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
This dress—whether it was the size, the style, or even the potential chemical hazards from the new fabric—had clearly been carefully considered by Nathan. The price was undoubtedly astronomical.Why had he suddenly changed his mind and let her replace Victoria to attend tonight’s gathering?the Hill family maid also felt awkward and sympathetically comforted Isabella. “Madam, would you like us to try another store?”Isabella waved her hand dismissively and walked into the luxurious boutique where Victoria was.Victoria looked up at her in surprise. Then, she began to nonchalantly flaunt her dress.“Bella, do you like this dress? Isn’t it beautiful?”Isabella responded calmly, “Diamonds represent eternal love. But if you wear that, wouldn’t those elite men misunderstand and think you’re already married? That would mean you’d miss out on many good marriages.”Victoria’s face turned pale, but she quickly changed the topic. “Bella, you came to buy a dress, right? Pick whatever you like. I’
"The brutal murder of the rental house sisters, why such haste in mutual destruction?" The headline quickly appeared on the trending topiclist. There is evidence with the pictures.When Thea saw this article, she was actually drawn to the characters in the pictures in the article.The little boy stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing at the little girl in front of him. The sunlight bathed him, making him look so divine.Like a savior.Thea, however, felt a chill running through her body.Eric and Emma finally met."What's wrong?" Thorne walked over, placing a gentle hand on Thea's shoulder. His gaze skimmed over the article on the phone screen, and Thorne sighed."Don't worry, it was me who arranged their meeting. I thought that once Eric and Emma met, he would forget about bothering us. After all, Emma's situation is enough to keep him occupied."Thea stared at Thorne and said, "I wasn't afraid of Eric and Emma meet
Eric crazily picked up the stick, intending to smash it down on the man's head again. However, for some reason, a trace of fear suddenly overflowed from his pupils, and the stick weakly slipped from his palm.Emma stood at the door and saw this scene, confusion welled up in her eyes.The man turned his head and saw that it was just a child. His previously panicked face instantly twisted into a grimace. He pushed Eric away and said, "Get lost, you little brat. How dare you ruin my good thing."Eric sat down on the ground, kicking weakly with heavy breaths.The man lost interest, he pulled up his pants, dropped a 100note, and walked away grumbling.The paralyzed woman, with a lifeless face, still managed to pull the blanket over herself.Emma looked at the woman with a puzzled expression and asked, "Don't you feel humiliated living like this?"A tear welled up in the woman's eyes, and her body visibly trembled. "Yes, I also wanted
Ingrid returned home, looking disheveled with messy hair and clothes in complete disarray, with bruises all over her body.Her mother, Hana, saw her daughter's appearance and panic filled her eyes, “Ingrid, what is going on with you?"Ingrid gritted her teeth and angrily said, "It's all because of Samuel. My classmates don't believe me anymore. Mom, where is my little brother?"Hana walked towards the bedroom and raised her voice, shouting, "Eric."The bedroom door slowly slid open, and a gloomy-faced little boy stood at the entrance. He stared coldly at Ingrid and said, "Samuel?"Ingrid nodded, "He seemed to know your secret."Eric glanced at the wounds on Ingrid's body and couldn't help but feel frustrated, “It's no surprise that he knows my secret. Didn't I tell you before? The Brown family and the Fletcher family are both mysterious families. Be careful."Ingrid said, "He asked me to pass on a message to you, telling y
Ingrid was furious, “You are young, yet your thoughts are so malicious. Aren't you afraid that your grandfather will blame you for giving away the Fletcher family's assets to outsiders?"Samuel was speechless. "Where do you get the audacity to think that your position in my grandfather's heart would surpass mine?"Ingrid had a determined look on her face.Samuel laughed again, "Besides, my grandfather's assets, he can give them to whoever he wants, I have no objections at all. If I want money, I will earn it myself."The words embarrassed those who had the idea of getting something for nothing, turning their faces red with shame.Ingrid's tears flowed incessantly as she became furious, "You have so much integrity, just don't cry later."Samuel was speechless, "At least now it's not me who's crying."Although he was young, he was a head taller than Ingrid, and when he had a stern expression, a chilling aura surrounded his feature
Samuel picked up a cup of tea and respectfully handed it to Kassidy. He even flattered her by saying, "Please have some tea."Kassidy took the tea and drank it all in one gulp, tilting her head back. The furrowed brow had a touch of youthful innocence, as if she didn't know the taste of worry, but was trying to force a new sorrow upon herself.Samuel leaned in and had a mature look on his face, saying, "Don't be sad. Whatever knot in your heart that can't be untied, just tell me and I'll help you solve it, little brother."Kassidy wrapped one hand around Samuel and couldn't help but sigh, "Your brother is still the best. Those men outside, they all seem good-looking and knowledgeable, but why is it that none of them truly love and care for me? What is it that I am lacking?"Kassidy's eyes turned red as she continued speaking, "I was already very serious about managing my emotions. In order to find someone to spend the rest of my life with, I ended up with
Kassidy said, "Let's break up."The boy showed an incredulous expression and said, "Just because of this, you want to break up with me?"Kassidy's eyes showed a momentary sadness. But she was well aware that if her boyfriend could allow others to humiliate her, it meant that he didn't truly love her.She used to be blind in one eye.But Kassidy was a person who was too lazy to explain. She was very arrogant, saying, "Just for this."The boyfriend immediately got angry, "You are always so domineering and forceful. Any decision you make, I have to obey unconditionally. But why? I am also a person, I also have my own emotions. Since you have decided to break up, fine, I will grant your wish. Don't regret it."Kassidy glanced at the infuriated man and then walked outside.But Ingrid stopped her, “Kassidy, don't be angry, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have given him so much alcohol. He was just drunk, and when he wakes up, he will d
Samuel held onto William's neck and affectionately said, "Grandpa, as long as you are happy, I will unconditionally support any decision you make."William was very pleased and said, "Our grandson was not raised in vain."Kassidy's expression, however, was quite unnatural. She stammered, "Grandfather, you should go and investigate the background of that grandmother, shouldn't you?"William's eyes darkened, “Did you hear any rumors?"Kassidy noticed William's displeasure and nervously stepped back. They remained silent.Olivia said, "William, you scared the child. You are so smart, can't you see that Hana's daughter had impure motives for approaching Kassidy?"William just woke up from a dream and said, "Your female classmate's last name is Kerr?"Kassidy nodded fearfully.William fell silent.Thea sighed silently, realizing her father's persistence towards Hana, with the courage to resist societal norms, and she di
Thea, Olivia, and Thorne were sitting in a row on the sofa. When William saw them, he couldn't help but be taken aback, and then his old face became shy. "You guys haven't rested yet?"Olivia teased, "How can I sleep when my son and daughter-in-law are worried about your safety, an old man like you, not coming home so late? If they can't sleep well, naturally I can't sleep either."William felt ashamed and said, "Thea, don't wait for me anymore in the future. Although I am not young, I have just entered my prime, so I am not considered old."Olivia sighed and said, "Oh, love really makes people feel younger. A few years ago, who would have said to me, he's getting old. Half of his foot is buried in the yellow soil, with no other wishes in this lifetime, his last wish in life is for his daughter's well-being."William rolled his eyes at Olivia and said, "You, always so stubborn. I can't argue with you anymore, I'm going to bed."At this moment, Thea
Hana immediately showed joy, she straightened her clothes and adjusted her posture. Then, she tactfully and gracefully suggested, "Both Williamand I have been married before, and I have thought about it. Our wedding doesn't need to be extravagant, we just need to get the marriage certificate and invite our family and friends for a meal."Thea remained silent and continued to listen attentively to her advice."Since the wedding was not grandly celebrated, but the necessary three golds and dowry still had to be present. It didn't need to be a lot, just for the sake of formality. My main purpose was to appease my family."At this point, seeing that no one responded, Hana fell silent.Thea asked, "How much do you think is appropriate?"Hana paused, her gaze shifting towards the girl beside her.The girl, with an innocent and naive appearance, spoke in a childish accent about adult matters, “My aunt, who has a lower education level th