Colin:...
Leah reached out, clutching his shirt, and whispered, "Alright, let me be more serious. Colin Darling, tomorrow, let's go back to Cloud City."
Colin looked somewhat surprised.
His tone lightened unintentionally. "Weren't we planning a date? Why the rush to return?"
"Let's reschedule the date for when we're back," she said slowly. "I need to see a doctor."
Colin's fingertip twitched.
Leah continued in a low voice, "Colin Darling, I'm sick."
Summoning her courage, she added, "Do you want to hear about my past? But you have to promise not to judge me after hearing it."
Colin reached for her, gently running his fingers through her long hair. "Sure."
Leah began slowly, "I had an unhappy childhood, Colin. I never had a father from the beginning."
"When I was still a baby, my father died in a car accident. My mother believed it was my fault because I had a fever that day. My father rushed back home, a
The following day, Diana slept in until late morning. John had already risen, leaving the room in serene silence, with only her presence to break it. She shifted her somewhat stiff body and memories of the previous night flushed her cheeks. "Damn," she muttered. She shouldn't have teased him like that. In the bathroom, she almost didn't make it out. John had to carry her out, her limbs giving way. Even as she drifted into slumber, her dreams were filled with John's endearing and teasing nicknames. That infuriating man didn't spare her even in her dreams. Diana tossed aside the covers and made her way to the bathroom. After her morning routine, she emerged from the room. Downstairs, John sat on the couch, engrossed in his laptop, presumably tending to business. On the nearby balcony, Leah, Mitbahl Misoup, and Ethan were gathered around a circular table, engaged in a card game. Everyone was dressed
But this time... Could it really be because of that woman, Diana? Patrick pondered, unable to come up with any other explanation. "Cough, cough." Standing in the light snow, Yosef couldn't help but cough a couple of times. "Sir, we should get inside quickly." Patrick immediately slipped a hand warmer into Yosef's grasp. Behind them, Kirin and Natalie stepped out of the car, gazing at Yosef's figure with growing concern. "The temperature has been dropping rapidly these past few days, and Mr. Nelson's condition seems to have worsened again," Natalie said, her worry evident. "You'd better worry about yourself. Mr. Nelson told you not to come, so why did you follow us?" Kirin shot her a sidelong glance. Previously, due to her unauthorized actions, Yosef had ordered Kirin to give Natalie twenty lashes. Now, even walking seemed a bit strenuous for her. "I'm fine," Natalie retorted, standing tall and fo
As she listened to the ever-increasing numbers, Diana quickly calculated in her mind. Oh no. It's almost exceeding her savings! Just then, the man beside her, John, raised his hand. "One hundred million." "One hundred million! This gentleman bids one hundred million!" The auctioneer was getting excited. Marlowe frowned, a tinge of jealousy welling up inside her. This woman was quite the schemer. Her man was willing to spend such a huge amount to please her. Marlowe bit her lip and turned to Yosef, wearing a slightly forlorn expression. Just as she was about to try and get him to support her, Yosef raised his hand. "Two hundred million." Marlowe hesitated for a moment and then felt a surge of excitement. He's bidding... Unexpectedly, Yosef was standing up for her?! Marlowe's eyes gleamed with excitement. She suppressed her inner turmoil and sat more firmly. With Yosef supporting her, that short sword was definitely within her grasp! But it seemed Yosef didn't have much f
That stubborn man, defying her words, was about to make a costly mistake. All she could do was pray that someone else would continue to raise the bids. And then... "25 billion," Yosef called out from his side. Diana exhaled sharply. Oh, no! She was terrified! Finally, it seemed like it was about to end. But then, John extended his hand and calmly said, "30 billion." Diana: !!! She pounded her chest frantically. She couldn't breathe; she was going to die! 30 billion! 30 billion, for heaven's sake! It was all about money! Diana's eyes wandered, as if she were watching a gold mine collapse before her eyes. "Come clean, you definitely want to buy this island, don't you? You must want it! Wait until we get back; I'll deal with you!" Diana scolded John. John remained composed. "Don't worry." Diana: ... What good was her worry! The bid had
Leah felt as though she had been lifted by someone's embrace. The embrace was warm and comforting. Occasional commotion reached her ears. She paid it no mind. She simply clung tightly to the person's shirt, as if holding onto a lifeline. Amid the turbulence, she fell into complete unconsciousness. She had no idea how much time had passed. Her eyelids trembled, and she regained consciousness. She squinted her eyes, adjusting to the light, and slowly opened them. What she saw was a clear blue sky. If it weren't for the chaos of the rescue efforts around her and the smell of burnt air, it seemed like everything before was just an illusion. "Are you awake?" A voice came from beside her. Leah sat up and raised her eyes. She looked towards the source of the voice. Then, she witnessed the most beautiful sight in the world. A young man sat on the bench next to her,
"Doctor Langstaff has seen her and said that she's undergone a severe emotional shock, leading to a rejection of reality and the emergence of a second personality." "This time, it might take a while..." Colin furrowed his brow. Doctor Langstaff implied that they should prepare for the possibility that Leah could remain trapped in this personality for the rest of her life. "So, how can we restore her original personality?" Diana inquired. Colin replied, "It requires a catalyst, but we don't know what it is yet. We'll have to explore and find a treatment method that combines her psychological trauma." Diana's heart sank. Does this mean Leah might not recover? In an instant, Diana felt an overwhelming sense of dread. One of her sisters-in-law had turned into a man, while the other had regressed to a five-year-old's intelligence. She now had deep concerns about her third sister-in-law. With Ben's ineptitude, would he choose someone even mo
"Well, Ben, our performance with Aunt Jones went really well, and we even got in touch with a renowned pianist," Diana explained. "I knew it! My angel!" Anthony's excited voice rang out from the other end of the phone. "I watched your performance live, and it was simply astounding, breathtaking, and a cause for celebration. The whole world gathered to witness it." As Anthony spoke, he pushed Ben aside, revealing his charming smile with a hint of playful mischief. "You're too beautiful, and you've completely captured my heart!" Ben pushed his head away, irritated. "Back off! Who gave you permission to use idioms all over the place?" "I'm just trying to express my admiration for Diana!" Anthony's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Diana, how's your relationship with John? When are you two breaking up?" "Don't get any funny ideas. I was just asking... If you do break up, I'm ready to swoop in, uh, I mean, be there to support you immediately!"
At least some of the pent-up frustration had dissipated. He waved to Mitbahl. "Come over here." "What for?" Mitbahl asked, bounding over eagerly. Jacob produced a card from his pocket. "Here's $1.5 million. Take it." "Captain?" Mitbahl gasped, his heart racing. Was he dreaming? The notorious skinflint Captain Jacob was giving him money. And so much of it!? What was this? This was love! "Captain, you're treating me so well. Could it be you've finally realized your feelings and fallen in love with me?" Mitbahl teased. "This money doesn't come for free." "I know," Mitbahl replied, a sly smile playing on his lips. He leaned against Jacob's chest, his finger tracing circles on Jacob's chest. "There's no such thing as a free lunch. I take your money, and I'm yours, sweetheart." Jacob kicked him out with a grunt. "Find a legitimate excuse and return this money to Ms. Thompson. If