Zac frowned. Now he finally understood where the misunderstanding had come from, but he didn’t even have a chance to explain.He pulled up Alex’s number, but just before dialing, his thumb hovered over the screen. He couldn’t act impulsively again. He needed to organize his thoughts and choose his words carefully.A knock on the office door interrupted his thoughts. “Come in,” he said.His assistant entered, holding a file. “Dr. White, this is Miss Xander’s medical examination report.”“So soon?” Zac was surprised.The assistant glanced at the clock. “Dr. White, you’re the one who set the rule that reports should be ready within two hours. Isn’t this what you wanted?”Zac glanced at the wall clock. Had he really spent two hours just sitting here, lost in thought?“Ahem, alright, hand it over,” Zac said, coughing lightly as he took the file. As the head of the department, it wouldn’t look good if his staff caught him slacking off during work hours.“Close the door on your way
The villa showed clear signs of regular cleaning. Wilfred and Haley exchanged a knowing smile. It was obvious they were both recalling the time, five years ago, when she had attended a private art exhibition.“Oh, come on, you two,” Helen interrupted as they reached the parking lot, putting her phone away and abandoning her concern over her complexion. “Stop reminiscing in the middle of the road. Let’s get in the car and catch up at home. It’s only been a few days since you’ve seen each other.”“I’ve already made a dinner reservation at the restaurant,” Helen added. “It’s a welcome meal to thank you for helping transport the artwork.”As the bodyguard stepped forward to open the car door, Wilfred finally set Alex down and helped him climb into the car. Behind them, other bodyguards were loading the paintings into separate vehicles.Helen walked over and gave them a quick reminder. “Be careful! Don’t damage the artwork.” Once everything was securely packed, she got into the car la
By early evening, Haley was all dressed up and ready to leave. She joined Wilfred in the car as they set off together. Helen and Alex stood outside the car, waving enthusiastically. “See you later!” “Bye, Mommy! Bye, Uncle Wilfred!” As the convoy drove off, Helen glanced down at Alex, and the two exchanged mischievous smiles. With the two authority figures out of the house, they were free to enjoy themselves. Back inside, Helen grabbed her bag from her bedroom and headed downstairs. Alex stood in the living room, frequently checking his watch. “Aunt Helen, hurry up! We’re going to be late!” “Oh, stop rushing me! There’s plenty of time. The mall won’t close so early,” Helen said as she came down the stairs, taking Alex’s hand and strolling confidently out the front door. On the way out, she turned to the guards at the entrance. “Keep an eye on the house. We’re heading out for a bit.” “Yes, Miss Helen,” one of the bodyguards replied.Helen led Alex to the undergroun
When Heidi had given birth to Justin in her younger years, she had hoped to have a daughter next. However, her husband, knowing how difficult childbirth had been for her, had firmly refused to have another child. At the time, even though C-sections were available, medical advancements weren’t as developed as they are now.“Mrs. Yates?” The sales associate called out loudly, pulling Heidi out of her memories. She composed herself gracefully and walked over, pointing at the lipstick in Helen’s hand. “I’ll take this one. Please pack it for me.” “I’ll take this color,” two female voices said in unison. Helen and Alex turned around at the sound. It was uncanny—he looked so much like him! Heidi’s eyes softened as she gazed at the little boy in front of her with maternal affection. If Justin ever gave her a grandson, he would probably look just like this boy. “Right away, ma’am,” said the sales associate next to Heidi as she went to retrieve the product. Helen glanced at
Helen had no mood left for shopping and decided to take Alex straight to dinner. As they walked, Alex suddenly stopped and looked up at her. “Aunt Helen, didn’t you just promise me that if I helped you with the lipstick, you’d take me to play arcade games?” Helen nodded, not denying it. “I did. So, do you want to eat first or play games before dinner?” “Play first, of course!” Alex declared. “Alright,” Helen agreed. As they headed toward the upstairs restaurant, they passed through the men’s clothing section on the current floor. Alex stopped again, pointing ahead. “Aunt Helen, why don’t we buy something for Uncle Wilfred?” Helen glanced at the brand and shook her head. “Forget it. Your uncle only wears custom-tailored clothes. He’s not used to off-the-rack brands like these.” Unlike her and Haley, who loved shopping and could wear or buy whatever they fancied, Wilfred was much more particular. But Alex was persistent and still wanted to browse. He even had someo
“Why do adults always say one thing and mean another?” Alex couldn’t help but silently complain to himself. “Which of your eyes saw that my hesitation was me being tempted? That was clearly just a pause!” Helen defended herself, stiffening her neck as if to emphasize her point. Alex rolled his eyes. Both of his eyes saw it. He couldn’t understand what his aunt was struggling with—was having a boyfriend before his mom really such a bad thing? “Aunt Helen, it’s a seafood feast that requires a three-month reservation! Don’t you want to go?” Alex tilted his head, trying to convince her. Helen subtly swallowed at the thought. “Well, even if you don’t want to, I want to,” Alex declared confidently. *In a private third-floor room at Pearl Pavilion, the ocean view was beautifully illuminated by a dazzling display of lights. The restaurant owner had set up an array of outdoor lighting, creating the perfect ambiance for diners to watch the waves crashing against the shore whi
The convoy arrived at the Gibson estate, and Wilfred and Haley stepped out of the same car. Haley naturally took Wilfred’s arm as they walked toward the entrance.A valet directed the convoy to the parking area, while Wilfred dismissed his assistant and bodyguards, leading Haley inside to the banquet.“Mr. Wilfred,” Mr. Gibson greeted him warmly, a respectful smile on his face.Having heard from the valet that Wilfred had arrived, Mr. Gibson had personally come out to welcome him, accompanied by his wife and daughter.“Mr. Gibson,” Wilfred replied courteously.Haley stood quietly by his side, offering a polite smile and nodding to Mrs. Gibson and Miss Gibson in greeting.Miss Gibson, Xena Gibson, initially followed her parents with a look of disinterest. However, the moment her eyes landed on Wilfred, her demeanor changed. Her eyes widened with excitement, and a bright smile lit up her face. Straightening her posture, she greeted him in what she believed was her sweetest tone.
Xena pouted, her face awkward after being scolded by her father. Mrs. Gibson stepped in to defend her. “Stop filling her head with nonsense. She’s about to get engaged to Wilfred. Why shouldn’t she care? How could he bring another woman here and embarrass our family like this?” The Gibson family had been struggling for years. If not for Mr. Gibson Sr.’s connections, the family would have gone bankrupt and been devoured by rival corporations long ago. Mr. Gibson had a reputation for keeping numerous women on the side, a source of much of Mrs. Gibson’s suffering over the years. What woman wanted to share her husband? The bitterness she endured was enough for one lifetime. She couldn’t bear the thought of her daughter going through the same. The thought of Wilfred doing this to her daughter enraged her. “You... You’re just spoiling her!” Mr. Gibson jabbed a finger at his wife’s nose as he scolded her. “Enough! Stop annoying me and go stay with your grandfather,” he barked
As Mrs. White spoke, her face lit up with the unmistakable grin of someone deeply invested in her son’s love life. Mr. White took the phone from her, sat down beside her, and grinned just as widely. “That little rascal finally figured out how to chase a woman.” As a father, he was proud. But after the initial excitement, a hint of worry crept in. “Wait, no. I need to call him. I need to find out exactly what’s going on.” What if Zac didn’t know how to handle things properly? As a father, it was his duty to guide his son through this! But before he could dial, Mrs. White swiftly pressed down on his hand, stopping him. “They’re getting along just fine. Why would you call and ruin the moment? Do you want to be a third wheel?” “So… we’re not asking?” Mrs. White thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up. “We’ll text instead!” “Good idea.” *Meanwhile, Zac was completely focused on enjoying grilled skewers with his wife and nephews. He had no idea his cousi
For the past few days, Chase had been completely wrapped up in tracking down the person who had tried to harm his mom. He had hardly slept, let alone had any fun. Now that they had identified the real culprit, there was no way he was just going to head straight home. “I’m not eating. Let’s just go home.” “No way. After that much ‘exercise,’ you’re not hungry?”Helen’s face immediately flushed red. She shot a glare at Zac. What nonsense was he spouting in front of the kids?! Luckily, Alex didn’t pick up on the double meaning. He was just excited. “Yay! That means we don’t have to go home! Uncle Zac, you’re the best! I like you the most!” One sentence was all it took for Zac to start grinning from ear to ear.Smugly, he glanced at Helen and raised a brow, as if to say, “See? Even Alex is on my side.” Helen’s glare instantly shifted to the backseat. This little brat—whose side was he really on?! In the end, she had no choice but to give in. She called Evelyn a
“Child support,” Justin repeated under his breath, as if still processing the words.He had children now. He was a father. And like any father, he had a responsibility to provide for them. Just like the chairman of B&J Corporation, who had his own family, Justin had a family now too. But… Chase and Alex were already five. Did that mean they no longer needed vaccinations? He had missed five whole years of their lives. Five years. There were countless milestones he could have been part of, yet he had missed them all. That couldn’t happen again. From now on, he wouldn't allow himself to be absent from any part of their lives. He had to be there. Of course, what Justin meant by "seeing the kids occasionally" and what Haley understood were two very different things. Haley thought "occasionally" meant once or twice a year. Justin meant "occasionally" as in every single day. As in—he would see them multiple times a day. Haley, still lying on the bed,
Justin’s grandfather left the shares specifically for his great-grandsons. That could only mean one thing—he had met the boys. Justin's eyes grew misty again. Haley remained still, her back still turned to him, her voice laced with cold indifference. “You don’t need to thank me. The kids have nothing to do with you.” Yes, he was their biological father, but he had contributed nothing beyond his DNA. He hadn't been there, hadn't raised them, hadn't even known about them. So as far as she was concerned, they weren’t his. “Haley, I… I’m not trying to take them from you. I—I don’t want custody… No, that’s not what I mean, I do want them—” Justin, usually sharp and articulate in business, was completely tongue-tied in front of her. He sounded like a clueless, stammering kid, struggling to get the words out right. His desperation was obvious, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. Haley suddenly sat up, her voice sharp and unwavering. “Chase and Alex are my children.
Helen turned to Haley, slightly stunned, her expression silently asking if this was real. Haley shrugged and spread her hands. “Same as earlier today—Chase was defending Alex back then too.” Helen let out a breath, half exasperated, half amused. But she wasn’t about to let the brothers off just because of Chase’s plea. With a swift motion, she smacked each of them on the backside twice. Their cries echoed through the room, making Justin, still hiding in the side bedroom, frown deeply. Was Helen being too rough? The boys were actually crying out in pain. Outside, Alex clutched his behind, giving it a quick rub. As soon as the sting faded, he was back to his usual energetic self. Helen never actually hit him hard—just enough to make a point. Compared to punching a sandbag, this was nothing. Chase, on the other hand, wasn’t used to this at all. He furrowed his brows slightly, feeling an unfamiliar discomfort.After all, this was the first time in his life he had e
When Helen finished changing and glanced out the window, she finally realized that the sky had already turned dark. Her eyes darted to the clock on the wall. “Eight o’clock?!” Her voice shot up several octaves, practically loud enough to shake the ceiling. “Zac White, look what you’ve done!” “My bad, my bad. We’ll go pick up the kids right now.” At this moment, Zac wasn’t complaining about his chest pain anymore. He quickly admitted his mistake, so much so that Helen couldn’t even find a reason to keep scolding him. Grabbing their bags and car keys, the two of them rushed toward Haley’s hospital room. At the door, Helen reached out to push it open, but Zac beat her to it. Instead of barging in, he knocked loudly—so loudly it was as if he was afraid no one inside would hear him. Helen shot him a suspicious look. “Why are you knocking so hard? It’s not like my sister goes to bed this early. Wait, is Justin in there?” Only now did she remember that Justin existed.
Helen’s face started turning red, and she gave him a light slap. “Be serious, we’re in the hallway.” “Oww!” The moment she touched him, Zac doubled over, groaning dramatically as if he were on the verge of tears. Helen didn’t buy it. “Oh, come on. It wasn’t that bad.” She had barely tapped him! “It really hurts! If you don’t believe me, take a look.” As he spoke, he shamelessly started unbuttoning his white coat right there in the hallway, determined to show her his "injury." Helen panicked and quickly reached out to stop him, pressing his coat closed. The two of them wrestled—one trying to undo buttons, the other trying to fasten them back. “We’re in public! If you really want me to check, wait until we’re home tonight.” She was in a rush to pick up the kids and had no time to argue with him here. “Nope. You have to look now. It’s probably bruised, and you need to help me apply medicine.” “Medicine? You’re a grown man! Can you stop acting so fragile?”
“Are Chase and Alex with you?” Evelyn asked.Haley glanced down at the two children in her arms and replied calmly, “Yes, they’re here with me.” “Is Justin at the hospital? Did he see them?” Evelyn asked. Haley hesitated for a moment, her eyes drifting toward Justin, who was standing not far from her. Then, she lied to her mother. “No, he’s not here. I heard he went to meet with a business partner this afternoon.” “Good. I’ll have Helen go pick up the kids.” “Okay.” After hanging up, Haley tossed her phone onto the bed without sparing Justin a second glance. She didn’t explain her plans for the children to him, nor did she feel the need to. Justin wanted to ask, but with Chase and Alex present, he held back. Haley lifted Alex from her lap, wiping away the tears on his cheeks before continuing her lecture. “Do you know who just called?” Alex sniffled. “Grandma…” “That’s right! You two snuck out without telling anyone. Do you know how worried she was?” She
This was the first time Alex had ever seen Mommy this angry. She had never been like this before. He was so scared! “I don’t want Uncle Justin anymore… Mommy~~ hic… hic.”Alex cried so hard that he started hiccupping uncontrollably. No matter how angry Haley was, seeing her little son in such distress broke her heart. She pulled him into her arms, gently patting his back to help him catch his breath. At the same time, she scolded sternly, “I’m calling home right now. Someone will come and take you both back!” Justin had more bodyguards stationed at the hospital than she did. She didn’t trust him. The only way she could feel at ease was by keeping the children safe at home, surrounded by family. Justin and Chase both wanted to speak, but Chase beat him to it. “Mommy, sneaking to the hospital was my idea. This has nothing to do with Alex. If you want to discipline someone, discipline me.” Justin wanted to step closer but hesitated. He watched as the three of them