Abigail could not hide her thoughts. She just said whatever was on her mind, "You didn't have to go down the mountain tonight. Why did you take this risk?"Xander wanted to tell her that he could not allow her to take the risk alone. But he swallowed those words that he almost said. Instead, he answered, "I was a racer. You know this.""Thank you!" Abigail was very grateful. But she did not know what to say other than to say thank you to him.She turned her head behind to look at Dr. Sander. Dr. Sander gave her a "don't worry" gaze as she said, "Emma is sleeping. She's fine.""Dr. Sander, thank you too!" When Emma was in danger, the first thing that came to Abigail's mind was to find Xander. Because she was sure that Dr. Sander would follow him wherever he went.Luckily, Dr. Sander was really there with Xander tonight. Or else, it would be difficult to say whether Emma would be able to wake up tonight.The road down the mountain was too difficult to drive. They spent twice the no
"Xander, calm down." Dr. Sander signaled the doctor to leave. She continued to say, "Let me tell you what's happening.""You tell me!" His tone was so cold that it seemed like he was telling Dr. Sander that if she could not give him an explanation, he would be unkind to her too.Dr. Sander said, "Didn't you notice that Abigail was acting a little strange ever since the Emma incident?"Of course, Xander noticed it. Abigail was not very close to Emma. But she was more worried about Emma than Ron was.Dr. Sander noticed he had calmed down. Only then she continued to say what she thought, "If I'm not mistaken, I think the Emma incident triggered some of her bad memories.""Blood. So much blood... No. No..." Abigail suddenly made a voice of horror on the bed. She unconsciously waved her hands as she said, "Don't catch me. Don't catch me..."It seemed like her reactions confirmed what Dr. Sander said.Xander grabbed her waving hands and hugged her. He said, "Abigail, don't be scared.
"Got it!" Paxton took the photos. He just respectfully walked out without asking any questions.He was like Xander's hand. He would do whatever Xander asked him to do without asking any questions.After Paxton left, Xander took a look at the time. It was already 7:00 a.m. 'The two grandmothers at Southcrest Residence are probably awake by now,' he thought.After thinking for a while, he called the Southcrest Residence's number. The butler passed the phone to Margaret when he accepted the phone call.Perhaps because there was someone there to accompany her, Margaret sounded very energetic as she said, "Xander, today is New Year's Day. If you still want to spend your life with Abigail, remember to greet Cassandra. Of course, you shouldn't just greet her on holidays, you should also call her more often to chat with her. She's soft-hearted. You can easily make her happy with just a few kind words."After Margaret finished talking, Xander finally had the chance to talk. "Grandma, Happy
Lucas said, "I'm just outside the corridor. Why did you call me?"Soon, Xander then saw Lucas push the door to enter the room. Lucas asked, "Ron's wife still hasn't recovered. Why did your wife collapse too?"Xander said, "Why did you guys come down the mountain also?"Lucas rolled his eyes as he said, "You couldn't bear to leave your wife whom you married through matchmaking. How was it possible for Ron to just abandon Emma? I guess he's probably crying while hugging Emma who's sleeping now."Xander asked, "Where's the person that I want?"Lucas answered, "He went overseas to participate in a psychology seminar. He'll only be back in the country around the tenth of this month. You prepare the travel expenses for him. And after he's done with his work there, I'll have him fly directly back to Florivera."Xander said, "No problem."Lucas moved his eyes to look at Abigail who was in Xander's arms.Xander immediately grabbed a shirt to cover Abigail. "Do you not want your eyes any
The two grandmothers would be glad to see the married couple reconciled.But elderly people were more conservative. Cassandra believed that things should be taken one step at a time. She did not expect that Xander and Abigail slept together so soon."Y-You guys do your things. I'll call again later tonight." Cassandra gave two faint coughs. She then hurriedly ended the video call.Then, she excitedly called Margaret over. "Margaret, I have good news for you."Margaret was doing yoga. She stopped her yoga when she heard Cassandra call her over. She then quickly walked to her and asked, "What good news?"Cassandra smiled as she answered, "Latest by this time next year, we'll have a great-grandchild."Margaret pursed her lips as she said, "Great-grandchild? They haven't even reconciled yet. How can we have a great-grandchild? Anyway, I only want the great-grandchild they have together. I won't acknowledge the child that someone else gives birth to."Cassandra said, "Of course it's
A buzzing sound.In the ward, Abigail's WhatsApp chat interface was interrupted by her grandmother's call.She immediately accepted it. She said, "Grandma, Happy New Year's Day!"Cassandra happily replied, "Happy New Year's Day!"Abigail could feel that her grandmother's mood today was quite good just by listening to her voice. She asked, "Grandma, did something good happen today?"Cassandra answered, "Not really. I just called you to tell you that I'll support any decision that you make."Abigail said, "Grandma, why did you suddenly say that?""I saw it when I video-called you this afternoon. If you really want to be with Nathan, I won't disagree. You don't have to hide this from me. Anyway, I'll support every decision you make." Cassandra thought, 'The kid is shy to say it. So, I'll break the ice as the elder.'She just wanted to tell Abigail that whether she decided to get a divorce or stay in the marriage, she should do it without hesitation and worries.Abigail thought, '
Dr. Sander could not help but feel impressed by Xander's foresight. He had anticipated that Emma's situation would be the most concerning issue for Abigail when she woke up. So, he was already prepared for that in advance.As long as Abigail wanted to bring Emma to leave, they could leave anytime.Abigail would not want Emma to wait any longer too if they could leave immediately as every second of waiting was a torment for Emma. Abigail said, "Okay. We'll go back to Parkview to get the luggage before we leave for the airport."Dr. Sander said, "We've already had someone to pack your luggage. Your luggage is on its way to the airport now."'Dr. Sander is so thoughtful,' Abigail thought before gratefully saying, "Thank you, Dr. Sander!"Dr. Sander smiled as she responded, "Xander did all that. If you want to thank someone, thank him."Abigail was speechless.She thought, 'It's Xander again!'I'm not even sure if I can bring Emma away without his help this time. I should thank him
"Do you really think Ron won't find Emma after you leave Valtara with her?" Xander knew Ron cared about Emma. That was why he let Emma leave. But Abigail did not know about that.Abigail had a bad feeling as she asked, "Mr. Zane, what do you mean?"Xander continued saying, "I was the one who took her away this time. Ron was willing to do me a favor. But you should know what kind of a person he is. If you don't, you can ask Emma. You ask her if she wants to stay at The HC Residences. And give me the answer afterward."Abigail had heard many rumors about Ron. The most important one was that he was vengeful.If Ron temporarily let Emma go for Xander's sake, it was possible that he would take her back anytime if she was no longer under Xander's protection.Emma almost killed herself just to escape from Ron. Abigail could not bear to watch Ron take Emma back to Valtara.If Emma was to live permanently in Florivera, Xander was indeed the best and most reliable anchor. Moreover, he was
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