The scene descended into chaos. There were a total of five robbers. Two of them held Elaine and Sarah hostage, while the other two pointed their guns left and right, and the remaining one swiftly snatched the auction items from the stage."Aaron, save me!" Sarah screamed in terror, desperately calling for Aaron's help.Elaine remained relatively calm. She looked down at the crowd, seeing people scattering and running for the exits. Calvin was being pushed by the crowd but still tried his best to reach the stage, shouting her name loudly, "Elaine!""Quick, run!" Elaine became anxious. If she couldn't escape today, she couldn't let Calvin be involved as well. If one of them could escape, that would be better than nothing.Ignoring Aaron's reprimand, Calvin tried to move forward again."Stop!" One of the black-clad men, holding a gun, shouted at him and fired a shot at his feet.Bang! Elaine trembled in fear, her face turning paler.Aaron saw this and clenched his lips uneasily. His temp
Sarah was the first to get agitated, "Elaine, you're so selfish! What are we going to do?"Elaine wanted to laugh. Some people indeed had double standards. Their lives mattered, but hers didn't? Ignoring Sarah's raging tantrum and the enigmatic Aaron, she noticed the approving glint in the eyes of the black-clad man. A glimmer of hope surged in her heart. Perhaps, these people would accept her proposal?"Aaron, say something!" Sarah urged anxiously. She feared that the kidnappers might agree to Elaine's suggestion, leaving her in a precarious situation. She had just gotten a new heart and didn't want to die!Aaron remained silent, ignoring her and not even looking at her. His cold and stern gaze was fixed on Elaine, as if he wanted to see through her. This woman... was she really this heartless? Had he ever said that he wouldn't save her? Yet, she had immediately abandoned him!Seeing that Aaron was unresponsive, Sarah hastened to beg the black-clad men, "My mother is the chairman of
The wind howled as the police cars had already arrived downstairs.Elaine strained to lift her head and saw Aaron's face. Just a moment ago, she thought she was done for, and her heartbeat almost stopped.The wind was too strong, blowing her long hair messily across her face, causing some discomfort. But in her line of sight, Aaron's face became clearer and clearer - the prominent veins on his forehead, the tightly furrowed brows, and the distorted features as he struggled to bear her weight.Her vision suddenly blurred again, warm tears welled up and dispersed in the wind. She felt so useless, finding solace in this tiny bit of warmth. At least, this time, he didn't completely abandon her!"Hold on," Aaron's body was half-hanging on the railing. The incident happened too suddenly, and when he rushed over, he instinctively reached out his right hand. Though he managed to catch Elaine in time, his right hand didn't have much strength left. With time passing, his right hand started to f
Mason smirked and patted Aaron's shoulder, pulling him back. He repeated, "Don't worry, when my sister gets married, I'll make sure to send you an invitation!"Aaron's face remained tense, not saying a word, but veins were visibly pulsing on his forehead. He felt so aggrieved! He had risked his life to save her, and yet here she was, hugging another man so affectionately. It was annoying, incredibly annoying.Ignoring Mason's sarcastic remarks, Aaron walked straight in, seemingly unaware of the warm atmosphere inside. He nonchalantly spoke, "I came to check on you. Are you okay?"Hearing his voice, Calvin felt Elaine trembling slightly in his arms. He slowly released her as she pulled away from him. With her withdrawal, Calvin felt a sense of emptiness in his heart, feeling somewhat lost, he pushed his glasses up.Elaine looked over Aaron's shoulder and saw that he seemed fine as well, but his gaze was filled with inexplicable anger, which puzzled her. After composing herself, she sai
On the way back to the Smith mansion, Calvin could clearly sense the change in Elaine. The old Elaine always had a faint sadness flowing through her, even when she smiled, it made people feel a pang of heartache. But now... Calvin couldn't help but glance at her. Elaine's delicate features were bathed in the golden morning light, and her bright smile was incredibly captivating. She was simply mesmerizing."Why do you seem happier after experiencing a disaster?" Calvin curiously asked."Really?" Elaine smiled, rubbing her cheeks with both hands, squinting her eyes towards the warm morning light. She felt an unprecedented sense of ease, and her tone naturally became cheerful, "I guess after experiencing a disaster, my mindset has changed a lot!""I've decided to go abroad," Elaine finally voiced her decision."Will you come back?" Calvin asked her."I will come back. Once I finally accept myself as I am, I will come back!" Elaine's voice sounded calm."What do you mean?" Calvin didn't u
Elaine was resting at home when Mason returned from work earlier than usual. As soon as he came home, he called her over, "I need to talk to you about something. Come here.""The black-clothed men didn't catch them," Mason said.Elaine wasn't surprised at all. Those black-clothed men were obviously well-prepared and trained. It wouldn't be easy to catch them.Noticing her calm expression, Mason furrowed his brows and turned back to her, "You don't seem surprised at all?""Well," Elaine nodded, "those people weren't ordinary robbers or kidnappers. They were likely hired."That was exactly what Mason was worried about. Annoyed, he asked, "Who do you think it could be?""I don't know," Elaine paused and added, "I don't want to know either. Cousin, I've decided something. I want to go abroad to study. I don't want to stay here for now."Mason was surprised. In fact, he had already suggested sending her abroad after he saved her. However, Elaine had refused at that time, and he couldn't fo
Aaron admitted to himself that he was never a righteous man, especially when faced with a woman as attractive as Elaine. This stirred up his intense desire to conquer her. He had always been curious about his feelings towards her, and the idea of a one-night stand with her crossed his mind. Just thinking about it ignited his desire.Completely forgetting that the woman he had pinned down was none other than Elaine, a woman with a known background. If he dared to touch her, it wouldn't only be the Smith family he had to face, but also the Garcia family!Seeing his unrestrained face closing in, Elaine was frightened. "Don't you dare!""Me, dare?" Aaron lightly laughed, his hot breath caressing Elaine's face ambiguously. He freed one hand to gently caress her cheek, his eyes scorching and devilishly teasing. "Don't you know that I've wanted to 'dare' with you for a long time?"Elaine was taken aback. She never imagined that Aaron would say such shameless words. She tried to move away fro
Until after 8 PM, Elaine still hadn't received a reply from Renee's email. Meanwhile, Aaron was unexpectedly interrupted by a transoceanic call, and the person on the other end seemed to say something that angered him. He shouted into his phone, "I said there is nothing to admit! Although I'm not a saint and have done some bad things, anything I've done, I won't deny. But if I didn't do it, you can go to hell with your accusations!"The person on the other end remained silent and hung up. Aaron was fuming, and if Jason hadn't knocked on the door and entered, he might have smashed his phone!"Mr. Brown," sensing the unusual low pressure, Jason spoke in a small voice, "we've already dealt with Lionel as you requested.""Mhm, and how's the investigation going on Dr. Wilson's matter?" Aaron asked."We haven't found anything yet," Jason's voice was even lower....Around 10 PM, Elaine finally received a reply from Renee's email. However, instead of giving an answer to Elaine's question, Re
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