After a long pause, Cedric finally spoke. "The child... Her name is Luna, right?" Yet, his voice carried a profound bitterness when he posed this question.The only prolonged time he spent with the child was in that hospital.However, his primary concern had been Kayla's condition. He was preoccupied with how he could ensure a successful surgery for her.As for the child's name, or as Natalie had described, what weaning foods she liked or what formula she drank...!Weaning foods!Thinking of the term only deepened Cedric's bitterness, for he had no idea what it was. It was a specialized food for infants, but he had never seen or known about it."Yes, sir." Lucas nodded.Cedric gazed out the window with distant eyes. "Luna... such a beautiful name." His daughter was named Luna... the precious daughter given to him by Nat.However...!He took a deep breath, but it did nothing to suppress the weight in his heart.It was painful and suffocating."What about Madam?" Lucas cau
Regret?!When Natalie heard those words, a hint of mockery flashed in her eyes. "How rare of you to play the role of the good guy again!"Irwin was silent.This was unexpected!Her habit of bringing up old matters was truly exasperating.Irwin hadn't done anything regrettable in his life, but when it came to Natalie, he now felt... remorseful."But there's no need for that. I have my reasons for accompanying you to Wexford. I won't... regret it." She emphasized the last few words in a firm tone.Indeed.She wouldn't regret it.If it was difficult to resolve things peacefully, she would simply avoid it."Nat, you don't have to see me in such a negative light," Irwin said, his gaze deep and penetrating.He was referring to her previous words about how rare it was for him to play the role of a good guy again.Natalie took a sip from her glass of lemon water. It was sour.Without responding to Irwin, she gazed out at the clouds outside, seemingly ignoring his earlier words
Zane was silent.Undoubtedly, this was perhaps the most vexing period in Malcolm's life."Oh, there's something," Bianca began."What is it?""Nat mentioned that she's certain the other half of the documents are with Cedric!" Bianca looked directly at Zane as she spoke.A flicker of emotion crossed Zane's face. "Is she sure?""Yes, she's certain."Zane's eyes flickered, and his slender fingers rhythmically tapped on the couch's armrest. The tension in the air seemed to thicken. Then, a wry smile crept onto his lips. "It seems things have escalated to a life-and-death struggle between her and Cedric.""Yeah."At this moment, Bianca also pondered what emotions were exactly and why they could lead people to such extremes. In the beginning, things were so good between Natalie and Cedric. Yet even back then, Bianca had her reservations.Those two... it seemed like their relationship wouldn't last till the end!And it indeed was true.Sometimes, one's instincts were right.
As soon as Zane finished speaking, Malcolm smirked.The sarcasm in his tone grew more pronounced as he remarked, "I wonder, is it because you're too busy with your wife that you have no time for other things?"Such words...! Those unaware of the real situation might easily misinterpret the underlying meaning. Yet, Zane looked at Malcolm and chuckled. The tension in the air thickened, and everyone present felt their hearts tighten. What kind of battlefield had this meeting turned into? Without missing a beat, Zane responded, "I don't care about your grudge with her."The onlookers gasped silently in disbelief. Grudge? Malcolm replied, "Are you so sure that what exists between her and me is merely a grudge?""Whether it is or isn't doesn't concern me much.""It doesn't?""Of course not. No matter what you do, you must always remember the status and position she holds right now... She's my wife!" Zane's voice hardened, causing everyone present to swallow harshly.Grudge
When Natalie had confronted him previously, no one truly understood the turmoil raging within Irwin.He was outwardly calm, yet in reality...!The instant Natalie turned away, it felt as though a crucial part of his world collapsed. Now, if reconnecting with her meant being used, he would willingly accept such manipulation.With a stern face, Cedric approached the two. His gaze was chilling as it fixed upon Natalie. The icy glint in his eyes mirrored the coldness of a glacial peak, sending shivers down one's spine."Nat, come with me," he demanded, extending his hand with a forceful undertone.Finally, Natalie met his eyes. The coldness reflected in her gaze was equally visible. She looked at the hand he offered—a hand that once felt warm and promised a journey towards a liberated future. Back then, it was a hand she once trusted implicitly. He made it possible for her to trust him, even unconsciously.But now?When did it start?Everything had changed!The atmosphere was
Just as she was about to get into the car, someone forcefully gripped Natalie's wrist—it was Cedric! Suddenly, her vision spun. Before she could react, she was shoved into the car.Then came Cedric's chilling voice, "Stop them!"Natalie was speechless and struggled to sit up. She peered through the rear window and immediately saw Irwin and Cedric's men clashing.A dangerous atmosphere filled the confined space, and the car sped off like an arrow released from its bow!The scene behind them grew distant and smaller, fading completely after a turn.Smack!The crisp sound of a slap echoed as it landed fiercely on Cedric's face.The already tense atmosphere grew even colder!The driver sensed the imminent danger, and his hands on the steering wheel trembled momentarily. However, he quickly regained control, aiming to reach their destination as swiftly as possible.In the backseat, Natalie stared icily at Cedric, who returned her gaze. However, there was an unmistakable pain deep
When Natalie had seen that photograph in Stephen's study, she knew... there was more than met the eye between Cedric and Irwin.Back then, due to her indifference towards Cedric, Natalie didn't dwell on it.However, today at the airport, she witnessed the deep-seated resentment in Cedric's eyes towards Irwin! And she could detect the underlying bitterness Irwin harbored towards Cedric behind his smiles.Such hatred… such resentment! To say there was no connection between them was impossible! Perhaps the photograph she'd seen in the study held similar truths.Initially, their relationship seemed harmonious. But somewhere along the line, things irreparably fractured.Indeed!When Natalie probed further, she distinctly noticed the fleeting pain that flashed across Cedric's eyes.But it was short-lived."There was nothing between us!" Cedric's voice was icy and thick with barely concealed animosity.Natalie was silent.Nothing between them? Clearly, things weren't as Cedric
When Cedric spoke in such a manner, Natalie was left speechless, unsure of how to respond.So, that must be why he was accustomed to the local flavors here.After a few more bites, Natalie found the food too overwhelming. She attempted to have some soup, but it, too, was saturated with sweetness.She didn't appreciate such a flavor."Should I ask the kitchen to prepare noodles for you?" Seeing how Natalie was unable to stomach anything, Cedric frowned."No need," Natalie replied curtly.She could already imagine the noodles would also be sweet. The chef that prepared the food would be local, after all. Even if they attempted to mimic the tastes of Simeria or Verde City, she was certain it wouldn't be to her liking.However, his casual remark about being unprepared made Natalie's heart grow colder. He had never been prepared when it came to her, had he?If it were Kayla or Isabella, undoubtedly... everything would always be ready and to their preference.Just then, her phon
Bianca was still pondering how to reject Malcolm. Undoubtedly, even when she sought him out a week ago and proposed they get married, she hadn't truly wanted to marry him. As she contemplated things now, she even anticipated how crazed Malcolm might become when she presented her decision.Her phone buzzed with a call from Malcolm. In the past, Bianca would have ignored it outright, but now... she wasn't one to burn bridges."Hello?""I'll be there in ten minutes. Come down.""It's quite late."Just like before, whenever this man wanted to talk to her, especially about meeting up, she couldn't muster a pleasant expression.The man on the other end of the line simply stated, "I want to see you."Bianca’s heart clenched at those words. She was accustomed to Malcolm's cold, domineering demeanor. Even when he desired a woman, he maintained that haughty attitude. So, hearing such tender words from him was beyond her expectations."Hmph.""Come down, okay? I have a surprise for you."
As Zane reached halfway up the hill, he noticed a familiar car parked outside. Neil, the butler, was waiting outside, and upon seeing Zane return, he approached respectfully."Lord Zane.""Who's here?" Zane frowned, glancing at the brightly lit villa.What was going on? Usually, this place was dim in the evenings, but today, everything was unexpectedly bright."Ms. Stewart has returned," Neil replied.Zane's mind went blank for a moment. He stared stiffly at the butler, his pupils rapidly constricting."Ms. Stewart arrived this afternoon."Yvette!The familiar name flashed through Zane's mind like a gust of wind. How many times had he wanted to hold onto her? But in the end, for various reasons, he had to let her go bit by bit.And now, Yvette was back!Where had she been all this time?Since leaving Simeria, it was like she was a bird that had escaped its cage and soared into the sky, never to return. Zane had asked the Stewart family about her once, but even they didn't kn
"Maybe something happened," said Bianca.Natalie felt her eyelids twitch in response. What kind of terrifying situation was this?"When I say 'something happened,' I don't mean anything bad, but..."But what?In that moment, Bianca's gaze toward Natalie deepened, and she understood what her friend meant."You mean...?" asked Natalie.Bianca nodded silently.Natalie fell quiet as she pondered the situation.What if that was really the case?Natalie couldn't help but admit that if it truly was, it would naturally be a favorable outcome for her."Don't forget, if he can come, he can also leave. He can't change anything here, so it's better for him to return to the world he belongs to," Bianca explained.During this time, Natalie had transformed Simeria into a fortress. But even in such circumstances, Cedric had mysteriously vanished. Up until now, there hadn't been any clues. Even Kyle had been through so much, yet hadn't uttered any useful information.So, it had to be said t
Bianca’s calmness and composure, despite her young age, spoke volumes about how her experiences and wisdom had shaped her thoughts.Curtis, initially worried about her, felt somewhat relieved seeing the tranquility and maturity in his daughter’s eyes.He nodded slowly. "Hmm."In the end, he agreed.After all, she was his daughter. Despite not being raised by him since childhood, Curtis could see it clearly. Like her mother, Bianca would stick to her decisions, impervious to outside interference.Seeing Curtis finally eating, Bianca felt a sense of relief. After lunch, she considerately accompanied her father for a stroll before allowing him to rest.When Carol emerged from Curtis' room, she saw Bianca waiting nearby and hurried over respectfully."Miss.""How is he?" Bianca inquired."Sir is still worried about you, miss," Carol replied sincerely.Having been by Curtis' side for many years, Carol naturally understood Bianca's significance in his heart.Bianca sighed. "It wil
As she spoke, Seraphine felt the already dangerous aura around the man grow even darker, sending her heart racing. She tried to speak, but found herself speechless."Hmph, you useless thing!" Zane cursed menacingly.Cold sweat soaked Seraphine's back completely."There must be a way," she choked out, her tone tense.At that moment, Seraphine recalled what Zane had said to her before she came back to Simeria.He had told her that he never kept useless individuals around him. To gain his protection, one had to be useful. And now, Seraphine's only use—her engagement to Malcolm—had been effortlessly annulled."Heh," Zane sneered disdainfully.For Seraphine, this disdain was not only humiliating, but also starkly different from her experiences with Eleanor. In Eleanor's presence, she had never faced such disrespect. But now, it seemed like anyone could trample on her.In the past, even members of the Entes family wouldn't openly show contempt towards her, but now… Those past comfort
Seraphine had always harbored resentment towards Bianca. But Bianca had always been a rather composed individual, rarely resorting to such actions.So, what was she doing now?"You..." Seraphine's initial fury had been turned to speechlessness by Bianca's aggression.When Seraphine glanced at Bianca, she caught a glimpse of malice in the other woman's eyes.Before Seraphine could utter a word, Bianca bluntly asked, "You know, don't you?"Seraphine stayed silent.Know what?"You knew that Lord Malcolm and Lord Zane are half brothers You also knew why Lord Zane sought you out and took your side, right?" Bianca continued.Seraphine's face drained of color in an instant. And every subtle change in her expression was noticed by Bianca, whose eyes were filled with icy mockery.Stepping forward, Bianca gripped Seraphine's delicate chin. Seraphine instinctively tried to evade, but Bianca's hold was firm."You still dare claim this is your home?" Bianca scoffed."This has always been
When would the cycle of revenge end?While Bianca hadn't decided what to do about Eleanor's actions, Zane had already shown his claws.When would it end?If someone kept chasing after a person, what could they do?"Bia…"Curtis wanted to say something to his daughter, but was met with her unwavering gaze. Clearly, she wouldn't back down this time, just like her mother never did when faced with such situations. Both women faced things head-on, without flinching."Don't worry, okay?" Bianca reassured Curtis.There was another reason she was insisting on staying in Simeria—Bianca knew Curtis wouldn't leave with her. So, she wouldn't leave either.-Bianca and Curtis talked for a long time.Curtis still wanted to send her abroad, but her resolute attitude left him powerless. Moreover, from various pieces of information gathered earlier, it was clear that Bianca was a strong-willed child.No matter what problems she faced, she had her own opinions. So, asking her to leave was s
When Bianca returned to the Holly family’s residence, she found Curtis staring gravely at some documents. When he started coughing violently, his face turning as pale as a sheet, Carol hurried over to check on him."Sir, let Ms. Bianca handle these documents. Please don't strain yourself," Carol said, her tone full of concern."I see now," Curtis muttered heavily, as if he had just realized something crucial.Not understanding what he meant, Carol simply urged, "Your health can't handle this strain. Don't tire yourself out. You must trust Ms. Bianca."Curtis fell silent.Trust?He had always trusted Bianca, but now he regretted bringing her back. If he had never found her, would things be different now?"Where did she go?" Curtis asked."Ms. Bianca went out, but she'll be back soon," Carol reassured him, gently taking the documents from his hands.Ever since Bianca told the older woman about Curtis' health problems, Carol had been extra vigilant, making sure he avoided anythin
Bianca stared at the dangerous man, memories of their harmonious past flashing through her mind. Those moments had once seemed so genuine, yet now felt laughably absurd."Haha, how ridiculous!" Bianca scoffed, her laughter bitter."Bianca!" Zane's voice was sharp, cutting through her mirth."Zane, what if I reveal your true intentions to everyone? What will they think then?""Who would believe you?" Zane interrupted coldly, not letting her finish.Bianca's smile froze on her lips. He was right.Who would believe her? Curtis might, and so would Natalie. But was their trust enough?Clearly, it wasn't.But did it matter?"It's not your concern who believes me. I have never needed anyone's belief to stand strong," said Bianca.Many had doubted her before, but none had ever managed to break her spirit. The dangers she faced now might be greater, but for Bianca, they were just another set of challenges.She had overcome every hardship she encountered. This time would be no differe