She examined Isabella with a probing look. "I heard from your sister that you've done well for yourself. Are you now the wife of a rich family?"Isabella’s heart clenched instinctively, every nerve in her body seemingly pulled tight, as though her blood had frozen, and her vitality was slowly draining away."What brought you here?" she asked, her voice trembling ever so slightly."You haven’t come to see me for such a long time," her mother began, shifting into her usual mode of complaint. "Bella, I have a terminal illness. I don’t have much time left. Before I die, I want to see you. I tried calling you many times, but you never answered. I sent you messages, but you never replied. Did you forget about me now that you're doing well and have become successful...?"Her voice broke, and she started to sob.Isabella looked coldly at the woman who had brought misfortune into her life. How could she have the face to say this? When she was so young, this woman had transferred all her frustra
Isabella smiled, but the smile was bitter and filled with sadness."Haven’t I already given up enough? When I was little, I also wanted to stay with my wealthy father, but she chose him first, so I stayed silent. Later, when her kidneys failed, I gave her one of mine. And now, she wants my husband..."Her gaze grew cold as she stared at her mother. "Tell me, why must I keep giving everything to her?""It’s you who owe her, not me," her mother responded, a flash of guilt passing through her eyes. "She was spoiled growing up. Without Nathan, she wouldn’t be able to survive. Bella, you’ve suffered enough. Without Nathan, you’ll still be able to adapt to hardship... Please, do the right thing and give him to your sister."Isabella’s voice trembled as she stared at her mother, her face pale as paper."I’m your daughter too! Why do you think only Victoria deserves to have a happy life, and I have to live in the mud forever?""You’re not just Victoria’s mother, you’re my mother too. How could
"Who will be paying back the borrowed money?" Isabella raised an eyebrow and asked.Isabella's mother replied as if it were obvious, "You’re my daughter, so of course, it’s you who will pay it back!"Isabella gritted her teeth and shouted, "But I’m not your only daughter!"Her mother, angered, snapped back, "Why are you so petty? I didn’t raise your sister, so I can’t ask her for money. Besides, your sister is so frail and has many medical needs, and you can help her share the financial burden. What’s the harm in that?"Isabella’s body trembled with rage. "You..."Theo’s long, jade-like fingers gently tapped her shoulder, soothing her in a silent, almost imperceptible way.Isabella turned and gave him a grateful but bitter smile."Bella, you’re a bit too worked up. Let me talk to her," Theo suggested.Isabella knew she was in an emotional breakdown when facing her mother and would not be able to have a rational conversation with her.So, she stepped back.Theo took a step forward, shie
"From now on, I don’t want to see you near Bella. If you upset her again, I’ll make sure you spend the rest of your life in prison."Isabella’s mother seemed shaken, her voice lacking conviction as she asked, "Who are you? Do you really have that kind of power?"Theo coldly replied, "You don’t deserve to know my name.""In a few days, my people will deliver the check to you."With that, Theo took Isabella’s hand and left.Isabella’s mother stared at their retreating figures, her eyes filled with confusion and resentment.She quickly turned and went to the Hill Group.When her assistant led her to Nathan’s office, Nathan looked surprised, and there was a trace of distaste in his eyes as he met her gaze."What are you doing here?" he asked.Isabella’s mother nervously rubbed her hands together. "Nathan, I really need to talk to you about something important."Nathan nodded at his assistant. "You can leave now."The assistant left, closing the door softly behind him, but didn’t immediatel
The pen in Nathan’s hand slipped and clattered onto the desk.His chest heaved with uneven breaths, and his emotions seemed to shift, growing more agitated. “Who is that man?”Regardless of whether Isabella had cheated or not, the fact that she was seen walking so closely with another man was enough to make Nathan feel humiliated.Isabella’s mother replied, “I don’t know his name, but he’s tall, slim, wears sunglasses, and is dressed in a Givenchy suit, with a very expensive diamond watch. He’s very protective of Bella. I only touched her head, and he went wild, pushing me away. It’s clear he cares a lot for her.”Nathan’s face suddenly darkened.Although he didn’t love Isabella, the thought of another man fulfilling the role of protector, the role he was supposed to take as her husband, ignited a wave of possessiveness and jealousy within him.Isabella’s mother scrutinized him closely. “Son-in-law, that man looks wealthy, and he's handsome too. His manner is just as impressive as your
His dependence on her was the kind one has for family.Isabella suddenly smiled brightly, pinching Theo’s cheek. “Mm, we’ll always be the closest of people.”Let her live in the moment, not in the past.In this life, Theo’s decisiveness had been completely stripped away by her. He would always be the little brother she wanted to protect.“Did you hear? Bella, you’ve returned to the Hill family?”Theo suddenly changed the subject, his handsome face now shadowed by a cold and dark expression.Isabella spoke to herself, “Mm. I’m Mrs. Hill. I have no reason not to go back to the Hill family.”Theo hesitated, then murmured, “While you were abroad, Nathan and Victoria were always seen together. the Hill family never acknowledged your position as Mrs. Hill publicly. I fear they never accepted you.”He paused, looking concerned. “If you go back, I’m afraid they’ll humiliate you in every way…”Isabella’s gaze was calm, like the deep sea.the Hill family had not only refused to accept her as the
But Isabella quickly composed herself, masking any sign of unease, and nonchalantly changed her shoes before heading upstairs. She walked past Nathan as if he doesn’t exist.Nathan’s anger surged. “Isabella, stop!”Isabella paused on the stairs, turned, and looked down at him. “Is there something you need?”“Where did you go this late? Shouldn’t you explain yourself?” Nathan questioned.Isabella furrowed her brows. “I remember you saying earlier today that we should live our separate lives and not interfere with each other. So, where I go doesn’t seem to be your concern, does it?”Nathan was taken aback.He hadn’t expected her to slap him with such a reminder so quickly.Before, he had been so sure that a woman like Isabella, without family wealth or status, could never find a man better than him. He had assumed that a traditional woman like her would never do anything so bold. That’s why he felt so free to propose such an open marriage.Now, he regretted it.He stepped closer, his f
It was the first time Nathan realized that his closeness with Victoria was something Isabella found repulsive.After saying this, Isabella turned and walked away with a lightness that seemed almost carefree.Not wanting Nathan to cause trouble for Theo, she casually threw over her shoulder, “He’s just a friend.”Nathan let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.“Since he’s just a normal friend, then you should mind your behavior and be aware of the situation. We wouldn’t want to cause any misunderstandings.”Isabella paused, as if remembering something. She stopped in her tracks and slowly turned back.Her eyes, as cold as a still, bottomless well, fixed on him. “Nathan, who smeared dirt on me?”Nathan hesitated, a flicker of guilt crossing his features. He knew that her relationship with her mother was strained, yet today he had allowed Isabella’s mother to meet with her and even let her spread rumors and harm Isabella.“Nathan, I’m grateful for the time you once saved me fro
Samuel howled, "But I didn't want to accept it."It was late.Drake came in holding a roster. He opened the roster, which had photos of the blind date participants - some with makeup, some without, as well as candid shots and work photos. It also contained the archival records of the individuals from birth until now."Please take a look."Kassidy eagerly took the boys' roster, while Samuel held the girls' roster and they both started flipping through them."Wow. They're all so good." Kassidy exclaimed enthusiastically, "So handsome and talented... I like every one of them. Except for this rich young man... What a nickname, 'Foodie'? This photo must have been photoshopped, definitely a chubby person..."She threw the roster to Drake, "Everyone except him."Drake smirked.Samuel pouted and said, "This chest is too small.""This hair color was too yellow." "This leg was a bit thick.""This waist would be perfect if i
Eric returned home and only then did he realize that his mother, Hana, had already been discharged from the hospital. Ingrid's attitude towards him had become much colder. In fact, she even showed a hint of disgust towards him."Eric, where have you been hiding these days when mom had a car accident and was hospitalized?"Eric, with the postoperative sequelae, was very weak and feeble, saying, "I had a little accident..."Hana finally noticed something unusual about her son, “What's wrong with you?"Eric lifted up the hem of his shirt, revealing the surgical scar on his lower back. "I had my kidney taken away by someone."Hana's pupils dilated, filled with fear. "How could this happen?"Eric closed his eyes in pain and said, "This matter is hard to put into words."Ingrid, who was skilled in calculations, immediately realized that the value of Eric's utilization had been discounted."You were not feeling well now, so will you b
Eric said, "Kassidy, please stop talking. I believe this wasn't done by you. Your character is just like your mother's, both of you are honest and kind people, who would never stoop to such despicable means."He lowered his head in shame and said, "I am getting what I deserved."Kassidy stared at Eric expressionlessly. It was strange, as once she had faced Nathan's myriad of turbulent and grand emotions, but now she was calm like dead ashes.In the end, she simply said, "I didn't mean to not save you. I truly didn't realize how difficult your situation was."With boundless hatred towards that man, Emma pleaded with Kassidy, "So now, could you please help us seek justice?" Despite the pleading tone, her voice was firm, tinged with a hint of reluctant inexperience.Kassidy stared at her coldly and said, "Why should I help you?"Emma was stunned, and then her little face turned bright red.Yeah, why did Kassidy save her?She shoul
Emma trembled as she asked, "Which place do you want?"The man's gaze fell on Eric's waist, “Kidney."Eric couldn't help but feel a chill run through his entire body, as if every nerve was connected to his heart. A sense of unbearable despair washed over him from his heart."I disagreed," Eric roared.The man looked at him with an increasingly cold gaze, “My son was sick. He was the same age as you all, but he developed kidney failure at such a young age. The doctor said he must have surgery as soon as possible, otherwise he won't survive this year. I won't let him die, so I must find a suitable kidney source for him... As long as he can live, I don't care about breaking the law..."Eric shouted impatiently, "You idiot, not everyone's kidney is suitable for him. If we give him our kidney, it could cause rejection, and your son would die even faster."Snap-The man slapped Eric in the face and menacingly said, "How dare you curse my so
The man's face darkened, and his eyes, filled with a predatory gaze, stared at Eric. "You wouldn't be deceiving me, would you? Eric, do you realize the consequences of deceiving me?"Eric was speechless, he was dumbfounded by the man's lack of intelligence. "My phone is in your hands, I didn't have time to tamper with it. Kassidy's phone number has always been stored in my phone. If you can't reach her, it's probably because her phone is currently with her."The man thought for a moment and felt that what he said made some sense. Then he took a deep breath and said, "Then I'll give you another fifteen minutes. If Kassidy doesn't call to confirm that you have some relationship with her, then I won't be polite to you."Time passed by minute by minute.Eric's heart grew more and more anxious. He didn't know if Kassidy would call back in such a short amount of time.As the moment of the clock was about to end, Eric's phone rang. Eric let out a sigh of
Eric looked at the screen, but Samuel's words kept echoing in his ears. Suddenly, he fell to his knees, covering his face with both hands, tears and rainwater streaming through his fingers.Yes, Isabella has always been well. She was strong and optimistic, born in adversity but with a heart to overcome obstacles. She was loyal to love and loyal to her family, so she could receive selfless love from her family.Isabella, who was so good, was looked down upon by him in his past life. Now, as he finds himself trapped in a quagmire and realizes the hardships Isabella went through, he discovers that he cannot be as good as her at all. Eric is overwhelmed with shame.He deeply realized that he was not worthy of Isabella.However, Eric soon emerged from the melancholy of lost love. He had to save Emma, and the longer he delayed, the greater the danger she faced.He got up and ran hard.This time, he couldn't help but run for a long ti
Thea suddenly touched her face and said, "Your mother was young and still had her charm. If she had married a middle-aged man who was a good match for her, they could have built a marriage together. Maybe they could have lived a comfortable and peaceful life. But your mother insisted on flattering William and indulging in unrealistic dreams. In the end, she lost both her dignity and her wealth.""Ingrid, remember my words well: Be down-to-earth and work hard in life. Don't try to take shortcuts, as those who seek to gain without effort will not have a good outcome.""By the way, also tell Eric these words."Thea finished speaking and left gracefully.Little did she know, Eric, hiding in the stairwell, understood her words perfectly. He was now caught in a dilemma: a grounded life?Can he still reach the height of his past life?After Hana was discharged from the hospital, faced with a large amount of compensation money, she had no choice but
Hana was so angry that she trembled all over, "I never expected you rich people to be so unreasonable and heartless."Olivia laughed in anger, "I never expected you poor people to stoop so low in your desperate attempts to climb the social ladder. Even resorting to using your own uterus. Oh, not all poor people are as spineless as you, my sister Thea has a lot of pride."Hana took a desperate measure, treating the dead horse as if it were alive, and said, "If William is not willing to take responsibility, then I will accuse him of negligence.""Oh, so you finally reveal your true colors, huh? If you have the guts, go ahead and sue. Do you have any evidence? If you do, bring it out immediately, and we will register this child's household registration right away. If you don't have any evidence, it's not you suing him, but us suing you for damaging William's reputation."Hana couldn't argue with Olivia and left in a huff.Olivia continued to playfully
Hana panicked, "William, I was just momentarily anxious and spoke without thinking. Please don't be angry, I won't say these nonsense words again in the future."William was exhausted and said, "Let it go."The other side.Hana heard the busy tone coming from her phone, and her face froze. She looked helplessly at the pair of children next to her and said with great disappointment, "He wants me to hit this child? Just because I said bad things about her daughter being selfish and self-centered?"Eric frowned, deeply experiencing the despair of having a teammate who was a liability. He weakly retorted, "How many times have I told you that William is obsessed with spoiling girls? If you're with her, the stepmother will have to treat you better than your own mother. But you foolishly want to compete for favor with Jade."Hana held her son's hand, tears welling up in her eyes. "Son, can you help me? How can I change his mind? I don't want to terminate