Lydia said, "Yes, living a peaceful and healthy life is the most important."The two of them chatted for a long time. Their topics were everyday topics.And two hours had passed without them realizing.Lydia had arranged for the servants to prepare lunch.Before lunch, Abigail went to the washroom.There, she noticed the scent of sandalwood, which she found familiar. She lowered her head and confirmed it was the brand she recognized.When she lived in Xander's house in Monsoon Villa, Susanna would always place this type of sandalwood scent in every bathroom to ensure there were no unpleasant odors.This kind of sandalwood was not cheap and was usually a luxury for ordinary households. It seemed likely to be only used by wealthy people.After Abigail came out of the washroom, she looked around and asked, "Ms. Mosby, did you renovate this place after moving in?"Lydia was stunned for a moment before she smiled. "Yes, I did. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to dec
Lydia quickly withdrew her gaze. It was just a glance, but Abigail still noticed it.She chuckled and said, "Ms. Mosby, I was just joking with you. How could I possibly snatch the chef you like away?"After she said that, Abigail could clearly feel Lydia was relieved.To ease the awkwardness, Lydia put some food into Abigail's bowl again. "If you really want it, I can ask the chef to go to your house and cook for you."Abigail did not speak further. She just continued eating.When Abigail almost finished eating, she casually said, "The taste of these dishes is similar to what someone I know would make."Lydia's hand then trembled when she was taking some food.At this point, Abigail had guessed something. But she continued to chat calmly, "Maybe because North Floriveran dishes generally have similar taste."Lydia responded, "Maybe tasty dishes all taste somewhat similar. Anyway, if there's anything you want to eat in the future, you can just let me know."Abigail said, "Sure."
Today, from the moment Abigail met Lydia, she felt that everything Lydia said seemed nothing out of the ordinary. However, after she reflected on their conversation carefully, she noticed every sentence Lydia said seemed to have a hidden agenda.The conversation between them seemed casual, but each question from Lydia felt rehearsed, as if she was reciting a script.The most obvious giveaway was the way Lydia talked to Abigail in person felt completely different to Abigail than from how she usually chatted on WhatsApp.She felt the way Lydia treated her in person seemed more like going through the motions.Abigail was lost in her thoughts. 'The Lydia I chatted with on WhatsApp was like a confidant and a wayshower. She was very warm and patient toward me.'Whenever I had something that I couldn't figure out, she could always help me figure out my problems after casually chatting with me.'Abigail wondered, 'So, who could be behind Lydia? Nathan or Grandma? Could it be Grandma? Is
Kane tightly held Nathan's hand. "Nathan, I know Abigail is here. Listen to me, you're still recovering. You shouldn't get emotional. Please calm down, all right?""Okay, okay. I'll calm down..." Nathan tried hard to calm himself. But he would get emotional whenever he saw Abigail's face on the monitor.He started coughing very intensely again.Kane was extremely worried. "Do you still want to meet Abigail? If something happens to you, who'll protect her and the child?"Do you really think other men can love her child like their own? Who'll protect her if people start calling your child fatherless in the future?"Nathan instantly calmed down upon hearing that.Kane quickly took the medicine for Nathan. "Take this now."Nathan did not want to take it. But when he thought about his wife and child, he swallowed it without any hesitation.Kane was finally satisfied when he saw Nathan obediently take the medicine.Kane also saw Abigail on the monitor. "Abigail is getting more and m
Nathan was afraid that Abigail would blame herself for everything and break down.Therefore, when he did not know if he would survive, he chose to ruthlessly push her away and make her hate him.Only in this way, if he passed away, Abigail would not be sad and would not blame herself.Nathan knew Abigail well. He knew she would not tolerate any wrongdoing. That was why he found her sister, Lucia, to stage the performance with him.He knew that Abigail would surely ask for a divorce if she found out that he cheated on her.Indeed, not long after he staged the act, Abigail looked for him and calmly asked him for a divorce. That happened a lot faster than he had thought.He knew that she was not as calm as she appeared. He also knew that Abigail would surely be very sad. But Nathan felt it was better for Abigail to endure the short-term pain than prolonged suffering.He believed that this pain should be lighter than the grief of losing a loved one. So, he did what he did.And this
Abigail quickly typed a message: [Ms. Mosby, thank you so much for your warm hospitality. I had a great time today.]Lydia instantly replied to Abigail: [I'm happy that you had a great time. Abigail, you should come over often in the future.]Nathan smiled joyfully when he sent that text. His nice smile lessened the pallor of his face.He was genuinely very happy today. He usually had difficulty eating, but he actually ate a lot tonight.When Abigail was reading in the study room on the second floor the entire afternoon, Nathan sat in front of the computer on the third floor watching Abigail the entire time.And when he received Abigail's text message on WhatsApp now, he felt even happier. His face brightened up.But in the next second, he saw Abigail's reply: [Do you have someone or something you care about?]Nathan responded: [Of course.]Abigail asked: [Who?]'Who?' Nathan thought. He wanted to reply to Abigail that the people he cared about the most were her and their chil
Kane heard Nathan's coughing and came. "Nathan, what's wrong?"Nathan responded, "Get Paxton for me."Kane replied, "Okay."Paxton arrived very soon after. As soon as he entered the room, he heard Nathan's angry voice. "Where did you find that Ms. Mosby?"Paxton answered, "She's a professional actress that I spent a lot of money to hire. But I got played. The Ms. Mosby that I hired and the one who came today are twins. It was already too late when I found out that she was an impersonator."Nathan coldly glanced at him.Paxton wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "But this Ms. Mosby's acting was quite good. Abigail probably didn't notice anything wrong."Nathan replied, "You're foolish, but Abigail isn't."Paxton asked, "What should we do now?"Nathan responded, "Quickly hack into the Blau family's security system."Paxton replied, "Okay."Kane said, "Nathan..."But Nathan did not listen to Kane's advice at all. He continued to cough more intensely. He eventually fainted
"It isn't entirely for you. I developed feelings for him in the end." Melody paused before continuing, "Caterpie, I've thought of a possibility, but I don't know if I should tell you."Abigail glared at her. "Is there something that you can't say to me?"Melody said, "Before agreeing to date Raymond, I learned something from him."Abigail asked, "What is it?"Melody answered, "Raymond has never betrayed Xander. Xander deliberately arranged for Raymond to stay close to Nova. Almost all the evidence of Nova's crimes was collected by Raymond. He did it by infiltrating Nova's organization."Xander was very good at winning people over. People obeyed him mainly because of his strong capability and charismatic personality.When Abigail was his assistant, she was completely loyal to him.She thought, 'I guess the way he treats his subordinates should be similar to how I treat my subordinates.'Anyway, our relationship is in the past.' Abigail responded, "I'm not interested in the Zane
Emma turned and dashed into the bathroom. She cranked the faucet on and splashed water on her face, aiming to soothe her nerves.Although they were engaged, they were still too young, with countless uncertainties looming over their future. The possibility of actually walking down the aisle was up in the air.Decisions made in a rush of happiness could eventually become sources of regret. And Emma knew all too well that she couldn't afford any regrets.She thought that fortunately, Ron hadn't pushed things further, which gave her time to cool off.After freshening up, Emma stepped out to find Ron on the balcony, a cigarette in hand.She couldn't resist chiding him, "I've told you to cut down on smoking. Why can't you seem to remember?"This time, Ron complied, snuffing out the cigarette. "We should get some sleep. We've got to put our best foot forward when we meet your family tomorrow.""Okay, I'll sleep on the couch. You take the bed," Emma responded.Ron simply replied, "As y
Ron looked at her dawdling pace with disdain. "If you, a lady, can handle it, why can't I, a grown man, stay?"His words sounded noble, but Ron regretted them the moment they arrived at the hotel.Despite now earning a decent income, Emma was still reluctant to spend money.This place was hardly a hotel; it was clearly a budget inn charging only a few dozen bucks a night. The hygiene was questionable at best, and safety seemed like a gamble.Ron turned on his heel, dragging her suitcase behind him. "We're leaving, now.""It's too late, and we can't get a refund for the room.""Are you trying to get us killed?"Emma fell silent, her thoughts a whirlwind of frustration. 'I told him he wouldn't be used to cheap places. He insisted on coming with me, and now he won't even let me stay here alone. Why is he so annoying?'However, considering Ron had rushed over in the middle of the night to help her, Emma decided not to hold it against him.Ron picked the best hotel in the area—the
Rebekah glanced over at Ron; she exchanged a knowing look with him before saying, "I'll have someone tidy up the rooms. Why don't you two stay here tonight and keep me company?"Ron replied simply, "Sure."Emma had purchased a midnight flight back to South Florivera, necessitating a rush to the airport, which made staying over after dinner impossible.Yet, she found herself at a loss for words, struggling to decline Rebekah's kind offer.As she hesitated, Ron stepped in to clear the air. "Mom, I've got something on tonight. After dinner, I'll drive Emma back to her dorm."Rebekah raised an eyebrow. "What's so important?" she wondered aloud, thinking, 'Wasn't he the one insisting Emma stay over? What's he up to now?'Ron kept it mysterious. "Life stuff."Rebekah could not help but chide him lightly, "You, always the joker."Right after dinner, Ron insisted on leaving to take Emma back to her dormitory. But as soon as they were out of the gated community, he asked, "So, you reall
Ron chuckled. "I didn't know you were aware that even a cornered rat will fight."Emma shot him a glare. "Are we going or not?"Ron quickly said, "Of course. When Miss Blue commands, how can I dare not obey?"Fearing another of his notorious driving escapades, Emma hastily buckled her seatbelt as she settled into the car.Thankfully, this time Ron kept it smooth, driving steadily.As they neared their destination, Ron finally spoke up, "You know, that Tucker guy is a married man. Don't let his kindness fool you into being the other woman."Emma's gaze on Ron was fiery, seething with anger. "Do you even hear yourself? Is that what you think of me? For the last time: Tucker and I share nothing more than a mentor-mentee relationship. There's nothing else between us.""I'm just looking out for you, worried you might get deceived," Ron said, witnessing Emma's fury for the first time. Yet, he could not help but find her anger not at all intimidating, but rather endearingly foolish.R
The two sisters had a pact: no cell phones at home to keep their secrets from the prying eyes of the Blue family. Thus, Emma could call only at prearranged times, the sole window for Rihanna to catch up.Rihanna's voice bubbled with excitement over the phone, as she chattered away about her life's minutiae.Knowing Rihanna was doing well eased Emma's mind.Just as Emma was about to end the call, she heard Rihanna's voice, soft and wistful. "You're really not coming home for the holidays? If you don't, I'll be all alone."Emma's heart clenched at those words, and she made up her mind in an instant. "I'll come back the day before New Year's Eve."The Blue family had their hands full with festivities that day, too busy to notice Rihanna's absence. Emma figured slipping back unnoticed then would be her best shot.After hanging up, Emma immediately booked a flight from Valtara to South Florivera. With her ticket secured and her last bit of work finished, Emma prepared to leave her off
Emma had no interest in romance, let alone the audacity to dream that Ron might fancy her.This time, she did not pick up the thread of conversation.After dinner, Ron, as usual, drove Emma back to the university.Before parting, Ron said, "Winter break is almost upon us, and the dorms might be off-limits. Are you sure you don't want to stay at my place for a couple of months?"Emma offered a smile in response. "Thanks for the offer. I've spoken with the dorm supervisor and submitted an application in advance. I'll be able to stay over the holiday period."Ron paused before saying, "Well, if you need anything, just let me know. I'll text you my number in a bit; make sure you save it."Emma nodded. "Sure."Without further ado, Ron drove off.Upon returning to her dorm, Emma saw Evelyn and Cassie, busy packing their bags, surrounded by gifts for their parents bought from Valtara.Evelyn asked Emma, "Are you really not going home for the winter break?"Emma replied, "No, I won't
Emma did not have the guts to risk failure because she did not have a safe haven to fall back on.Lucas kicked Ron in the shin. "Come on, if you fancy her, out with it. No Hagrid heir dithers like this."Ron glared at him. "Mind your own business." In his head, Emma was already his. The thought of losing her was unimaginable.Lucas said, "Without my meddling, she'd never be yours."Ron changed the subject. "I called you here for a serious discussion."Lucas replied, "No matter how serious, it can't outweigh the matter of your lifetime happiness."Ron was exasperated. "Lucas!"Lucas relented. "Alright, alright, you talk, I'm all ears."Ron spelled out Emma's music venture with Tucker. After hearing it all, Lucas could not help but see Emma in a new light."Never pegged Emma as such a dark horse," Lucas said.Silently listening to their conversation, Emma was thrilled to have her work recognized.Lucas said, "But, getting back to it, whether a song makes money, and how much, d
Ron barked, "Lucas!"With a chuckle, Lucas responded, "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing Emma. I'm starving. Let's grab some food and talk business while we eat."Ron snapped, "Get lost!"Lucas could not help but revel in Ron's frustration. "Ron, have you fallen so quickly? Who was it that told me they would never accept an arranged marriage?"Emma was increasingly confused by their banter. "If it's inconvenient for me to be here, I can just take a cab and leave."Ron said, "Call you dumb and you won't admit it!"Emma thought to herself, 'I didn't want to be a third wheel, cramping their style. Was that really so wrong? No good deed goes unpunished, apparently.'Suddenly, Ron grabbed Emma's hand and led her inside. "It's cold out; let's go inside."Emma had to quicken her pace, practically being dragged along.Seeing them together, Lucas laughed heartily from behind. "Ron, oh Ron, never thought I'd see the day.""Don't laugh too soon. Your day is coming," Ron shot back.Th
Emma said, "Okay."Ron asked, "Have you won over your crush?"Lucas responded, "Secret."Ron replied, "Looks like you haven't won her over."Lucas said, "As long as I make a move, there's no girl I can't win over. But I haven't made a move yet because the timing isn't right."Ron asked, "Is it because of the Sandow family?"Lucas answered, "The Sandow family wants to marry their daughter to me, and my family wants me to marry her too. But I've told them long ago that I'm not willing to do that. Nobody can make me marry a girl I don't like."Emma remained silent. 'I didn't expect that Lucas would also have the same problem as me and Ron.'It seems like the wealthier the family, the more they'll arrange marriages based on social status without considering personal preferences.'Lucas seemed to sense Emma's thoughts. "Emma, my situation with the Sandow girl is different from yours and Ron's. Don't lump us together."Ron looked at Emma and suddenly said, "There isn't any other gi