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
Every time the topic resurfaced, it felt like tearing open an old wound.It was raw and painful!"Nat," Cedric began.What should he say? What could he possibly say at this moment? That his words were merely outbursts? Though he spoke in anger, he never truly intended for Isabella to have Natalie's eyes."You never believed in me, so why ask?" Natalie's voice was tinged with bitterness."I just wanted to-""Why bother putting on such an act?!" she interrupted.Stunned, Cedric could only wonder...Was this the image he held in Natalie's heart now? "Whether you believe me or not, I never truly intended-""Regardless of your intentions, everything went to Isabella back then. As for me, I was blind and trapped. I couldn't even escape the fire."Did it hurt?Confronted with these painful memories, Cedric felt as though his heart was being crushed. The pain was overwhelming and despairing. At that moment, he even wished that the one who perished in the fire was him instead.
Indeed, he was undeserving! At what point had Cedric become unworthy? Cedric had once claimed that Isabella had given everything in her final moments, sacrificing all for Natalie. As for him, he had endured immense hardships to reach this point."Cedric, neither of you deserve forgiveness! This... is your retribution, do you understand?"Even if Isabella had paid the ultimate price for her in the end, Natalie felt no gratitude. Instead, she believed it was the price Isabella owed. And for all the despair Cedric had endured to get here, he was also undeserving of forgiveness in Natalie's eyes. This was the pain and despair he was meant to endure!"Nat!"Hearing Natalie utter these cold words, Cedric felt a crushing pain in his chest. It was almost suffocating, and it felt like he couldn't even hear his own voice.The pain was intense, and the weight of it was overwhelming!The pain stemmed from knowing she had endured so much anguish and despair…!"I'm now Irwin's fiancee
"A vivid existence?Before she could fully grasp the implications, Cedric continued, "But right now, Nat... I truly wish this were just a dream."Indeed.Just a dream.In their past life, despite everything that transpired between them, they only had each other in the end.She didn't have Irwin!In Cedric's world, Isabella wasn’t what Natalie had imagined her to be. But it didn't matter anymore. Natalie seemed utterly indifferent to all of this.She didn’t want to hear anymore and had no desire to explore what these truths meant in her world.She just didn't care anymore.She didn’t care about the truth, about the significance of everything, all because... she didn’t care about him anymore.In her world, there was Irwin, and in his... there was Kayla, whom he couldn’t simply abandon.The path they were on now felt like a dead end. Cedric truly wished... that this was merely his dream, longing to return to the world that was solely theirs…When it was just the two of them.
Shortly after, Irwin arrived!Cedric's men forcefully stopped him. The tension between them was obvious, as if they were on the brink of a major confrontation. "Make him leave!" Cedric's voice dripped with icy disdain and anger.At that moment, Natalie caught a fleeting emotion in his eyes. It seemed like... sorrow. Yes, it was a momentary glimpse of pain.She clearly saw those emotions in his eyes.Could it be that Cedric felt pain concerning Irwin? But why? "Yes, Your Excellency," the butler nodded in acknowledgment and departed.Natalie shifted her gaze away from Cedric's profile to the window. Rain pelted down, hitting the banana leaves. It made a rhythmic sound that felt suffocating, mirroring her emotions.When had Natalie started disliking the rain? Back when she was with Cedric, she used to adore it. Cedric had a peculiar habit. Rainy days were his days off, which was more sacred than Sundays. Whenever it rained, he'd prefer to be at Scarlet Villa with her.
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