The news of Aaron and Elaine's accident, where their car had plummeted off a cliff, spread rapidly and caused a huge sensation within a few hours. The first casualty was Aaron's company's stock price, which hit the daily limit down by the time the market closed that day.Ralph Brown sat on the sofa, leaning on his crutches, appearing unusually silent. His thoughts were inscrutable. A hurried set of footsteps approached from outside, and Lilian, crying loudly, was assisted by a servant as she entered."Father, I'm begging you, save Aaron. You must find a way to save Aaron. He's still so young," Lilian implored.Ralph Brown replied, "Tell them to prepare the private jet. Whether it's to see the living or to confirm the dead, there's no reason for anyone from the Brown family to die without explanation.""Yes," Luke acknowledged and immediately took out his phone to arrange for the private jet.Lilian, her face soaked in tears, halted her crying at her father's words, her face filled wit
"I don't care, I will never leave you here alone!" Elaine's stubbornness was unstoppable once it flared up. She firmly refused to leave, leaning back into her seat, her arms crossed over her chest, determined not to move.The pain left Aaron unable to think clearly, and Elaine's determination was giving him a headache. Summoning the last shreds of his composure, he emphasized once more, "I can still hold on. You go find help. I promise I won't die, okay?"She bit her lip, refusing to speak. The water inside the car was rising, already reaching their knees. The air was growing thinner with each passing moment. Aaron's every breath became labored, and he started to see double. He raised his head with great effort to look at Elaine and sighed helplessly. "Why can't you just listen to me for once?"Elaine's tears continued to fall, mingling with the blood staining her face, blurring her vision. Hearing this, her tears flowed even more fiercely. She looked at Aaron, resolute, and said, "I
"Miss, miss..."Elaine turned her head, spitting out some water. She struggled to open her eyes, and the sunlight poured in, making her squint. She closed her eyes again and then opened them, greeted by the sight of a vast blue sky."Miss, you're finally awake!"A woman's voice echoed in her ears. Elaine turned her head and saw the face of a middle-aged woman. Seeing that she had woken up, the woman smiled warmly.Elaine was relieved that she hadn't died. She smiled but then suddenly froze. She grabbed the woman's wrist, her grip strong enough to make the woman wince. Elaine sat up abruptly, her voice urgent and anxious. "Where's Aaron? How is he?"The woman blinked in confusion. Elaine's anxiety startled her. She stammered, "You mean the man who fell into the water with you? His condition... doesn't look good.""Where is he?" Elaine's voice trembled, her tone sharp and piercing. She pushed the woman away and tried to stand up. The woman hurried to support her. "Miss, you've just woke
"Mom, what's going on? Please, say something, Mom!" Sarah continued to pound on the door from outside, each knock causing Melissa to tremble. She knew how much her daughter depended on Aaron, which is why she had sacrificed even her 3% stake, making one mistake after another, all in an effort to pave a path to happiness for Sarah. But now, Aaron was no longer there. How could she explain this to Sarah?No matter how hard she knocked, Melissa refused to open the door for her. Sarah grew increasingly frustrated, turned and walked away while pulling out her phone. "Cathy, have you seen the news? Is it true that Aaron is in trouble? Have you heard anything?" she asked urgently."What do you expect me to know? If you don't know what's going on, how could I?" Cathy's tone was far from the usual flattery.Sarah found this irritating and raised her voice, "What's wrong with you? I'm just asking if you've heard any news. Why are you being so sarcastic? I called you because I'm worried!"After
Even though Aaron had woken up, he remained very weak. Due to the leg injury, he couldn't even get out of bed. But at least he was awake and out of immediate danger. This was enough to make Elaine happy. She fed him some food, and Aaron drifted back into a fitful sleep. Elaine finally sighed with relief and, after spending a day and a night by his side, stepped out of the small cabin.The scenery outside was breathtaking, and Elaine took a deep breath. The air she inhaled carried the scent of fresh grass.Aunt Grant noticed her coming out and waved, "Elaine, come sit with me and talk."Elaine nodded with a smile and walked over to Aunt Grant. "Did you grow these vegetables yourself?""Yes, my husband and I live up here in the mountains. We grow our own food, keep a few chickens for eggs and meat. We don't have much on our minds; we just enjoy living comfortably," Aunt Grant explained with contentment evident in her words and demeanor.From the way she spoke and acted, Elaine could tel
Aaron woke up again in the evening. Rest had somewhat improved his weakened body, and his complexion had slightly improved. He glanced around the simple room and didn't see Elaine. He felt a mixture of disappointment and concern. He struggled to prop himself up with his arms."Don't move," Elaine entered with a wooden ladle and, seeing him trying to get up, she put down the ladle and rushed to support him. "Your leg was just reattached; be careful not to injure it again!"Nervously, she checked Aaron's right leg to ensure that the splint was still secure. She breathed a sigh of relief, then absentmindedly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. It was only then that she realized Aaron hadn't spoken in a while. When she lowered her head, she was met with his dark, mesmerizing gaze, as if made of obsidian, and it made her suddenly feel nervous.Aaron chuckled softly and took her hand, holding it in his palm.Elaine sat down at the edge of the bed, following his lead. She asked, "U
Aaron showed remarkable wisdom, and it seemed he understood Lionel well. On the same day, a small team arrived in the mountains, armed and ready, to search the area around the crashed car.As night fell, the sky, surrounded by the mountains, was breathtakingly beautiful. Grant and his wife decided to take a walk outside, leaving the F-room for Aaron and Elaine.Aaron leaned against the head of the bed, sensing Elaine's disappointment. He patted the empty space next to him and said, "Come up here.""I'm not tired," Elaine misunderstood his intention.Aaron chuckled at her misunderstanding and pulled her onto the bed. "You're overthinking it. I want you to look at the stars."With that said, Elaine felt a bit uncomfortable. Aaron had her snuggle up against him as he pushed open the wooden window, revealing the stunning night sky.The night in the mountains was eerily quiet, so quiet it felt almost unsettling. There was no source of light outside other than the stars, and the room itself
Elaine woke up in Aaron's arms, and upon seeing that he was still asleep, she didn't disturb him. She got up quietly, opened the door, and found Grant chopping firewood. She decided to approach Grant since she had found his reaction strange after hearing the gunshot last night. It seemed like he knew something but hadn't mentioned it. This was an opportunity to ask him about it and inquire about Aaron's leg injury."Good morning, Uncle Grant," she greeted.Grant neatly stacked the split firewood and looked up when he heard her voice. "Good morning."Elaine asked, "Uncle Grant, do you really think the gunshot we heard last night was just a hunter shooting?"Grant hesitated for a moment, seeming uncertain, and then asked in response, "There's something I didn't tell you. Yesterday afternoon, I went to another part of the mountain to collect herbs, and I saw several men wearing camouflage clothing. It seemed like they were searching the mountain. At the time, I thought they were hunting
In the following weeks, Lance frequently invited Sylvia to meet up. Gradually, Lance developed feelings for Sylvia and decided to confess his feelings. However, Sylvia felt he was too young for her and turned him down.A few days later, Sylvia was taking a break in her office. She heard footsteps approaching the door and assumed it was a nurse coming to remind her about a patient. She set down her coffee cup and stood up. But when the door swung open, it wasn't a nurse who entered; it was Lance, dressed in a suit and holding roses.Almost reflexively, Sylvia's heart skipped a beat. She pretended to flip through patient records and casually asked, "Why are you here?"Not receiving an immediate response from Lance, Sylvia raised her head to find him standing less than two meters away, holding roses and looking directly at her.Lance said, "You asked me to think it over carefully, and I did that after I went back."His expression was incredibly earnest, and Sylvia's fingers, gripping the
Seeing the young man staring at her, Sylvia wasn't one to be subtle. Considering the potential identity of the young man, even though she didn't have any disdain for that profession, she still felt a bit strange. So, taking advantage of the moment when the man was in a daze, she swiftly moved out of his embrace.Realizing that her arms were suddenly empty, Lance snapped back to reality. He lowered his head and looked at his empty arms, feeling a sense of loss. A trace of disappointment appeared on his clean face, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly."Lance, I advise you to think it over. I'm offering you a high price. Don't regret it!" The woman took the opportunity to approach, and her finger almost pointed at Lance's nose in an arrogant manner.Sylvia didn't like this woman at all and wanted to teach her a lesson. However, her hand was pulled by Lance, whose fingers were clean and slender, with neatly trimmed nails, just like him, giving off a very clean impression.Sylvia lowered he
From a very young age, Sylvia displayed a different side compared to other girls. While most girls immersed themselves in pretty princess dresses and shades of pink, and vied for the attention of handsome young men, Sylvia showed little interest. Furthermore, she had an exceptional older brother, Lance, which led her to have high standards when it came to men. Ordinary young men simply couldn't capture her interest. During her school years, many pursued her with flowers and gifts, but failed to attract her. Later, when she began working in the emergency department of a hospital, she encountered gory scenes every day. Her conversations were often peppered with terms like "fracture," making her one of the renowned figures at St. Love Hospital's emergency department. Sylvia didn't think much of men. They seemed to exist only to fulfill certain needs, and she had little desire for such things. Having become accustomed to being on her own over the years, even as her family members marrie
In mid-September, Renee gave birth to a baby girl. When Elaine and Aaron arrived at the hospital, they saw the newborn baby, wrinkled-faced and tiny. Elaine looked at her with great affection and couldn't wait to hold her.The nurse carefully handed the baby to her, a soft bundle that seemed fragile, as though she might break with a wrong move. Elaine held her with stiff movements, as if cradling something extremely delicate. She didn't dare to breathe too heavily."She's so small and so soft," she exclaimed excitedly. Elaine turned to look at Aaron and was surprised to see a hint of tears in his eyes. She was momentarily taken aback. The baby in her arms had already been taken away by the nurse."I have to take the baby to the nursery. Family members can go there to see her," the nurse said and left with the baby.In the corridor, it was just Elaine and Aaron. Elaine placed her hand on her swollen abdomen, then linked her arm with Aaron's, and smiled. "We'll have our own baby very so
As time passed, Elaine's belly gradually grew larger. With Aaron's meticulous care, she gained a little weight. Her once sharp chin filled out, and her complexion improved.During these two months, a significant event occurred: Ralph Brown passed away. He transferred all of Aaron's company's 30% of shares to Elaine, left the old Brown family mansion to Vincent, and the other five properties, including cars and various antiques, to Trevor. Mavis, at first, didn't agree with this distribution of the inheritance. Elaine didn't want those shares either, but the lawyer explained that if Elaine refused, the shares would have to be donated to a charitable organization. So, in the end, Elaine had to accept the shares. Mavis had no choice but to accept it as well, as the will had legal effect.Elaine already had 10% of Aaron's company shares, and with the additional 30%, it meant that Aaron's company ultimately returned to Aaron's control.Throughout this process, Aaron remained silent. He see
Aaron brought Elaine back to their home. He carried her upstairs, being gentle and considerate. "You're so cold. Let me run a hot bath for you."In truth, Elaine wasn't cold; it was his own body that felt icy.Seeing his lips turning purple, Elaine couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke his cheek. "I'm sorry for making you worry."Aaron just shook his head. "As long as you're okay."Elaine bit her lip. "I'm not okay. I've really thought about ending it, why go on living to face all that pain?"As her words fell, Elaine distinctly felt Aaron's arm around her tightening. Nevertheless, she continued, "I just thought of the baby in my belly. I've already killed one. I can't harm this one too, so..."Her words caused Aaron's entire body to tense. Yet, he was also relieved that they had this child. Otherwise, he might have lost Elaine forever. He shifted his gaze to her abdomen and softly said, "Thank goodness for you."Elaine was unaware of his thoughts, and her fingers instinctivel
After two days of anxious waiting, Melissa finally received the DNA test results, confirming that she and Elaine were indeed mother and daughter. The samples had been provided by Melissa herself, and the hair samples, including Elaine's and hers, couldn't have been falsified.Her fingers trembled uncontrollably. Melissa staggered backward, her back against the wall, unable to contain the shivers running through her body. Elaine was really her daughter.She was the same daughter she had heartlessly abandoned in the wilderness during that winter, the daughter she had forsaken in her ruthless quest for revenge against Tatum. She had harbored murderous intent against her daughter not once, but three times, all in the name of saving Shumo Ran's life.Elaine was her daughter!..."Aaron, hurry and find Elaine. She drove off by herself, and we're worried she might be in danger. You must find her!" Renee's voice sounded frantic on the phone."What happened? Why did Elaine leave home like that
More than an hour later, Elaine woke up. When she opened her eyes, there were people standing around her hospital bed. She blinked and felt some discomfort in her shoulder. Her brow furrowed slightly.Aaron, anxious, immediately asked, "What's wrong? Do you feel uncomfortable somewhere?"Elaine shook her head. "I'm okay. Thanks for worrying."She remembered Calvin, the man who had pushed her away, and asked anxiously, "How is Calvin?"She tried to sit up but was gently restrained by Sylvia. "Don't worry; he's okay. He has a broken leg, but the other injuries aren't too severe."Elaine, reassured about Calvin's condition, patted her stomach. "Oh, yes, I almost forgot about the baby."Aaron stopped her from moving further, saying, "The doctor said you should try to move as little as possible. Don't forget, there's a baby in your belly."Elaine rested back down.Over the next few days, Aaron not only took care of Elaine but also investigated why the driver had veered toward her. He found
Tatum went to the Garcia household since Melissa wasn't at home. After waiting for about half an hour, he heard the sound of a car outside. Tatum suddenly looked up, a hint of panic in his eyes, and slowly stood up from the sofa. It was indeed Melissa returning. She was holding her phone and talking on the phone, saying, "Don't worry, as long as you complete this task for me, I promise to send your wife and child abroad. Yes, the two million deposits have been transferred to your wife's account. I'm waiting for good news from you. Remember my requirements, go all the way!" Then she hung up and walked into the house. "Melissa!" Tatum looked at the weary woman before him. If only he hadn't insisted on leaving all those years ago... "You..." Melissa looked at the person before her, and a vague image in her mind became clearer, merging with the man before her as if he were the man from her hallucinations. She opened her mouth as if to say something but suddenly clutched her head, her