They all came to visit Andrea because thetter was discharged


    from the hospital, saying it would be fun when everyone got together.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Andrea nodded with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right. stor is lucky to have such a good wife.¡±


    stor stood at the door and felt very ufortable when he saw that Andrea liked Anastasia so


    much.


    ¡°There are guests at home. Anastasia, why don¡¯t you prepare some fruit and serve them?¡± E Lopez,


    stor¡¯s aunt, threw the peanuts away and got Anastasia to prepare the fruit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± stor pushed Anastasia back to the couch and took the initiative to go to the kitchen.


    E said unhappily, ¡°Why did you let a man enter the kitchen? Anastasia, you¡¯re so insensible. stor


    is the only male


    member of the Lopez family. Do you think he should enter the kitchen?¡±


    Anastasia said nothing with a sullen expression.


    When Anastasia married stor back then, she became a full-time wife at home because, of the


    discussion among stor¡¯s


    rtives.


    Anastasia was afraid that she could not do better than others.


    ¡°Will the gas explode when a man enters the kitchen?¡± retorted Anastasia with a smile.


    Since she had already fallen out with stor, she did not bother to care about his weird rtives.

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    E was momentarily taken aback, seemingly caught off guard by the situation.


    It took a considerable amount of time before she came back to her senses. ¡°Aunt Andrea, did you hear


    the way your granddaughter-inw was speaking? Her husband works so tirelessly to support their


    family financially. She doesn¡¯t even have a job and relies solely on stor for financial support. Doesn¡¯t


    she care about her husband at all? How can she speak so callously?¡±


    Andrea had grown ustomed to such remarks. With a hint of frustration on her face, she retorted, ¡°I


    was finally discharged today. This should be a cause for celebration. If you have something to say,


    please, continue. If not, then please, shut your mouth. A wife¡¯s role is to be loved and supported. Will


    your satisfaction onlye if your children tread the same path as you, living in difort? Both of


    them have their own lives to lead. Why do you feel the need to pass judgment?¡±


    A faint smile curled at the corners of Anastasia¡¯s lips as she observed Andrea. She couldn¡¯t help but


    think that Andrea might be the only rational person in the entire Lopez family.


    ¡°Aunt Andrea, look at what you¡¯re doing. You must stop spoiling her. I¡¯ve heard from Naomi that this


    daughter-inw of yours isn¡¯t as pleasant as she appears,¡± E retorted, her cheeks flushed with


    embarrassment. When she spotted Naomi entering the scene, it was as if she had found an ally.


    ¡°Naomi, see this for yourself! Your daughter-inw won¡¯t even move. Even stor had to take care of


    washing the fruits for her.¡±


    A shadow passed over Naomi¡¯s face. No matter how she looked at it, she found nothing appealing


    about Anastasia. However, stor had previously warned her about Andrea¡¯s fragile health and her


    inability to endure shocks. So, she chose not to cross the line. ¡°Humph, she¡¯s not one to tolerate being


    controlled, is she?¡± Naomi mocked.


    Anastasia remainedposed in her seat, a sneer ying on her lips.


    ¡°Annie,e join me in the other room. The atmosphere here is suffocating,¡± Andrea urged in a low


    voice as she gently took hold of Anastasia¡¯s hand, guiding her to another room.


    Anastasia offered a grateful smile to Andrea.


    ¡°Annie, tell me the truth. You and stor¡­ Are you two fighting?¡± Andrea murmured.


    Despite her age, her sixth sense remained keen.


    Anastasia lowered her head. Not a single word escaped her lips.


    ¡°Annie, even if you are not my biological granddaughter, I¡¯d like to understand things from your


    perspective,¡± Andrea said, sighing softly before retrieving a bracelet from a jewelry box. ¡°This bracelet


    was originally meant for my daughter-inw, but Naomi didn¡¯t like it, and found it old-fashioned.


    Perhaps it suits you better.¡±


    ¡°Grandma Andrea¡­¡± Anastasia hesitated, wanting to decline the offer. However, if she did that, she


    would have to tell her about her impending divorce from stor.


    ¡°Annie, whatever may be happening, I want you to think it through. You and stor must trust one


    another. That child¡­ He had never received much paternal affection during his childhood, and that¡¯s


    been his loss. Not to mention, his mother is a woman with an assertive personality. He mostly grew up


    with his grandfather. The wound from his own family would inevitably leave some lingering scars,¡±


    Andrea said tenderly.


    She hoped Anastasia would show more empathy towards stor.


    Andrea continued, ¡°But if you genuinely feel mistreated, then you must prioritize your own well-being. If


    stor truly lets you slip away, it would only mean he was unworthy of you.¡± She let out a sigh.


    Anastasia looked at Andrea, and a twinge of anxiety crossed her expression as she wondered if


    Andrea had discovered something.


    ¡°That girl, Felicia, I don¡¯t particrly like her. Her utilitarianism is overbearing. Having lived a lengthy


    life, I must admit to having a keen judgment. Even so, onlookers see most of the game. I¡¯ve said what I


    have to say. If stor can awaken and regain his rationality, please consider affording him another


    chance. But if he remains obstinate, then perhaps it¡¯s best to move on.¡± Andrea¡¯s voice grew slightly


    husky.


    She picked up an album from the table, adjusted her sses, and began leafing through it. ¡°I realize I


    mighte off as self-centered when sharing all this with you. The issues with stor were primarily


    his fault. I have no right to ask you to forgive him. But, I can see that that child still holds feelings for


    you. He just doesn¡¯t know how to express it properly.¡±


    Anastasia lowered her head and remained silent.


    ¡°This is his grandfather,¡± Andrea said as she smiled, pointing to the photo of a young Maverick.


    stor bore a striking resemnce to him. In an era where beautifying filters were nonexistent, he was


    truly a handsome and charismatic man.


    Andrea began reminiscing about her past. ¡°Back in our day, marriages are not based on looks but


    rather arranged by our parents. But me and Maverick chose to fall in love freely.¡± As she spoke, her


    face lit up with a triumphant gleam.


    ¡°Come on, Grandma Andrea. You¡¯re a beauty yourself.¡± Anastasia smiled.


    Her praise elicited a smile on Andrea¡¯s lips. ¡°You might not know but, Maverick and I were divorced


    twice before. Despite everything, we managed to find our way back to each other.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Anastasia nced at Andrea in shock.


    The idea that Andrea and Maverick had gone through divorces was unexpected.


    Suddenly, Andrea shared a surprising revtion. ¡°Let me tell you a secret. stor¡¯s father is not my


    biological son. I am not capable of bearing a child.¡±


    Anastasia stared at Andrea in astonishment.

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143


    Back in those days, infertility meant a death sentence for a woman.


    Anastasia gasped at the sudden revtion. Yet, Andrea maintained her smile that radiated ease. ¡°The


    first time we got divorced was because I couldn¡¯t bear a child. And so, my mother-inw hit and cursed


    me, forcing me to get a divorce. But Maverick didn¡¯t want to and left his house in a fit of rage. Later,


    when he understood how much humility I received from his family, he agreed to a divorce. During that


    time, I felt like my whole world was crushed. Frustration, hatred, and distress filled me. But, all of these


    were futile. At that time, I understood that a person only has one life. It¡¯s better to start anew than to


    continue being upset with them. A change was far more worthy than constantints about my


    life. That¡¯s why I came to Hork all by myself. I was working three different jobs, including sewing,


    housekeeping, you name it. After saving a sum of money, I started my own business.¡±


    Andrea was talking about the predecessor of the Lopez Group. Her smile never wavered as she spoke.


    ¡°You probably wouldn¡¯t have guessed that I was the foundation of the Lopez family¡¯s business, would


    you?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Andrea, a mixture of surprise and respect in her eyes.


    ¡°In my second year of starting the business in Hork, a crisis struck the factory. Just when I was lost and


    plunged into a moment of despair once again, Maverick found me. He told me that he wished to invest


    and build the business together with me. But I refused because he had remarried and his wife was


    already pregnant,¡± Andrea recounted, her fingers tracing over a photo.


    Anastasia unconsciously clenched her fingers tightly, her head bowing as her eyes welled up.


    ¡°Grandma Andrea, you¡¯ve always loved him, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but think whether it was worth it.


    Just because Andrea couldn¡¯t bear children of her own, she had to endure a divorce and watch


    Maverick marry someone else.


    ¡°Of course I do. There¡¯s only been one man I loved in my life,¡± Andrea answered with a hoarse voice.


    She gently caressed Maverick¡¯s photo. ¡°But I¡¯ve also resented him. Not long after I rejected him, his


    wife suffered a difficult childbirth and passed away, leaving Maverick behind. During that time, it was a


    downfall for his family. They had no money, so he had to work tirelessly. Besides, his mother was sick


    and he had no one to take care of his child. Desperation led him to carry the child to me and ask for


    help in raising him.¡±


    Anastasia nced at Andrea. ¡°And you agreed?¡±


    Andrea nodded. ¡°I promised to raise the baby with him. Gradually, I realized I still had feelings for him.


    When the child called me mother, the feeling was indescribable. That¡¯s when I began to consider the


    idea of getting remarried.¡±


    As Andrea flipped through the photos, she shared her story with Anastasia, piece by piece. ¡°And with


    that, we had been together for more than 40 years.¡±


    She closed the album and removed her sses. ¡°Just one year before Maverick passed away, I was


    65 years old. At that time, I filed for a divorce again.¡±


    Once again, another wave of shock washed over Anastasia.


    She couldn¡¯t fathom why Andrea would ask for a divorce at the age of 65.


    ¡°Why?¡± Anastasia asked in confusion.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Marriage is never the yoke that binds us women, but rather, it serves as a barrier to protect us.


    Maverick was a good person. Despite that, I still couldn¡¯t bring myself to get over the fact that he had


    been married twice and had another woman in his life. Even the child belonged to that woman.¡±


    Andrea shook her head. She thought she was able to move on, but the stronger her love for Maverick,


    the more difficult it became to let go.


    ¡°Did Grandpa Maverick agree to the divorce?¡± Anastasia inquired.


    Andrea smiled warmly. ¡°Yes, he was more than happy to do it. He said that after the divorce, it felt like


    the stone that had been weighing on his heart for all these years was finally lifted. He often felt remorse


    and expressed his desire to win back my heart. Sadly, fate didn¡¯t grant him that opportunity.¡±


    Anastasia chuckled, tears mixing with herughter.


    ¡°I¡¯m sharing all of this with you, Annie, because I want you to understand that divorce isn¡¯t something to


    be afraid of. You should listen to your heart. If you believe there¡¯s a chance to salvage things, then


    consider giving him another shot. If you feel that he doesn¡¯t deserve it, then don¡¯t hesitate to turn


    around and walk away. Remember, there¡¯s no absolute right or wrong in life,¡± Andrea advised.


    Anastasia lifted her head, trying hard to fight back her tears.


    After a moment, her voice wavered as she said, ¡°Grandma Andrea, is Felicia talking nonsense again?¡±


    With a sigh, Andrea replied, ¡°That youngdy is quite cunning. She made sure I knew about her


    pregnancy and used you of having an abortion.¡±


    In reality, Andrea knew everything.


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Her tears finally broke free, cascading down her cheeks.


    ¡°Good girl. I know you¡¯ve gone through a lot. Life is short. Don¡¯t let anything anchor you.¡± Andrea


    hugged Anastasia and gently patted her back, offeringfort.:


    Anastasia nodded and in a hoarse voice, she said, ¡°Grandma Andrea, I want to¡­ divorce stor.¡±


    Andrea let out a sympathetic sigh and nodded in understanding. ¡°Alright, dear. I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Andrea had developed a fondness for Anastasia because she felt she was like the younger version of


    herself.


    The fact that Anastasia was determined to divorce was probably because she had been utterly hurt by


    stor.

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    When it was time for dinner, stor was busy in the dining room.


    Observing him as he diligently prepared dinner, Naomi could not help but feel bad for him. ¡°How could


    your grandma send the housekeeper home, given her poor physical condition?¡±


    In a low voice, stor rebuked, ¡°Wendy had been taking care of Grandma in the hospital. She


    deserves to have a holiday today.¡±


    Naomi¡¯s heart broke as she watched her son toil in the dining room. Raising her voice, she said, ¡°Even


    so, you shouldn¡¯t be preparing dinner. Where is Anastasia? Get her to do it!¡±


    ¡°Why should she do it?¡± stor furrowed his brows in response to his mother¡¯s words. ¡°She has just


    had a miscarriage and is in poor health. She needs rest. Besides, what I¡¯m doing now isn¡¯tborious.¡±


    Naomi¡¯s voice grew louder as she continued her barrage of scolding and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that


    men don¡¯t belong in the kitchen? This family depends on you to bring home money. Meanwhile, she


    simply spends her days at home eating, sleeping, and eating again without working. It¡¯s as if she just


    waits to enjoy the fruits of yourbor. How can she do that? Does she think she¡¯s a queen? All she


    seems to care about is raising a pet every day. I bet she doesn¡¯t even know how to support herself


    without you.¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Those words were actually meant for Anastasia.


    stor¡¯s expression turned grim. He responded, ¡°Are you done? Before Anastasia married me, did you


    ever care when I worked so hard at thepany that I had gastrointestinal bleeding? Back then,


    Anastasia woke up at five or six in the morning, took the bus to the farmer¡¯s market, fought with the


    crowds to buy groceries, and then took the bus home to cook food for me every day.¡±


    Previously, stor had no idea of the hardship Anastasia had gone through for him.


    He now understood that it was never an easy task to buy groceries and cook.


    ¡°I knew this vixen would lie to you. How could she be exhausted by buying groceries and cooking?


    What kind of housekeeper who takes care of cooking would spend so much money in a month? She


    spent a few hundred thousand dors every time she headed out. I wonder who that asshole was that


    she spent money on. You are an idiot for being with such a woman.¡± Naomi could not stop her


    criticisms at this point.


    With a gloomy face, stor threw the tes and cutlery onto the table before storming into the kitchen.


    At this point, he really did not want to talk to his mother because there was no way tomunicate


    with her.


    Not to mention that he was never good at exining himself.


    ¡°Stop doing the chores. Let Anastasia deal with them,¡± Naomi persisted, refusing to stop.


    ¡°She is a daughter-inw. She should do these!¡± Naomi said with a snort.


    Perhaps Naomi¡¯s excessive cursing had pushed Andrea to her limit, prompting her to shout angrily,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it? You are also a daughter-inw.¡±


    In fear, Naomi stood up straight and nervously looked at Andrea. ¡°Mom, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me mom. I¡¯m not your mother, as I will not raise my child to be like you,¡± Andrea expressed


    her anger while looking at Naomi. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember why stor¡¯s father left home back then? It


    seems you haven¡¯t reflected on yourself after so many years!¡±


    In a panic, Naomi lowered her head and dared not retort.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you. Go home.¡± Andrea wanted Naomi to leave.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Naomi shouted nervously.


    ¡°Leave!¡± Grandma hit the wall, insisting on hermand.


    It was the first time that the elegant and dignified Andrea had gotten so angry.


    ¡°Grandma Andrea¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s eyes were red as she supported Andrea. She worried that thetter


    would get too angry and


    harm her health.


    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be angry.¡± stor also ran over nervously.


    stor frowned and asked his mother to leave first, saying, ¡°Mom, you should go home first.¡±


    Meanwhile, E and the others were watching the scenes unfold before them.


    Andrea then pointed at E and the people around thetter and gave hermand, ¡°I want you all to


    leave too.¡±


    E and the others did not dare to further anger Andrea at this time, so they all got up and left quickly.


    With resentment, Naomi nced at Anastasia and thought, ¡°This woman must haveined about


    me to Andrea. You have stor¡¯s protection and Andrea¡¯s indulgence, which has allowed you to enjoy


    four years of peaceful life in the Lopez residence, Anastasia. I¡¯ll make sure you suffer when Andrea


    dies.¡±


    Feeling indignant, Naomi clenched her hands and turned to leave.


    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be angry. Your body wouldn¡¯t be able to take it,¡± stor said as he supported Andrea


    and took her to the side.


    With a smile, Andrea patted Anastasia on the back of her hand and said, ¡°Anastasia, go to the kitchen


    and make an omelet for me.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes were teary, and she was choking with sobs as she nodded.


    She knew that Andrea wanted her to leave so thetter could have a private talk with stor.


    stor¡¯s behavior of pressuring Anastasia to divorce but refusing to let her go was, indeed, beyond


    eptable.

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    ¡°Grandma, drink some water.¡± stor poured a ss of warm water for his grandma.


    Actually, stor could tell that his grandmother had something to advise him.


    ¡°stor, I don¡¯t have much time left,¡± Andrea said calmly.


    ¡°Grandma, please don¡¯t say that¡­¡± stor lowered his head, trying to hold back his emotions.


    ¡°You grew up with me and your grandpa. The proudest thing in my life is to nurture you and your


    father,¡± Andrea said, taking stor¡¯s hand. ¡°But your grandfather and I failed to set a good example for


    you. Our rtionship had never been great, and your father is not a good father, nor a good husband


    as well. It¡¯s unfortunate that no one has taught you how to be a good husband.¡±


    stor remained silent.


    Andrea knew stor was not good at expressing himself and tended to keep everything in his heart.


    When stor was a kid, he didn¡¯t have parents by his side like other children.


    When other children got bullied, they had their fathers to support them, but stor could only rely on


    himself.


    He had always been indifferent to emotions and had never invested too much in them.


    During puberty, while other children were in love, stor was always alone.


    At that time, Andrea even persuaded him to pursue a rtionship if he managed to find a girl who


    suited him.


    stor listened to her and tried to fall in love with a girl.


    However, he did not know what was love.


    Throughout the rtionship, he felt numb and was unwilling to invest too much emotion in it.


    He once said that the best way to avoid losing something was to deny himself the opportunity to have it


    because he felt that as long as he didn¡¯t have it, he would never lose it.


    Such a mindset also led stor to not know how to cherish something he had.


    ¡°I fear that you may only realize the value of something when it¡¯s toote, leading to a lifetime of


    regret.¡± Andrea held stor¡¯s hand tightly and spoke with emotion. ¡°The ones I worry about the most


    are you and Annie.¡±


    ¡°Grandma¡­ Today is a day of celebration as you have regained your health.¡± stor mustered the


    strength to conceal the ache in his heart.


    ¡°And Annie is a good woman. After living for so many years, I can better judge one¡¯s personality than


    you. You must believe me,¡± Andrea reminded stor once again.


    However, stor made noment about it.


    He felt that Anastasia was not as great as Andrea thought, but he didn¡¯t want to upset his grandmother.


    ¡°In a marital rtionship, the utmost importance lies in mutual trust.¡± Andrea nced at Anastasia, who


    was bustling in the kitchen. ¡°If you find it challenging to ceplete trust in her, then refrain from


    restraining her.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, did Anastasia tell you something?¡± stor frowned, sensing that his grandma wanted to


    persuade him to let go of Anastasia.


    ¡°Has Anastasia resorted to seeking Grandma¡¯s help for the divorce? It seems she is willing to use any


    means for the sake of getting a divorce and Jason,¡± thought stor.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t listen to a single word I just said.¡± Andrea sighed. ¡°stor, don¡¯t do anything you will regret


    for the rest of your life.¡±


    stor merely clenched his hands tightly and said nothing.


    ¡°Do you love Annie?¡± Andrea asked.


    stor did not give a response as well.


    As a matter of fact, he did not know whether he loved her or not.


    He was well aware that he resented her for scheming against him and was deeply upset that she did


    not love him, but he did not know if those feelings were rted to love.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t love her, let her go.¡± Andrea sighed and kept shaking her head.


    No one could truly teach others about love.


    It was through personal experiences and the loss of one¡¯s love that he could finally understand what


    love truly meant.


    However, as a norm in life, by the time everything finally made sense to him, that would already be too


    late.


    ¡°When your grandfather and I divorced, he expressed happiness, as if a burden had been lifted from


    his heart, and he spoke of wanting to pursue me again and be together. Unfortunately, he never got


    that chance as he passed away early.¡± Andrea¡¯s voice was hoarse when she spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do something you¡¯ll regret deeply. When you finally wake up to your mistake, you will realize it¡¯s


    already toote.¡± In life, there were some individuals and precious things that, once lost, became


    irretrievable, leaving an eternal void.


    Once they slipped away, they could never be reimed.


    ¡°I understand, Grandma,¡± said stor reassuringly, trying tofort Andrea. He then assisted her to


    the dining table.


    Later that night, the three of them remained silent.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    None of them took the initiative to speak.


    ¡°Grandma Andrea, I can¡¯t stay with you tonight. Since stor is here, I have to go back. There is a


    young man waiting for me at home,¡± Anastasia exined. She was worried about Jason.

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor suppressed his anger, thinking, ¡°Is it so difficult for her to leave him by himself


    tonight? We haven¡¯t gotten a divorce yet.¡±


    ¡°stor,¡± Andrea called out in a deep voice.


    ¡°Grandma¡­¡± stor expressed his unhappiness. ¡°We haven¡¯t finalized the divorce yet.¡±


    stor felt that Anastasia had crossed a boundary, considering they had not finalized their divorce yet,


    even though Andrea was aware of their intention to get divorced.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m old, I still keep up with my phone and watch the news,¡± Andrea patted the table. ¡°Didn¡¯t


    you announce that you and Annie are divorced? I remember there was a divorce agreement as well.¡±


    stor paused for a moment and lowered his head while remaining silent.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Previously, in the heat of the moment, he acted impulsively. Moreover, the incident regarding the video


    had escted significantly, causing severe damage to thepany¡¯s reputation. This then led to the


    Public Rtions Department releasing the statement without his consent. Consequently, he


    immediately dismissed those involved, and as a follow up measure, the department promptly deleted


    the relevant posts on Twitter and statements made.


    ¡°Send Annie home,¡± Andrea instructed stor to drive Anastasia to her destination.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Grandma Andrea. I can take a taxi,¡± said Anastasia while shaking her head.


    She didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with stor.


    In her heart, she cherished divorce.


    hope that Grandma could engage with stor and assist them in achieving a peaceful


    Society had seen divorce as a revealing factor of one¡¯s character.


    Furthermore, she knew that only a few people could maintain happiness and friendliness with each


    other after divorce.


    Before this, Anastasia had done her utmost to avoid getting a divorce.


    She even once considered binding stor through the will and property, believing that even though he


    no longer loved her, she still wanted to remain a family.


    However, sheter realized that such a thought was severely misguided.


    Acknowledging her fault, she chose to disregard what stor had done, focusing on parting ways


    amicably in the near


    future.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± stor insisted on driving her home.


    Anastasia did not refuse. She didn¡¯t want to make a scene in front of Andrea.


    ¡°Sit in the front,¡± stor warned Anastasia before she got into the car, indicating that she should sit in


    front.


    After the incident with Felicia, where she made a scene in his car, Anastasia never sat in the passenger


    seat again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the passenger seat is reser.


    for your future lover,¡± Anastasia said, shaking her head and refusing toply.


    ¡°Anastasia, can you please stop trying to argue with me?¡± stor clenched his fists. ¡°I didn¡¯t even


    comin when I saw you riding Jason¡¯s scooter!¡±


    At that point, Anastasia felt suffocated.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Felicia said it was inconvenient for her tomute to work, so I asked my assistant to pick her up


    before work and drop her off after work. However, the car wasn¡¯t driven by me. I had no idea she would


    deliberately leave her marks in the car.¡± stor had tried to exin calmly to Anastasia, but they ended


    up fighting, as always.


    ¡°Deliberately¡­ You knew it was deliberate.¡± Anastasia chuckled.


    ¡°It turns out that stor was well aware that Felicia did it on purpose,¡± Anastasia thought.


    Previously, Anastasia held the notion that men turned into mindless creatures in thepany of


    women they truly admired. However, she now understood that this was not the case.


    Men were perfectly lucid and maintained their awareness constantly. Their actions were simply


    influenced by their affections and preferences.


    You were well aware that she acted deliberately, yet you continue to retain her presence, permitting her


    to remain by your side, repeatedly showing tolerance and favoritism, and epting all her pretenses


    and actions.¡± Anastasia genuinely experienced heartache¡­


    She finallyprehended that childhood friends would always hold more significance than those


    encounteredter in life.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, it¡¯s just because she is pregnant,¡± stor said, uncertain about how to earn Anastasia¡¯s


    forgiveness. ¡°I mistook her for you, and we were only intimate once. I had no idea she would be


    pregnant. How can you judge me so harshly based on this one incident? Even though I¡¯ve made a


    mistake, you have as well! I¡¯m not the sole one at fault in this marriage. Since we both have erred, why


    can¡¯t you move on from my mistake?¡±


    In stor¡¯s perception, Anastasia had also engaged in extramarital affairs and been intimate with other


    men


    So he could notprehend why Anastasia couldn¡¯t simply act as if nothing had happened, especially


    since he did not want a divorce. He just desired for them to return to how they were before.


    ¡°So what if she¡¯s pregnant? Is she pregnant with my baby?¡± Anastasiaughed out of exasperation.


    ¡°Please stop insisting that you mistook her for me, can you? It¡¯s repulsive.¡±


    Anastasia mmed the car door shut and turned around, striding away. ¡°You are right. It¡¯s not just you


    who has erred within this marriage. You¡¯ve made a transgression of principle while I¡¯ve been guilty of


    blindness and naivet¨¦. Don¡¯tpel me to detest you, stor.

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    ¡°You reached out to Jason, Zachary, and Matthew Zeller behind my back. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s also


    wrong?¡± stor could not fathom why Anastasia consistently clung to the belief that she had not


    committed any errors.


    If he truly harbored no feelings for her, he believed he wouldn¡¯t be so infuriated by those actions.


    ¡°Once, I believed I was exceptionally lucky to encounter someone unlike the rest, yet now I understand


    that nobody can evade the constraints of society.¡± Anastasia chuckled softly and shook her head.


    In this realm of reality, far from the realms of tales, she could not embody the archetypal prince or


    princess from enchanting narratives as she was not Cindere, and stor was not her prince.


    The essence of marriage was a manifestation of reality. It was a web ofplexities, a dearth of


    mutual trust, a stage for mutual reproach, the unraveling of visages during divorce proceedings, and a


    tform for hurling allegations at one


    another.


    At this point, Anastasia did not have the urge to exin any further.


    After all, one could not wake up someone pretending to be asleep.


    ¡°Did you inform Grandma about our divorce?¡± stor redirected the conversation. Truthfully, he was


    not interested in arguing with Anastasia.


    Anastasia ignored stor.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ Must we engage in an argument every time we meet?¡± stor trailed behind Anastasia.


    Since she declined to ride in his car, he chose to apany her on the subway.


    ¡°Grandma Andrca mentioned that she has eyes and keeps up with the news,¡± Anastasia stated, fixing


    her gaze on stor. ¡°Are you attempting to shift the me onto me once more? You¡¯re the one who


    announced the news and initiated the divorce. Yet, you¡¯re also the one who hesitates and declines to


    finalize the divorce certificate with me. What exactly is it that want?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a divorce.¡± stor finally mustered the courage to confess that he did not want a divorce.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡± Anastasia scoffed sarcastically. ¡°And why¡¯s that? Did you suddenly fall in love with me?¡±


    stor frowned when he heard her words. He wanted to say something, but eventually, he remained


    silent.


    you


    ¡°stor, it¡¯s not that you discovered you¡¯re in love with me. It¡¯s that you noticed someone else is in my


    life. As a matter of fact, your survival instinct and pride refuse to let you lose to anyone,¡± said Anastasia


    as she pointed at stor¡¯s heart.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what love is.¡± stor held Anastasia¡¯s finger tightly. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know what love is? Isn¡¯t Felicia your love? There is a dedicated album full of Felicia¡¯s


    pictures on your phone. Isn¡¯t that the proof of your love?¡± Anastasia was utterly speechless.


    ¡°Album?¡± stor furrowed his brows and took out his phone to check.


    ¡°Do you mean this?¡± stor located the album. ¡°I was drunk that day, and then Felicia kept bothering


    me. I admit that I have made a mistake¡­ But she kept pressuring me to get a divorce, and I refused to


    do so¡­¡±


    Anastasia did not want to hear his excuse any longer.


    ¡°Anastasia, all I have are screenshots of WhatsApp conversations with Felicia. Please read them


    carefully,¡± stor urged Anastasia to examine the pictures. ¡°These are the photos I sent to thewyer.


    Originally, I intended to keep this evidence, thinking that if she dared to interfere with our rtionship, I


    could sue her for disrupting the family. Meanwhile, I was worried you¡¯d find out, so I let her keep


    making unreasonable demands.¡±


    ¡°So, when you agreed to apany her on holidays and buy her handbags as per her requests, it was


    all because you were afraid she might tell me what happened?¡± Anastasia found stor¡¯s behavior


    amusing at that moment.


    He was an intelligent person, holding the position of CEO within Lopez Group and standing as a


    leading figure in the business realm among the younger generation.


    Having witnessed countless cutthroat situations, he seemed to be acting foolishly when it came to


    addressing matters concerning marriage.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    No one would believe it if someone were to say it out loud.


    ¡°You use me of not trusting you, but have you ever truly trusted me?¡± stor¡¯s voice was tinged


    with a sense of injustice. ¡°I also need your trust. Yet, what did you do? You installed surveince


    cameras in our home and invited your sister to meddle in our affairs. You were the first to cross the


    line.¡±


    ¡°Are you here to confront me about these matters?¡± Anastasia furrowed her brows, uncertain about


    stor¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± stor wanted to exin.


    ¡°stor, we¡¯vee to this point today, nearing the edge of divorce, wasn¡¯t because of infidelity and


    third-party


    interference. They might have sparked the conflict, but the real issue is the gradual umtion of


    disappointment over these years,¡± Anastasia remarked with a sardonic smile.


    These details revealed stor¡¯s genuine feelings.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t allow me to work outside and insisted that I should stay at home as a full-time housewife.


    However, when introducing me to the public, you would say that I¡¯m a student of Mr. Lexington. It


    appears that men can also be hypocritical. You wanted me to have no social life and stay at home as a


    dutiful wife, yet you also wanted me to shine in front of others so that you could feel proud.¡±


    B

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    ¡°stor, I¡¯m not your possession. I¡¯m a person with feelings.¡± Anastasia pointed to her heart. ¡°You hurt


    me so much, and yet you¡¯re still asking me why I¡¯m holding on to these feelings.¡±


    ¡°Is it impossible for us to start over?¡± stor asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end this.¡± Anastasia felt tired of the rtionship.


    stor remained silent and looked at Anastasia.


    However, Anastasia turned around and walked to the subway, ignoring stor.


    Her marriage had reallye to an end at this point.


    Anastasia looked up at the night sky, feeling her breath be heavier.


    It had been four years since she met stor for the first time.


    She trusted him wholeheartedly, but he squandered her sincerity.


    Life offered numerous possibilities, and she had merely made a wrong choice among them, and that


    was all.


    It waste, and there weren¡¯t many people at the subway station except for a few staggering drunken


    individuals.


    Anastasia subconsciously tried to avoid them.


    ¡°Why are you avoiding me?¡± A drunkard seemed to be unhappy with Anastasia¡¯s dodging.


    ¡°Why are you avoiding me?¡± Drunk people tended to target those they perceived as vulnerable. It was


    human nature.


    There were several tall men beside Anastasia. They also moved aside, but the drunkard only pointed at


    Anastasia and scolded her.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t want to provoke the drunkard, so she turned sideways and was about to leave.


    However, the drunkard rushed over.


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Anastasia was startled and turned around to see stor grabbing the drunkard and pushing him away.


    Anastasia frowned and continued walking as if she didn¡¯t know stor.


    She didn¡¯t want to get involved with stor anymore.


    ¡°Why are you following me?¡± Anastasia looked at stor angrily when she got on the subway.


    ¡°I said I would send you home. It¡¯s not safe for you to be alone,¡± stor replied in a low voice.


    ¡°When are we getting a divorce certificate?¡± Anastasia asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to go to your art exhibition?¡± stor changed the topic.


    Anastasia frowned and thought, ¡°Is he going to y dumb?¡±


    ¡°Are you going?¡± Anastasia asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± stor nodded.


    ¡°Felicia is also hosting an ¨¢rt exhibition on the same day. Are you sure you want to attend mine?¡±


    Anastasia asked, seeking confirmation.


    ¡°Yes,¡± stor said, loosening his tie as he leaned back in his seat. ¡°If you want me to attend, I will.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping you could join. After all, this is myst art exhibition, but it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±


    Anastasia suddenly felt that it was not so important anymore.


    Life was short anyway, so the end was not important.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± stor suddenly said.


    Anastasia was momentarily stunned and unsure of his intentions.


    ¡°About Sienna and Xavier fabricating the photos, I¡¯ve misunderstood you. Sorry.¡± The police had


    informed stor about Xavier¡¯s confession, and it was evident that stor was somewhat taken


    aback.


    Because of the photos, stor had misunderstood Anastasia for so many years.


    Anastasia clenched her hands tightly.


    She thought, ¡°Sorry? What¡¯s the point of apologizing?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, if Sienna broke thew, you should leave it to the police instead of handling it yourself. Do


    you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± stor¡¯s gaze was deep and worried. ¡°Jason is an impulsive person


    who ignores thew. I don¡¯t want you to be influenced by him,¡± he added.


    Anastasia frowned and didn¡¯t know what stor would say next.


    ¡°No matter your rtionship with Harold, it¡¯s all in the past now. You were young back then, and I


    believe you were deceived. But you shouldn¡¯t engage in illegal activities with Jason because he sent a


    video. He has a history of being impulsive and was in a juvenile detention center. You shouldn¡¯t act


    recklessly.¡± stor was concerned that Sienna¡¯s disappearance might be connected to Anastasia.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Anastasia furrowed her brow and gazed at stor. ¡°Do you believe I had something to do with Sienna¡¯s


    disappearance?¡±


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s not, but I suspect Jason is involved.¡± stor¡¯s gaze bore into Anastasia¡¯s. ¡°After Sienna


    vanished, I had someone look into it. When news of the incident went viral, Jason tracked her down.


    He forcibly entered her home, and then she disappeared.¡±

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    Anastasia looked at stor in shock.


    She thought, ¡°Was Sienna not taken away by stor?¡±


    She never thought that Jason would be involved in this.


    ¡°Anastasia, listen to my advice. Even if you don¡¯t want to be with me, you should not provoke Jason,


    that maniac. He can ignore thew at such a young age, take advantage of being a minor, and try to kill


    people. What else can¡¯t he do? What can you learn from him?¡± Out of kindness, stor reminded


    Anastasia.


    Anastasia remained silent, but her fingers felt a bit numb.


    After a long silence, Anastasia looked at stor. ¡°For that video on the Inte, do you insist I did it


    voluntarily?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± stor certainly didn¡¯t hope Anastasia did it willingly, but even if the video was edited, it was true


    that she did not resist.


    ¡°Anastasia, you were young and still in the university back then. Your social experience was limited,


    and falling for a trick was understandable. Your father mentioned that your family was struggling


    financially. Relying on the project from Harold seemed like a lifeline for survival, and you were


    manipted because you wanted to support your family.¡± stor did his utmost to find justifications


    and exnations, attempting to absolve Anastasia¡¯s past indiscretions.


    Anastasia chuckled and said, ¡°You can¡¯t evene up with a good lie, can you?¡±


    Anastasia sighed and forced herself to calm down. ¡°stor, don¡¯t burden yourself too much.¡±


    She wanted him to stop finding reasons and excuses for her.


    ¡°stor, you have a serious mysophobia. I appreciate your efforts ining up with so many reasons


    and excuses for me, even though I don¡¯t deserve them,¡± Anastasia smiled and spoke again, ¡°We


    started with a blind date and got a blitz marriage. I¡¯m sorry we couldn¡¯t build a solid emotional


    foundation before hastily getting married.¡±


    stor remained silent.


    ¡°I know you well. Even if I beg you not to get a divorce and start over, you¡¯ll never forget about the


    matter.¡± Anastasia wanted to persuade stor to give up, divorce her, and have no further involvement


    with each other.


    ¡°I want to give it a try¡­¡± For stor, this also required a tremendous amount of courage.


    He believed he had given all his favoritism to Anastasia.


    Anastasia was his only exception.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    He wanted to test whether his reluctance and unwillingness to let go of Anastasia were signs of love.


    If it was indeed love, he wanted to ascertain whether his feelings for Anastasia could help him break


    down the barriers in his heart.


    ¡°Why do you have to make things difficult for yourself?¡± Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°After all,


    you don¡¯t love me.¡±


    ¡°I want to find out if I truly love you,¡± stor said, his tone firm, as he gazed at Anastasia.


    Anastasia was momentarily taken aback and felt a hint of amusement. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re


    questioning whether you love


    someone or not¡­¡±


    However, life is not a game, and neither are feelings.


    Games could be restarted, but love couldn¡¯t.


    She would leave once she felt thoroughly disappointed.


    ¡°Anastasia, my parents didn¡¯t have a foundation of a rtionship either. My dad chose to marry my


    mom on his own ord. My grandparents never pressured him into it,¡± stor said, avoiding the topic


    of his own family as it made him feel


    uneasy.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and said nothing.


    stor and Christian were strikingly simr, even in their past rtionship experiences.


    Due to their first love, they left and impulsively married other women. However, after marriage, they


    realized these women weren¡¯t what they truly desired, so they fled.


    stor performed his irresponsibility to the fullest extent.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be like him,¡± stor said with a sense of desperation, longing to break away from his


    father¡¯s ways yet unsure how to proceed.


    ¡°I¡¯m destined to be the victim while you figure things out,¡± Anastasia acknowledged the reality, feeling


    resigned to her fate, and allowed him to proceed as he wished. ¡°How long are you going to keep


    trying?¡±


    ¡°Until Grandma dies.¡± stor knew that Andrea didn¡¯t have much time left.


    He also didn¡¯t want to dy for too long.


    Anastasia nodded. ¡°What about Felicia? How do you n to deal with her?¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± stor was unsure what he should do.

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    ¡°You said she was the one who plotted against you and pestered you. You don¡¯t have deep feelings for


    her, so let her leave thepany to raise the baby and stay away from our life until Grandma Andrea


    dies.¡± Anastasia only had one request.


    In fact, she did not have much hope for stor.


    ¡°What about Jason? What are you going to do?¡± stor asked Anastasia.


    He could not meet Felicia, but could Anastasia not meet Jason?


    ¡°Before you confirm your feelings, I still need to exin. In the video sent by Sienna, I wasn¡¯t a


    volunteer. There is no improper rtionship between Xavier and me or Jason and me. Jace


    disappeared many years ago. When I went to Atharia to find Kimberly, I coincidentally encountered


    Jason. That was our first reunion.¡±


    Anastasia exined for thest time before ending this rtionshippletely.


    stor believed what she said, and if he didn¡¯t believe her, there was nothing she could do.


    ¡°If you still don¡¯t trust me and can¡¯t tell what kind of rtionship we will have after Grandma Andrea


    passes away, please keep your promise and get the divorce certificate with me.¡±


    Anastasia was uncertain whether she had offered stor an opportunity or granted one to herself.


    ¡°As for Jason, I will handle it well. Please don¡¯t interfere in his life, whether it is his business or personal


    life.¡± Anastasia wanted an exact answer from stor.


    ¡°Anastasia, when you agreed to give us another chance, do you genuinely want to move forward with


    me, or are you afraid that I might take action against Jason, leaving you no choice but topromise


    with my demands?¡± stor asked helplessly.


    Anastasia was also helpless. ¡°I told you, I have no feelings for Jason except sibling love. I treat him as


    my younger brother. He once saved my life and went to the juvenile detention center. Because of me,


    he confronted Harold, who had harmed me.¡±


    This was herst exnation.


    In the past, Anastasia also read some Billionaire Romance novels. In the stories, the female


    protagonists were often misunderstood but never spoke up to exin.


    She would feel baffled and find it imusible, wondering why something that a straightforward


    exnation could resolve was allowed to develop into a misunderstanding.


    When it happened to Anastasia, she realized she wasn¡¯t the heroine in a Billionaire Romance. She had


    exined, but stor didn¡¯t believe her at all.


    It was hard to change a person¡¯s perspective once he held a prejudice against someone. Especially


    stor, who suffered from severe mysophobia and was extremely sensitive. He would rather believe


    the lies made up by people around him than Anastasia¡¯s words. ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t you have any sincere


    friends?¡± stor asked meaningfully.


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡­¡± stor shook his head.


    Anastasia was silent for a moment before she spoke. ¡°I¡¯m not good at socializing, and Xavier is the only


    male friend I feltfortable talking to. Apart from Kimberly, I don¡¯t have any sincere friends.¡±


    Perhaps, something was wrong with her personality, so she did not have many sincere friends or


    people who wanted to love


    her.


    Nheless, Anastasia always felt that having too many friends wasn¡¯t necessary. One was enough.


    ¡®We¡¯ve reached the station.¡± The subway had arrived at its destination, and Anastasia got off the train.


    stor followed behind Anastasia and looked at the time. ¡°The housekeeper asked for leave today. I


    have to go back and take care of Grandma. I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow morning.¡±


    He still hoped that Anastasia would return to their home after four years.


    Anastasia thought for a while and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She agreed.


    Since it wouldn¡¯t be long.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Anastasia knew that stor couldn¡¯t hold on much longer.


    He couldn¡¯t pass that emotional hurdle.


    When he truly gave up, it was good for them.


    ¡°Tomorrow¡­ Let¡¯s buy ingredients together. I know a fresh grocery store that doesn¡¯t need to queue


    up.¡± stor took the initiative to hold Anastasia¡¯s hand and sent her out of the subway.


    Anastasia was familiar with the fresh grocery store that stor mentioned. The ingredients were


    imported and could be delivered to the doorstep, but the prices were somewhat high.


    Before this, Anastasia didn¡¯t consider it necessary, so she used to visit the farmer¡¯s market.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Since it was what stor wanted, she should be as obedient as before.


    ¡°I have instructed the bank to unfreeze your card. You can use it at will except for Jason.¡±

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151


    Indeed, stor had previously frozen Anastasia¡¯s card to prevent her from using it on Jason.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Anastasia said quietly.


    With Anastasia¡¯s suddenpliance, stor felt uneasy.


    ¡°You¡¯re allowed to get angry with me¡­ You can be yourself.¡± In the past, stor preferred Anastasia to


    be obedient and rational. Now, he realized that he didn¡¯t mind when Anastasia was angry.


    Instead, he began to feel that Anastasia used to be somewhat artificial, deliberately acting sensibly to


    get closer to him. ¡°Whether it¡¯s money you desire or anything else, share your genuine thoughts with


    me. I¡¯ll fulfill your wishes,¡± stor simply wished for Anastasia to unveil her authentic self.


    ¡°Really?¡± Anastasia slowly withdrew her hand from stor¡¯s grip.


    She thought, ¡°In his mind, is my true self just about being calcting, cunning, materialistic, and


    extravagant? Is that the true essence?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ve worn the mask for so long that I don¡¯t even remember my true self anymore,¡± Anastasia


    whispered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about anything else, but I really hope you¡¯lle to this art exhibition.¡± Anastasia only had


    this one small wish.


    It was her farewell ceremony.


    She hoped that stor could see her paintings.


    After four years of marriage, almost all her works were rted to stor.


    Because he had be her core and a guiding light in her life.


    Nevertheless, the light was off now.


    Even so, Anastasia still hoped that stor would understand her.


    Buzz! stor¡¯s phone kept ringing.


    stor gave it a quick look, furrowed his brow, and promptly ended the call.


    Anastasia nced at stor.


    ¡°It¡¯s Felicia¡­¡± stor said directly, obviously impatient.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Give me the phone.¡± Anastasia reached out for stor¡¯s phone.


    stor hesitated for a moment. ¡°She¡­ She¡¯s pregnant. You¡¯d better not upset her,¡± he said.


    Anastasia¡¯s hand froze in ce. stor was indeed a good person.


    Anastasia slowly lowered her hand and said, ¡°Then deal with it on your own. I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, are you upset?¡± stor caught up with her.


    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± stor said, not wanting Anastasia to leave.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m angry!¡± Anastasia gazed at stor with emotion. ¡°You said you wanted to continue being


    together with me. Now we¡¯re a married couple, and Felicia is the mistress!¡±


    stor was taken aback for a moment and handed the phone to Anastasia.


    Anastasia was also stunned. She wondered, ¡°Did stor really allow me to answer the phone?¡±


    Anastasia was surprised that he had done this.


    Anastasia took stor¡¯s phone and answered the call.


    ¡°stor, my stomach hurts. Come and help me,¡± Felicia said on the other end of the phone, mentioning


    that she had a stomachache.


    She probably knew that stor felt guilty.


    ¡°stor is not a doctor. Call 911 and don¡¯t dy getting medical attention,¡± Anastasia spoke solemnly.


    When Anastasia was humiliated by stor and Felicia at the dinner party, she probably did not expect


    that there would be


    a chance for revenge.


    But even so, Anastasia¡¯s heart remained unaffected.


    It seemed that she did not have much pleasure.


    On the other end of the phone, Felicia was stunned. She suspected that she had heard it wrong.


    ¡°Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up now. I wouldn¡¯t want to waste your time with a 911 call,¡± Anastasia


    sneered.


    On the other side of the phone, Felicia reacted and started screaming. Her voice was so sharp that it


    made Anastasia¡¯s ears hurt.


    Anastasia hung up the phone and returned it to stor.


    stor took his phone and Felicia called back within a few seconds.


    stor nced at Anastasia subconsciously.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just block her?¡± Anastasia said casually.


    stor decided to block Felicia after he thought for a moment.


    Anastasia was quite surprised, wondering whether stor had been possessed by someone else.


    ¡°What made you decide that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I want to try believing in you¡­¡± stor averted his gaze.


    Perhaps, it was Xavier¡¯s matter that had triggered stor.


    He had investigated the nude photo incident and confirmed that it was indeed unrted to Anastasia.


    However, stor had believed what Sienna said before this.


    ¡°What a surprise.¡± Anastasia sneered. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can hold on.¡±


    She wondered, ¡°How long can this trustst?¡±


    Anastasia knew she would be disappointed, but she still wanted to see how long stor¡¯s sudden


    change couldst.

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    stor did not retort, probably because he alsocked confidence in himself.


    After seeing Anastasia get in a taxi, stor also took a taxi back.


    As soon as stor got out of the taxi, he saw a figure squatting in the corner by the door of the Lopez


    residence.


    stor frowned and stepped forward. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Felicia¡¯s eyes were red with tears. She also learned from Naomi that stor would spend the night in


    the Lopez residence tonight.


    ¡°stor, why did Anastasia answer your phone? Did you go to find her again?¡± Felicia stood up and


    cried as she tried to hug stor.


    stor dodged and said in a deep voice, ¡°Felicia, I told you that I won¡¯t get a divorce.¡±


    1


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Felicia was stunned and lost control of her emotions. ¡°You said you would be responsible for me. I am


    carrying your baby. How can I marry someone else?¡±


    stor did not speak.


    ¡°Say something!¡± Felicia began to shout.


    ¡°I told you to get an abortion. You said you must keep it! I have a wife! We just had some


    misunderstandings. I don¡¯t want to divorce now that the misunderstandings have been cleared¡± stor


    raised his hand and rubbed his eyebrows. Even if he divorced, he would not marry Felicia.


    ¡°stor, you¡¯re now saying you¡¯ve solved the misunderstanding and don¡¯t want me anymore¡­ You


    don¡¯t love Anastasia at all. If you love her, will you misunderstand her for so many years? You¡¯re just


    used to being with her like you were used to being with me, stor. You love me..¡± Felicia cried and


    asked stor to look at her. ¡°stor, I know you have feelings for me. Please?¡±


    Felicia panicked. She did not want to lose stor.


    She threatened stor by various means during this period. She could only be free from worries about


    basic needs if she stayed with stor.


    ¡°stor, Anastasia wants to hold an art exhibition, so she came back to pester and coax you. She


    doesn¡¯t love you at all. You can tell she has feelings for Jason. You know that¡­¡± Felicia panicked.


    stor frowned and looked at Felicia. ¡°This is about Anastasia and me. Grandma is already asleep.


    Don¡¯t make trouble here.¡±


    Felicia was stubborn and did not care about that. ¡°stor, I am carrying your baby. You can¡¯t leave me


    alone.¡±


    stor was a little annoyed. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Lionel to drive you home.¡±


    ¡°No! stor, you should drive me home¡­¡± Felicia cried as she asked stor to send her home.


    stor was a little irritated.


    ¡°stor, my stomach hurts¡­¡± Felicia squatted on the ground with a pale face. ¡°Please, my stomach


    really hurts. The doctor said that the baby is unstable. Can you take me to the hospital?¡±


    stor looked at Felicia and believed she was not pretending.


    ¡°stor, my stomach hurts¡­¡±


    Felicia had already sat on the ground.


    stor wanted to reach out, but when he thought of Anastasia, he withdrew his hand.


    A


    This time, he and Anastasia had started anew. He did not want to care about Felicia anymore.


    ¡°stor, it hurts.¡± However, Felicia was in great pain and wanted stor to hug her.


    stor was silent for a long time. When he was about to reach out his hand, the light in the yard was


    lit.


    Andrea walked out and said with a gloomy face, ¡°stor, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Grandma.¡± stor¡¯s heart tightened.


    Andrea walked over with a sullen face and nced at Felicia.


    ¡°Grandma Andrea, my stomach hurts¡­¡± Felicia panicked. ¡°I have stor¡¯s baby.¡±


    stor looked at Andrea nervously.


    ¡°No matter whose child it is, call 911 first. Can you treat a patient?¡± Andrea asked stor.


    stor lowered his head and called 911.


    ¡°stor has a wife. No matter who you are and whose child it is, the Lopez family won¡¯t ept it. If you


    insist the child is stor¡¯s,e to me with the DNA paternity test after you give birth.¡± Andrea exuded


    a strong aura. ¡°stor, don¡¯t forget your identity. Annie hasn¡¯t divorced you yet, so you should restrain


    yourself. When you get divorced one day, I won¡¯t care about you anymore, but you will still be Annie¡¯s


    husband if you haven¡¯t divorced!¡±


    Andrea nced at Felicia with a gloomy face and spoke again. ¡°My only granddaughter-inw is


    Anastasia. I won¡¯t ept this kind of woman who destroys others¡¯ marriages even though she has her


    reasons.¡±

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    Felicia looked at stor aggrievedly and cried even harder. ¡°It¡¯s not only my fault. stor, say


    something.¡±


    stor rubbed his eyebrows and said in a deep voice, ¡°The ambnce will reach soon. I¡¯ll ask Lionel


    to take you to the hospital.¡±


    After saying that, stor went back to the living room with Andrea. ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be angry. Have a


    good rest. I have talked to Anastasia. She said she would give me another chance.¡±


    Andrea breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Anastasia is a good woman. You have to cherish it this time.¡±


    stor nodded.


    Outside the door, Felicia saw that stor really ignored her, and she screamed in a sharp voice.


    stor frowned. He did not expect Felicia to be so annoying.


    ¡°Why do


    you


    like such a woman?¡± Andrea was a little angry.


    stor took a deep breath and lowered his head. ¡°Grandma, I drank too much¡­¡±


    Andrea had been through a lot, so she reminded stor, ¡°If you were really drunk, you wouldn¡¯t lose


    control. Don¡¯t make excuses for your mistakes. Think whether someone had set you up.¡±


    stor was stunned for a moment as he looked at Andrea.


    Andrea sighed. ¡°I¡¯m too old to care about you. You should take good care of yourself in the future. I can


    clearly see what kind of person Annie is. You..¡±


    Andrea did not want to persuade stor anymore. She was also troubled by the principles of marriage


    and love.


    If everything could be forgiven, then he would only be reaping what he sowed.


    It was true that stor cheated and Anastasia wanted a divorce.


    Andrea could not control how stor and Anastasia would end up.


    Meanwhile, at the Hillscester Mansion, Jason was sitting at the door of the courtyard, apparently


    waiting for Anastasia toe home.


    Anastasia was carrying an apple. This was Jason¡¯s favorite fruit.


    ¡°Jason¡­¡± Anastasia called Jason¡¯s name.


    Jason sat there like a stray dog, just like six years ago.


    Hearing Anastasia calling his name, Jason suddenly looked up and ran to Anastasia quickly. Then, he


    held her in his arms. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯te back.¡±


    Anastasia smiled, quietly avoided Jason, and put the apple in his hand. ¡°I bought it for you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Jason lowered his head to hold Anastasia¡¯s hand. His other hand held the apple.


    ¡°Jason, I can¡¯t live here anymore,¡± Anastasia whispered.


    She treated Jason like her younger brother and knew that he would not do anything to her.


    Nevertheless, the rumors in this society did not allow pure friendship between men and women.


    While she was not yet divorced, living together would indeed make Jason criticized.


    They were so impulsive that they announced the so-called rtionship as a couple before getting the


    divorce certificate.


    This would give stor leverage against Jason.


    Today, stor asked Anastasia if she really wanted to try again or was just afraid that he would hurt


    Jason.


    Anastasia did not answer him directly.


    In fact, she actually thought of both.


    If Sienna¡¯s disappearance really had something to do with Jason, she would consider herself guilty.


    Anastasia did not want to involve Jason anymore.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Jason panicked, and his fingers stiffened in the air. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t want to


    live here. I will rent a house tomorrow. I will also look at other ces. Anastasia, let¡¯s go view houses


    together tomorrow¡­¡± Jason panicked, and his speech was getting faster.


    He looked like a stray dog who did not want to lose its owner, pleading and sobbing.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡¯ve been working hard. I really¡­ I¡¯m trying hard to give you the life you want. Please wait


    for me, okay?¡± Jason lowered his head and spoke in a hoarse voice.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    He really worked hard.


    Jason thought, ¡°Can¡¯t Anastasia wait for me?¡±


    He could also give her the sense of security she wanted.


    ¡°Jason, you¡¯re a good person and deserve better.¡± Anastasia shook her head at Jason. ¡°I¡¯m married


    and pregnant. Even if stor and I divorce, we won¡¯t have a good ending.¡±


    Anastasia shook her head again. ¡°Jason, don¡¯t do anything stupid for someone like me. You should


    learn a lesson from what happened six years ago.¡±

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    Jason looked away. ¡°I won¡¯t listen¡­ I don¡¯t care. I just want to be with you.¡±


    Anastasia lowered her head and sighed. ¡°I have to go, Jason. I can¡¯t apany you forever. You have


    to learn to grow up.¡±


    Over the years, Anastasia could see that Jason had changed a lot.


    However, she knew that he could be more mature.


    ¡°Kimberly, what do you think?¡± Anastasia asked in a low voice.


    Although Kimberly¡¯s family did not have good family conditions, her family was still well-off and


    managed to support her to study abroad.


    Kimberly was also a good girl. Besides, she liked Jason too.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jason looked at Anastasia. She could see the sadness in his eyes.


    ¡°I just think¡­ that you can¡¯t continue to be alone anymore. You have to find a partner and distract


    yourself,¡± Anastasia whispered. ¡°I think Kimberly is a good choice. Although she¡¯s a few years older


    than you, I can see that she likes you.¡±


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want me, don¡¯t give me away.¡± Jason clenched his fingers and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be too


    cruel to me.¡±


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment, and her heart tightened.


    She thought, ¡°Did I give him away?¡±


    She never treated Jason as her possession. ¡°Jason, you do not belong to me. Don¡¯t say that. I just treat


    you as my younger


    brother.¡±


    ¡°Younger brother¡­¡± Jason smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Jason, from now on, you don¡¯t have to bother yourself with anything about me. Don¡¯t involve yourself


    in any matters rted to Sienna or anyone else.¡± Anastasia looked at Jason nervously, trying to remind


    him not to do stupid things.


    Perhaps, she was wrong.


    She was a sinner who would only bring misfortune to others.


    She had already harmed Jason once. Hence, she could not let him get hurt again.


    Jason looked at Anastasia. ¡°Are you trying to draw a line with me?¡±


    Anastasia lowered her head and said nothing.


    ¡°Anastasia, what¡¯s so good about stor?¡± Jason did not understand why Anastasia refused to let go


    of stor after all stor had done.


    ¡°Jason, you¡¯ll understand when you get married.¡± Anastasia could not exin it. ¡°Tell me the truth.


    Does Sienna¡¯s disappearance have something to do with you?¡±


    Jason frowned. ¡°No, I don¡¯t know Sienna.¡±


    ¡°Jason! Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± It was not that Anastasia believed stor. It was because stor did not need


    to lie about such a thing.


    ¡°I went to see her, but she was not in the rental house when I arrived.¡± Jason looked at Anastasia and


    indicated that he was not lying.


    Someone took Sienna away before he could.


    ¡°Are you being honest?¡± Anastasia looked at Jason.


    Jason smiled bitterly. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    ¡°I trust you.¡± Anastasia looked at Jason. ¡°Jason, you have your own life now. You can try to improve


    your career and follow your life trajectory. Don¡¯t waste time on me anymore. Do you understand?¡±


    Jason did not speak.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Anastasia sighed. ¡°Jason, there are many possibilities in your future. However, I won¡¯t be part of it.¡±


    She was a person without a future.


    ¡°You have to take care of yourself. Anastasia also choked as she spoke those words to Jason.


    After checking the time, Anastasia turned around and left.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± Jason called Anastasia¡¯s name.


    Anastasia did not stop or look back.


    She thought, ¡°I cannot let Jason get involved anymore.¡±


    The art exhibition was held on the day of the Winter Light Festival.


    Anastasia had prepared for that day for a long time. However, she could notplete herst painting


    smoothly.


    Looking at the paint on her hand, Anastasia leaned against the chair in disappointment.


    ¡°Anastasia, let¡¯s eat.¡±


    stor¡¯s voice was heard from downstairs.


    Those days, he seemed different and suddenly began to learn how to cook. Although the kitchen was


    chaotic, he made his first dish-tomato paste pasta.


    Anastasia threw the brush in her hand tiredly and went downstairs.


    ¡°How¡¯s the preparation for the-art exhibition going?¡± stor asked casually.


    He made it sound like he was not the one who did not allow her to hold the art exhibition in the art


    gallery.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost done.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice was a little hoarse.


    ¡°There are too many public opinions on the inte. I know it will affect you. I¡¯ll definitely be there


    during your art exhibition. This way, it will also stop the rumors.¡± There were rumors that stor and


    Anastasia made a scene after the divorce and that Anastasia had an extramarital affair.


    If stor were there, it would at least stop the rumor that Anastasia had an extramarital affair.


    Those who respected stor would also be there.


    If stor was not there, Anastasia could only imagine how sad her art exhibition would be.

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    ¡°I admitted to the public about my rtionship with Jason to stop the rumor that he was a


    homewrecker. After all, it¡¯s you who announced our divorce publicly first,¡± Anastasia exined.


    stor¡¯s hand froze for a moment with a fork in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not keeping a close watch on


    this matter. Don¡¯t worry about public opinion on the inte. It will be covered up soon. Besides, even if


    we were divorced, we can always remarry.¡±


    Anastasia did not speak.


    It was she who was harmed by public opinion.


    ¡°How do you n to introduce our rtionship in this art exhibition?¡± Anastasia looked at stor.


    stor was silent briefly before he whispered, ¡°For the time being, perhaps friends?¡±


    They were still friends with each other even after their divorce.


    stor¡¯spany¡¯s public rtion team released the news of their divorce. If they announced that they


    were not divorced at that moment, it would also affect thepany¡¯s image.


    Anastasia nodded. However, she did not really care.


    She knew their marriage would end in divorce sooner orter.


    stor picked up food for Anastasia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I will make it up to you.¡±


    Whenever stor felt sorry for Anastasia, he promised to make it up to her.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and shook her head. ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°I might not¡­e back tonight,¡± stor said.


    ¡°Just do your thing.¡± Anastasia did not ask him where he was going, just like before.


    stor wanted to say something but stopped. Seeing that Anastasia did not ask, he said nothing more.


    ¡°Does it have anything to do with Felicia?¡± Anastasia asked.


    stor¡¯s hand froze for a moment with his fork in his hand again. ¡°Steven called me and said that


    Felicia was hospitalized. It seemed to be quite serious. After all¡­¡±


    After all, Felicia was pregnant with his baby.


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers also froze with her fork in her hand. She then nodded. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    She only hoped that the marriage would end soon after the experiment.


    ¡°Anastasia, I know you are not feeling well, but it has already happened. I¡­¡± stor did not know how


    to exin it.


    ¡°I just hope you don¡¯t make any mistakes on the day of my art exhibition.¡± Anastasia only hoped that


    stor would not forget to attend the art exhibition.


    That was because the art exhibition was not only the final chapter of her personal exhibition but also to


    rify for Charles.


    Public opinion on the inte affected Charles the most.


    Since Charles was still under investigation, he could not attend the art exhibition then. However,


    Anastasia had to continue the art exhibition to stop those rumors.


    Anastasia hoped that stor could help her rify things.


    She did not care about anything else. However, she could not get her mentor involved.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there tomorrow,¡± stor assured Anastasia.


    ¡°Mr. Lexington was affected because of my matter. Did you do it?¡± Anastasia asked casually.


    ¡°Are you referring to the rumors online and the reports against Charles?¡± stor put down his fork. ¡°It¡¯s


    not me. I wouldn¡¯t have done such a mean thing.¡±


    Anastasia nodded. She believed that stor would not do such a thing. ¡°Then, please rify for me


    tomorrow at the art exhibition. Please defend Mr. Lexington when you face the media tomorrow. He is


    my mentor.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    In this world, there were not many people who had good intentions toward Anastasia. Charles was


    definitely like a father to


    her.


    Anastasia did not get any fatherly love from Zeke. Since she went to college, only Charles cared for her


    as if he were her


    To avoid suspicion, she had not contacted Charles for a long time. She had been waiting for the day of


    the art exhibition.


    That was one of the reasons why Anastasia had beenpromising and letting stor have his way.


    ¡°Anastasia, are you using me? Are you using me to rify for you and Charles at the art exhibition?¡±


    stor asked.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and put down her fork. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should rify for me as a


    husband? Mr. Lexington and I are innocent. I thought you knew it.¡±


    stor was silent for a moment before nodding. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll rify for you.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s fingers were numb as she knew stor had alreadybeled her in his heart.


    Thus, no matter what she did, stor would think she was plotting something.

 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    Kimberly was at the art exhibition.


    Kimberly was there to help Anastasia and directed the staff to put the painting in ce.


    ¡°Anastasia! There¡¯s something wrong with that painting. Come over and have a look.¡± Christopher


    Larson, Anastasia¡¯s assistant, ran to her and looked at her nervously.


    Anastasia walked over and found that someone had deliberately destroyed the painting.


    Obviously, someone did not want her art exhibition to go on smoothly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Anastasia shook her head and asked soineone to remove the painting.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Her main purpose today was not to sell paintings.


    Instead, her first objective was to have a perfect ending for her life. As for her second objective, she


    nned to rify for Charles and restore his reputation.


    That was an important thing.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t store yet?¡± Anastasia was a little nervous. She was afraid that stor would promise to


    come but his word in the end.


    go back on


    Kimberly nced at the door of the exhibition hall and shook her head. ¡°No. The exhibition will start in


    half an hour, but he¡¯s not here.¡±:


    Anastasia looked at the reporters waiting outside, who were waiting to see her making a fool of herself.


    Holding her hands, Anastasia decided to take the initiative to call stor.


    That was because, in the past few days, stor seemed to be serious about being together with her.


    Moreover, he did promise her that he woulde over.


    After dialing stor¡¯s number, Anastasia¡¯s eyelids twitched violently for no reason, which was a sign of


    a bad omen. stor didn¡¯t answer the phone.


    ¡°How¡¯s Felicia doing with her art exhibition?¡± Anastasia turned around and asked Christopher.


    ¡°Felicia¡¯s art exhibition was dyed as she said that she was not feeling well,¡± Christopher said


    nervously. ¡°Rationally speaking, that does not affect the exhibition¡­¡±


    Felicia¡¯s art exhibition was postponed, and stor no longer had trouble deciding which side to go to.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t he here yet?¡± Anastasia thought.


    Anastasia tightened her grip on the phone.


    ¡°Anastasia.¡±


    It was Samantha Lexington who arrived at the entrance. She was also Charles¡¯ wife.


    ¡°Annie, Charles couldn¡¯t make it because of the gossip. He is still under investigation by the disciplinary


    commission. He asked me toe over to cheer for you.¡± Samantha Lexington was a gentle and kind


    woman. She patted Anastasia on the hand with a smile.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes turned red, and she smiled. ¡°Mrs. Lexington, I¡¯m happy you are here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal with me.¡± Samantha hugged Anastasia and patted her on the back. ¡°You are a


    good girl. stor was the one who doesn¡¯t know how to cherish you.¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t speak, and tears welled up in her eyes.


    ¡°You said he woulde over to rify it for you and Charlie. Is that true?¡± Samantha asked carefully.


    Public opinion also significantly impacted the direction of the investigation. They could not imagine the


    consequences if those verbal attacks destroyed Charles¡¯ reputation he garnered his whole life.


    It caused an uproar among the public this time. The more reputable Charles¡¯ was in the industry, the


    more people were jealous of him.


    Those people wanted him in trouble.


    Anastasia also understood this and dared not escte things with stor. She just hoped that things


    for the sake of their years of marriage.


    he could help her rify


    Some rumors would automatically be busted even if he merely made a simple exnation or attended


    her art exhibition.


    ¡°He promised me¡­ He said he woulde,¡± Anastasia whispered and firmly believed that stor


    woulde.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± Samantha pulled Anastasia aside. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to pressure you, but during this period,


    Charlie¡­ he has been admitted to the hospital twice. He had a weak heart, and he constantly got mad


    at those public opinions.¡±


    ¡°I often advised him not to look at thosements. I even confiscated his mobile phone, yet he


    secretly read them in the middle of the night. He¡¯s not angry with those rumors about him. After all, a


    clear conscience fears no usation. He just doesn¡¯t want to see those people ruining your


    reputation,¡± Samantha sobbed.


    Anastasia¡¯s breath was burning hot. Her tears welled in her eyes, and she didn¡¯t dare cry.


    She thought, ¡°It¡¯s me who always brings misfortune to those who love me.¡±


    ¡°Annie, you can¡¯t go on like this. The media are all in the art exhibition. If stor can help you rify


    the rumors, Charles will feel at ease.¡± Samantha wiped her tears.


    ¡°Mrs. Lexington, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t know what to say except apologize.


    ¡°stor promised me.. He will definitelye.¡± Anastasia still wanted to trust stor again.


    ¡°He gave me his word¡­¡± she mused.

 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ The art exhibition is about to start,¡± Christopher whispered and took a deep breath.


    It was almost time, yet nobody came.


    In the past, every year¡¯s art exhibition would be crowded a few hours ago before the opening.


    People woulde for stor, Anastasia¡¯s painting style, or just for Charles. There would always be a


    massive wave of a crowd.


    Even if she became a housewife after graduation, Anastasia¡¯s painting still had a high reputation in the


    industry.


    Of course, although she was highly talented, she had also made a lot of effort.


    Yet now, the uproar of public opinion easily destroyed everything she had.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Kimberly also panicked. ¡°Is stor not here yet?¡±


    Anastasia stood there with no confidence.


    In fact, she didn¡¯t care whether others came or not.


    There were so many media, yet she did not care if they were here to see her making a fool of herself.


    However, stor promised to rify the rumors for her and Charles.


    It was stor¡¯s promise.


    ¡°Ms. Lawson, no one visits your art exhibition up till now except for some students. How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lawson, is it true that you had an extramarital affair?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, someone said you had an inappropriate rtionship with your mentor, Charles. Is it true? Is


    it true that Mr. Charles Lexington was suspended for further investigation?¡±


    Anastasia stood where she was and looked at the shlights from those reporters numbly.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    In the Digital Era, public opinion was like a sharp de that could crush people to pieces.


    They were no longer living in an era when one could prove one¡¯s innocence by dering that one had


    a clear conscience and did not fear usation.


    These people wanted poprity and trending headlines. They would make up all kinds of rumors to get


    what they wanted Those rumors were like a pool of concentrated sulfuric acid corroding everyone¡¯s


    face.


    ¡°Mr. Lopez hasn¡¯t shown up yet. Are you indeed on bad terms with him due to problems in your


    marriage?¡±


    ¡°Regarding those indecent videos on the inte, please exin whether you have an incestuous


    rtionship with your stepmother¡¯s younger brother.¡±


    ¡°Please get out.¡± Christopher protected Anastasia and looked at the reporters angrily. ¡°This is an art


    exhibition. We won¡¯t answer anything irrelevant to the art exhibition. Please go out.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not the person you think. She is talented and kind. The one who cheated in their marriage is


    stor, not Anastasia. Please leave.¡± Christopher¡¯s eyes turned red.


    He had been an intern working for Anastasia since his junior year four years ago. Every year, he would


    help Anastasia deal with the annual art exhibition.


    Without Anastasia, his graduation artwork would not have passed.


    Anastasia had helped him a lot. He knew how to be grateful.


    ¡°Christopher, let me do the talking.¡± Anastasia pulled Christopher behind her.


    Tll answer your questions¡­¡± Anastasia took a deep breath and faced the reporters alone.


    How she wished that stor would show up when she finished answering the question, stand by her


    side, and support and fight for her.


    Anastasia¡¯s e


    s eyesight was slightly blurred, and she forced herself to hold back tears.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t cheated on stor in our marriage. Mr. Charles Lexington is my mentor, and the rumors


    online are all false. Those who spread those rumors are vicious¡­ Anastasia was short of breath, and


    she kept focusing her nce at the venue


    entrance.


    She really hoped stor would show up in time.


    Even if she did not have any hopes for stor, she still wanted him to show up.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s Anastasia¡¯s father.¡±


    ¡°Go over there. Anastasia¡¯s father is here.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, your father said that you were unfilial and you did not show any concern when he was


    seriously ill in bed. Is that


    true?¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s words were interrupted, and all the reporters flocked toward the entrance.


    Zeke, whose mouth tilted to one side, was pushed in the wheelchair by Sienna.


    His right hand curled up, and his eyes and mouth were nted. He slurred as he tried to speak but


    could not say anything clearly.


    Sienna smiled provocatively at Anastasia. ¡°Anastasia, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    Sienna didn¡¯t seem to go missing but was taken away for protection.

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    ¡°You¡¯ve been missing for so long. Are you in hiding and preparing to deal with me?¡± Anastasia sneered


    at Sienna.


    ording to Anastasia¡¯s understanding of Sienna, thetter wouldn¡¯t be that smart.


    She wouldn¡¯t be smart enough to bring Zeke to the venue to cause trouble as well.


    ¡°You framed my mother and put her in prison. You are such a vicious woman, and you¡¯re afraid that I


    will make a scene here today?¡± Sienna snorted as if she had nothing to fear.


    ¡°I want to know who gave you the confidence and idea?¡± Anastasia was curious about the mastermind


    behind Sienna.


    She thought, ¡®Could it be Felicia?


    Felicia might be bad, but she definitely didn¡¯t have such brains.


    Who could it be? Who would be so intelligent and desperate to see her lose all standing and reputation


    until she had no chance to turn things around?


    Could it be Xavier?


    No way. Xavier had already pleaded guilty and was imprisoned. Xavier couldn¡¯t be the one who


    nned all this. If it was him, he would not have pleaded guilty.¡¯


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you.¡± Sienna looked at Anastasia with a provocative gaze.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Anastasia slowly clenched her hands and took a deep breath.


    She thought, ¡°Well yed, Sienna.¡±


    ¡°Hello, are you the father of Anastasia?¡±


    Sienna said, ¡°My father is in poor health, and he has been suffering from a brain hemorrhage, which


    causes him to be paralyzed in bed and lose his ability to speak. My name is Sienna, the sister of


    Anastasia. I¡¯m the one who uploaded the video.¡± Sienna changed her expression and began to cry at


    the reporter. ¡°I want toin, my sister. Anastasia did not behave after marrying a wealthy man.


    Instead, Anastasia seduced my uncle and destroyed my family. Now, she does not care about our


    father and is extremely cruel to him.¡±


    Zeke sat in a wheelchair, patting the armrests anxiously and trying to speak desperately, but he


    couldn¡¯t say it. Anastasia looked at Zeke with amusement. Anastasia thought, ¡°If he could speak, what


    would he say?¡±


    Anastasia could even think that he would nder her for sure.


    After all, her so-called father could do anything for her in exchange for money.¡±


    Anastasia could feel her eye sockets burning as she clenched her hands tightly. There was blood


    between her fingers. ¡°Anastasia¡­ What does Sienna want?¡± Kimberly was angry and wanted to rush


    up to fight with Sienna.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Things will get messier if you end up in a fight.¡± Anastasia stopped Kimberly.s


    Christopher¡¯s eyes turned red due to anger. Christopher kept shouting to exin on behalf of


    Anastasia, but it didn¡¯t work. Those reporters were more willing to interview the person who revealed


    the videos and spread the rumors.


    Now, things had gone worse. Anastasia was not only used of cheating, incest, andck of proper


    behavior but also of being unfilial.


    No one rified the rumors for her. Her exnation could not overthrow the verbal attacks.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Anastasia smiled ironically and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Ms. Lawson, how do you exin this?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lawson, someone said that you used to be a hostess in college and even offered sex services for


    the rich. Is that true?¡± ¡°Ms.-Lawson, as an escort girl, how did you marry into a rich family? Does Mr.


    Lopez know about your past?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lawson, many of your ssmates from college and high school have revealed many information


    online. Are those true?¡±


    Anastasia felt as if she had a sore throat. Anastasia wanted to exin, but her throat was so painful


    that it felt like she had swallowed sulfuric acid.


    Anastasia stood there stiffly, and her vision went ck.


    When someone spreads calumny about a woman, it is already meaningless to exin anything. This is


    because what people liked and wanted to see was the copse and despair of others. They knew that I


    was wronged, but they were willing to make my life worse because only when I was miserable could


    they feel happy. If that¡¯s your motive¡­ Then you¡¯ve won.¡± Her voice was hoarse. Anastasia looked


    down to look at her phone, which was vibrating.


    The caller was stor.


    Anastasia answered the phone with her numb fingers. Anastasia hoped stor would show up, but he


    didn¡¯te after so long. ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± his voice sounded over the phone.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± Anastasia asked in a trembling voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± stor said.


    When stor said sorry, Anastasia could no longer control her emotions and burst into tears.


    She knew that no one woulde to save her.

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159


    She had experienced this kind of despair too many times in her life.


    Her ssmates tore up her exercise book and test paper in primary school because of her excellent


    grades.


    She had no mother, and her father also left her. She was a migrant child and also an orphan.


    No one supported her, let alone having someone appear in the ssroom to protect her suddenly.


    In despair, she looked at those whoughed, mocked, tore her books, and trampled her bag. They


    even called her a rascal who was not wanted anywhere.


    The evil of human nature urred on Anastasia to the fullest extent.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t know what she had done wrong.


    So she concluded that her existence was a mistake.


    At that time, Anastasia lived on the fund of the Director of Women¡¯s Affairs and relief fund for migrant


    children. Anastasia couldn¡¯t afford to eat most of the time.


    She curled up beside the trash can on the street to pick up the bread left over by others, crying until


    she couldn¡¯t cry anymore. No one showed up and brightened up her world.


    -No one saved her.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    In middle school, the bullying didn¡¯t stop. As the only student without parents and no one to protect her,


    it wasmon for her to be bullied in ss.


    Once, her ssmate lost her hairpin and insisted on looking through Anastasia¡¯s bag.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t allow anyone except her to look through her bag, so rumors started spreading


    endlessly.


    Rumors of her being a thief had been circting in the ss for three whole years.


    Now, some people find out about it and write it on the Inte.


    She didn¡¯t want others to go through her bag because her mother¡¯s cremation urn was in the bag.


    Since her mother died, she carried the cremation urn with her every day because there was no money


    to buy a burial plot for her mother¡¯s body.


    Later on, the student¡¯s hairpin was found, but they wouldn¡¯t even apologize to her


    In high school, a good-looking senior pursued her despite the fact she had been very low-key and


    almost hid herself in the


    dust.


    Several senior grade girls who liked that senior stopped her in the toilet, saying that she hooked up with


    the senior and said she was bitchy.


    She struggled and resisted, but it didn¡¯t work.


    Her ssmates saw her being bullied in the restroom and ran away without saying a word. They


    refused to tell the teacher or speak up for her.


    Those people beat her, said that she was shameless and no one woulde to save her.


    She resisted desperately and frantically beat up a girl. Finally, the school issued her a warning, and


    they had to call her parents, saying that she got involved in a mutual fight.


    She was clearly self-defending.


    If she didn¡¯t fight back, those people would remove her clothes and shoot videos of her naked.


    She called Zeke crying, and at that time, she still held a glimmer of hope for her so-called father.


    She hoped Zeke woulde to save her, help her, and vent his anger for his daughter.


    But Zeke refused to answer the phone..


    At that time, Anastasia understood that it would not work by relying on others.


    ¡°Why?¡± Anastasia held the phone, and her voice trembled. ¡°You promised me.¡±


    She questioned stor why he didn¡¯t keep his promise.


    ¡°Annie, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think I can make it. Felicia¡­ Felicia is hurting herself. The wound is quite


    severe. I¡¯m in the emergency room now.¡± stor tried his best to exin it, hoping that Anastasia


    would understand.


    ¡°You promised me! Why didn¡¯t youe?¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t want to hear his exnation, so she


    shouted at stor out of control.


    She thought, ¡®Why?


    Why do you lie to me?


    Why do you give me hope and crush them again?¡¯


    ¡°I want you toe over¡­¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t know what she was persistent about.


    This was probably not the only time she had been stubborn.


    But from childhood to adulthood, she desired the brightness to shine on her every time she


    experienced the darkness..


    Every time, she yearned for someone to show up and illuminate her world, pulling her out of the mire.


    ¡°Anastasia, I¡­ I can¡¯t go. I¡¯m sorry,¡± stor apologized.


    ¡°stor, I want you toe now. Come immediately. If you don¡¯te today, I¡¯ll see you at the gate of


    the City Hall tomorrow.¡± After Anastasia finished speaking, she felt ironic.


    ¡°Anastasia, even if Felicia is in the wrong, she¡¯s hurt now, and the situation is critical. This is a human


    life. Is rifying the rumors for your mentor more important than a human life?¡± stor couldn¡¯t


    understand the reason Anastasia was being insensible.

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    Anastasia took a deep breath and suppressed her emotions. ¡°I want you toe over, stor. Come


    here right now.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, Felicia¡­¡± stor sighed as he could not leave.


    Anastasia smiled bitterly. ¡°If Felicia¡¯s life is important, what about mine? Do you think I won¡¯t make a


    scene?¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, you are sensible. You won¡¯t be as unreasonable as her.¡± stor ttered Anastasia.


    ¡°stor, let me ask you onest time. Are youing?¡± Anastasia was breathing heavily.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Someone shouted on stor¡¯s end, ¡°Mr. Lopez, Ms. Stewart has gone out of control!¡±


    Before Anastasia could wait for stor¡¯s answer, the phone had been hung up.


    Holding the phone tightly, Anastasia lowered her head while smiling. Anastasia thought, ¡°He said we


    should give each other another chance. I was so pathetic to have trusted stor.¡±


    At that moment, her phone rang.


    Anastasia nced at the message from Felicia. Thetter texted: [Anastasia, do you like my gift?]


    Anastasia took a deep breath, turned around, and went to a corner to calm herself down.


    ¡°Ms. Lawson, please answer our question.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, nobody hase to your art exhibition. What do you think is the reason?¡±


    ¡°Those rich men¡¯s wives and CEOs who bought your paintings once stopped showing up. Are your


    paintings worthless without stor?¡±


    Anastasia stood trembling at the side, supporting herself on the wall with cold fingers,


    Worried, Samantha came over tofort her in a low voice, ¡°Annie, are you okay?¡±


    Anastasia shook her head, but her tears were out of control. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Lexington. stor¡­ he¡¯s


    noting.¡±


    No one was willing to rify for her. She felt sorry for Charles and Samantha. She thought, ¡°I¡¯m the one


    who caused this. I¡¯m the sinner.¡±


    Samantha sighed. ¡°Annie, do you know why Charles felt bad for you? You are the most talented


    student he has ever taught. Charles¡¯ proud of you.¡±


    Anastasia raised her hand and covered her forehead, trying to stop her tears.


    Samantha also felt sorry for Anastasia. ¡°Annie, you are the best and brightest star. You could have


    developed better, but you chose the least reliable method-believing in and marrying a man. Do you


    know why someone with a powerful background like stor chose to go on a blind date and have a


    blitz marriage with people from ordinary families?¡±.


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment before shaking her head.


    In fact, she had asked stor why he chose an ordinary matchmaking center and went on a blind date


    with an ordinary girl like her when he could have picked one of the socialites as his wife with his


    conditions.


    Samantha held Anastasia¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯s because, from the start, he never wanted to be married to you


    until the end. Do you know that the heiresses of wealthy families depend on their talents and wealth to


    build their nobleness? They only need to polish their looks and talents to make their families proud. On


    the other hand, girls from ordinary families like us are cheap and easy to fool and control. Men can end


    the rtionship at any time. I¡¯ve been through it.¡±


    She thoroughly analyzed stor¡¯s psychology. She remarked inwardly, ¡°I guess stor must have that


    kind of mindset. That¡¯s why he chose to marry a blind date casually back then.¡±


    ¡°You guys don¡¯t have an emotional foundation. Did he marry you because he likes you? No, because


    marrying you will not be expensive. You didn¡¯t have a wedding or even a sense of ceremony. He did


    nothing, yet he married a housewife who is always centered on him.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s breathing was shaky.


    ¡°That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t want you to do well in your career. He never acknowledged your career. He


    thought he could always control you just because he could support you. His absence has shown his


    attitude-that he thinks your career is not important. Even if your art exhibition ends up as a failure


    today, you can still live well off with him. However, Anastasia, you should think about yourself.¡±


    Anastasia bit her lower lip tightly. Anastasia mused inwardly, ¡°I get it¡­ I really get it. Although stor


    persuaded me to his so-called trial of giving each other another chance, he still hoped I would rely on


    him as much as before and put him at the center without any friends or my own career. stor wants


    me to live under him like a dodder.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, as a daughter, you are not filial to your parents. As a wife, you are not loyal to your


    husband. You and stor haven¡¯t gotten the divorce certificate yet, right? Yet, you¡¯ve already


    announced your rtionship with another man.¡± At that moment, Sienna was spreading scandals about


    Anastasia loudly.


    They would only stop after they made Anastasia give up on stor for real.

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    ¡°Ms. Lawson, how will you exin these allegations made by your sister?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lawson, please exin your sister¡¯s allegations against you.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Anastasia stood there numbly as if she had been pushed into hell.


    The public questioning made her feel suffocated.


    No matter how good her mentality was, she could not hold on any longer.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t stand here anymore. Leave this ce to us.¡± Christopher told Anastasia to leave and


    take a rest at the back first.


    Then, the students from the Department of Art who were brought along as support started arguing with


    the reporters.


    However, their strength was limited.


    ¡°We are all Anastasia¡¯s juniors. Anastasia is our mentor. We believe in her.¡±


    ¡°We are all Anastasia¡¯s students.¡±


    Anastasia stood there, her vision blurry and her stance wobbly.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Kimberly whispered.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Anastasia shook her head.


    At the entrance, a middle-aged man asked in a deep voice, ¡°Isn¡¯t this an art exhibition? Why are there


    so many showbiz reporters?¡±


    Stunned by the voice, all the reporters turned around to look at the man.


    After a long while, only did theye to a realization. ¡°Isn¡¯t he Samuel Zabinski from Lord Maberly


    Group in Atharia?¡±


    ¡°Good heavens! Is that Samuel Zabinski, the brother-inw of Gunn Group¡¯s CEO?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the richest Clusian man in¡­¡±


    So many people in Hork wanted to curry favor with Samuel. However, they never had the chance to


    see him.


    A tall and slender man was following Samuel. He looked mature and was about the same age as


    Samuel. He and Samuel looked like a perfect pair when they stood together.


    ¡°Mr. Samuel Zabinski! Are you Mr. Samuel Zabinski from Lord Maberly Group?¡±


    Samuel frowned.


    ¡°Excuse me. Is this man beside you, your lover?¡±


    Samuel nced at the reporters coldly and did not exin anything. However, he held the man¡¯s hand.


    Anastasia frowned, thinking, ¡°Why would a big shot like Samuele to my art exhibition?¡±


    Anastasia did not like Samuel very much. Anastasia thought, ¡°It must be Jason who invited Samuel.


    Samuel is wearing a wedding ring on his ring finger, which has the same design as that man¡¯s ring.


    Obviously, they¡¯re a couple. In Atharia, same-sex marriages are legal, so that man must be Samuel¡¯s


    partner. It¡¯s a surprise to find that someone with a legal husband would still have a love affair. I¡¯ll never


    understand the world of the rich. Either way, I don¡¯t wish to understand it too.¡±


    Samuel walked to Anastasia and introduced his partner with a smile. ¡°Are you Anastasia? He¡¯s my


    lover, Spencer Livingston.¡±


    Spencer also shed a gentle smile. Spencer seemed to be a good person as he exuded a calming


    aura. ¡°Hello, Anastasia. I¡¯m Jason¡¯s teacher.¡±


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment before opening her mouth. ¡°T-Teacher?¡±


    Spencer nodded. ¡°I graduated from Radford Designer School in Atharia, and my pseudonym is


    Ambrose. This is my business card.¡±


    Anastasia remained stunned and did not return to her senses for a long time. Anastasia would never


    have thought that Spencer was the world-renowned Clusian designer.


    Ambrose, derived from his pseudonym, had always been a well-known brand.


    Moreover, Spencer was the chief designer of the franchise specializing in custom-made dresses. It was


    the shop that Anastasia went to before attending the banquet.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and hurriedly raised her hand. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just met the top star in the industry,¡± she thought.


    ¡°Spencer is Ambrose!¡± The reporters were shocked. They could not find any scandals or news more


    shocking than Samuel and Spencer¡¯s identities.


    Spencer admired Anastasia¡¯s paintings and smiled at the media. ¡°I like your paintings very much. You


    are a talented artist. Yours is the painting I admire the most amongst all the paintings produced by the


    young artists in our country. I have seen it on the forum before.¡±


    A reporter asked, ¡°Are you here for Anastasia¡¯s paintings?¡±


    Spencer nodded and looked at the painting that was disyed before Anastasia could finish it. ¡°Good


    works are the best interpretation of art. However, I want to ask about this painting. Why didn¡¯t you finish


    it?¡±

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    ¡°There is no end to the road of life,¡± Anastasia exined.


    No matter how she painted, she couldn¡¯t find her feelings anymore. She wanted to give up but found


    that a painting that was done half-way through was more in line with her current state.


    ¡°This is myst art exhibition. After this time, no more paintings will be disyed and sold.¡± Anastasia¡¯s


    voice was hoarse.


    Spencer looked at Anastasia in surprise and felt a little sorry for her. ¡°You are still young, and there is


    still a lot of room for promotion in the future. Why are you choosing to give up halfway?¡±


    Anastasia shook her head. ¡°Just like the painting in front of you¡­¡±


    She continued inwardly, ¡°My life has already be a precipice.¡±


    Spencer looked at Anastasia for a long time as if he understood something.


    ¡°Can I buy this painting?¡± Spencer asked.


    Anastasia smiled. ¡°You are a person who knows how to appreciate this painting. Since this is our first


    time meeting, consider it a first-encounter gift from me to you.¡±


    Spencer nced at Samuel. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. My husband has money. Let him spend it.¡±


    Anastasia was stunned and amused.


    The reporter sent the news of Samuel and Spencer being at Anastasia¡¯s art exhibition. Within half an


    hour, those bosses from the so-called wealthy business circles in Hork rushed over with their celebrity


    wives.


    Soon, the parking lot was full of cars.


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    Christopher was so excited that he almost cried. No


    matter what purpose these people came for, at least thest art


    exhibition in Anastasia could bepleted sessfully.


    Sienna¡¯s face darkened when she saw more and more people attending the art exhibition.


    ¡°Anastasia, you don¡¯t even have filial piety to your father. Why are you still pretending to be sessful


    here? A vicious person like


    you paints hypocritical pictures. It is the truth that you have an extramarital affair. Otherwise, why didn¡¯t


    store?¡± Sienna didn¡¯t want Anastasia to seed, and she was


    s extremel


    jealous to the point that she was losing her mind. ¡°You even seduced Uncle Harold when you were a


    teenager, which destroyed our family.¡±


    Sienna thought, ¡°What right does she have? Anastasia should be as uncultured, ipetent, and


    untalented as I am.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Anastasia Lawson, you may be gifted in painting, but it seems that your conduct and personal life


    are highly controversial. How do you exin it?¡± a reporter asked.


    ¡°Whoever raises the question will be asked to prove it.¡± At the door, Jason was wearing a decent suit,


    which made him look even more beautiful than a celebrity.


    Those who didn¡¯t know better would¡¯ve thought they had mistakenlye to a runway show.


    Even a model would be inferior to his aura.


    ¡°Miss, you keep saying that Anastasia is unfilial. As her younger sister, you came here to make trouble


    with your father, who should be recuperating well in the hospital and could not speak. Are you filial? As


    far as I know, all the expenses of Mr. Lawson¡¯s hospitalization are paid by Anastasia, and only


    Anastasia would visit him.¡± Jason nced at the door.


    ¡°Gosh! What¡¯s wrong with you? I just went to get a meal, and the patient disappeared!¡± The caretaker


    Amanda rushed over in anger and snatched Zeke¡¯s wheelchair from Sienna. ¡°You, as a daughter, are


    as vicious as your mother. You two took the opportunity while Mr. Lawson had a brain hemorrhage and


    got paralyzed to force him to get a divorce. Zeke raised you until you were grown. Yet, you didn¡¯t care


    about him. I have been taking care of Mr. Lawson in the hospital for so long, and no one has evere


    to see him except Anastasia!¡±


    Amanda said angrily and took out her WhatsApp. ¡°Look, it¡¯s Ms. Anastasia Lawson, who is paying me.¡±


    The reporter saw how the tables had turned and quickly took photos of the scene.


    It seemed that things were going in the opposite direction.


    ¡°You keep saying she¡¯s vicious. Look at yourself in the mirror.¡± Amanda looked at Zeke angrily. ¡°The


    patient is already like this and can¡¯t tolerate any exposure to the wind. Yet, you pushed him out. Are


    you trying to worsen his condition?¡±


    With his eyes askew and mouth awry, Zeke pointed at Sienna agitatedly,


    It could be seen that he wanted to scold Sienna, but he couldn¡¯t speak.


    It was probably really ufortable to be used by others when one had limited mobility in old age,


    Amanda pushed Zeke, who was in a wheelchair and left. With that, Sienna became the target of public


    criticism.


    The police arrived.


    ¡°Want to run?¡± Jason sneered. ¡°You took advantage of the convenience of being a family member to


    take pictures of Anastasia taking a bath, which involves her privacy. Two photos were sold to Xavier,


    and AI was used in creating the so-called nude photos of Anastasia. You ckmailed and framed her.


    Do you think you can run away?¡±

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163


    Before Jason came, he had already called the police.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for so many days, and you came here by yourself.¡± Jason¡¯s voice was low.


    Sienna panicked and looked around anxiously as if she was seeking help from someone.


    Obviously, the mastermind who helped Sienna n everything should be here at the scene.


    But Sienna didn¡¯t seem to see anyone. Sienna was so panicked that she couldn¡¯t argue with Jason.


    ¡°Nonsense! Anastasia seduced Uncle Harold when she was a teenager. Anastasia has hical


    behaviors!¡± Sienna was still making ast struggle.


    ¡°Then show me the evidence.¡± Jason reached out to ask for evidence from Sienna. ¡°If you can¡¯t show


    any evidence, you are ndering and spreading rumors. Since so many mediapanies have


    reposted the video, and it has so many views, guess how many years will you be sentenced to?¡± Jason


    spoke in a deep voice with a gloomy gaze.


    Sienna trembled and stepped back nervously. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. I am telling the


    truth!¡±


    ¡°Where is the evidence of the truth?¡± He continued to put pressure on her.


    Sienna was so frightened that she turned around, wanting to run away. However, the police stopped


    her. ¡°You are suspected of spreading rumors, ndering, taking the lead in making trouble, and


    disturbing public order. Come with us.¡±


    Sienna was so scared that her face turned pale. Sienna looked around tremblingly, looking for


    someone.


    ¡°Anastasia, Anastasia¡­ Please help me. I don¡¯t want to be taken away by the police.¡± Sienna was evil,


    but she was timid. Sienna began to beg Anastasia while crying.


    Anastasia looked at Sienna coldly and walked over step by step. ¡°Send the video to me now. Maybe I


    will go to the police station to bail you out. If not, I¡¯ll find the bestwyer. Then, you¡¯ll have to be in jail


    for several years.¡±


    Sienna looked at Anastasia tremblingly. ¡°Don¡¯t threaten me. I didn¡¯t break thew.¡±


    ¡°Do you not know thew?¡± Anastasia looked at Sienna regretfully. ¡°In that case, I can¡¯t help you


    anymore.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, Anastasia¡­ I¡¯ll give it to you. I¡¯ll send it to you right away. You have to bail me out. You


    must bail me out.¡±


    Anastasia knew that Sienna was a girl with no brain. Thetter was timid and liked to do bad things. As


    long as Sienna was scared, her brain would stop functioning.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Sienna sent the video to Anastasia and said shiveringly. ¡°Anastasia, you have to bail me out.¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath and switched on her phone. Anastasia mustered up her courage and


    wanted to open the video to take a look.


    The phone was suddenly taken away by Jason.


    Jason stood behind Anastasia and saved the video to the photo gallery. ¡°Don¡¯t look at it. Just keep it.


    It¡¯s still useful.¡±


    He had to send Harold to jail as well using the video.


    Although the matter happened years ago, it has still not passed its limitation period.


    ¡°Is there any problem¡­ with the video?¡± Anastasia asked in a trembling voice.


    Jason opened it and looked at it. His fingers slowly turned pale.


    ? ? ? ?


    After a long time, he said in a hoarse voice. ¡°No problem. All the videos have not been edited.¡±


    Anastasia breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.


    Finally, all her wishes before she died were fulfilled.


    Atst, she could let the wicked get the retribution and punishment he deserved.


    Harold had been atrge for so many years. Six years ago, the case was considered an attempted


    sexual assault because of Harold¡¯s personal problem. However, it couldn¡¯t be defined as indecent


    assault. Since Anastasia couldn¡¯t provide evidence, Harold had always been living freely. If it weren¡¯t


    for Jace, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold on until now.


    ¡°Anastasia, hurry and tell the police!¡± Sienna looked at the policeman, who was about to take her away


    and looked at Anastasia in a panic.


    ¡°Are you scared now?¡± Anastasia smiled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you so arrogant when you ndered me just now?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I seduced Uncle Harold when I was a teenager? These rumors¡­ Doesn¡¯t this provide


    evidence?¡± Anastasia waved her phone. ¡°Sienna, stay in jail properly. I¡¯ll let you and your Uncle Harold


    rot in jail.¡±


    Sienna was stunned for a moment and suddenly went hysterical. ¡°Anastasia! You bitch! You lied to mel¡±

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    Sienna was taken away, and the farce ended.


    The reporters reported the reversal of the incident. After that, they kept their eyes on those big shots in


    the art exhibition.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jason turned around nervously and looked at Anastasia at a loss. Jason added, ¡°Don¡¯t


    be afraid. I-I went to lodge a police report and passed them evidence after exining the situation. T-


    That¡¯s why I waste.¡±


    Anastasia lowered her head with reddened eyes.


    After a while, she shook her head. ¡°You showed up at the right timing.¡±


    He was notte at all.


    ?


    Jason took Anastasia¡¯s hand and walked to the reporter. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Anastasia¡¯s boyfriend.


    Indeed, Anastasia and stor haven¡¯t gotten a divorce certificate yet, but the divorce agreement also


    has a legal effect. More than one year before signing the divorce agreement, stor had already been


    with his secretary, Felicia. I can send the evidence if you guys need


    one.


    Jason did not preserve any dignity for stor as he thought thetter did not need one.


    ¡°I met Anastasia when I was 16 years old. We were just friends with mutual redemption at that time.¡±


    Jason nced at Anastasia and continued, ¡°Later on, we lost contact for various reasons. Three


    months ago, we met again in Atharia, and I decided to pursue Anastasia.¡±


    Then, Jason mocked himself with a smile, ¡°Actually, she has yet to promote my status to be her


    boyfriend. I¡¯m still pursuing her, and she has yet to promise to be my girlfriend. As for Anastasia¡¯s


    character, I can assure everyone that she¡¯s kind, gentle, and strong. Anastasia is very talented at


    painting. Everyone present could testify for me. Mr. Charles Lexington is Anastasia¡¯s. mentor. Charles


    is like a father to her. Anastasia respected him, so I would like to rify for him too. A rumor can ruin a


    person¡¯s reputation. However, Mr. Lexington has been working hard for many years and cultivating


    many students. His reputation shouldn¡¯t be ruined just because of some people¡¯s frame and


    defamation.¡±


    Jason¡¯s words were neither humble nor overbearing, yet powerful.


    Anastasia looked at Jason and felt goosebumps all over. It was as if she saw a ray of hope again.


    Finally, someone would stand up for her when she was in misery.


    ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Samantha and Charles¡¯ wife.¡± Samantha also stood out bravely. Samantha


    continued, ¡°Because of these nders from the Inte, Charlie has been admitted to the hospital


    many times. For his physical condition, I didn¡¯t let hime today. As for Anastasia, we all regarded


    her as our daughter in our family. We did not know why those vicious people would use gossip to


    destroy a girl¡¯s reputation.¡±


    Samantha was furious. ¡°Annie is a good girl. Our family likes her very much. My daughter is


    Anastasia¡¯s student. She loves Anastasia and treats her as her biological elder sister.¡±


    Samantha¡¯s words were enough; they were to dispel the rumor that Charles had an illegitimate


    rtionship with her.


    ¡°Anastasia, why didn¡¯t you tell us that you¡¯re having an art exhibition in advance? We just rushed here


    from the airport.¡± Outside the door, there were Anastasia¡¯s seniors approaching.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    They were also students recognized by Charles.


    Those people were all influential in the industry.


    They were now all who worked over the country and even overseas.


    Initially, Anastasia was unwilling to trouble them, so she support her.


    not inform them. However, she did not expect that they went to


    The sudden surprise made Anastasia tremble all over uncontrobly. Anastasia could not hold it in and


    burst into tears after she covered her mouth.


    ¡°Fortunately, this man asked for our contact information from Mr. Lexington and started to contact us


    half a month in advance. He also prepared gifts for each of us.¡± Her senior patted Jason on the


    shoulder with a smile. ¡°We¡¯re relieved to have him take care of you.¡±


    Anastasia looked at Jason with reddened eyes and was unable to say a word when she wanted to tell


    him something,


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry¡­ Jason raised his hand and wiped away Anastasia¡¯s tears. ¡°Don¡¯t lower your head. As you


    said, the crown will fall

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    ¡°H-How did you contact Mr. Zabinski and Mr. Livingston to ask them to go here?¡± Anastasia asked


    while she wiped away her tears after she took Jason to the corner in a panic.


    ¡°Spencer is my mentor.¡± Jason smiled and added, ¡°They happened to be in Hork, so I called them


    here.¡±


    After she heard that, Anastasia lowered her head with a guilty conscience and whispered, ¡°It turns out


    that you and Samuel are not in that rtionship¡­¡±


    ¡°What rtionship?¡± Jason was stunned for a moment and thenughed. ¡°What are you thinking


    about? No wonder you were so hostile toward Samuel. Did you suspect me¡­ with him?¡±


    Anastasia made Jasonugh in exasperation.


    ¡°I-I was misled by gossip,¡± Anastasia said in shame with her head low.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like men,¡± Jason rified his innocent.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Anastasia remained silent and felt like she hid herself out of embarrassment. ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    She thought, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Jason today. Otherwise, my art exhibition might not be able to go on


    smoothly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for Sienna for so long and couldn¡¯t find her. I guessed she must be waiting for your


    art exhibition day. As expected, my spection is correct.¡± Jason snorted coldly and thought,


    ¡°Fortunately, I had been well-prepared for it.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Jason looked at Anastasia firmly. ¡°We have the video now. Are you still afraid?¡±


    Jason knew that Anastasia was afraid that the video would expose to the public and that stor would


    dislike her after he found it out. That was why she did not take action in the past.


    Jason wondered if she felt afraid of it now.


    Anastasia shook her head and replied, ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°As long as you made up your mind, I will always be with you, no matter what you have decided.¡±


    Jason held Anastasia¡¯s wrist


    and told her not to be afraid.


    He would respect her decision on whether she had wanted to lodge a police report or destroy it.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s eyes reddened. However, she dared not to cry, even though she wanted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here for you. I¡¯ve told you that I would always protect you.¡± Jason pressed


    Anastasia¡¯s head into his


    arms.


    ¡°I¡¯d told you to keep away from me and let you stay out of my business. Why can¡¯t you listen?¡±


    Anastasia asked in tears.


    ¡°I can¡¯t bear to leave you alone.¡± Jason sighed and continued, ¡°Since you brought me home six years


    ago, I can¡¯t leave you alone.¡±


    ¡°I was making a mistake. I should bring those stray animals instead of you.¡± Anastasia cried, grabbing


    Jason¡¯s clothes, and he shivered all over.


    ? ? ? ??


    Jasonughed bitterly. ¡°Since you¡¯ve brought me home, you should be responsible for it.¡±


    ¡°But you ran away¡­ You¡¯ve disappeared for six years.¡± Anastasia tightly grabbed Jason¡¯s clothes.


    Anastasia did not want to cry but could not control her welled-up tears at all.


    She had experienced too many grievances since she was a child.


    No one had ever promised that they would always stay by her side to support her.


    ¡°stor, he promised me¡­ stor promised me that he woulde today. stor even promised to


    rify for me, but he still lied to me.¡± Anastasia cried hard.


    She was also a human being.


    She needed someone to protect andfort her, even if she had always been in misery.


    She pondered, ¡°Why did stor have to hurt me again and again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t know how to cherish you.¡± Jason tightened his grip on Anastasia.


    Anastasia¡¯s art exhibition was almost crowded in the second half.


    That may be because of the fame of Samuel and Spencer and Charles¡¯s request to the students for a


    visit. In short, Anastasia¡¯sst art exhibition ended perfectly.


    ¡®Annie, look at your mentor. Samantha came over with a smile and was having a video call.


    Charles could have been sawid on the bed in the phone.


    Anastasia could not help but burst out crying when she saw her mentor. ¡°Mr. Lexington.¡±


    ¡°Annie, I¡¯m proud of you. I¡¯ve looked through all your work. Indeed, you¡¯re very talented,¡± Charles


    praised Anastasia with a smile. ¡°Why are you crying? It¡¯s a happy moment.¡±


    Anastasia wiped away her tears. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Lexington.¡±


    Charles sighed and said, ¡°Stop crying. We have treated you as our daughter.¡±


    Anastasia covered her mouth and cried until her body trembled.


    ¡°Anastasia, as a living human, life is not about length but depth,¡± Charles said meaningfully. ¡°Follow


    your heart. You are still young.¡±


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment. Anastasia subconsciously looked back at Jason, who was busy


    and did not say anything.


    ¡°Jason is a good boy. Jason has been busy handling your matter since months ago. Jason also came


    to beg me multiple times. I tested for you, and I like him very much.¡±


    ¥Þ¥Á

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes were teary, but she was still unable to say a word.


    ¡°Anastasia, maybe stor is also a good person. However, he is not suitable for you since he doesn¡¯t


    cherish you. It will only make you suffer in the rtionship.¡±


    Charles sighed and said, ¡°Stop crying. You are an adult now. Today is your important day. You have to


    show your presence with great aura and confidence.¡±


    Anastasia nodded with a smile and wiped away her tears.


    ¡°Well, all my students are there. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself in front of everyone. Have your seniors


    arrived?¡±


    Anastasia nodded in


    response.


    ¡°Remember, you¡¯re not alone. We will back you up from behind the curtain.¡±


    Anastasia felt warm inside. Anastasia suddenly felt that she had many people to support her instead of


    only stor.


    She lost stor, but she did not lose the whole world.


    The art exhibition ended smoothly, and Anastasia¡¯s paintings were still sold out.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    However, this time, Anastasia did not donate the money.


    ¡°Anastasia, we¡¯ve finished cleaning up. This art exhibition is so amazing that even our paintings have


    been bought,¡± Christopher said shyly; he felt a little embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been optimistic about your ability, and you¡¯ll have a bright future waiting for you ahead.¡±


    Anastasia smiled and patted Christopher on the shoulder. ¡°Thank you for today.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t mention it. You¡¯re my teacher,¡± Christopher scratched his hair.


    Then, I¡¯ll take you as my student. If you have any difficulties in the future,e to me.¡± Anastasia


    continued to mutter, ¡°As long as I¡¯m still alive.¡±


    Anastasia always held a clear distinction between gratitude and grudges.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± Christopher was so excited that he almost jumped up. Christopher asked, ¡°Are you really


    allowed me to be your/ student?¡±


    ¡°Although I¡¯m not qualified enough,¡± Anastasia replied with a smile.


    ¡°You are qualified.¡± Christopher spun around excitedly.


    Anastasia smiled helplessly.


    After sending everyone off, Anastasia and Christopher checked all the ounts and settled the venue


    rental cost with the person in charge of the art gallery.


    ¡°Anastasia, the art gallery staff had said the venue is free of charge provided for you.¡± Christopher ran


    back excitedly.


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment and looked at Jason subconsciously.


    As if he did not know anything, Jason packed up the things.


    ¡°How could it be free?¡± Anastasia asked in a low voice.


    That was the best art gallery in Hork.


    ¡°The curator said that Mr. Zabinski and Mr. Livingston like your paintings very much, saying that the


    venue will provide for you free of charge as long as you organize an art exhibition here in the future.¡±


    Christopher was so excited that he wanted to jump up.


    Anastasia widened her mouth in stunned. Anastasia thought, ¡°Although I¡¯m unable to organize an art


    exhibition again, I¡¯m still grateful for their kindness.¡±


    ¡°You guys can go back first.¡±


    Anastasia walked to Jason nervously after she sent Christopher and the others off. ¡°Can¡­ you ask Mr.


    Zabinski and Mr. Livingston to have dinner together? They have helped me a lot this time. I should treat


    them to dinner.¡±


    Jason was stunned for a moment and thought about it.


    ¡°I-It doesn¡¯t matter. I know it¡¯s difficult to ask them out since they¡¯re busy. Or else, we can send them


    some gifts.¡± Anastasia waved her hand quickly.


    Jason smiled. ¡°That¡¯s not about it. Instead, they called me just now, saying that they want to treat you


    to a meal. Let them treat us since they are rich.¡±


    ¡°T-That won¡¯t do!¡± Anastasia waved her hand in panic. ¡°They didn¡¯t even charge me with any venue


    fee.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. Really.¡± Jason smiled and massaged Anastasia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You must be


    exhausted.¡±


    Anastasia also smiled and replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t do much. I just stood there¡­¡±


    Then, she thought, ¡°However, it seems I¡¯m exhausted because the muscles all over my body are sore.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I rented a studio apartment in the North Garden. If you don¡¯t want to stay in the mansion,


    you can move out and live together with me,¡± Jason asked in a low voice. Jason was afraid that


    Anastasia would refuse him.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡±


    Anastasia nced at Jason and was about to say something when she saw stor run in.


    He seemed to be in a hurry.


    He stood on the spot to catch his breath. His hair was a little messy, and he seemed to have run for a


    long time.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± stor¡¯s voice was a little hoarse, and he seemed to realize that he waste on arrival.

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Jason frowned and looked at stor furiously.


    ¡°Annie, I¡­¡± stor wanted to exin and stepped forward to get close to Anastasia.


    However, Anastasia took a few steps back and looked at him calmly. ¡°Stop right there¡­¡±


    ¡°Annie, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯mte. The situation at that time really-¡± stor wanted to exin.


    ¡°stor. I don¡¯t want your exnation. In any of your cases, anyone¡¯s life is more important than mine.¡±


    Anastasia shook her head.


    ¡°Go home with me.¡± stor reached out and asked Anastasia to go home with him. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to


    you.¡±


    She sneered inwardly, ¡°He said that again.¡±


    Anastasia smiled; she felt irony.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t go with him.¡± Jason nearly pleaded with her.


    Anastasia looked at Jason and shifted her gaze to stor.


    After a long silence, Anastasia still chose to walk toward stor.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Jason chased after her for a few steps.


    Anastasia did not look back but said, ¡°Jason, go back and rest early. Don¡¯t forget to feed Septimus.


    Don¡¯t make it starve.¡±


    Jason clenched his fists and lowered his head without saying anything.


    He thought, ¡°As expected, Anastasia would still choose stor. Anastasia will always¡­ only choose


    stor.¡±


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    stor breathed a sigh of relief and walked to Anastasia. ¡°Annie, I promise that I¡¯ll not make the same


    mistake as today -again.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s some exceptional situation going on today. I¡­¡± stor tried his best to rify.


    However, Anastasia remained silent, which made stor panic.


    ¡°stor, you won¡¯t leave me alone if you really don¡¯t care about Felicia,¡± Anastasia said on the way


    back.


    ¡°Annie, what happened at that time was really¡­ Felicia threatened me with her child and cut her wrist


    with a knife. I have no idea what to do.¡± stor felt anxious.


    ¡°stor, stop your self-deception.¡± Anastasia looked out of the window and continued, ¡°We should stop


    working on our rtionship.¡±


    stor stopped the car and looked back at her. ¡°Anastasia, stop messing around. Do you want to go


    back on your words just because of that?¡±


    ¡°Mess around?¡± Anastasia took a deep breath. ¡°I have yet to make a scene.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, if anything happens to Felicia, we can¡¯t lose the child since he¡¯s innocent. Besides, my


    mom and grandma knew about the existence of the baby. You have aborted it without authorization.


    They can¡¯t stand the shock if something happens to Felicia¡¯s baby again.¡± stor looked at Anastasia.


    ¡°Annie, you are the most sensible among them. You¡¯ll understand my difficulty, am I right?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Anastasia shook her head and added, ¡°I¡¯m leaving with you just to tell you that we will go to


    the City Hall and get a divorce certificate tomorrow morning.¡±


    stor took a deep breath and raised his hand to rub his eyebrows. ¡°Anastasia, I won¡¯t divorce.¡±


    ¡°stor, don¡¯t be greedy. It¡¯s bad for you.¡± Anastasia was calm as she had made up her mind this time.


    stor probably could not understand how much she yearned for him to show up when those reporters


    besieged her.


    However, he had not shown up to save her.


    Instead, he had hurt her even more.


    The muscles on her body were sore, and she felt slight pain in the bones.


    Anastasia knew that her condition had gotten worse.


    Recently, her body had always been inexplicably painful, which made her unbearable.


    However, she still put up with it because she had a baby in her belly.


    Now that she decided to keep the baby, her decision had nothing to do with stor.


    Anastasia had expected earlier that stor did not participate in her art exhibition for Felicia¡¯s sake that


    night.


    However, there was a huge difference in reality, even though Anastasia had expected it in advance.


    Anastasia and stor had reached a point where she felt meaningless, no matter what happened


    between him and Felicia, even if it happened once or countless times.


    Felicia was pregnant with stor¡¯s child. There would always be an inseparable bond between them.


    Anastasia should have given him up early

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    She had been married to stor for four years. However, the mere four years meant nothing for


    stor.


    It was time to end everything.


    It was time to finish.


    She had limited time to live. Thus, she wanted to live her life to the fullest instead of wasting it on


    stor and Felicia.


    ¡°stor, do you know? I deceived myself into giving you another chance when you wanted to try again.


    After all, we had been together for four years. I didn¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t feel anything for me at all. I also


    wanted to give myself more hope. It¡¯s been four years. How can it just end like this?¡± Anastasia choked.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s¡­just try again, okay?¡± stor pleaded with Anastasia in a low voice.


    When the car arrived at the yard, stor got off and opened the door for Anastasia. ¡°Anastasia¡­I


    didn¡¯t do anything wrong¡­¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    stor still felt wronged. stor thought that he had done nothing wrong in this marriage.


    That night with Felicia was an ident.


    He had never thought Felicia would get pregnant, nor did he think she would use her pregnancy


    against him. ¡°stor, please let me go,¡± Anastasia said calmly.


    ¡°No way¡­¡± stor grabbed the door and refused to let


    1. He didn¡¯t want to let go.


    Anastasia sighed and didn¡¯t continue to argue with stor.


    Pushing stor away, Anastasia entered the door.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± Seeing that Anastasia was about to enter the guest room, stor was getting anxious.


    ¡°Do you expect me to sleep in the same room with you?¡± Anastasia questioned.


    stor lowered his head. ¡°No¡­ I just want to talk to you.¡±


    For some reason, stor felt panicked.


    The calmer Anastasia was, the more flustered he became.


    stor would rather Anastasia hysterically question why he left her that night and chose Felicia


    over the art exhibition he agreed to participate in.


    However, Anastasia calmly asked him to get the divorce certificate the following day.


    Although stor knew getting a divorce certificate was impossible if he disagreed, he still


    panicked.


    He didn¡¯t know why he was flustered.


    stor wondered if he felt nothing for Anastasia during the four years of marriage.


    It was impossible, though.


    Back in the room, Anastasia sat quietly on the bed.


    She wondered how she could persuade stor to get the divorce certificate.


    She was so eager to get rid of him.


    Anastasia raised her hand and bit her finger.


    ¡°What can I do?¡± she thought.


    Felicia sent a WhatsApp again, asking if Anastasia was conceited: [Anastasia, aren¡¯t you just


    proud? I didn¡¯t expect you to be so lucky. Even Samuel went to your art exhibition in person. Jason


    sold himself to get you this opportunity. You¡¯re so cunning.] Felicia¡¯s words were filled with


    jealousy.


    Felicia had always been filthy with her words.


    After a long silence, Anastasia decided to block Felicia.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t initially block Felicia as she intended to use their conversation to sue stor for


    adultery.


    However, Anastasia didn¡¯t have the energy to do so.


    She just wanted stor to divorce as soon as possible.


    After blocking Felicia, Anastasiay weakly on the bed.


    She felt much more relieved.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± stor knocked on the door. ¡°Are you asleep?¡±


    Anastasia didn¡¯t answer stor.


    ¡°Can we talk?¡± stor stood outside the door and wanted to talk with Anastasia.


    However, Anastasia didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯re right. I wouldn¡¯t have waited until now if I had no feelings for you after four years


    of marriage,¡± stor said bitterly. ¡°I admit I had a blitz marriage with you as I wanted to get the


    shares. I thought you didn¡¯t have a good family background and are easy to control¡­¡± stor


    leaned against the door and slowly slid on the ground.


    Anastasia listened quietly without any response.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    Sure enough, this was the real purpose of stor to marry her.


    It was difficult for two people without any emotional foundation to love each other and be together.


    Well, Anastasia was the first to call it quits.


    ¡°I thought you were dispensable to me; you just held the identity of my wife, and it¡¯s all for show.


    However, I found that habit is something scary. It seems that I can¡¯t leave you,¡± stor said in a hoarse


    voice. ¡°Anastasia, you spoiled me.¡±


    Anastasia slowly sat up and looked out of the window.


    It was true that she spoiled stor.


    ¡°Anastasia, I have never thought that someone could cross all my bottom lines and break all my rules,


    making me forgive you andpromise again and again.¡±


    stor¡¯s voice was bitter.


    ¡°I admit that I misunderstood you in a lot of things. However, at the same time, I never thought of


    abandoning you.¡± stor felt that this was his love for Anastasia.


    He didn¡¯t mistreat Anastasia.


    ¡°The love you gave is not what I need,¡± Anastasia spoke in a hoarse voice. ¡°stor, what you want is


    just an image of Mrs. Lopez. Who you want is not me, Anastasia Lawson.¡±


    stor lowered his head and leaned against the door weakly. ¡°What do you want me to do¡­ I need


    time to change.¡±


    ¡°No one will give you so much time and opportunities to change! Anastasia shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go that far¡­¡± stor felt a little irritable.


    ¡°It¡¯s the reality that made use this far. ¡± Anastasia was silent momentarily and added, ¡°ording to


    our agreement, I will apany you before Grandma dies. However, please abide by the agreement


    and divorce me once she dies.¡±


    Outside the door, stor leaned against it without saying anything.


    He knew that Anastasia was determined.


    It was early the next morning.


    Anastasia woke up with several missed calls.


    The call was from the hospital.


    It was from Amanda, the caretaker.


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Watson.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, your father may have gotten a bit stimtedst night. He rpsed and entered the


    emergency room again. He has note out yet.¡± Amanda was a little worried.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and rubbed her eyebrows. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    Anastasia couldn¡¯t ignore Zeke. Anastasia wanted to let him live a life worse than death.


    He needed to see his beloved family die in front of him.


    After washing up, Anastasia opened the door.


    As soon as she walked out of the door, she smelled something burning.


    Anastasia frowned and ran to the kitchen quickly.


    It turned out that stor was trying to bomb the kitchen with his cooking.


    ¡°Did the kitchen offend you?¡± Anastasia asked.


    stor was holding the spat. His eyes were red from the smoke. ¡°It¡¯s breakfast. It¡¯ll be done soon.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Anastasia nced at the time. ¡°I have something else to do. You can eat it yourself¡±


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor shouted. However, she was gone.


    At that moment, stor seemed to understand Anastasia¡¯s previous feelings.


    At that time, Anastasia got up early daily to buy food and cook a nutritious breakfast. However, he


    didn¡¯t tell her in advance that he was in a rush, always hurrying off.


    stor could imagine how disappointed Anastasia was at that time.


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    The other party didn¡¯t even look at the breakfast the person tried so hard to make.


    Buzz! stor¡¯s phone rang.


    He frowned after ncing that it was from Felicia.


    He was really annoyed now.


    More so, he regretted asking Felicia to work for hispany.


    ¡°stor¡­ Where are you? I¡¯m scared.¡± As soon as he answered the phone, Felicia was crying.


    ¡°Felicia, I warned you not to do anything to Anastasia. You seem not to understand this.¡± stor¡¯s


    voice was deep and threatening.


    ¡°stor, you provoked me first,¡± Felicia cried aggrievedly.


    ¡°Before the baby is born, we¡¯d better stop contacting each other. Don¡¯t threaten me with your life and


    that of the child anymore. I won¡¯t be fooled again.¡± stor hung up the phone after saying that.

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170


    In Hork General Hospital, Anastasia ran into the ward and looked at Amanda nervously. ¡°How is he?¡±


    ¡°His condition just stabilized, but he may be paralyzed in bed in the future. He¡¯ll need to rely on a


    wheelchair to move around.¡± Amanda sighed.


    Anastasia breathed a sigh of relief and smiled ironically. ¡°This is retribution.¡±


    She wanted him to live.


    He couldn¡¯t die.


    He didn¡¯t deserve to die.


    ¡°Annie, did your father¡­mistreat you before?¡± Amanda asked in a low voice. ¡°Where is your mother?¡±


    Anastasia sat on the bench and smiled. ¡°My mom is already dead. Cancer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Amanda sighed.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t raise me for a day but ruined my life.¡± Anastasia looked at Zeke, who was lying on the


    hospital bed helplessly¡­ ¡°This is especially after he found Meredith. I haven¡¯t had a good day since


    then.¡±


    Amanda sighed. ¡°It would be good if your mother were still alive. Mothers can¡¯t bear to let their


    daughters suffer.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°Yeah. When my mom left, she wanted to take me with her.¡±


    Amanda looked at Anastasia in shock.


    ¡°She oftenined that she was trapped in life because of me. If it weren¡¯t for me, she would have


    divorced Zeke long ago. However, it was because of me that she didn¡¯t. She said I was a burden and a


    dead weight for her, telling me it would be great if I hadn¡¯t been born. However, she also said she was


    worried about me before her death, wanting to take me with her. Do you think she loves me?¡±


    Anastasia looked at Amanda and asked in a choked voice.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    It seemed that Anastasia wanted to seekfort.


    Amanda looked at Anastasia in shock. ¡°No mother wouldn¡¯t love their daughter. Perhaps¡­.the reality


    drove her crazy. Just like me. I would have retired at retirement if I had a harmonious family and


    children who loved me. I wouldn¡¯t have to work so hard as a caretaker,¡± Amanda answered after a long


    time.


    This was life. Different people would lead a different life. Nobody would have the same life as others.


    Everyone had their own helplessness and pain.


    ¡°If I can return to my mother¡¯s stomach, I hope she¡¯ll abort to stop me from being born. Since she gave


    birth to me, why can¡¯t she love me¡­¡± Anastasia smiled ironically. ¡°They made me feel that my


    existence is wrong and that I¡¯m a sinner by living.¡±


    ¡°Annie, you can¡¯t think like that. There are still many beautiful things in this world that deserve your


    attention. No one can apany you for the rest of your life. Your husband may divorce you, and your


    children will start a family or business. You are the only one who can apany you through life,¡±


    Amanda whispered.


    Anastasia nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    The world was like this. One woulde to the world quickly and leave the same way.


    ¡°We only live for a few decades. You don¡¯t need to be so troubled if you live more selfishly. There¡¯s no


    need to care so much. You can be with whoever makes you happy andfortable. Don¡¯t be afraid of


    divorce. I¡¯m also divorced, yet I¡¯m living well right now,¡± Amandaforted Anastasia with a smile.


    Anastasia was silent for a long time.


    ¡°Is that really the case? Will it be okay as long as I¡¯m happy?¡± she wondered.


    ¡°Ah! Armie¡­ Annie¡­¡±


    In the ward, Zeke woke up. Zeke could make sounds and call names now.


    Anastasia stood by the bed and helped him wash his hands. ¡°You have to live on.¡±


    Zeke struggled to call her name, but Anastasia didn¡¯t want to talk to him anymore.


    ¡°Annie¡­ Annie¡­¡±


    Seeing Anastasia leaving, Zeke was still sobbing. The scene seemed rather sad.


    Anastasia stopped and looked back at Zeke. ¡°Thank you for giving me life and letting me experience


    such worst things.¡± Anastasia bowed deeply to Zeke. ¡°It¡¯s not bad being human. However, I¡¯d rather not


    live as one in my next life.¡±

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    When Anastasia left the ward, she saw Felicia in a hospital gown.


    ¡°Anastasia, let¡¯s talk.¡± Obviously, Felicia knew that Anastasia woulde to see Zeke,


    ¡°We have nothing to talk about,¡± Anastasia shook her head and said calmly.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± Felicia shouted. ¡°I really love stor. Don¡¯t bother him anymore, okay? Let him and me


    go, okay?¡±


    Anastasia stopped and looked at Felicia. ¡°Are you done?¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ Don¡¯t let my child be fatherless.¡± Felicia knelt to Anastasia in front of everyone in the


    hospital.


    Anastasia felt her eyes burning. Thus, she looked away abruptly.


    Felicia begged her not to let her child have no father.


    However, Felicia never thought Anastasia¡¯s child had also lost their father.


    ¡°Felicia, you are disgusting.¡± Anastasia breathed heavily, turning around to leave.


    Felicia got up and shouted hysterically, ¡°Anastasia, do you think I caused you and stor to be like


    this? Even without me, countless women could be in my ce. stor doesn¡¯t love or trust you. stor


    had his guard up against you for a long time. You guys won¡¯t have a future together.¡±


    Anastasia was tense as she gripped her hands.


    ¡°Anastasia! Why can¡¯t you let me go? Why can¡¯t you give stor to me? Why must youpete with


    me?¡± Felicia seemed out of control as she shouted, rushing up to Anastasia for a fight.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Anastasia frowned and looked at Felicia.


    Anastasia didn¡¯t know what tricks she was going to pull.


    ¡°Anastasia, remember, this is what you owe me¡­¡± Felicia sneered. Suddenly, she grabbed Anastasia¡¯s


    wrist and fell down the


    stairs.


    ¡°Ah!¡± With a scream, Feliciay in a pool of blood.


    ¡°My child. Save my child! She pushed me! Someone, please save my child!¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s scalp was numb as she breathed heavily.


    ¡°She¡¯s crazy¡­ She¡¯s really crazy. As expected, everyone is crazy. Did Felicia give up on her child to


    frame her?¡± she thought.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± At the elevator entrance, stor just came out. stor saw Felicia falling down the stairs


    while Anastasia stood stiffly in ce.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ What did you do?¡± stor ran down the stairs in a panic, picked up Felicia, and looked at


    Anastasia angrily.


    It was the look of distrust again.


    Anastasia stood there and suddenlyughed.


    ¡°Doctor! Doctor!¡± stor carried Felicia, covered in blood, to the emergency room. ¡°Anastasia, I know


    you hate me don¡¯t want to stay with me. However, do you detest this child so much?¡± He looked at


    Anastasia with reddened eyes.


    Anastasia looked at stor with trembling breath, and her whole body was stiff and numb.


    and


    ¡°She pushed me, stor. She said that once my child and I die, there won¡¯t be any estrangement


    between the two of you,¡± Felicia cried and used Anastasia.


    Anastasia was used to it. The first thing she did was look up and check whether there were surveince


    cameras around her.


    However, Felicia was not a pure fool. She knew how to find the surveince cameras¡¯ blind spots.


    This time, Anastasia could not defend herself at all.


    ¡°I said it wasn¡¯t me. Do you believe me?¡± Anastasia looked at stor and asked outside the emergency


    room.


    stor slumped against the wall. ¡°Anastasia¡­ You really went too far this time.¡±


    Anastasia had a mocking smile as she leaned against the wall.


    ¡°Sure enough, the problem between us is not whether we have feelings but trust for each other.¡±


    Anastasia shook her head. Suddenly, she had the urge to call Jason.


    She seemed to know what Jason would do in such a situation.


    Anastasia took out her phone and looked at Jason¡¯s number numbly.


    Her eyes were burning with tears. Finally, she dialed the number.


    ¡°Annie?¡± Jason answered the phone immediately.


    ¡°Jace¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was trembling. ¡°I¡¯m in the hospital emergency room¡­ Felicia¡¯s child is


    dead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± On the other side of the phone, Jason¡¯s voice was panicked as he


    hung up anxiously.


    Anastasia leaned against the wall and slowly slid onto the ground. ¡°stor, didn¡¯t you ask me why I


    chose Jason over you? Guess what Jason would do in this situation?¡±


    ¡°Of course, he will choose to believe you and your side of the story. However, I believe in my eyes.


    Felicia loves her child so much, even threatening me with the child. Felicia won¡¯t use the child so easily


    just to scheme you.¡± stor still believed what


    he saw.


    Anastasia sighed. ¡°In that case¡­ Let¡¯s make a bet.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    Anastasia would be heartbroken if stor doubted her so much in the past.


    But now, she seemed to be very calm.


    Because she knew clearly that stor would believe others and chose not to trust her at the first time.


    ¡°Anastasia, it¡¯s against thew to push others. You¡¯d better pray that Felicia and her child will be fine, or


    I won¡¯t protect you.¡± stor raised his hand to cover his forehead as if he was very tired.


    Once Felicia called the police, it would really involve thew.


    ¡°Why are you so sure that I pushed Felicia? Did you really see me push her?¡± Anastasia asked in a


    deep voice.


    ¡°Anastasia, I saw it with my own eyes. Do you still want to argue?¡± When stor got out of the elevator,


    he happened to see Anastasia¡¯s hand on Felicia¡¯s back, and Felicia fell.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ I can tolerate all your shorings, but this is human nature. You cannot be vicious.¡±


    stor really felt that he could tolerate Anastasia and even her viciousness.


    ¡°You once said that you pushed Sienna down the stairs. You have done this before.¡± stor was really


    afraid that Anastasia was consigned to eternal damnation.


    Anastasia was stunned for a long time, and her fingers became numb.


    When Anastasia just got married, she didn¡¯t fully open her heart to stor. Anastasia wrapped herself


    tightly as ifpletely disguising herself.


    One day, she decided to live a good life with stor and open her heart.


    She and stor drank a little wine at home, which was quite romantic.


    She thought that stor was the one she would spend the rest of her life with.


    stor gave her a home, and he would spend the rest of his life with her.


    She told stor her past and the grievances she had suffered.


    Anastasia once told stor that when she was a child, she lived in a rental house. It was an old-


    fashioned unit. Anastasia walked ahead, and Sienna fell down the stairs with her head knocking


    against the wall. Anastasia was half unconscious for a long time without anyone to care about her.


    Even when it was time for dinner, Zeke cursed and scolded her that she didn¡¯t eat properly.


    She curled up in the corridor and slowed down for a long time until she felt less pain.


    When she got home, they had all eaten. There was only a mess left on the table waiting for her to clean


    up.


    She dipped bread in mushroom soup, washed the dishes after eating, cleaned up, and returned to the


    room bruised. Anastasia watched Sienna sitting on the bed with her diary,ughing and reading it


    aloud.


    At that moment, Anastasia even had the idea of killing her.


    When she was a child, Zeke took her out many times and abandoned her. Anastasia once had such an


    idea of killing him when she was older¡­


    But in the end, rationality prevailed.


    People would always experience many things in their life. Anastasia lived a hard life with many scars,


    so she carefully took them out and exposed them to stor. The day after being pushed down the


    stairs by Sienna, she counterattacked.


    She pushed Sienna down the stairs.


    She always wanted Sienna to remember how painful it was to fall down the stairs.


    Otherwise, Sienna would never have the same feelings as her.


    After pushing Sienna, Anastasia ran away and went to the alley to hide..


    After that, Anastasia felt she was crazy. Anastasia was being driven crazy by these people.


    She knew that this kind of revenge was undesirable, but she did it¡­


    Anastasia told stor about these scars of hers. Anastasia didn¡¯t want him to feel sorry for her but just


    wanted to talk to the closest person.


    But she never thought that one day, her scar would be a sharp de to hurt her again.


    People should never tell anyone about their miserable past.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    No one would be able to empathize with it. They would onlyugh and hurt the person again.

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173


    ¡°Mr. Lopez, are you the husband of thedy inside?¡± The nurse came out of the emergency room and


    asked.


    stor ran over without responding to the nurse. ¡°I¡¯m a family member. What happened to the patient


    inside?¡±


    Anastasia leaned against the wall, tears burning.


    Family member.


    It meant he admitted that he was Felicia¡¯s husband by default.


    It was not that she wanted to argue with stor, but¡­ It hurt so much.


    ¡°The child might not be saved.¡± The nurse sighed. ¡°The woman in the room is very upset and said she


    wanted to call the police. What are you going to do about this?¡±


    stor clenched his hands and looked back at Anastasia subconsciously. ¡°Save her life first. I¡¯ll talk to


    her after the operation.¡±


    If Felicia insisted on calling the police, what should Anastasia do?


    She was legally responsible.


    stor thought he was still favoring Anastasia.


    But Anastasia went too far this time.


    ¡°Anastasia, you really went over the line this time¡­¡± stor¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°How do you want me


    to protect you?¡±


    ¡°Deal with it the way you should. Call the police.¡± Anastasia took out her phone. ¡°I¡¯ll call the police for


    you.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor took Anastasia¡¯s phone.


    He thought Anastasia was reckless just now.


    ¡°I pushed Sienna down the stairs. Do you think it was all my fault?¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse, and


    she insisted on asking stor this question.


    She exposed her own scared and showed it to him, but heughed at her and used that against her.


    ¡°Anastasia, is this the time to talk about who¡¯s right or wrong? Sienna is wrong, but are you right to


    avenge yourself with the same method?¡± stor looked at Anastasia in disbelief.


    ¡°Is this how she thinks?¡± stor thought.


    ¡°Then tell me, what should I do?¡± That year, she was only a teenager and just a child. She needed a


    family, to depend on others, and to live humbly!


    A man like stor lived to live, but Anastasia lived to survive.


    Perhaps the deities also thought that she was enduring too much hardship in her life, so they wanted


    her to leave earlier.


    ¡°Do


    you


    have to argue with me now? Even if Felicia did something wrong, you can¡¯t take revenge on her by


    breaking thew. You are¡­¡± stor took a deep breath and didn¡¯t know what to do with Anastasia.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ I¡¯ve done my best for you. You chose this path.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lopez, the baby has been induced abortion, and we have to send the patient to the ward.¡±


    stor stood at the door of the operating room worriedly and kept silent.


    ¡°You said you only touched her once. It¡¯s been four or five months since you got drunk, right? Even if


    she is very thin, the baby has already taken shape. Where¡¯s the baby?¡± Anastasia stepped forward and


    asked.


    The nurse was stunned for a moment. ¡°You want to take the child away?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was low.


    stor looked at Anastasia in disbelief and didn¡¯t know what she wanted to do,


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± After a while, stor asked Anastasia if she was crazy.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she suspect that my child was not yours and forced me to do an amniotic fluid test? Now that


    her child is gone, I have reason to suspect that the baby is not yours. I want a DNA test.¡± Anastasia


    looked at stor indifferently.


    She suddenly realized that if the baby was stor¡¯s, Felicia couldn¡¯t frame her with it.


    There was only one possibility, which was this child wasn¡¯t stor¡¯s.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor¡¯s face darkened with anger. ¡°You pushed Felicia downstairs and destroyed the


    baby to take it out for a DNA paternity test? You¡¯re crazy¡­¡±


    He looked at Anastasia with shock and incredible


    eyes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t dare? You took a DNA paternity test for my baby, who was still in my stomach? This child


    has already been aborted. What are you afraid of?¡± Anastasia questioned stor.

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174


    ¡°stor¡­¡± Felicia was pushed out. Felicia cried, ¡°stor, it was her who pushed me. Call the police.


    Call the police quickly.¡±


    stor ran over quickly, looking worried. ¡°Take good care of yourself. I will deal with itter.¡±


    ¡°stor, you are still protecting her! How long are you going to protect her? She is a criminal!¡± Felicia


    roared.


    Anastasia looked at Felicia¡¯s performance, and her heart seemed to be bleeding.


    ¡°Sir, can you handle it yourself?¡± The nurse put the aborted child in a stic bag and took it out.


    ¡°The hospital shall handle it¡­¡± stor frowned with a disgusted expression on his face.


    Obviously, this expression was directed at Anastasia.


    ¡°stor, I want a DNA paternity test!¡± Anastasia spoke word by word and looked at stor with firm


    eyes.


    Felicia was stunned for a moment, and her face instantly turned pale. ¡°Anastasia, you are crazy¡­


    What do you want to do with my child, Anastasia? You lunatic!¡±


    Seeing Felicia¡¯s emotional behavior, stor was also anxious. ¡°Anastasia, are you crazy? Go home.¡±


    ¡°I said, I want a DNA paternity test!¡± Anastasia shouted at stor with red eyes. ¡°My child almost died


    because of the DNA paternity test. Now I¡¯m asking you for a DNA paternity test for this child.¡±


    ¡°stor¡­ stor, she is humiliating me. I don¡¯t wanna live anymore¡­¡± Felicia cried loudly and was


    obviously scared.


    ¡°What are you afraid of? It¡¯s just a DNA paternity test.¡± Anastasia looked at Felicia sarcastically. ¡°If this


    child really belongs to stor, would you be willing to frame me with a child?¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± stor raised his hand and pped Anastasia in the face. His fingers were numb, and his


    voice was also shaking.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and was shocked for a long time.


    During their four years of marriage, stor had never hit her, even when he didn¡¯t love her or was


    angry.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    However, he hit her today.


    He pped her in front of so many people.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± When Jason rushed over, he happened to see stor hitting Anastasia.


    ¡°Why did you hit her?¡± Jason punched stor.


    stor was also confused. stor didn¡¯t expect that he would hit Anastasia.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± stor¡¯s voice trembled, and he wanted to step forward.


    ¡°DNA paternity test.¡± Anastasia¡¯s eyes turned red, and her cheeks were swollen. ¡°I said¡­ I want a DNA


    paternity test.¡±


    stor looked at Anastasia in disbelief, frowning.


    ¡°stor, we¡¯ve been married for so many years. I¡¯ve always obeyed your every word. I want you to do


    a DNA paternity test with this child now. All I need is one result.¡± Anastasia insisted on a result.


    ¡°stor, please don¡¯t let her humiliate my child.¡± Felicia almost jumped out of the hospital bed.


    ¡°Felicia, what are you afraid of?¡± Jason asked coldly. ¡°stor, don¡¯t you want to know if Felicia is


    plotting against you all the time?¡±


    Felicia held her hands tightly. ¡°stor, do you really want them to do this? If you want them to take the


    DNA paternity test, I¡¯ll die.¡±


    ¡°Enough¡­¡± stor said in a hoarse voice, looking at Anastasia. ¡°Is it important whether the baby is


    mine? The baby is gone, and you¡¯re the one who caused it.¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath and looked at Felicia. ¡°Do you think¡­ You¡¯re the only one who can cry


    and make trouble?¡± Anastasia smiled coldly, turned around, and walked to the window.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± Jason was frightened by Anastasia, and his voice was trembling.


    ¡°stor, I¡¯ll give you a chance now. Do the DNA paternity test. Otherwise, I will jump down now.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s face was pale. Anastasia could only choose this method now.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor shouted, out of control. ¡°Have you gone mad?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Anastasia stepped out of the window.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± Jason took a deep breath and begged.


    Anastasia nced at Jason and said nothing.


    ¡°She won¡¯t jump down. stor, leave her alone.¡± Felicia was still shouting.


    Anastasia sneered, looked out of the window, and jumped straight down.

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175


    ¡°Anastasia!¡±


    At that moment, stor felt his mind went nk.


    Jason grabbed her wrist. Jason was breathing fast and trembling all over.


    Anastasia looked at Jason and suddenlyughed.


    ¡°Why are you so scared? Do you think I really jumped?¡± Anastasiaughed. ¡°There is a balcony


    underneath.¡±


    Jason couldn¡¯t say a word at all, and his face turned pale. Jason was obviously scared.


    After a long time, Jason¡¯s eyes turned red as he pulled Anastasia back.


    From beginning to end, Jason didn¡¯t let go of Anastasia even when he saw the balcony below.


    ¡°I agree¡­¡± stor stood there in a trance.


    He didn¡¯t even have time to rush over.


    stor¡¯s voice was also trembling as he watched Jason pull Anastasia back.


    Looking at the moment Anastasia jumped down, stor felt like he was¡­ His heart seemed to stop


    beating.


    At least he understood that he had feelings for Anastasia now. Moreover, he was sure he had


    developed real feelings for her.


    So, even if Anastasia made trouble unreasonably and was vicious, he tried to forgive and protect her.


    ¡°You want a result, right?¡± stor asked Anastasia with red eyes.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Anastasia nodded.


    Jason held Anastasia tightly in his arms and said in a low voice, ¡°The patient needs a rest. This has


    nothing to do with her, so push her back in.¡±


    The caretaker hurriedly pushed Felicia away, no matter how hard Felicia was crying.


    Seeing storpromising, Anastasia smiled weakly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the center.¡± Anastasia looked at stor.


    ¡°Sorry, you can¡¯t leave yet. Ms. Stewart called the police and said that she was pushed downstairs by


    you.¡± As soon as Anastasia was about to leave, the security guard stopped her.


    Felicia had called the police.


    Anastasia sneered. ¡°She¡¯s desperate indeed.¡±


    Jason took Anastasia¡¯s hand and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for the police.¡±


    Anastasia nodded.


    She believed Jason. Since he stood here so confidently and asked her to wait for the police, he would


    definitely handle it well.


    ¡°Anastasia,e with me to apologize to Felicia¡­ I¡¯ll find a way to make her withdraw the case¡­¡±


    stor stepped forward and asked Anastasia to go with him.


    ¡°No! If she doesn¡¯t call the police, we will,¡± Jason said coldly and firmly.


    Anastasia just stared at stor, watching quietly.


    stor frowned. ¡°As a person who¡¯s been in the juvenile detention center, do you even know what the


    law is?¡±


    Jason¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I only know I will unconditionally trust the people I love!¡±


    stor was stunned. ¡°You¡¯re indulging her. It will only hurt her!¡±


    stor felt that Jason was indulging Anastasia. If Jason hadn¡¯t influenced Anastasia negatively, she


    wouldn¡¯t have be this


    way.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Anastasia, I told you that you are known by thepany you keep. Jason is only going to affect you


    negatively,¡± stor reminded Anastasia.


    Nobody should do anything illegal.


    Anastasia stood in front of Jason and said firmly, ¡°stor, if Jason can prove my innocence, divorce me


    tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± stor clenched his hands.


    Anastasia answered, ¡°You don¡¯t trust me¡­ I have no choice too, but Jason believes me.¡± She knew


    that Jason would always


    trust her unconditionally.


    Anastasia said lightly, ¡°So, let¡¯s get a divorce certificate tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he can protect you this time?¡± stor looked at Anastasia angrily.


    In stor¡¯s eyes, Anastasia was still so naive.


    ¡°All you have to do is promise me.¡± Anastasia looked at stor.


    ¡°Okay, if he can help you, I will agree to get the divorce certificate with you.¡± stor¡¯s voice was low.


    Obviously, he didn¡¯t believe Jason.


    However, Anastasia believed in Jason.


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Jason looked down at Anastasia.


    Anastasia smiled. ¡°You pulled me when I jumped out the window just now.¡±


    Jason was still angry, and he didn¡¯t look at Anastasia.

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176


    Anastasia sat on the bench in the corridor of the hospital and waited for the police toe.


    Jason asked someone to get him an ice pack. Jason carefully applied it to Anastasia¡¯s face.


    stor looked gloomy. stor didn¡¯t want Jason to touch Anastasia, but he knew he was at fault for


    hitting her.


    ¡°Are you Anastasia? Pleasee with us to help with the investigation.¡± The police came and asked


    Anastasia to follow them.


    ¡°What did the person who called the police say?¡± Jason asked in a deep voice.


    ¡°Anastasia is suspected of voluntarily causing hurt and pushing someone down the stairs,¡± the


    policeman repeated.


    ¡°I have evidence to prove that Felicia fell down the stairs by herself.¡± Jason handed the phone to the


    police.


    It contained footage from surveince cameras that his people had gotten.


    ¡°Does Felicia think she carried out her n wlessly, and there are no surveince cameras in that


    ce? But coincidentally, the surveince cameras in the nurses¡¯ station and corridor can clearly


    capture the location of stairs,¡± Jason said coldly.


    stor¡¯s breathing stagnated. It was not that he didn¡¯t think of the surveince cameras.


    That was not the point. The point was that he instinctively chose not to believe Anastasia.


    So he thought that Anastasia really pushed Felicia, fearing that surveince cameras would be


    damning evidence against Anastasia.


    The policeman took the phone and looked at it. Then he said to his colleagues around him, ¡°Let¡¯s go


    look at the surveince


    cameras.¡±


    Seeing that the police didn¡¯t take Anastasia away, stor already knew.


    ¡°Sir, is it against thew to make a false police report and nder someone?¡± Anastasia asked in a


    hoarse voice.


    The police looked back at Anastasia. ¡°If that is true, we will mete out punishments ordingly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Seeing the police leave, Anastasia took Jason¡¯s phone. ¡°Where did you find it?¡±


    ¡°When I came to see you, I asked my friends in the hospital to check the scene first. Then, they


    checked the surveince cameras from different angles. Fortunately, the scene can be seen clearly


    from every angle.¡± Jason sighed with relief.


    If there were no surveince cameras, Anastasia would be in danger today.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Anastasia nodded calmly and looked back at stor. ¡°Do you want to see it?¡±


    stor¡¯s entire body went stiff as he took the phone.


    The surveince cameras clearly showed that it was Felicia who deliberately fell down the stairs, while


    Anastasia reached out her hand long after she fell to try and catch her.


    But it was toote.


    ¡°From beginning to end, Anastasia¡¯s hands have only touched clothing. Anastasia never pushed


    Felicia,¡± Jason said with a frown.


    stor stood there and watched the surveince camera footage for a long time.


    He just didn¡¯t know how to face the truth.


    He still didn¡¯t trust Anastasia subconsciously.


    So when he saw Felicia at the bottom of the stairs covered in blood, he subconsciously felt that


    Anastasia was taking revenge. She had pushed Felicia down the stairs just like she did to Sienna when


    she was a


    child.


    ¡°Now, can we do the DNA paternity test?¡± Anastasia asked in a low voice.


    stor looked up at Anastasia with his eyes trembling. ¡°Anastasia¡­ I¡ª¡±


    ¡°just want a result.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    Anastasia¡¯s mental journey changed a lot ever since she found out that stor had cheated on her.


    From not wanting to divorce at the beginning to make sure she would disgrace Felicia no matter what,


    to disappointment andpromiseter, and finally to insisting on a result.


    Anastasia initially thought that everything would be fine as long as Felicia behaved herself and stopped


    harassing her, and she divorced stor.


    After all, she was pregnant with stor¡¯s child.


    However, Felicia was exactly like Sienna in the past. Felicia tested her patience again and again.


    This time, she even suddenly appeared to frame her.


    Therefore, she needed to know the result.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ Can youe home with me first?¡± stor¡¯s voice was hoarse as he pleaded with her.


    He was scared!


    He was indeed scared.


    He was afraid that the result would be exactly what Anastasia had thought, that this was all part of


    Felicia¡¯s n.


    Felicia seeded in driving Anastasia further away from him.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177


    ¡°I want a result. We agreed on this.¡± Anastasia would neverpromise.


    In the end, stor agreed to have a DNA paternity test with the ¡°miscarried¡± fetus.


    While waiting for the result, Anastasia sat quietly on the bench.


    stor was also silent. stor probably hadn¡¯t figured out how to exin it to Anastasia yet.


    ¡°Eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡± Jason ran outside and bought Anastasia a hot chocte and a chicken wrap.


    He didn¡¯t even need to ask to know that Anastasia definitely didn¡¯t eat breakfast.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Anastasia asked.


    Jason nodded. ¡°Yes, I have. Eat up.¡±


    ¡°Did I dy your work?¡± Anastasia looked at Jason¡¯s clothes, which were not his home clothes.


    She heard that Jason was starting a business recently. Jason likely still didn¡¯t have enough funds on


    hand, so he was working several jobs.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have asked for leave and can stay with you all day today.¡± Jason helped Anastasia take the


    cap off the hot


    chocte.


    stor sat by the side and frowned at Jason and Anastasia. stor would think that Jason was


    deliberately trying to please her, but it was true that he had never done these things for her before.


    But stor didn¡¯t understand and sneered. ¡°Are these so-called details¡¯ important, or is a material


    foundation important?¡± he thought.


    ¡°Anastasia! Anastasia!¡±


    At the elevator entrance, someone was hysterically shouting Anastasia¡¯s name.


    Anastasia¡¯s eyelids twitched. Anastasia could tell from the voice that it was Naomi.


    It seemed that Felicia had called Naomi.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± Seeing Anastasia sitting on the bench, Naomi rushed up and gave her a p.


    Anastasia¡¯s nose began to bleed as her ears buzzed loudly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Jason panicked and held Anastasia in his arms, wiping her nose with a piece


    of tissue.


    ¡°You bitch. You aborted the baby yourself, and you even caused Felicia to miscarry her child. How


    could you be so vicious?¡± Naomi raised her arm to hit Anastasia again.


    ¡°Mom, that¡¯s enough!¡± stor grabbed his mother¡¯s wrist and stood in front of Anastasia with a dark


    face.


    ¡°Who told you toe here?¡± Anastasia¡¯s cheek was swollen badly. Anastasia was really unlucky


    today. stor pped her in the face, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Now, his mother had also pped her.


    Anastasia took a deep breath and bore through the dizziness as she questioned Naomi.


    ¡°Why are you so vicious? You killed my two grandchildren just for a cat. You murderer.¡± Naomi¡¯s


    hysterical cries were obviously full of hatred.


    ¡°Anastasia is not the person who pushed Felicia,¡± stor said in a low voice. ¡°That¡¯s enough¡­¡±


    ¡°You are still protecting her and speaking up for her. Anastasia is going to ruin you,¡± Naomi screamed


    hysterically.


    stor took a deep breath. stor was able to understand how suffocated Anastasia must have felt


    being falsely used. ¡°As I said, the person who pushed Felicia down the stairs was not Anastasia.


    The police have already got the surveince camera footage. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go and


    see them.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to look at it. She is the one who killed my grandson, and she has to pay for it.¡± Naomi was


    still making trouble out of nothing.


    stor couldn¡¯t really do anything. stor grew up under the influence of a mother like her.


    He grew up in an unhappy family without a father.


    Perhaps it was because of this that stor became more dependent on the warmth brought by


    Anastasia to his home, but he didn¡¯t cherish it.


    ¡°stor, this kind of woman has to pay with her life! You¡¯re still spoiling her. You better divorce her now


    and let her leave the marriage with nothing. Kick her out of our family,¡± Naomi ordered.


    ¡°Felicia is much better than her. You are divorcing her now and staying with Felicia!¡± Naomi truly liked


    Felicia from the


    bottom of her heart.


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    Anastasia could tell.


    Felicia was good at coaxing people. Felicia seemed to have coaxed Naomi so well that she couldn¡¯t


    think straight.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t divorce her, I¡¯ll end my life. This kind of woman doesn¡¯t deserve to stay in the Lopez


    family,¡± Naomi cried and shouted.


    ¡°All of them are using their deaths to threaten me,¡± stor thought.


    stor felt so pressured that he was almost out of breath.

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178


    ¡°Enough!¡± stor tried hard to suppress all his anger and was on the verge of an emotional


    breakdown. ¡°Will you only be happy when you destroy mepletely?¡±


    Naomi was stunned when she got shouted at.


    However, she obviously did not realize her fault yet.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°I did it for your good, okay? I almost lost my life to give birth to you. Your father doesn¡¯t even care


    about you! Without me all these years, how can you live till now? Without me, your dad¡¯s illegitimate


    child outside would have taken everything from you!¡±


    ¡°Here she goes again,¡± stor thought.


    stor¡¯s head hurt.


    It was the same continuous and endless guilt-tripping.


    stor did not know when it would truly end because he could not change the fact that they were


    rted by blood. The only thing he could do was bear with it.


    ¡°You want a grandchild so much¡­¡± Anastasia looked at Naomi and sniffed in the blood from her nose.


    ¡°Since you know that we¡¯re here, you must also know that we¡¯re here for the DNA paternity test. The


    result wille out soon. Don¡¯t be too hasty. Let¡¯s see if Felicia is really pregnant with your grandchild.¡±


    Anastasia wanted to tell the truth to this good ¡°mother-inw¡± whom she had served for four years.


    She would hit her where it hurt the most.


    Since she wanted a grandchild so much, she should see if the child was really stor¡¯s.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Naomi looked at Anastasia angrily.


    ¡°Felicia deliberately fell down the stairs and aborted this child on purpose. Make a guess. Do you think


    the child is stor¡¯s?¡± Anastasia continued to provoke Naomi.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± stor called her name as he suppressed his emotions, hoping that Anastasia would


    stop provoking his mother.


    It was not that he was defending Naomi. Rather, he merely did not want Anastasia to fall outpletely


    with Naomi.


    In the past, no matter what conflicts arose, stor would help Anastasia solve them before they could


    reach her, ensuring that she would not have to deal with the problems.


    However, now that the conflict was between Anastasia and his mother, he did not know what to do.


    ¡°The result is out.¡± Jason brought the result over and was about to open it in front of Naomi.


    ¡°This is our family business. You can get out of here¡­¡± stor suppressed his anger as he asked


    Jason to leave.


    It was evident that he had enough of tolerating Jason.


    ¡°This is no longer just a family business¡­¡± Anastasia held Jason¡¯s wrist and locked eyes with stor.


    ¡°You¡¯ve promised that we will get the divorce certificate tomorrow. Now, in front of your mother, you


    should make it clear again whether I¡¯m the one pestering you to not divorce or if you¡¯re the one


    dying it.¡±


    stor clenched his fists as he looked at Anastasia holding onto Jason¡¯s hand. His heart hurt.


    He could tell that Anastasia did it on purpose.


    ¡°Look, look. Look at her. She¡¯s such a shameless and unfaithful wife! She hasn¡¯t divorced yet, but she¡¯s


    already entangled with another man. She even said that I had used her previously. Did I really


    use her?¡± Naomi shouted angrily.


    Anastasia held onto Jason¡¯s wrist firmly and did not let go throughout.


    Jason nced at Anastasia and knew she was simply using him as a shield. However, he was still d


    that, at the very least, Anastasia was obviously determined to divorce.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know the result?¡± Anastasia tore open the stic packaging and took out the result


    slip.


    Anastasia¡­ Can we talk about this at hometer?¡± stor¡¯s voice was hoarse, almost pleading.


    Anastasia sneered.


    ¡°Oh, you care so much about saving face now? When you insisted on doing a DNA paternity test with


    me, why wasn¡¯t your attitude like this?


    stor knew that he was in the wrong and could not offer any exnation now.


    He did not care whether Felicia¡¯s child was his or not. He simply did not want Anastasia and his mother


    to fall outpletely.


    ¡°Open it!¡± Naomi grabbed the result from Anastasia¡¯s hand and looked at it.


    Then, Naomi¡¯s hands started trembling. Naomi stared at it carefully for a long time and looked back


    uncertainly at the assistant who came with her. ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°The child is not Mr. Lopez¡¯s,¡± he said quietly.


    Naomi felt her vision go dark and could not stand firmly for a moment, almost fainting as she was


    probably too stimted.

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179


    Felicia was not pregnant with stor¡¯s child.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡± Anastasiaughed with reddened eyes.


    She looked at stor withpassionate eyes and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re so pitiful.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, must it be like this?¡± stor¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    Anastasia pped the bag in her hand onto stor. In a hoarse voice, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at the


    City Hall at nine o¡¯clock tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia!¡± stor wanted to grab Anastasia¡¯s wrist.


    However, Anastasia dodged him.


    Anastasia held Jason¡¯s hand tightly, their fingers intertwined, and she clenched her fingers so tightly


    that her joints turned pale.


    Anastasia left with Jason in front of stor! As soon as they walked out of the hospital, she wanted to


    let go, but Jason held her hand instead. ¡°Even if you¡¯re using me, you should still hold on for a while


    more¡­ It¡¯s too hurtful,¡± Jason said quietly.


    Anastasia nced at Jason and pointed to her face. ¡°Is it swollen?¡±


    Jason frowned as his expression darkened scarily.


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    He raised his hand and held Anastasia¡¯s chin, tilting her face left and right to observe it. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a little


    swollen.¡±


    ¡°I want fondue,¡± Anastasia suddenly said.


    Jason was stunned for a moment. ¡°You¡¯ve changed the topic a little quickly.¡±


    ¡°I want spicy food,¡± Anastasia spoke again.


    ¡°No, you have a weak stomach.¡± Jason shook his head.


    ¡°You only live once! Since life is so short, we should let ourselves loose. From now on, I¡¯ll do whatever I


    want.¡± Anastasia patted Jason¡¯s hand. ¡°Let go.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Jason was also very persistent and did not let go of her hand.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go eat fondue.¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    ¡°You don¡¯t sound right,¡± Jason noted quietly.


    From the moment Anastasia jumped out of the window that day. Jason started panicking.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t settled ounts with you yet.¡± Jason was originally very angry, but he could not get upset at


    Anastasia, no matter what.


    ¡°I¡¯ve observed the surroundings already. There¡¯s a terrace outside where a janitor is drying his mop,¡±


    Anastasia exined guiltily.


    In truth, even if she really had to jump down directly, she was not afraid either¡­


    ¡°Really?¡± Jason asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Really! Do I look that stupid to you, little brother?¡± Anastasia still regarded herself as his sister.


    Jason decided topromise as he thought to himself, ¡°Just let her be. If she wants to be my sister, so


    be it. At least we can still be together.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve really decided? That you would get the divorce certificate tomorrow morning?¡± Jason asked in


    a low voice, afraid that Anastasia would go back on her words..


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve decided.¡± Anastasia nodded heavily.


    That day, with Felicia causing such amotion, Anastasia could suddenly let go of everything and put


    it downpletely. ¡°From today onward, I want to¡­ love myself,¡± Anastasia said smilingly before


    bringing Jason into a fondue restaurant. ¡°Shall we get Kimberly to join us?¡±


    Jason frowned. ¡°Can¡¯t we eat fondue with just the two of us?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s boring to eat with just the both of us.¡± Anastasia took the initiative to call Kimberly.


    Soon, Kimberly came over in less than twenty minutes. It was evident that she really wanted to see


    Jason. Although Anastasia understood the situation in her heart, she did not mention anything verbally.


    Instead, she patted the table. ¡°Let me introduce you guys again. This is Jace. We met six years ago,


    Anastasia said, introducing Kimberly to him.


    Kimberly¡¯s face was full of shock. ¡°This is the Jace you¡¯ve been talking about?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Hasn¡¯t he changed a lot?¡± Anastasia asked with a smile.


    A trace of uneasiness shed across Kimberly¡¯s eyes, but she quickly masked it with a smile. ¡°Yes, he


    has changed a lot indeed. It¡¯s said that girls change a lot when they enter adulthood, but it seems like


    boys change a lot as well. Jason, you¡¯re so amazing.¡±


    ¡°She¡­ talked about me to you before?¡± Jason asked quietly, suddenly curious.


    ¡°Of course, you two have a selfie, which she has shown me many times. I really didn¡¯t recognize you,¡±


    Kimberly said with a smile.


    ¡°How¡­ did she talk about me?¡± Jason¡¯s eyes were on Anastasia throughout.


    Looking at Anastasia and then Jason, Kimberly clenched her fingers. ¡°She said you were like a


    younger brother to her, who disappeared without saying a word.¡±


    Jason lowered his eyes and frowned.


    ¡°Younger brother¡­ I¡¯m still like a younger brother to her, after all,¡± Jason thought.

 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180


    ¡°He¡¯s not my younger brother. We¡¯re not rted by blood,¡± Anastasia said meaningfully as she looked


    at Kimberly.


    Kimberly was stunned for a moment. Kimberly felt her chest tighten, so she took a deep breath.


    Anastasia smiled and added, ¡°But we¡¯re also not a couple like it¡¯s rumored online.¡±


    Kimberly was Anastasia¡¯s best friend and the person thetter trusted most. Thus, Anastasia did not


    want Kimberly to misunderstand, thinking she might let Kimberly have Jason.


    After all, when Anastasia tried to introduce Kimberly to Jason that day, his eyes were full of


    disappointment and hurt.


    At that moment, Anastasia knew that everyone was an independent being. Anastasia did not have to


    like Jason or have any rtionship with him, but she could not pretend to be a saint and pass him on to


    anyone.


    Those who imed that they did what they did for another¡¯s benefit only reflected their selfishness.


    It was the same with Anastasia¡¯s mother. When she was about to die of illness, she feared that


    Anastasia would not survive


    alone in the world. Thus, her mother wanted to take Anastasia with her, iming it was for Anastasia¡¯s


    sake.


    At that time, Anastasia was very scared. Anastasia also thought of asking her mother if she ever


    considered how Anastasia felt or thought whenever her mother said it was for her good.


    Therefore, anything could happen, and no one should interfere with it.


    ¡°You two¡­ could still be a couple?¡± Kimberly was a little ufortable and asked half-jokingly, ¡°Didn¡¯t


    you say that even if you divorced stor, you wouldn¡¯t choose a younger man? Didn¡¯t you say you


    don¡¯t like younger men?¡±


    Perhaps Kimberly wanted Anastasia to make a clear statement so Jason could give up.


    Meanwhile, Jason¡¯s eyes were on Anastasia the whole time. His heart was racing.


    That meal involving them three seemed like it was a setup for confessions.


    ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee what will happen in the future¡­¡± Anastasia looked at Jason and said seriously,


    ¡°Anything is possible.¡±


    Jason looked at Anastasia with zing eyes.


    ¡°She¡¯s giving me a possibility,¡± thought Jason.


    Even though it was just a possibility, it was more than enough for Jason.


    ¡°Who knows? We might already be dead,¡± Anastasia said jokingly.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    Kimberly and Jason spoke almost at the same time, scolding Anastasia.


    Anastasia smiled and changed the topic, but her eyes were warm as she said, ¡°Jason, let me introduce


    you¡­¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s voice could not help but turn raspy, so she took a deep breath and tried to suppress her


    emotions. ¡°This is Kimberly, my university ssmate and best friend.¡±


    ¡°We were in the same university and stayed in the same rental condominium for two to three years.¡±


    Kimberly smiled and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know him well, but I definitely see him daily.¡±


    Jason was abined bachelor¡¯s and master¡¯s student, and Kimberly was a graduate student. They


    were both in the same school and lived in the same Clusian condominium, not to mention they lived


    right across each other.


    ¡°Both of you are my most important people, so¡­ I hope no matter what happens in the future, we will


    stay this way. Together.¡± With burning eyes, Anastasia looked at the two people sitting across from her


    Anastasia had no family or husband anymore.


    Kimberly was Anastasia¡¯s only friend.


    In the past, Anastasia had also regarded Xavier as her best friend.


    However, reality pped Anastasia hard in the face.


    ¡°You¡¯re being too serious. Do you think you¡¯re running a memorial service?¡± Kimberly pped the table


    and asked for three bottles of beer. ¡°Have a drink.¡±


    Anastasia nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t drink,¡± Jason whispered.


    ¡°Drink a little. You¡¯re not pregnant anymore.¡± Kimberly did not know that Anastasia had kept the baby.


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    After a long silence, Anastasia finally spoke. ¡°Never mind. Let¡¯s drink another day.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, are you hiding something from me?¡± Jason could always capture the slight change in


    Anastasia¡¯s emotions.


    ¡°Eat up, eat up.¡± Anastasia took the chicken wing with the spicy sriracha sauce.


    However, Jason reced that piece of chicken wing from Anastasia with the honey-vored one to give


    to Anastasia.


    Anastasia¡¯s hand with the fork froze, and she subconsciously looked at Kimberly.


    However, Kimberly seemed to be busy eating and did not look up at all.


    When Jason went to the restroom, Kimberly asked, ¡°Anastasia, you don¡¯t like Jason, right? Just let me


    have him if you don¡¯t.¡±

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181


    Kimberly and Anastasia had known each other for many years. Thus, Anastasia knew Kimberly very


    well.


    Kimberly would not have said anything unless it was something she really wanted.


    Kimberly had only asked Anastasia for favors two times; this was the second time.


    The first time, Kimberly asked Anastasia for the opportunity to go abroad to further her studies. Later,


    Anastasia personally went to see Charles and gave the spot to Kimberly.


    Then, this was the second time.


    ¡°Kimberly, I thought I made myself clear earlier.¡± Anastasia sighed and continued, ¡°Jason is an


    independent individual. I can¡¯t let you have him just because I want to. Besides, if you are really


    destined to be with him, I will give my blessing to you two in the future when you¡¯re together. However,


    asking me to let you have him¡­ Jason is not mine.¡±


    Kimberly held her head and looked at Anastasia. ¡°I really like him. Can you help me?¡±


    ¡°How can I help you?¡± Anastasia patted Kimberly¡¯s head. ¡°How can I help with love?¡±


    ¡°I helped you win stor over back then too.¡± Kimberly snorted.


    When Anastasia and stor were married in a blitz, they had no feelings for each other. Thus, it took a


    lot of effort for Anastasia to make stor fall in love with her, and Kimberly had been helping Anastasia


    come up with ideas.


    ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± Anastasia shook her head.


    ¡°Simply put, you¡¯re being greedy.¡± Kimberly criticized Anastasia jokingly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t let go of stor, yet you won¡¯t let me have Jason.¡±


    Anastasia was stunned and looked at Kimberly!


    Even if Kimberly was joking, Anastasia still felt hurt.


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    ¡°Kimberly, we are like sisters. We¡¯re each other¡¯s best friends. I¡¯ve basically agreed to your every


    request, except for Jason. Not this. Jason is very special to me. Even if we are not in a rtionship, I


    won¡¯t help you pursue him.¡± Anastasia shook her head.


    After all, it was not that Kimberly did not know that Jason was interested in Anastasia. Thus, asking


    Anastasia to set her and Jason up was just too much.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make it difficult for me. You can do it yourself if you want to pursue him. It¡¯s all up to you,¡±


    Anastasia whispered.


    Kimberly took a sip of beer and said, ¡°But he only has eyes for you. It¡¯s one thing if you don¡¯t divorce.


    Kimberly will definitely not say yes to me once you¡¯re divorced.¡±


    ¡°stor and I¡­ We¡¯re going to get a divorce tomorrow.¡± Anastasia did not hide it from Kimberly.


    Kimberly¡¯s finger holding the wine ss stiffened. ¡°Divorce so soon? stor agreed? He¡¯s not¡­


    backing out again?¡±


    Anastasia nced at Kimberly and replied, ¡°He agreed today.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Kimberly nodded. ¡°You can give stor to me then. Considering our rtionship, it¡¯s not much


    to ask for a man, is it?¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡± Amused by Kimberly¡¯s words, Anastasia chuckled and said, ¡°Can you be more loyal?¡±


    Kimberly raised her eyebrows and replied, ¡°I¡¯m joking. Look at your face. Honestly, I think all the men in


    the world are the same. You might not meet another good guy after you divorce stor. Thus, why


    don¡¯t you consider it again? At least stor is rich.¡±


    Anastasia did not speak.


    ¡°Here you go.¡± After going out for a while, Jason returned and brought Anastasia a cup of freshly


    squeezed juice.


    Perhaps Jason did not want Anastasia to drink beer.


    ¡°Where¡¯s mine?¡± Kimberly groaned and asked, ¡°We¡¯ve been ssmates for so many years, after all.


    How can you be so biased?¡±


    Jason looked at Kimberly¡¯s wine ss with confusion. ¡°Aren¡¯t you drinking?¡±


    Kimberly was speechless and rolled her eyes. ¡°Jason, you will be single all your life this way.¡±


    Still, Jason merely smiled.


    ¡°Come on, let us two drink. Don¡¯t you think about running, too, Kimberly said. Kimberly was obviously


    forcing Jason to drink.


    Fortunately, Jason was better at drinking than Kimberly.


    At that moment, Kimberly was already drunk.


    ¡°We¡¯re only eating fondue, and you still managed to get drunk.¡± Anastasia smiled helplessly.


    ¡°Urgh. I don¡¯t feel well.¡± With that, Kimberly ran to the roadside and vomited.


    Anastasia could not handle Kimberly herself, so she could only ask Jason for help. ¡°Take her back?¡±


    Jason nced at Anastasia, his gaze still hot.


    Anastasia moved her gaze subconsciously, feeling inexplicably guilty.


    Anastasia did not mean to set Kimberly up with Jason.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together. I don¡¯t know where she lives.¡± Jason asked Anastasia to apany him to bring


    Kimberly back.


    ¡°It¡¯s sote already. Anastasia must go home. Her husband has alreadye to pick her up.¡± Kimberly


    was very drunk and dragged Jason toward the roadside as she continued, ¡°Let them talk and solve


    their misunderstanding. Don¡¯t be a third wheel


    here.¡±


    Anastasia was stunned. Anastasia then turned around and saw stor¡¯s car parked in the parking


    space.


    ¡°Annie.¡± stor got out of the car. With a hoarse and calm voice, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182


    Jason stood on the side of the road, looking somewhat despondent.


    His gaze was fixed on Anastasia, and no matter how much Kimberly tried to pull him away, he refused


    to leave.


    Jason wanted to wait for Anastasia¡¯s decision, even though she had repeatedly chosen stor in the


    past.


    ¡°stor, let¡¯s meet at the City Hall tomorrow. Kimberly has had too much to drink. I need to take her


    back,¡± Anastasia said calmly, turning to Jason and assisting him in supporting Kimberly.


    ring at Kimberly, Anastasia lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Are you the one who messaged stor?¡±


    Kimberly, who pretended to be drunk, responded in hushed tones, ¡°He begged me for two hours, and I


    could not refuse.¡±


    Anastasia sighed and checked the time. It was only two in the afternoon at that moment.


    ¡°You should go back. I know you are still soper.¡± Anastasia gged down a taxi and assisted Kimberly


    in getting inside. ¡°Anastasia!¡± Kimberly wanted to say something.


    However, seeing that Anastasia wasn¡¯t interested in listening, Kimberly had no choice but to leave first.


    ¡°Annie, can we talk?¡± stor approached, wanting to have a conversation with Anastasia.


    ¡°There is not much to talk about. Go find Felicia instead.¡± Jason frowned, warily looking at stor.


    Although stor disliked Jason, he did not want to push Anastasia any further away from him. stor


    held back his emotions and continued to speak. ¡°Kimberly mentioned that you think of him as a little


    brother, and I can understand. Let us talk about it at home, okay?¡±


    Anastasia looked at stor and smiled. ¡°Why bother? Back then, I said I wouldn¡¯t divorce, but you


    insisted on it. Now you want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to whatever you have to say, Anastasia. It was my fault for agreeing to the divorce so easily. I


    do not mind if you want to exact revenge on me, but please follow me home first.¡± All stor wanted


    was for Anastasia to go back with him.


    ¡°You have never put your faith in me first.¡± Anastasia was exhausted and did not want to talk to stor


    too much. ¡°I have something to do this afternoon,¡± Anastasia said before turning to leave.


    Jason didn¡¯t pay any attention to stor either and followed closely behind Anastasia.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the divorce, then.¡± stor¡¯s voice had be hoarse. stor reached out and took


    Anastasia¡¯s hand in his/ ¡°Let us talk about the divorce.¡±


    Anastasia came to a halt and turned to face stor. ¡°There is nothing to discuss regarding the divorce.


    I do not want anything of yours, and I am not going to leave anything for you either. Let us keep it civil


    and just get the divorce


    certificate.¡±


    stor¡¯s face darkened as he tightened his grip on Anastasia¡¯s hand.


    Anastasia looked at stor, unsure of what he intended to do.


    ¡°Is there nothing worth cherishing in that house?¡± stor asked softly.


    Originally, there was still Snowball. But now stor realized he had nothing else that could entice


    Anastasia to stay.


    Everything was gone, whether it was Snowball or their child..


    ¡°That¡¯s not my home anymore.¡± Anastasia shook her head and pulled her hand away from stor¡¯s


    grip before turning to leave.


    Jason remained not too far behind Anastasia, observing the scene.


    After walking for a while, Jason nced back at stor.


    Noticing that stor frowned and clenched his fists tightly.


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    He was aware that Jason was mocking him, mocking his inability to keep Anastasia.


    ¡°Septimus isn¡¯t feeling well. It has had diarrhea for the past few days. I¡¯ve sent it to the veterinarian for


    a check-up. Would you like to apany me to pick it up?¡± Jason inquired softly.


    After thinking for a while on the sidewalk, Anastasia finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you know that


    Kimberly likes you.¡±


    You know that I like you, too,¡± Jason retorted Anastasia bluntly.


    Anastasia stopped walking. ¡°There is no future for us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve told me in the past that no one can predict the future. Jason¡¯s eyes were red as he looked at


    Anastasia.


    I never had an abortion. I am still pregnant with stor¡¯s child. Except for you and Zachary, I have not


    told anyone about


    this.¡± Anastasia spoke frankly. Anastasia was still carrying stor¡¯s baby. ¡°I am a divorced woman who


    is still pregnant with my ex-husband¡¯s child. Have you gone mad? Do you intend to raise someone


    else¡¯s child?¡±

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183


    Jason stared at Anastasia in a daze. ¡°Do you still love him?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t love him anymore¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    ¡°In that case, after your divorce, I¡¯ll take care of you¡­¡± Jason averted his gaze before adding, ¡°And the


    child.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± Anastasia¡¯s eyes reddened, and she turned to walk away.


    The proceeds from her art exhibition were enough to support her child.


    Even if she died, she could leave some money for her child.


    Deep down, she had already made up her mind.


    Once the child was born, she would send it to her uncle, Brendan Foster, who was living in the


    countryside.


    Anastasia had an uncle who had yed a crucial role in her survival after her mother¡¯s death.


    He was poor and disabled but strong-willed. He and his wife, Ciara Foster, had never had children of


    their own and had considered raising Anastasia. However, theck of good educational opportunities in


    their hometown,bined with Anastasia¡¯s love of art, led them to abandon the idea.


    Brendan would travel a considerable distance to visit Anastasia each month, despite being disabled,


    just to bring the pickles that Ciara had made.


    Brendan paid her numerous visits during her university years but was mocked by her ssmates.


    Brendan eventually stoppeding, possibly because he did not want Anastasia to be embarrassed.


    Brendan was always happy to see Anastasia when she returned to spend the holidays with him.


    However, after she married stor, her uncle stopped visiting the city.


    In fact, he never bothered Anastasia and never called her.


    Anastasia understood that her uncle and aunt were worried that she would not be able to carry herself


    with dignity in the Lopez family.


    They were concerned about making Anastasia feel ufortable because they were poor


    rtives.


    Over the years, Anastasia had sent money to Brendan and Ciara, but they always returned it, saying


    that they hadn¡¯t really raised her and wanted her to live a good life.


    Anastasia was well aware that the two of them had long desired to have their own child. Even after all


    those years, they had not given up. Ciara was already in her forties, but she continued to use traditional


    medicine to increase her chances of having a child.


    Nheless, all their efforts had been in vain.


    If she gave birth to the child and entrusted it to them, they would undoubtedly treat the child as their


    own.


    She would also leave her entire savings for them.


    Anastasia believed that Brendan and Ciara would provide the child with the best education and a


    warm, loving home.


    ¡°I really can look after you.¡± Jason was afraid that Anastasia would not believe him. ¡°We can go to the


    City Hall together tomorrow. After you get your divorce certificate, we can get the marriage certificate.¡±


    Anastasia looked at Jason resignedly. ¡°Are you out of your mind? Do you really want to raise someone


    else¡¯s child?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not someone else¡¯s child. It¡¯s yours.¡± Jason frowned.


    Anastasia let out a sigh. Anastasia found it hard to believe that such a fool had managed to survive that


    long. ¡°Jason, I do not feel that way about you.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Jason blocked Anastasia¡¯s path. ¡°Unless you despise me for being poor.¡±


    Anastasia was left speechless by Jason¡¯s persistence. ¡°You¡¯re young. Can¡¯t you find someone who


    hasn¡¯t been married before?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Jason frowned.


    ¡°You¡¯re so¡­¡± He was totally unreasonable in her opinion.


    ¡°Are you afraid? Do you worry that you might develop feelings for me after we get married?¡± Jason


    attempted to provoke


    her.


    ¡°Do you see me as a young woman who has recently graduated, Jason? Do you think I will marry you


    solely because of your provocation? I could have done it four years ago. After all, I married stor after


    only meeting him once. However, I will not do so now because I have already been caught in that trap


    once.¡± Anastasiaughed helplessly while shaking her head. ¡°How about giving it another shot?¡± Jason


    fixed his piercing gaze on Anastasia. ¡°What makes you so afraid?¡±


    Anastasia looked at Jason and took a deep breath.


    In reality, she was truly afraid. After everything Jason had done for her, she found it difficult to resist


    falling in love with


    him.


    If she were in good health and had a long road ahead of her, she might consider it.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Jason, I just want to be alone. I have been truly grateful to you throughout this time, and I have also


    caused you a lot of


    trouble¡­¡±


    Anastasia sighed and nned to leave Hork the next day after finalizing the divorce.


    She would travel to her mother¡¯s hometown to visit Brendan and Ciara. Then, she would give birth


    peacefully and spend the rest of her life in tranquility.


    ¡°Jason, the road ahead of you is still long, and I sincerely hope you meet someone who treats you well


    in the future.¡±


    After separating from Jason, Anastasia went to a hotel.


    She did not have a home to return to, and the hotel was only a stopover for her.


    ¡°Anastasia, I discovered that someone was assisting Sienna during the time she went missing. A


    substantial sum of money has also been deposited into her ount. Someone must be using her. It is


    definitely rted to Felicia, but she does not have the ability to do it herself.¡± Jayden called Anastasia.


    It implied that Felicia had aplices.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Anastasia suddenly didn¡¯t want to investigate further.


    The police had already taken Sienna away, so the truth did not matter anymore.


    Anastasia felt that her reputation was also no longer important.


    ¡°stor and I are divorcing tomorrow.¡±


    Suddenly, there was an unexpected knock on the hotel door.


    Anastasia opened the door, mistaking it for a hotel janitor.


    Outside, a masked man wielding a knife lunged at Anastasia.


    ¡°Anastasia? Anastasia!¡±


    Hearing themotion, Jayden, who was on the other end of the line, cried out Anastasia in rm.


    Anastasia leaned against the wall, sliding down to the floor with rapid breathing.


    At that moment, all she could think about was her unborn child,

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184


    Anastasia¡¯s vision turned ck, and her breathing quickened as she stared at the pool of blood on the


    floor.


    Anastasia looked up at the person who had stabbed her, her eyes closing slowly.


    It was Sienna¡¯s uncle, Harold, the man who had forced himself on her in the past.


    He was also Anastasia¡¯s worst nightmare-a scumbag and a demon who had gone missing for years.


    ¡°Harold¡­¡± Anastasia chuckled sarcastically, her nails scratching Harold¡¯s hand. ¡°Did you think you


    could get away?¡±


    Based on the video evidence, he was initially only charged with attempted sexual assault.


    Now, he would be charged with murder.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a jinx. I would not have been the target of public scorn if it had not been for you. It¡¯s all


    your fault that I¡¯ve been reduced to this state! You are the one who put my sister in jail, and you also


    ruined Sienna¡¯s life. You are a jinx. I should have killed you a long time ago!¡± Harold brandished his


    knife and appeared ready to strike.


    ¡°W-Who told you I was here?¡± Anastasia thought she was being cautious.


    She lived in a hotel, and very few people knew about it. Most of them were close to her.


    ¡°When did Harold start targeting me? Did he follow me here, or did someone inform him of my room


    number?¡± she wondered.


    ¡°Too many people want you dead, you jinx.¡± Harold¡¯s expression turned ferocious. ¡°Do you know why


    your father sold you to me back then? It is because you are not his biological daughter. Don¡¯t you


    know? While your father was away gambling, your mother had an affair and became pregnant with you.


    No matter how badly he beat her, she would not reveal the identity of that man!¡±


    Harold sneered at Anastasia. ¡°You are nothing more than a rascal born from an extramarital affair.¡±


    Anastasia¡¯s breath grew even more ragged, and her whole body trembled uncontrobly.


    ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense¡­¡± She would not let Harold sully her mother¡¯s name.


    Though Anastasia did not want to admit it, she believed Harold¡¯s words.


    If she was not her father¡¯s biological daughter, it would exin why she had lived such a miserable life


    all those years. She finally realized why her parents had never shown her paternal love and why no


    one had ever been concerned about her. That was why Zeke was always abusive, and her mother


    would always say, ¡°It would have been better if you had not been


    born.¡±


    ¡°Why were you born, Anastasia? If only I weren¡¯t pregnant with you. If only you weren¡¯t born. Your


    father doesn¡¯t want us anymore, Anastasia. I¡¯m worried about you. I¡¯m taking you with me, okay?¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Anastasia recalled her mother telling her repeatedly that her father wanted to abandon them.


    At


    time, Anastasia couldn¡¯tprehend it. Anastasia could not understand why her mother was still so


    attached to Zeke, despite the fact that he was an alcoholic who would always abuse her.


    Now that she thought about it, if Harold¡¯s words were true, the man her mother was looking for might


    not have been Zeke


    after all.


    ¡°Go to hell.¡± Harold was about to stab Anastasia again.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± a hotel janitor shouted.


    When Harold heard that, he became terrified, threw away the knife, and turned to flee.


    Anastasia¡¯s strength was fading. Her vision was growing blurry.


    On the


    verge


    of death, the first person who came to Anastasia¡¯s mind was Jason, not stor.


    She could not stop thinking about Jason protecting her and resolving everything for her at the art


    exhibition.


    Letting out a bitterugh, Anastasiay in a pool of blood.


    It was toote.


    Her meeting with Jason urred too soon, and their reunion happened toote.


    Everything was toote.


    ¡°Ahl Help! There¡¯s a murder!¡±


    ¡°Someone is killed.¡± The hotel janitor shrieked with a piercing voice, shouting that there had been a


    murder.


    Hearing that, the hotel staff immediately called the police and an ambnce.


    When Jayden arrived at the scene in his car after finally discovering the hotel where Anastasia was


    staying, Anastasia had already been carried into the ambnce.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m her rtive!¡± Jayden got in the ambnce and looked at Anastasia, who was covered in blood,


    his voice trembling as he made a call. ¡°Jace! Something terrible happened! Anastasia is hurt. Anastasia


    was stabbed at the hotel, and we¡¯re in the ambnce now.¡±


    Jayden¡¯s face turned pale, and he cried in despair, ¡°Anastasia, please survive. You can¡¯t just die and


    leave Jace alone!¡±


    In a daze, Anastasia heard Jayden¡¯s cries. ¡°Jace? Who is he calling Jace?¡± she thought.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185


    The operating light in Hork General Hospital¡¯s emergency department was blinding, making Anastasia


    feel out of her mind.


    ¡°Excessive blood loss¡­¡±


    The sound of medical devices could be heard.


    ¡°The victim is pregnant. Anastasia has a baby in her womb.¡±


    ¡°The gestation period is insufficient.¡±


    ¡°Contact her family.¡±


    Outside the operating room, Jason rushed into the hospital in a panic, stumbling and falling several


    times.


    ¡°Anastasia! Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Jace, calm down.¡± Jayden, with tears streaming down his cheeks, stopped Jason.


    ¡°She¡¯s already in surgery.¡± Jayden sniffled.


    ¡°Why are you crying? To find out who stabbed her!¡± Jason¡¯s voice was hoarse and brimming with rage.


    He wanted to find out who the culprit was.


    ¡°The police have retrieved the surveince footage and extracted a DNA sample from Anastasia¡¯s


    nails. That person can¡¯t escape.¡± Jayden sobbed uncontrobly.


    stor had previously threatened Anastasia¡¯s private investigator, so no one in Hork dared to take her


    case.


    Jayden was the only one who dared to take her case.


    It was because Jayden was Jason¡¯s cousin, and Jason had asked him to handle Anastasia¡¯s case.


    ¡°Jace, the police have obtained the surveince footage. They said the person wasn¡¯t following her. He


    went straight to her room in the hotel. It indicates that he knew which room Anastasia was in. Who


    knew about Anastasia staying in the hotel?¡± Jayden asked.


    After hearing that, Jason frowned.


    Even he was unaware of Anastasia¡¯s room number, only the hotel where she was staying.


    ¡°Who did Anastasia tell?¡± he pondered.


    ¡°Once she wakes up, I¡¯ll ask her. You go check if this has anything to do with Felicia.¡±


    Jason suspected that Felicia might be behind it.


    After all, Anastasia had just revealed that Felicia¡¯s child was not stor¡¯s, making her the most likely to


    seek vengeance.


    ¡°Who is the victim¡¯s family? Please sign here. The victim is pregnant, and we advise aborting the baby.


    The wound narrowly missed the stomach. Fortunately, the stab wound was shallow and did not


    prate any vital organs.¡± The doctor came out to exin.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m Anastasia¡¯s husband. Doctor, what¡¯s her condition?¡± stor, who had received a call from the


    police, dashed over to the end of the corridor and confronted the doctor. ¡°I am her husband.¡±


    Jason clenched his fists. Jason had no say in the child¡¯s fate.


    ¡°Anastasia didn¡¯t have an abortion at that time. Anastasia is still pregnant,¡± Jason said in a deep voice.


    Faced with the same choice, stor had to choose again.


    stor was stunned for a long time, unable to regain hisposure.


    ¡°Anastasia had taken such a great risk back then to keep the child?¡± he thought.


    ¡°I-Is the child-in danger?¡± stor¡¯s voice trembled as he asked the doctor.


    It was not that he did not care about Anastasia¡¯s life, stor just wanted to maintain a rtionship with


    Anastasia through


    the child.


    As long as the child existed, he and Anastasia would never be able to sever their tiespletely.


    He hoped that Anastasia would reconsider divorce for the sake of the child.


    ¡°The victim is in hemorrhagic shock. Anastasia is currently in thepensatory stage of shock. We¡¯re


    worried about intrauterine hypoxia. Even if we don¡¯t terminate the pregnancy, there¡¯s a possibility of


    stillbirth. Moreover, the situation is unfavorable for the victim. You need to consider carefully.¡± The


    doctor provided a suggestion.


    ¡°Please keep the child safe while ensuring the mother¡¯s safety.¡± stor¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    The doctor frowned in response..


    ¡°stor, you jerk!¡± Jason gave stor a punch. ¡°If anything happens to Anastasia because of the child,


    I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    stor leaned against the wall; his breathing quickened.


    ¡°Why do I have to go through the agony of losing the child again? Is this my punishment for not wanting


    this child in the past?¡± he mused.


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    After a long silence, stor piped up in despair, ¡°D-Doctor, let¡¯s not keep the child¡­¡±


    He could not give up Anastasia for the sake of the child.


    The doctor looked at stor and then at Jason. Without saying a word, he had stor sign the consent


    form and walked into the operating room.


    ¡°What exactly happened? Why was she hurt?¡± stor grabbed Jason¡¯s cor.


    ¡°You have the nerve to ask me?¡± Jason pushed stor away. ¡°You better pray that this has nothing to


    do with Felicia!¡±


    The moment stor heard that his breathing became more rapid. ¡°Felicia? It¡¯s impossible. I know her


    well enough. Feliciacks courage and intelligence. Felicia would never send someone to hurt


    Anastasia.¡±


    ¡°At a time like this, you¡¯re still defending Felicia? stor, you make me sick.¡± Jason clenched his fists


    tightly.

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186


    In the ward, Anastasia was still unconscious. Anastasia struggled and cried in her dreams.


    ¡°My child¡­¡±


    In reality, Anastasia had always wanted a child of her own.


    She believed that having a child would make her and stor¡¯s familyplete.


    However, stor didn¡¯t like children, and he didn¡¯t want the child to be born.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    She saw a blurry child tearfully saying goodbye to his mother in her dream.


    He was leaving because he could not stay with his mother any longer.


    ¡°Mom, you must live well. Don¡¯t give up treatment for my sake. Take care of yourself. I wille back


    again.¡± The child urged Anastasia to live well and seek proper treatment in her dream.


    Anastasia desperately tried to keep the child.


    In the end, it was all in vain. The child had already left and disappeared into the mist.


    No matter how much Anastasia cried and screamed, it was of no use.


    Her child was no longer alive.


    ¡°There is no fetal heartbeat, and there is insufficient oxygen. It is not possible to save the child.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s try inducedbor.¡±


    ¡°The victim¡¯s condition is bad.¡±


    ¡°Her condition is critical.¡±


    stor was slumped against the wall outside the operating room, waiting for Anastasia to be pushed


    out.


    It had been a long time, and she still hadn¡¯te out.


    Meanwhile, Jason stood still and kept his hands clenched until his knuckles were pale.


    It wasn¡¯t until the doctor issued a critical condition notification letter that the two of them snapped back


    to reality.


    ¡°Be mentally prepared. The patient¡¯s will to survive is weak.¡±


    Jason stood trembling at the entrance, unable to say a word.


    stor wasn¡¯t any


    better. stor lowered his head, lost in thought.


    ¡°Will you be content if she dies?¡± Jason inquired, his voice hoarse


    ¡°She won¡¯t die.¡± stor was breathing heavily.


    At that moment, he wasn¡¯t entirely sure how he felt.


    Throughout their four years of marriage, he had never fallen in love with Anastasia. stor was simply


    used to Anastasia being around the house. However, after deciding to get a divorce, he became so


    consumed by jealousy and madness that he- refused to get a divorce.


    stor felt contradictory.


    Nevertheless, it was toote for him to figure it out.


    ¡°Jace! The police caught that jerk!¡± Jayden rushed in, excited. ¡°It¡¯s Harold, Sienna¡¯s uncle. Harold¡¯s the


    man who hurt Anastasia. Harold¡¯s the same jerk I was investigating at your request!¡±


    Harold had gone into hiding following the incident. No matter how hard they looked, they could not find


    him.


    ¡°Why did Harold appear so suddenly? Is it for Sienna¡¯s and his sister¡¯s sake? That¡¯s impossible. This


    man has no humanity. He, like Zeke, is addicted to gambling. He only cares about himself. Someone


    must have secretly protected him, allowing him to remain hidden for so long. There must be some


    sinister n behind his reappearance and attack on Anastasia,¡± Jason pondered.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Who?¡± stor¡¯s voice was low as he grabbed Jayden.


    ¡°The culprit is Sienna¡¯s uncle, Harold Carter,¡± Jayden said, shaking off stor¡¯s hand. ¡°Have you ever


    genuinely cared about Anastasia in your four years of marriage? You are worse than a private


    investigator like me when ites to understanding her situation.¡±


    stor¡¯s fingers trembled.


    Harold Carter.


    It was the name of the man Sienna imed Anastasia had slept with in order to protect the family¡¯s


    interests.


    Jason pushed Jayden aside and questioned stor in a low voice, ¡°stor, have you ever thought


    about trusting Anastasia? Thanks to Harold, I ended up in a juvenile detention center. Anastasia had


    evidence that Harold had harmed her. It was the full version of the edited video that Sienna had


    released.¡±


    stor¡¯s breath quivered, and he averted his


    He was beginning to panic.


    gaze.


    ¡°Do you know why Anastasia never exined it to you, even though she had evidence? It was because


    she had given up on you. Anastasia does not love you anymore, and it is all your fault.¡± Jason¡¯s words


    pierced stor¡¯s heart.


    From stor¡¯s standpoint, Anastasia had been plotting against him all the time and had never loved


    him.


    ¡°Snowball is dead, and the baby is gone. There¡¯s nothing left connecting you and her together.¡±


    ¡°This time, Anastasia can finally leave stor without any constraints, right?¡± Jason wondered.

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187


    Ultimately, the child couldn¡¯t be saved.


    Even though it had only been a few months, Anastasia had sacrificed too much for it.


    She stopped receiving treatment and stopped taking painkillers. Anastasia gritted her teeth and


    persevered, no matter how excruciating the pain was.


    Actually, Anastasia had prepared herself to be a mother.


    However, things did not go as she wished.


    When Anastasia woke up, the ward was quiet, and she could faintly hear Jayden¡¯s voice.


    Her fingers felt weak, and Anastasia had a severe headache.


    Perhaps due to the effects of the anesthesia, Anastasia couldn¡¯t feel the pain from her wound yet.


    Nheless, she knew that the child could not be saved.


    Tears streamed down her cheeks as Anastasia silently stared at the ceiling for a very long time.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Perhaps even the heavens deemed her unworthy of being a mother.


    She didn¡¯t have the qualifications.


    She was also unable to provide aplete family for the child.


    The child, like her, would grow up in a single-parent family.


    ¡°Harold confessed. Harold imed that attempting to murder Anastasia was a spur-of-the-moment


    decision. Harold made no mention of being instigated by anyone. Harold also admitted to attempting to


    assault Anastasia at Zeke¡¯s residence six years ago. The evidence is solid, and he has pleaded guilty,¡±


    Jayden exined.


    Jayden sat next to Jason and handed thetter a bottle of water.


    Jason had remained outside Anastasia¡¯s ward the entire time. Jason never left.


    Anastasia was still under observation. ording to the doctor, her survival was entirely by chance.


    ¡°There must be someone behind Harold.¡± Jason was certain of it. Harold would not have been able to


    hide so well otherwise. Just like when Sienna suddenly disappeared, there had to be someone behind


    it. At the very least, someone was pulling the strings.


    ¡°Of course. If there had not been someone helping Harold, he would not have been able to go straight


    to her room. The surveince footage showed that he did not wander around but went straight to his


    destination, knocked on the door, and harmed Anastasia.¡± Jayden furrowed his brows before


    continuing, ¡°Let¡¯s hope that the police will find more clues.¡±


    ¡°Check Harold¡¯s bank ount to see if he has received anyrge sums of money in thest few years,


    and then follow that lead, Jason instructed Jayden.


    Jayden nodded. ¡°What about you? Are you fine staying here? stor is undoubtedly a jerk. Anastasia


    has not even awakened yet, and he is already gone.¡±


    Jason frowned. ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can go.¡±


    ¡°The patient is awake.¡± A nurse came out and informed them while they were talking.


    Hearing that, Jason quickly stood up and hurried into the room. ¡°Annie¡­¡±


    Anastasia looked at Jason, who was standing at the door, but she did not say anything for a long time.


    ¡°The perpetrator has been caught,¡± Jason spoke first tofort Anastasia.


    ¡°Baby¡­¡± Anastasia¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    Jason was standing next to the hospital bed. Jason lowered his head and avoided looking Anastasia in


    the eyes.


    ¡°My baby couldn¡¯t be saved. I should have known better.¡± Anastasia let out a bitterugh. In the end,


    fate was against her.


    She had known from the start that the child could not be saved. Nheless, the child stubbornly tried


    to survive in her womb.


    Given the child¡¯s determination, Anastasia wanted to give the child the opportunity to see the world.


    However, it was unfortunate.


    ¡°Take care of yourself. The wound isn¡¯t deep, and it didn¡¯t affect any major organs,¡± Jason reassured


    her in a soft voice.


    ¡°Where¡¯s stor?¡± Anastasia waited for a while, but stor did not appear.


    ¡°He just left after answering the phone.¡± Jason did not lie. stor had indeed been waiting outside the


    operating room the entire time. Before Anastasia woke up, he received a phone call and left.


    ¡°Has he found out about the child?¡± Anastasia asked. Anastasia guessed that for the procedure to be


    carried out, stor would have to sign the documents.


    Jason nodded in response.


    It was likely karma for stor.


    He did not want the baby at first, but he had to choose to abandon it twice in the end.


    It also severed all ties between him and Anastasia.


    ¡°Do you know who is instructing Harold?¡± Anastasia had a nk expression on her face.


    She had been looking for Harold for years but had been unable to locate him, and now he had


    emerged from hiding on his


    own.


    Based on Anastasia¡¯s understanding of Harold, Meredith, and Sienna, Harold would never risk his life


    toe and kill her for the sake of Meredith and Sienna.


    He had to be benefiting from it in some way.


    Most likely, someone had given Harold a substantial sum of money.


    Anastasia had a bad feeling. The person behind this could be rted to her true identity, which Harold


    had revealed to her.

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188


    ¡°Wait for the results of the police investigation. I¡¯ve also asked Jayden to investigate the case.¡± Jason


    motioned for Anastasia


    to rest well.


    Anastasia nodded and closed her eyes drowsily.


    She thought, ¡®Now that my child is gone, I don¡¯t have any weaknesses left.


    These people want to drive me crazy.


    Well, then. Bring it on.


    From now on, I won¡¯t be afraid of anything.


    ¡°Anastasia!¡±


    ¡°Is Annie okay?¡±


    Outside the ward, Kimberly rushed over in tears. Kimberly sobbed miserably as she tugged Jason¡¯s


    shirt.


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    Jason shook his head. ¡°She has passed the critical phase for now.


    ¡°How could she suddenly encounter such a thing?¡± Kimberly cried as she tried to enter the ward, but


    Jason stopped her.


    ¡°Let her have a good rest.¡± Jason shook his head.


    Kimberly nodded and sat on the bench with Jason. ¡°Did you find anything abnormal when you sent her


    back to the hotel after our meal?¡±


    Jason shook his head, feeling guilty. ¡°I was careless.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You couldn¡¯t have guessed so much.¡± Kimberly took out a lunch box from her bag.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, right? I made you breakfast.¡±


    Jason was stunned for a moment and nced at Kimberly. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°How could you not be hungry? Are you going to workter? I¡¯ll take care of this here, so you should go


    back to work,¡± Kimberly assured Jason, so he would not worry. ¡°stor also called me and asked me


    to take care of this. stor wille after dealing with the police, so you don¡¯t have to worry too


    much.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve already asked for leave. If stor came to take care of her, I¡¯d be even more worried.¡± Jason


    spoke in a low voice. ¡°Jason, there¡¯s something I didn¡¯t tell you. You know my rtionship with


    Anastasia. We are best friends. I know her as well as she knows me. I¡¯m not telling you this because I


    have a good impression of you. What I¡¯m saying are facts. Anastasia has no feelings for you. Anastasia


    only sees you as her brother. She loves stor, but there were too many barriers and


    misunderstandings between them.¡±


    Kimberly looked at Jason, obviously asking him to give up. ¡°Jason, there are many options in life. Men


    and women have the same choices. Choosing stor can save a lot of detours. This is the only


    shortcut to sess for families like Anastasia¡¯s.¡±


    Jason frowned. ¡°She is not like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not badmouthing her. This is the truth, and I would say the same thing even in front of Annie


    because she is no longer a child. Anastasia is an adult who knows what she is doing. Anastasia likes


    stor not only because of his family background. After four years of marriage, she has spent too


    much time on him.¡± Kimberly sighed.


    She continued, ¡°You probably didn¡¯t know that Anastasia is afraid of fire because her mother ignited the


    gas for cooking to burn themselves to death when she was a child. Hence, even if she lived in a rental


    house, she rarely cooked with because


    gas she was afraid of the gas stove and everything that might catch fire. Yet, not only did she


    ovee her fear for stor¡¯s sake, but she also carefully studied many dishes.¡±


    Jason clenched his fingers, his eyes trained on the ground.


    ¡°Anastasia will not love you because you can¡¯t give her the sense of security she wants.¡± Kimberly


    looked at Jason and added, ¡°But I¡¯m different. Although my family is not particrly affluent, my father


    has also made a lot of money in the past few years. He can help you invest and start your own


    business. It¡¯s not a problem for us to give you a shortcut to sess.¡± What Kimberly said was very


    realistic. ¡°Besides, my family has five or six properties in Hork. Three are under my name. If you get


    together with me, it can make a big difference in your career.¡±


    Jason stayed silent for a long time. Then, he responded in a low voice, ¡°Is this Anastasia¡¯s idea or


    yours for telling me this?¡±

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Kimberly did not answer directly.


    She wanted Jason to give up on Anastasia.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Anastasia will say those things,¡± Jason remarked indifferently.


    ¡°Why?¡± Kimberly frowned.


    ¡°Because I know her better than you.¡± Jason¡¯s voice was low.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you too confident about yourself, Jason? We have known each other for over ten years. Even if


    you met her six years ago, you two hadn¡¯t been in touch for many years. I know Anastasia better than


    you.¡± Kimberly was a little unhappy.


    ¡°The number of years is not equivalent to one¡¯s understanding of another person.¡± Jason pushed away


    the lunch box given by Kimberly. ¡°I want to use my own hands and efforts to earn money to support the


    person I love instead of choosing shortcuts.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°You¡¯re still too young and haven¡¯t experienced much of society¡± Kimberly sighed and shrugged. ¡°You


    will understand it, eventually. Even if I don¡¯t stop you now, you and Anastasia have no future. In any


    case, stor is more suitable for Anastasia than you.¡±


    Jason was silent and said nothing.


    ¡°Initially, I was also angry with what stor did and wanted to persuade Anastasia to break up with


    him. However, stor came to me a few days ago, and we talked a lot. I think what he said is very


    reasonable. stor still has feelings for Anastasia. At least he doesn¡¯t want to divorce.¡±


    Seeing that Jason was silent, Kimberly spoke again. ¡°Jason, let¡¯s make a bet. Do you think Anastasia


    will forgive stor in the end? Will she be with stor again?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to bet on?¡± Jason nced at Kimberly.


    ¡°If you lose, get together with me.¡± Kimberly looked at Jason seriously.


    ¡°No,¡± Jason replied curtly in a low voice.


    ¡°Are you scared?¡± Kimberly tilted her head as she looked at Jason. Then, she smiled and said, ¡°Am I


    that much worse than Anastasia?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not bad, but both of you also said the first crush is lethal to a person.¡± Jason looked at Kimberly.


    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you dare to bet? In fact, you also don¡¯t have the slightest idea whether Anastasia will


    forgive stor in the end.¡± Kimberly scoffed sarcastically.


    Jason lowered his head.


    Indeed, he was not sure.


    He wondered if Anastasia would eventually forgive stor.


    However, he would not choose Kimberly even if Anastasia and stor got back together.


    One could not decide matters regarding rtionships on impulse.


    Even if he had to guard Anastasia in the shadows forever, he would never choose anyone else easily.


    ¡°I heard Louis say you¡¯ve started a business recently. How much money are you short of?¡± Kimberly


    asked.


    Jason did not answer. Jason stood up and entered the ward to apany Anastasia.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too stubborn, Jason. Aren¡¯t you tired of working three jobs a day? You have the choice not to


    overwork yourself.¡± Kimberly sighed.


    Jason ignored Kimberly and went into the ward.


    Anastasiay on the hospital bed.


    Anastasia¡¯s face was pale, seemingly having an unpleasant sleep.


    She struggled, evidently having a nightmare.


    She moaned, ¡°Mom¡­ Stop hitting her, Dad: Stop¡­ Don¡¯t hit Mom. Don¡¯t go, Mom. Don¡¯t go.¡±


    Since childhood, the domestic violence that happened in Zeke¡¯s residence had always gued


    Anastasia¡¯s nightmares.


    Anastasia moaned again, ¡°Stop it. Don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t leave me alone.¡±


    Anastasia choked. Anastasia was afraid she would be the only one left in the end.


    Over the years, she had worked so hard just to survive.


    She did not understand how she could be wronged for that.


    ¡°Anastasia, you¡¯re an illegitimate child! Your mom is dead, and your dad abandoned you, didn¡¯t he?¡± In


    her memories, people nearby would call her illegitimate half-jokingly after Zeke left home to escape his


    debts.


    ¡°Her mother is pregnant with Zeke¡¯s child. I heard that child isn¡¯t even Zeke¡¯s. Zeke had gambling


    debts, so he married that loose woman because of her money.¡±


    ¡°How shameless of her to get pregnant out of wedlock. Only a gambler like Zeke would take her in.¡±


    During Anastasia¡¯s parents¡¯ period, pregnancy out of wedlock was a heavy sin.


    ¡°You¡¯re all talking nonsense. I¡¯m not an illegitimate child,¡± she countered.


    When Anastasia was a child, she would shout at these people and scold them.


    As a result, she received more merciless ridicule.


    ¡°I¡¯m not! I¡¯m not illegitimate!¡± Anastasia struggled.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­ I¡¯ll always be with you.¡±


    In a trance, Anastasia heard a voice saying they would always be with her.


    The warmth of his palm spread all over Anastasia¡¯s body through her cold fingers, giving Anastasia an


    inexplicable sense of security.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here.¡±


    Anastasia woke up from her dream and slowly opened her eyes.


    Sitting next to her bed was stor.

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± stor suddenly stood up as he seemed worried about Anastasia.


    Anastasia frowned. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± stor was a little confused.


    Anastasia massaged the spot between her brows, which caused the wound to hurt a little.


    ¡°Sorry, I agreed to go get the divorce certificate with you, but I troubled you again,¡± Anastasia said


    hoarsely. ¡°Where¡¯s Jason?¡±


    stor¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Anastasia put the divorce aside and take good care of yourself for now.¡±


    Anastasia went silent.


    Indeed, she had no strength left to get out of bed and obtain the divorce certificate.


    ¡°I went to the police station,¡± stor exined.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Anastasia answered calmly.


    ¡°Harold admitted that what you did to your stepmother Meredith and Sienna made him want revenge,


    so he wanted to take it out on you on impulse. Harold¡¯s been following you for days to make sure you


    didn¡¯t go home,¡± stor said softly. Anastasia could hear a trace of reproach in his words.


    It was as if he said, ¡°Look how dangerous it is for you to live alone outside when you¡¯re not at home.¡±


    Anastasia felt likeughing.


    After four years of marriage, stor came less frequently, where it was only a handful of times.


    ¡°What kind of excuse would stor make if I was injured at home?¡± she wondered.


    ¡°I told you not to push people into a corner, Anastasia. You¡¯ve crossed the line with Meredith and


    Sienna. After all, you¡¯ve lived with them for so many years. If you rush to take them down, you¡¯ll bring


    trouble for yourself,¡± stor said deeply. ¡°That¡¯s how society works. Some problems are very realistic.¡±


    stor was a realist. From his perspective, all of it could have been avoided.


    Anastasia clenched her fingers tightly as she controlled her breathing. Anastasia wanted to prevent her


    chest from fluctuating too much, as the wounds would hurt.


    ¡°Are you telling me this to clear the suspicions against Felicia? You¡¯re telling me that when I got


    stabbed, and my baby didn¡¯t survive, it was all my fault and has nothing to do with Felicia? Do you


    really think Harold came to take revenge on me for Meredith and Sienna? Are you sure Felicia didn¡¯t


    participate in this?¡± Anastasia questioned stor in a low voice.


    stor looked at Anastasia. stor wanted tofort, hug, and coax her, but now Anastasia was like


    a hedgehog, making him unable to approach.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way. Anastasia, you always misinterpret me. I really didn¡¯t mean that.¡± stor did


    not know how to exin that to Anastasia. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not siding with anyone, especially Felicia. I


    immediately suspected hering out for revenge, so I sent someone to investigate her, but the truth


    is that she has nothing to do with this.¡±


    stor just wanted to answer Anastasia¡¯s question truthfully.


    Anastasia turned her gaze away.


    It was probably why she could not continue being with stor.


    They were a married couple, yet one kept trying to shove their opinions down the other¡¯s throat.


    They were never from the same level, to begin with, or from the same world.


    ¡°Annie, I know this case caused you much suffering. You also know I¡¯m not good atforting people. I


    don¡¯t know what I should do.¡± stor also looked a little tired and helpless.


    Maybe he truly had an emotional disorder.


    However, sometimes, it was not his intention to make Anastasia misunderstand or upset.


    You don¡¯t have to tire yourself, stor,¡± Anastasia whispered.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± stor asked a question to change the subject.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. You can leave now.¡± Anastasia did not want to see stor.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± stor stood at the bedside, still at a loss.


    He did not know how to express himself. When he found out that Anastasia was hurt, he almost went


    mad.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± In the end, all his exnations merged into a single apology.


    ¡°Mr. Lopez, something happened in thepany, and we need you to deal with it.¡± His assistant¡¯s


    anxious voice sounded from outside the ward.


    stor frowned. ¡°What is it that can¡¯t be pushed to tomorrow? Don¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lopez, it¡¯s¡­ Mr. Christian Lopez has returned, and he has gone to thepany,¡± the assistant


    whispered.


    stor was stunned for a moment, and his body stiffened subconsciously.


    Anastasia also frowned as she looked at stor.


    Christian was stor¡¯s father.


    He returned and went to thepany as soon as possible. Clearly, he did note back to reminisce


    about his father-son rtionship with stor.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    It seemed that stor¡¯spany was about to be in turmoil.

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± stor looked at Anastasia, his voice panicked.


    Anastasia knew that he had weaknesses and scars of stor.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    stor¡¯s father was the biggest trauma of his childhood.


    Perhaps the ws in his personality today stemmed from an iplete family.


    Once, Anastasia thought that she and stor were the same people. They were victims of the same


    world, so they needed to stick together to lick each other¡¯s wounds and for warmth.


    She thought that stor, like her, also wanted a family. A perfect family..


    As a result, her whole life was thrown into misfortune for pitying a man.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Anastasia told stor to deal with his own affairs.


    ¡°Call me if you need anything, Annie,¡± Al


    Yet, Anastasia avoided him.


    reminded her as he tried to hold her hand.


    stor¡¯s eyes flickered with disappointment. With onest look at Anastasia, he turned and left.


    Leaning against the hospital bed, Anastasia looked at the scenery outside the window.


    ¡°Do I only deserve to live alone in this world?¡± she wondered.


    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re actually in the hospital.¡± stor¡¯s mother and Steven stood at the ward entrance.


    ¡°I heard you didn¡¯t have an abortion at all that day. You only lost your child yesterday.¡± Naomi walked


    into the ward, full of


    anger.


    Clearly, she went there for the child.


    ¡°You¡¯re truly a scheming woman. Only stor is willing to trust you and ept you time and time


    again.¡± Steven was a little furious. ¡°You secretly kept his child behind everyone¡¯s back. How can you be


    so vicious? Are you that shrewd because you want to steal our inheritance? Amazing!¡±


    Anastasia frowned at Steven. ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, any woman would be considered incredible for reaching the point you¡¯re at,¡± Steven


    mocked.


    ¡°Tell me. How much money will it take for you to leave my son?¡± Naomi went there today to negotiate


    with Anastasia. ¡°Now that the child is gone, I have it figured out. At least there¡¯s one less potential


    threat. Letting a woman like you give birth to a child of the Lopez family will only bring us a greater


    threat in the future.¡±


    Naomi was stillforting herself.


    ¡°I said get out,¡± Anastasia said in a low voice. Anastasia tried to press the bell to the nurses¡¯ station and


    let them drive Steven and Naomi away.


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t divorce stor, I¡¯m still your mother-inw. What right do you have to drive me


    away?¡± Naomi patted Anastasia¡¯s hand, ignoring her injuries.


    ¡°Give me an amount while I¡¯m still speaking calmly to you. How much money will it take for you to


    divorce stor and leave him?¡± Naomi directly expressed her purpose of visiting once again.


    Anastasiaughed helplessly.


    She was the one who wanted the divorce. Even if she were to leave the marriage with nothing, she still


    wanted to divorce


    him.


    She did not expect Naomi to offer money so quickly.


    ¡°If you put it that way, I shan¡¯t hold back, Mrs. Lopez.¡± Anastasia sneered coldly and leaned weakly


    against the hospital bed. Since Naomi was in a hurry to give money, Anastasia had no choice but to


    fulfill her request. ¡°This isn¡¯t extortion, and you offered to me willingly, right?¡±


    Anastasia would not be easily dragged down by Naomi.


    Anastasia thought, Since when did Mrs. Lopez be so kind?


    Obviously, someone gave her the suggestion. Is she nning to send me to jail by framing me for


    extortion?¡±


    Naomi¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Aren¡¯t you dying the divorce because you want money?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t say that. The money I want from stor is the normal split from our joint property. Byw, I


    own half of every penny he earned over the past four years,¡± Anastasia exined to Naomi.


    ¡°In your dreams! You¡¯re delusional. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so greedy.¡± Naomi red at Anastasia


    furiously. ¡°Just tell me how much you want. It saves trouble.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your money. I will ask for it from stor, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Anastasia


    thought for a while and continued, ¡°By the way, your son wronged me first, so he would leave the


    marriage with nothing. The house, money, and car are all mine.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, you bitch! Shame on you!¡± As expected, Naomi was provoked, and she rushed forward to


    attack Anastasia.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s you, hitting someone is against thew.¡± At the door, Jason recorded Naomi¡¯s attempt at


    assault with his phone. ¡°I¡¯ll pass this to the police. You can exin to them why you came to the


    hospital to attack an injured patient.¡±

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192


    ¡°What are you filming? Delete it!¡± Steven rushed over, wanting to grab Jason¡¯s phone.


    Jason dodged, causing Steven to bump into the door.


    Anastasiaughed in exasperation at Steven and thought, ¡°He¡¯s so stupid, yet he still shamelessly


    makes a fool of himself here.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, I advise you to think about this carefully.¡± Naomi got up and looked at Anastasia coldly.


    Now that Anastasia had lost her child, Naomi already had no scruples at all.


    ¡°Mrs. Lopez.¡± Anastasia suddenly addressed Naomi as ¡°Mrs. Lopez,¡± then said with a smile, ¡°stor


    didn¡¯t tell you, did he? Mr. Lopez is back. stor is in thepany.¡±


    Anastasia sneered and thought, ¡°You already have much to worry about in your own family. Yet you still


    want toe to mess with me.¡±


    ¡°During this period, Mr. Lopez suddenly came back and went to thepany. Guess why he came


    back? Is it because he misses you and stor? Obviously not¡­ I heard that he and Ms. Qualls¡¯ son


    graduated from university with excellent academic performance in management, not necessarily worse


    than stor.¡±


    Anastasia had only heard of stor¡¯s half-brother, but she hadn¡¯t seen him before. Anastasia only


    knew that the boy was about Jason¡¯s age.


    Anastasia¡¯s words were to provoke Naomi, regardless of whether Christian came back to fight over the


    company or not.


    It was Naomi who didn¡¯t let Anastasia be happy at first.


    As expected, Naomi¡¯s face turned extremely pale. Anastasia suddenly froze in the same spot and


    looked at Anastasia. ¡°Who?¡±


    Anastasia smiled and repeated, ¡°Mr. Lopez.¡±


    ¡°If you dare to lie to me, I won¡¯t spare you!¡± Naomi said with her fingers trembling, and her eyes turned


    red visibly. Then she turned around and walked out.


    Anastasia sighed and thought, ¡°I used to have pity on Naomi and thought it was difficult for her. Her


    husband didn¡¯t love her, so she became a grass widow at a young age. Now it seems that there¡¯s


    always something detestable about someone pitiable. She has been through something bad before, so


    she wants to make me suffer as well. Her mentality was already distorted. Why should women make


    things difficult for other women?


    ¡°I made some sauteed mushrooms and chowder soup. The doctor said you must eat something light,¡±


    Jason whispered, then naturally took out the lunch box for Anastasia and ced it on the table.


    ¡°You went home to cook chowder?¡± Anastasia looked at the chowder on the small table. He obviously


    had been attentive and spent a long time cooking the chowder.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Jason nodded.


    ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Anastasia asked again.


    ¡°I¡­ I have.¡± Jason lied.


    He didn¡¯t have time to eat. When the food was ready, he came over in a hurry for fear that Anastasia


    would be hurt again if he didn¡¯t look after her for a while.


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat so much. Let¡¯s eat together.¡± Anastasia could tell that Jason was lying. Anastasia looked


    around and found no extra cutleries.


    ¡°You can eat it. I¡¯ll eat the leftovers,¡± Jason said casually.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Anastasia was stunned for a moment, and her fingers holding the spoon froze for a long time.


    After marrying stor, because he had mysophobia, she cooked and prepared all the meals for him


    separately. Besides, after she finished cooking, she would wait for stor toe home before eating,


    no matter howte it was.


    If stor didn¡¯t tell her when he would be home, she would have to keep waiting until he came back


    before she could start eating.


    It was because stor never ate anyone¡¯s leftovers.


    Anastasia took a sip of the chowder and looked at Jason in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s pretty good. Your cooking


    is not bad.¡±


    The chowder was cooked just right, almost melting in the mouth.


    It could be seen that Jason was really attentive.


    ¡°Did you ask for leave today as well? Is it okay if you don¡¯t go to work?¡± Anastasia had a bite of sauteed


    mushrooms, which were really delicious.


    Jason looked away, and his ears turned red because of thepliment. Hearing Anastasia ask him, he


    replied in a hoarse


    voice, ¡°Mm. It¡¯s okay. It won¡¯t make much of a difference to taking a few days off. I have taken a long


    vacation these days to take care of you first.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s your business venture going?¡± Anastasia looked at Jason.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jason whispered.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t ask much. Anastasia knew Jason had his own dignity, so he probably didn¡¯t want


    her to know too much or let her intervene in it.


    ¡°I heard that Felicia is in the next ward?¡± Anastasia asked.


    Because they were both in orthopedics, Felicia¡¯s ward was next to her.


    They were both in VIP single rooms. It should be Naomi who deliberately transferred Felicia here to


    annoy Anastasia.

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193


    ¡°Whatever. If you want to transfer to another ward, I¡¯ll go find a doctor.¡± Jason was afraid that Anastasia


    would get angry, so he stood up and wanted to find a doctor.


    ¡°No need.¡± Anastasia shook her head. Anastasia knew that all the expenses of her hospitalization were


    borne by stor, and the ward was coordinated by him. Therefore, it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Who brought this lunch box?¡± Anastasia saw a pink lunch box on the table, which was in Kimberly¡¯s


    style. ¡°Have Kimberly visited?¡±


    Jason nced at the meal Kimberly had brought him. Anastasia didn¡¯t take it away and left it there for


    Anastasia.


    ¡°When did she start cooking? How strange!¡± Anastasia smiled and took the lunch box. ¡°Let me see


    what she cooked for me.¡±


    Jason frowned and took the lunch box from her. ¡°It¡¯s cold. You can eat yours.¡±


    After saying that, he threw the lunch box back on the table.


    Anastasia was speechless. Anastasia acutely sensed Jason¡¯s strangeness. ¡°Did you and Kimberly


    have a conflict?¡±


    Jason didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°Did she confess her love to you?¡± Anastasia guessed that with Kimberly¡¯s careless personality, the


    latter would definitely make thetter¡¯s point clear without hiding it.


    ¡°Why? You¡¯re a grown man, yet you¡¯re angry because a girl confessed to you?¡± Anastasiaughed


    exasperatedly. ¡°Actually, Kimberly is really good. Anastasia is very nice and low-key. I heard that her


    father has made a lot of money in recent years. After all, she is also a child from a rich family. You-¡±


    ¡°Eat it yourself!¡± Jason interrupted Anastasia. Jason was obviously angry and left the ward.


    Anastasia was sitting on the hospital bed, and the position of the wound faintly hurt.


    Anastasia sighed helplessly and lowered her head to eat the meal Jason had cooked for her.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Although she had no appetite, she still had to eat it¡­


    It was not that she didn¡¯t understand Jason¡¯s intention.


    But she just couldn¡¯tpare with Kimberly.


    Kimberly had at least a good family background, and her parents were also good. Kimberly was the


    only child who had parents who doted on her.


    However, Anastasia was almost dying, and she didn¡¯t even know if she was Zeke¡¯s biological daughter.


    She was married before and had a miscarriage. Kimberly had nothing that others desired.


    It was ridiculous.


    She didn¡¯t know what Jason was obsessed with.


    ¡°Annie!¡± Outside the door, Kimberly came, and she was holding some fruits.


    Anastasia looked out of the door.


    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Kimberly asked.


    ¡°Where is Jason?¡±


    Kimberly also looked out. ¡°I didn¡¯t see him.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ Did you do something to scare him? He seems strange today.¡± Anastasia looked at Kimberly


    suspiciously. ¡°Did you confess your love to him?¡±


    ¡°I just told him to choose to be with me since you¡¯ll never be with him. And I told him that my family has


    money, and being with me could save him years of struggling. It¡¯s a shortcut to sess. Doesn¡¯t he


    need money to start his own business? I can provide it. I¡¯ve already been so selfless and giving.¡±


    Kimberly spoke, feeling confused, and thought, ¡°How did I scare him?¡±


    ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Anastasia was choked by herself. ¡°You deserve it for not being able to pursue him.¡±


    Kimberly sat by the bed and peeled fruit for Anastasia. ¡°It¡¯s so hard. What else can I do? Did I hurt his


    pride by giving him money?¡±


    ¡°Kimberly, for people like Jason and I¡­ There are problems with our biological family. We didn¡¯t have a


    fixed abode since we were young, and we didn¡¯t have parents. Our hearts are very sensitive and


    fragile. You should try using your sincerity,¡± Anastasia whispered.


    She thought, ¡°Genuine feelings always have to be exchanged with genuine feelings.¡±


    ¡°Sincerity? How much is it worth these days? You treated stor with your sincerity, right? Did you get


    the same treatment


    from him?¡± Kimberly didn¡¯t take it seriously. ¡°Besides, Jason has treated you sincerely as well, right?


    But you still won¡¯t consider him. No matter how bad stor is, he is still much better than Jason in


    terms of their conditions. Am I right?¡±


    Anastasia was stunned. Anastasia didn¡¯t expect Kimberly to think so. ¡°That¡¯s different¡­¡±


    It was not that Anastasia couldn¡¯t see Jason¡¯s sincerity. But she just didn¡¯t know how much longer she


    could live.


    If she was healthy, maybe she would really respond to Jason¡¯s sincerity.


    But now, she didn¡¯t have that confidence.


    ¡°How is it different? If stor and Jason like me at the same time, I will definitely choose stor,¡±


    Kimberly said jokingly.


    ¡°So, ording to what you said, you still don¡¯t like Jason enough.¡± Anastasia sighed.


    Maybe for Kimberly, it was just a spur of the moment.


    ¡°I like him. I can like a lot of people,¡± Kimberly said indifferently

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194


    ¡°Then, Kimberly, you¡¯re not suitable for Jason.¡± Anastasia looked at Kimberly seriously. ¡°Since you


    have many choices, don¡¯t mess with Jason.¡±


    ¡°Anastasia, am I your best friend? Not only that you¡¯re not helping me, but you¡¯re also demotivating me.


    I just like him now. Maybe I will love himter.¡± Kimberly held her head. ¡°Realistically speaking, you


    didn¡¯t fall in love with stor right after a blitz marriage as well, right?¡±


    Anastasia was silent before speaking. ¡°You are my best friend, and Jason is also someone I care about


    most.¡±


    ¡°Then who is more important to you? Jason or me?¡± Kimberly asked, feeling a little jealous.


    ¡°You two are just as important.¡± Anastasia smiled helplessly. ¡°Kimberly, you¡¯re good everywhere, and


    your conditions are excellent. You can work in a school after studying abroad and getting further


    education. Your family¡¯s condition is also good. Your father is so rich¡­ Jason differs from others. Don¡¯t


    mess with him.¡± Anastasia whispered.


    ¡°Look, you


    don¡¯t like him and do not want to be with him. You didn¡¯t want to divorce stor before, yet you still get


    entangled with Jason. We are all selfish. What¡¯s the difference?¡± In Kimberly¡¯s opinion, everyone was


    selfish, and there was no need to portray oneself as a noble person.


    ¡°I¡¯m selfish, but I didn¡¯t pester Jason. At first, I didn¡¯t want to divorce, but now I want a divorce.¡±


    Anastasia leaned on the hospital bed. ¡°If you really like Jason, I won¡¯t stop you even if I will not help


    you. But if you¡¯re just doing this on a whim and want to y for a while-¡±


    ¡°Will you stop me?¡± Kimberly interrupted Anastasia.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Anastasia also told Kimberly clearly that she would.


    ¡°How are you going to stop me? Unless you get together with Jason, I won¡¯t let go of him,¡± Kimberly


    said meaningfully.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Kimberly¡­ You¡¯re not like this before.¡± Anastasia didn¡¯t know why Kimberly suddenly became so


    obsessed with Jason


    ¡°People will change. Just like when you married stor, you didn¡¯t love him. You two were just in a blitz


    marriage with no emotional foundation. You even felt embarrassed for giving gifts to him and asked me


    to go. When you first cooked for him and were too embarrassed to send it to thepany for stor,


    you asked me to go as well. At that time, I even joked that stor had been spending more time with


    me than with you.¡± Kimberly slumped down on the side of the bed.


    ¡°Anastasia, Jason is good, except forck of money. Jason is handsome and nice to you. Since you


    can¡¯t get together with him, what¡¯s wrong with letting me have him?¡± Kimberly said in a hoarse voice.


    Anastasia frowned and looked at Kimberly with aplicated expression.


    Anastasia remained silent for a long time and said nothing in the end.


    Kimberly was there, and Jason didn¡¯t go back to the ward.


    It was not until Kimberly left that Jason walked into the ward and packed up the things on the table.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you eaten anything all this while?¡± Anastasia asked in a low voice.


    Jason kept silent, apparently still angry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry¡­¡± Anastasiaforted him in a low voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± Jason looked away. Jason was obviously angry.


    ¡°Kimberly might just be doing this on a whim. After a while, she won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡± Anastasia


    spoke again. Jason frowned and said meaningfully, ¡°Do you really think the person she likes is me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Anastasia couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    Jason sighed. ¡°Sometimes I think you¡¯re smart.¡±


    Anastasia was silent and didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°Anastasia, don¡¯t be too foolish.¡± Looking into Anastasia¡¯s eyes, Jason felt a little distressed. Jason


    thought, ¡°She might be sincere to everyone, but why does she never get the same treatment back?¡±


    ¡°This sentence is also for you.¡± Anastasiay on the bed and snorted coldly. Then she stopped looking


    at Jason. Anastasia thought, ¡°Isn¡¯t he foolish? He doesn¡¯t like the daughter of a good family, and he just


    insists on liking me, who is a divorcee.¡±


    Jason smiled helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m not foolish¡­¡±


    Anastasia alsoughed in exasperation. ¡°They said that I won¡¯t divorce stor and still keep you on


    your toes¡­ I¡¯ve made it clear. The two of us will never have a future together. Think about it yourself.¡±


    Jason nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not that you are keeping me on my toes. It¡¯s me who¡¯s pestering you. I¡¯m willing to


    be the back-burner guy or a simp.¡±


    Anastasia was silent for a long time, wrapping the nket around herself tightly and looking at Jason.


    ¡°Will you still suddenly disappear without a trace like six years ago, as if you¡¯ve never existed?¡±


    Anastasia asked in a hoarse


    voice.


    ¡°No, I swear.¡±

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195


    ¡°Anastasia, I heard you didn¡¯t have an abortion and had a vain attempt to give birth to the Lopez


    family¡¯s child secretly so that you could ask the Lopez family for money in the future?¡± Felicia was in


    the next ward. As soon as Jason wasn¡¯t around, she took the opportunity toe and provoke


    Anastasia.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Anastasia thought Felicia was quite childish. Thetter was not only childish


    but also vicious. ¡°Ha! Justice always prevails. You killed my child, and fate also made you lose your


    own.¡± Felicia deliberately tried to trigger Anastasia.


    The child was obviously Anastasia¡¯s weakness. But the child was also Anastasia¡¯s bottom line.


    Anastasia leaned against the bed and asked, ¡°Felicia, stor already knows that the child is not his.


    stor also knew you fell down the stairs on purpose just to frame me. Do you think he will still treat


    you like before?¡±


    ¡°Ha! Anastasia, you are so naive. Do you really think stor is nice to me because of that child? It¡¯s


    because we have an emotional foundation. That¡¯s why he will tolerate me no matter what I do.¡± Felicia


    seemed to be confident. ¡°Besides, Naomi likes me very much,¡±


    ¡°Even in dreams, one should have limits.¡± Anastasiaughed ironically.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Even if stor doesn¡¯t divorce, he won¡¯t fall in love with a woman like you.¡± Felicia clenched her hands


    and looked at Anastasia with resentment. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the criminal didn¡¯t kill you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you didn¡¯t die from falling down the stairs as well,¡± Anastasia said lightly, feeling that


    Felicia couldn¡¯t make her angry anymore.


    She looked at Felicia as if she was watching a clown.


    ¡°Anastasia, when you divorce stor, let¡¯s see how you can still be arrogant. Without stor and the


    Lopez family, you are nothing.¡± Felicia was obsessed with using this to refute Anastasia


    ¡°In that case, since you¡¯re not married into a rich family now, does that mean you are nothing now? But


    from what I see, you¡¯re still being quite arrogant.¡± Anastasia looked at Felicia ironically. ¡°In your eyes,


    does a woman¡¯s value depend on what kind of man she is married to?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just full of tough talk.¡± Felicia sneered. ¡°By the way, stor asked Lionel to bring me dinner just


    now. Do you have it?¡±


    Felicia was here to show off.


    ¡°Felicia, this is the fruit the president asked me to buy for you.¡± Outside the ward, it was Lionel.


    ¡°Such thoughtfulness is truly touching, huh? stor should be too busy now. If he was in the mood to


    buy fruit for Felicia in the midst of his busy schedule, it¡¯s definitely true love,¡± Anastasia thought and


    sneered.


    ¡°Oh? Anastasia, could it be that you still haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡± Felicia provoked Anastasia.


    ¡°What a coincidence. I have my boyfriend¡¯s hand-made chowder soup and sauteed mushrooms.¡±


    Anastasia looked at Felicia speechlessly. ¡°So, no one is trying to steal your dear CEO from you. You


    don¡¯t have to show off anymore.¡±


    Felicia snorted coldly. ¡°Did Jason cook it? Hmph, he¡¯s just a slum dog who¡¯s only treasured by you.


    There will be times when you cry.¡±


    Anastasia warned Felicia not to touch her lunch box. ¡°Your hands are dirty.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see how long you can be arrogant.¡± Felicia turned around and was about to leave when she saw


    Jason standing at the door with a gloomy face.


    Felicia trembled with fear. Felicia didn¡¯t know why a slum dog would have such a strong sense of


    oppression. ¡°I wish you two a shining future full of happiness and love, and have a baby together soon.


    Set up a stall to sell takeout together as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I also wish you could get married to stor soon and get rid of your identity as a mistress.¡± Anastasia


    snorted and rubbed her eyebrows tiredly.


    Jason raised his eyebrow and asked, ¡°Boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. I just don¡¯t want Felicia to provoke me again.¡± Anastasia exined.


    ¡°I see. Then it seems like a good thing that she¡¯s living next door.¡± Jason smiled and put a bunch of


    flowers in the vase beside the hospital bed.


    ¡°Why do you spend your money to buy this thing?¡± Anastasia was helpless. Especially near the


    hospital, these freshly cut- flowers were extremely pricey and not cost-effective.


    Jason nced at Anastasia. ¡°The nurse said that being in a good mood will help the wound heal.


    Anastasia looked at the flowers and smiled helplessly.


    After four years of marriage, stor seemed to have never given her such an unrealistic romance.


    stor¡¯s only concern was always about money.


    ¡°Are you in a better mood?¡± Jason asked while arranging the flowers.


    ¡°Actually¡­ I¡¯m taking it very lightly.¡± Anastasia shook her head. To be frank, she wasn¡¯t very sad at all.


    Anastasia thought, ¡°Perhaps it was the same mentality as my mom wanting to take me away with her


    before she died. I¡¯m also feeling contradictory. On the one hand, I wanted this child; on the other hand,


    I¡¯m worried that I¡¯ll die early and will be worried about leaving the child in this world. Perhaps it¡¯s fate


    that this baby is gone.¡±

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196


    ¡°Anastasia, you will still have your kid in the future,¡± Jasonforted her in a low voice.


    ¡°Hope so.¡± Anastasia took a deep breath. ¡°You know what? When Harold¡¯s knife stabbed me, I¡­


    unexpectedly felt a desire to


    live.¡±


    Anastasia herself was also shocked.


    She probably did not want to die.


    She wanted to live.


    After all that, she realized that nothing was more important than health.


    Being alive meant countless possibilities for the future.


    She shouldn¡¯t continue to be trapped by stor¡¯s side.


    It was an endless loop.


    ¡°Anastasia, you deserve the best of everything.¡± Jason took a white rose and put it in her hand.


    Anastasia looked up. ¡°Why a white rose?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll always be a white rose,¡± Jason responded softly.


    No matter how Anastasia changed, she would always be the white rose in his heart.


    ¡°Jason, what you like is the version of me you¡¯ve imagined, not the real me. Do you understand what


    liking someone is, what love is, what marriage is?¡± Anastasia sighed. ¡°It means dealing with everyday


    hassles, necessities, and meals. Over time, we¡¯ll have asional quarrels and reveal our true colors


    and ws. Eventually, even two people who cuddle up to each other will quarrel every day and be


    tired of each other.¡±


    By that time, the person one loved the most would be the one they most hated.


    ¡°Don¡¯t easily deny something that is yet to happen. You¡¯re not even willing to give me a chance and yet


    alreadybeled me in your heart.¡± Jason snorted, snatched the white rose from Anastasia, and inserted


    it into the vase.


    Anastasia helplessly looked at the bouquet of flowers. For some reason, her mood was much better.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need to go and take care of Grandma Penelope?¡± Anastasia looked at Jason.


    She thought, ¡°Would he be too tired this way?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    go


    and see herter. There¡¯s a caretaker with her.¡± Jason earnestly helped Anastasia peel an apple. ¡°Eat


    some.¡±


    Anastasia leaned against the headboard and looked at Jason. ¡°What he just said seems to make a


    point. Should I give myself chance?¡± she thought.


    Anastasia closed her eyes slowly and felt a headache.


    She thought, ¡°Forget it. I¡¯d better not drag others down with my sick body. Jasones from a family


    with ordinary conditions. I¡¯m riddled with diseases, and my follow-up treatment requires a lot of money.


    I don¡¯t want to drag him down.¡± ¡°I told the nurse not to let anyone disturb you, especially the


    psychopath next door.¡± Jason cut the apple and put it and a fork in the lunch box. Then he put the lunch


    box on the overbed table in front of Anastasia.


    Anastasia looked at the meticulous Jason and found herself in aplicated mood.


    She thought, ¡°Kimberly once said that when choosing between a poor guy like Jason, who has nothing,


    and a sessful person like stor, who is wealthy and has a family background, one would surely


    choose stor¡­ But it¡¯s only through experiences that Ie to understand what¡¯s truly precious.


    Some people would rather cry inside a BMW thanugh on a bike. But sometimes, a scooter is enough


    to make people feel happy.¡±


    Anastasia took a deep breath and looked at Jason. ¡°I want to eat a Chili Dog.¡±


    Jason was stunned for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s hard to digest¡­¡±


    ¡°Ask the nurse if I can eat it. If I can, help me bring one,¡± Anastasia whispered with a trace of pleading.


    Jason thought for a while. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go and ask.¡±


    Anastasia smiled and nodded.


    Jason also smiled, feeling that Anastasia seemed to havee to terms with many things.


    But he didn¡¯t dare to ask more¡­


    He thought, ¡°It¡¯s better this way. Whether Anastasia epts me or not, I will stand behind her.¡±


    Anastasia took the initiative to send a message to the attending physician after Jason left.


    She wanted to cooperate with the treatment.


    She had decided to try and fight the disease even if she did not know what the result would be.


    She thought about starting a new life.


    It was a food street outside the hospital.


    The nurse told Jason that it was okay for Anastasia to eat a Chili Dog as long as it was not too spicy.


    Hence, Jason came out to buy a Chili Dog for Anastasia.


    stor¡¯s car was parked on the roadside, which was particrly eye-catching in the night market.


    The random car of his cost a few hundred thousand dors. The ordinary working ss would not be


    able to make so much money for the rest of their lives.


    ¡°Jason, let¡¯s talk.¡±


    stor opened the car window and looked at Jason, who was standing next to the food stall.


    Jason frowned. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Thepany you started is in its infancy! Is this not the most difficult stage?¡± stor said in a low


    voice. stor was confident that Jason wouldpromise. ¡°I can help you and even give you


    everything you want.¡±

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197


    ¡°What is the premise?¡± Jason took the Chili Dog and looked at stor.


    ¡°Leave Anastasia. I can help you start or give you absolute support in your career.¡± stor got out of


    the car and gave Jason a check. ¡°I¡¯ve checked it out. Anastasia was bullied by Harold back then, and it


    was indeed you who made a move. Take this money as gratitude on behalf of Anastasia by me. I hope


    you won¡¯t use this matter to morally abduct Anastasia again.¡±


    To stor, Anastasia was in Jason¡¯s debt.


    ¡°stor, you are so arrogant.¡± Jason did not want to talk to stor, so he turned around and was about


    to leave.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t love you.¡± stor was straightforward. ¡°Take the money, start your business, and live your


    life. Isn¡¯t this good?¡±


    ¡°A person like you is not qualified to speak about love. Do you love Anastasia? You¡¯re not worthy.¡±


    Jason suppressed his anger and turned to leave.


    ¡°And you¡¯re worthy? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re despicable,ing between me and Anastasia? We¡¯re the


    ones who are married. Without your interference, Anastasia wouldn¡¯t have divorced me.¡± stor was


    sure that Anastasia didn¡¯t want to divorce at first.


    ¡°You¡¯re the ones who are married? You can even say that with a straight face,¡± Jason sneered and


    turned around to leave.


    ¡°You won¡¯t seed. Anastasia won¡¯t be with you. I know her well. No matter how hard you try for how


    many more years, you can¡¯t give her the material foundation I can provide in these years.¡± stor


    followed Jason all the way. stor knew Jason was heading to Anastasia¡¯s ward.


    Jason didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°When she¡¯s with me, aside from clothing, food, shelter, and daily necessities, I will give her the best of


    everything.¡± After entering the elevator, stor spoke again. ¡°What can you give her? Empty words of


    love? Is your so-called thoughtfulness just some cheap street food that is nutritionally empty and only


    harmful to the body like junk food?¡±


    Jason¡¯s grip on the Chili Dog tightened slightly.


    He thought stor was noisy.


    Truth be told, Jason knew that stor was panicked.


    This was because his existence made stor feel a sense of crisis and that someone could take


    Anastasia away from him.


    That was why stor could not wait to drive Jason away.


    ¡°Today, your mother and that brainless cousin of yours came to find Anastasia. They almost got


    physical. If you have so much free time, you should go and deal with your mother. If they dare toy a


    hand on Anastasia again, I¡¯ll call the police directly,¡± Jason warned as he looked at stor.


    stor frowned and thought, ¡°Did theye to cause trouble for Anastasia again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle my family matters. There¡¯s no need for an outsider like you to interfere,¡± stor said coldly.


    ¡°Your first love is in the next ward. It should be an arrangement by your mother. Don¡¯t enter the wrong


    ward.¡± Jason pointed to the door of Felicia¡¯s ward and opened it for stor,


    Felicia was about toe out when she saw stor at the door.


    ¡°stor¡­¡± As soon as Felicia saw stor, her eyes instantly turned red. Felicia pounced and hugged


    him. ¡°Are youing to


    see me?¡±


    stor was speechless. His face darkened, and he looked at Jason angrily.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Jason sneered, carried the Chili Dog into the ward, and closed the door directly.


    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Anastasia had just finished her phone call with the attending physician. The


    first treatment n was scheduled for next month, which was after her trauma hadpletely healed.


    ¡°No one.¡± Jason raised his eyebrows.


    Anastasia did not think much about it. ¡°Can I eat a Chili Dog?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but eat less.¡± Jason put the overbed table in order, put the Chili Dog on the table, and then wiped


    Anastasia¡¯s hands with sanitary wipes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself¡­¡± As Anastasia was about to take the wipes, the door of the ward was pushed open.


    stor stood at the door with a dark face and looked at Jason angrily.


    Anastasia nced at stor and said nothing.


    ¡°stor¡­¡± Behind stor, Felicia was still crying.


    Anastasia frowned ¡°Get out with your first love¡±


    r


    stor was a little annoyed and looked at Felicia angrily. ¡°Get out!¡±


    Felicia¡¯s face turned pale due to fear, and she cried even harder.


    stor took a deep breath and rubbed between his eyebrows. ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡±


    ¡°stor, why are you so fierce to me? I identally fell down the stairs. Even if it wasn¡¯t Anastasia. I


    was just dizzy from the fall.¡± Felicia was still trying to defend herself. ¡°As for the baby, I don¡¯t believe in


    the DNA paternity test done by Anastasia. I don¡¯t believe it.¡±


    Jason sat next to the hospital bed and watched Felicia put on an act.


    Anastasia looked gloomy, but now she could watch the y calmly.


    ¡°Anastasia is deliberately trying to drive a wedge between us. Anastasia secretly kept the child from


    you to scheme your assets in the future.¡± Felicia grabbed stor¡¯s arm. ¡°stor, we¡¯re already


    together. You have to take responsibility for me.¡±


    stor took a deep breath and instinctively looked at Anastasia. stor wanted to exin, but he was


    at a loss for words.


    With a loud tter, Anastasia threw the fork in her hand away, suddenly losing her appetite and feeling


    disgusted.

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198


    ¡°I said go back to your ward first.¡± stor suppressed his emotions and ushered Felicia out.


    Felicia¡¯s eyes turned red as she looked at Anastasia. ¡°You must be pleased. stor will be tired of you


    too someday.¡±


    Anastasia chuckled.


    She thought, ¡°Tired of me? He has long grown tired of me. It¡¯s just that he suddenly leaves hisfort


    zone. It¡¯s only because I have truly made up my mind about the divorce that he momentarily loses his


    composure.¡±


    ¡°stor, I¡¯ll wait for you next door.¡± Felicia looked at stor with a meaningful gaze and turned to


    leave.


    Her eyes were full of seduction.


    The implication was clear.


    Anastasia let out a sarcasticugh. There was a high probability that stor would have to go and


    cate her wellter. After all, he was even willing to scold her that day.


    ¡°You, too, get out,¡± stor asked Jason to leave.


    stor thought Jason was in the way.


    ¡°It¡¯s you who should get out of here.¡± Anastasia frowned and was unable to stand stor¡¯s


    condescending attitude.


    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡± stor took a deep breath.


    He could bear everything, but whenever he saw Anastasia defending Jason, he could not control his


    emotions.


    ¡°We¡¯re married. I¡¯m here with you. Let him leaye?¡± stor looked at Anastasia.


    Anastasia ignored stor and focused on packing up the lunch box. Then, she handed it to Jason. ¡°I


    want to eat a grilled cheese sandwich and have meat chowder tomorrow morning. Is that okay?¡±


    Jason nodded.


    ¡°Rest early,¡± Anastasia asked Jason to leave first.


    Jason stood aside and was silent for a long time. Eventually, he left with the lunch box in his hand.


    Anastasia knew she was not being fair to Jason.


    But leaning on the couch stiffly, keeping watch over her, and staying overnight in such a cramped ward


    to suffer was the kind of hardship stor should experience as her husband.


    After all, they had been married for four years, and he hadn¡¯t experienced anything.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to stay overnight and take care of me?¡± Anastasia asked.


    stor nodded seriously. ¡°I¡¯m your husband. Of course, I¡¯ll be the one to take care of you.¡±


    ¡°Are you not busy with work today? You seem exhausted. You won¡¯t have a good rest here,¡± Anastasia


    reminded stor in advance.


    stor was someone who valued the quality of his sleep. When they had just gotten married, they


    used to sleep in separate rooms because he was not used to sleeping with someone else. Hence, she


    would return to the other room on her own after going to bed.


    Later, stor slowly got used to it, and he let Anastasia stay. However, she still felt ufortable


    using the restroom at night.


    That day, stor had unexpectedly volunteered to stay overnight at the hospital.


    Anastasia chuckled ironically and pointed to the garbage on the table. ¡°Clean up. Except for my Chili


    Dog, everything else can be thrown away.¡±


    stor knew Anastasia had a temper, so he would do whatever she told him to. ¡°Annie, eat less junk


    food.¡±


    ¡°The junk food you mentioned brings me happiness,¡± Anastasia retorted coldly.


    stor¡¯s hand, which was cleaning the trash, paused for a moment. stor took a garbage bag and


    collected all the trash, leaving only the Chili Dog.


    ¡°My legs need to be massaged every three hours. You can follow the massage instructions at the head


    of the bed and massage my legs.¡± Anastasia leaned against the headboard and asked stor to


    massage her legs.


    stor sat by the bed obediently and reached out to help Anastasia massage her legs.


    Anastasia¡¯s gaze was somewhat dreamy. Anastasia thought, ¡°stor¡¯s hands are truly voluptuous and


    attractive.¡±


    In the past, Anastasia thought stor¡¯s hands were only fit for holding a pen


    ¡°Apply a bit more force. Haven¡¯t you eaten yet?¡± Anastasia followed Naomi¡¯s tone and was picky about


    stor.


    stor frowned and knew that Anastasia did it on purpose.


    He hadn¡¯t served others before. His hands would be sore after massaging her legs for a while.


    stor stopped massaging her legs and wanted to talk to Anastasia.


    ¡°Go on. Is that all the energy you have?¡± Anastasia said lightly.


    stor rubbed between his eyebrows and suppressed his anger.


    ¡°Anastasia, if you need a caretaker, I can arrange one.¡± stor had no patience.


    ¡°So you can¡¯t stand it anymore?¡± Anastasia sarcastically chuckled ¡°Do you know how long I had taken


    care of your mother back when she was sick and hospitalized?¡±


    ¡±


    During that period, Anastasia was exhausted every day, to the point of a nervous breakdown.


    Anastasia had fallen to the ground several times, which had taken her some time before she could pull


    herself together.


    Anastasia thought, ¡°If I had rested properly during that period and my immune system had not


    weakened so severely, perhaps I wouldn¡¯t have cancer at such a young age.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199


    stor was at a loss for words, seemingly recalling Anastasia¡¯s efforts. His gaze lowered. ¡°Anastasia,


    I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡±


    ¡°Making it up, that¡¯s what you say every time.¡± Anastasia only felt amused.


    ¡°Getting divorced and obtaining the divorce certificate upon leaving the hospital is the greatest


    compensation for me,¡± she thought.


    ¡°That couch, when unfolded, serves as a makeshift bed for caretakers. It is not asfortable as your


    few-hundred-thousand-dor mattress at your home. Just bear with it,¡± Anastasia said indifferently and


    lay down. Anastasia covered herself with the nket and showed her back to stor. Turn off the lights


    and go to sleep.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to see him.


    stor sat on the couch and looked at Anastasia for a while. stor eventually stood up, walked over


    to the bedside, and raised his hand in an attempt to help her cover the nket.


    But Anastasia seemed to have discovered his intention. Anastasia covered herself with the nket and


    didn¡¯t give him this chance.


    stor stood stiffly by the bed and looked at Anastasia for a long time.


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± After a long time, he said in a hoarse voice.


    Anastasia ignored him.


    Perhaps it was because every time he came home so exhausted in the past, Anastasia would gently


    embrace him, take off his clothes, and softlyfort him.


    But now, all Anastasia gave him was a cold gaze and her back.


    Seeing that Anastasia ignored him, stor sat by the bedside andy down sideways to hold


    Anastasia in his arms.


    The hospital bed was so small that two people could hardly fit.


    Anastasia felt disgusted and clenched her hands tightly until they went numb. ¡°Stay away from me.¡±


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± stor¡¯s voice remained tired as he buried his head in Anastasia¡¯s hair. ¡°Let me hold


    you, please¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Anastasia tried to push him away. However, she identally tugged at her wound, causing her


    forehead to break out in sweat from the pain.


    ¡°Annie¡­ Please. Just like before, okay?¡± stor was probably not ustomed to it.


    He was not ustomed to Anastasia being so cold to him.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Anastasia¡¯s body significantly stiffened. With teary eyes, she looked out the window.


    She thought, ¡°Just like before and be a soulless walking dead?¡±


    ¡°stor, who do you think you are?¡± Anastasia chuckled sarcastically. ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t live without


    you?¡±


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± stor didn¡¯t answer Anastasia¡¯s words but kept calling her name repeatedly.


    The intimate way


    he addressed her was a manifestation of his married yearning. stor rarely addressed her that way.


    In the past, he would only call her Annie when he was emotionally moved.


    Tears gathered in her eyes. It turned out that it was both painful to love someone and also not to love


    them.


    When in love, the painy in stor for not loving her.


    When not in love, the pain came from regretting the limitless efforts she had put in


    Perhaps Anastasia should be more selfish. A bit more selfish would be better.


    ¡°I¡¯m so tired.¡± stor¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°My father¡­ came to thepany today, saying that his


    illegitimate child has the right to inherit my grandfather¡¯s estate and asked me to give up my shares to


    him.¡±


    stor¡¯s voice was hoarse, and he just wanted to talk with Anastasia to relieve some of his mental


    pressure.


    In the past, stor rarely talked to Anastasia heart-to-heart.


    But Anastasia always keenly sensed when something was off with him.


    Now, Anastasia was toozy to care about his emotions. However, he was shameless enough to tell


    her voluntarily.


    ¡°Your grandfather¡¯s will has been notarized. You don¡¯t need to give them to him. They belong to you.¡±


    Even so, Anastasia still spoke.


    Perhaps she hadn¡¯te to hate stor to that extent yet.


    She was just tired and didn¡¯t want to love him anymore.


    ¡°The validity of the will is based on me being married. If you divorce me now¡­ What should I do?¡±


    stor seemed to be admitting his vulnerability.


    ¡°Annie¡­ Thepany affairs and my grandmother¡¯s condition are so overwhelming that I¡¯m


    suffocating. Can you not add chaos to me at this time, please?¡± stor tried to coax Anastasia into


    being sensible as before.


    Anastasia took a deep breath. Anastasia knew it all along. stor would not be so attentive without a


    reason.


    ¡°After our divorce, you and Felicia can get married immediately. Same thing,¡± Anastasia suggested to


    stor with a hoarse


    voice.


    ¡°Are you really going to give me to someone else?¡± stor¡¯s voice was also hoarse.


    Anastasia was well aware that if she still insisted on getting a divorce after thismotion Christian


    had caused by returning with an illegitimate child, stor would be forced to marry someone else


    immediately, even if unwilling, in order to consolidate his position in the Lopez Group.

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200


    Anastasia clenched her fingers ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to give you to someone else. It¡¯s that you never


    belonged to me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t divorce me. At least not now¡­¡± stor tightened his grip on Anastasia.


    He didn¡¯t want to marry someone else.


    He did not want to cut ties with Anastasia just like that.


    He was unwilling.


    ¡°stor, our rtionship ended a long time ago.¡± Anastasia sighed deeply.


    If they still had a child, perhaps she would consider it for the child¡¯s sake.


    But now, she wouldn¡¯t care about anyone.


    ¡°Annie¡­ If you like children, can we have another child?¡± stor wanted to use a child to tie Anastasia


    to him.


    Anastasia pushed stor¡¯s hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t disgust me.¡±


    ¡°Annie¡­¡± stor just felt that he hadn¡¯t reached a point of no return.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me¡­¡± Anastasia raised her hand and covered her ears, feeling very irritable.


    stor shut up obediently, tucked Anastasia in, and pulled her into his arms again. ¡°Go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Can you¡­¡± Anastasia wanted stor to get out. But before she could finish her sentence, she heard


    someone crying outside the ward./N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Hospitals were already quiet ces. Cries outside the door gave an eerie feeling to the entire ward and


    corridor.


    Anastasia¡¯s patience had reached its limit.


    Apparently, it was Felicia from next door who was crying outside.


    ¡°Why is she pretending to be a ghost out there in the middle of the night?¡± Anastasia was a little angry.


    stor obviously heard it too, but he merely frowned and said nothing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let her disgust me and you too.¡± Anastasia pushed stor. ¡°Deal with your first love, will you?


    Don¡¯t you want to let me sleep?¡±


    stor was also losing patience. stor got up and opened the door of Anastasia¡¯s ward abruptly.


    Felicia squatted outside, crying with swollen, teary eyes.


    Felicia looked up at stor and tugged at his pants. ¡°stor¡­ I know I was wrong. Please don¡¯t be


    mad at me, okay? I apologized to Anastasia. It was all my fault. I can even kneel for her. Please don¡¯t


    reject me.¡±


    ¡°Go back to your ward and sleep.¡± stor¡¯s voice was low, suppressing his anger.


    ¡°stor¡­ My stomach hurts so much. Can you stay with me for a while? Even just ten minutes¡­


    Anastasia won¡¯t mind, right?¡± Felicia¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°We¡¯ve all lost our children. Anastasia must


    understand me.¡±


    Felicia was intentionally trying to provoke Anastasia.


    Anastasia had her back turned to them, gripping the corners of her nket tightly. Tears swirled in her


    eyes.


    How could Felicia be qualified to mention children?


    ¡°That¡¯s enough¡­¡± stor¡¯s voice became stern as he scolded. stor carefully closed the door of


    Anastasia¡¯s ward.


    The ward fell quiet once again. Anastasia wiped her tears sarcastically.


    What was she hoping for anyway?


    Was she expecting stor to scold Felicia harshly?


    ¡°If it were any other woman deceiving him with a child, stor probably would have taken action long


    ago. But for Felicia, he gives her all the exceptions,¡± Anastasia thought.


    Anastasia looked at the lights outside the window for a long time.


    She couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Her mind was haunted by Harold¡¯s face, which wouldn¡¯t go away.


    Fortunately, Harold had been arrested by the police. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to sleep


    peacefully.


    ¡°You are not Zeke¡¯s biological daughter at all. Your mother got pregnant with you and married him¡­¡±


    Annoyed, Anastasia covered her ears with her hands. Her breathing became more and more rapid.


    She thought, ¡°Is Zeke indeed not my father? Who is the man who made my mother pregnant, then


    abandoned her, making her marry Zeke out of desperation along with her dowry? Who is my biological


    father?¡±


    Time ticked away second by second.


    stor never came back.


    Anastasia chuckled sarcastically and raised her hand to cover her forehead.


    She thought, ¡°How dare he say he¡¯s exhausted when he¡¯s casually juggling between two women?¡±


    Outside the ward, stor sat alone on a bench to guard Anastasia¡¯s ward¡¯s entrance, looking


    exhausted.


    He was afraid that if he went in, it would make Anastasia more miserable.


    In Felicia¡¯s ward, Felicia sat on the bed, trembling with anger.


    She thought, ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to restrain stor without that child. stor told me to forever


    disappear from his sight and not to appear in his and Anastasia¡¯s lives. How is that possible? I must


    marry stor. Why hasn¡¯t Anastasia died yet? Why hasn¡¯t she died yet?


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