At the kindergarten.Amy sat quietly on the swing, gently swaying back and forth. Tilting her head slightly, she gazed at Jeremy in the distance and murmured, "Jeremy, I'm not happy."Jeremy didn't even lift his head. He simply responded coldly, "Talk."Amy's eyes flickered with confusion and curiosity as she said, "Everyone else has a dad." She pointed toward a group of children playing not far away. Among them, a little boy was being lifted high into the air by his father, laughter ringing out."Mhm, I know. We have one too," Jeremy replied, still focused on his work."You mean Daddy Gavin?" Amy tilted her head."Mhm." Jeremy was beginning to lose patience. To him, Amy's questions were far too childish."Then why doesn't Daddy Gavin live with us?""Because Daddy Gavin isn't really our dad." Jeremy finally stopped what he was doing, his tone serious."Why not?""There's no reason. He just isn't.""Then who is our real dad?"Jeremy's body stiffened slightly. He slowly put down the blu
NighttimeInside X Villa, Alexander stepped out of the bathroom. He walked over to the liquor cabinet, took out a bottle of strong alcohol, and leaned elegantly against the plush sofa.For years, he had been haunted by a strange dream—an indistinct figure appearing and disappearing in the shadows. It seemed to be a woman. Every time, he tried desperately to see her face, but the closer he got, the blurrier she became until she eventually faded into the darkness.He had no idea how much time had passed when the sudden ringing of the phone in the living room pulled him back to reality. Reaching out, he picked up the receiver. A voice from the other end said, "Sir, we've found something. Your sister is alive."Alexander's body tensed instantly. His grip on the receiver tightened involuntarily...***Early the Next MorningPhoebe arrived at LD Corporation bright and early.The HR staff led her to the design department. Throug
For the past month, Phoebe's work had been progressing smoothly. She quickly adapted to the team and earned the recognition of both her colleagues and superiors. However, as her workload increased, the time she spent with the children grew less and less."Jeremy, are you sure this will help us find Mommy?" Amy stood at the kindergarten gate, her face full of worry as she looked up at Jeremy."Of course!" Jeremy grinned with confidence. "Just follow me closely."With that, he tightly grasped Amy's small hand, leading her toward the bus stop like a little adult.After a long bus ride, they finally arrived near the city center. Jeremy carefully helped Amy off the bus, holding her hand firmly. As they approached the entrance of LD Corporation, just as they were about to step inside, Amy suddenly frowned and tugged at Jeremy's hand anxiously."Jeremy, I need to go potty.""You're so troublesome." Jeremy scrunched his little brows in frustration a
OfficePhoebe was fully engrossed in her work, her eyes scanning the design proposal on her screen with meticulous focus. The office was silent except for the rhythmic tapping of her keyboard and her soft breathing. Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps broke the stillness. She instinctively looked up and saw a police officer walking toward her."Excuse me, are you Miss Phoebe Garcia?"Phoebe frowned slightly, puzzled. "Yes, I am. May I ask what this is about?""It's about your child. She's downstairs waiting for you," the officer explained briefly.Phoebe's face turned pale in an instant. Without hesitation, she rushed toward the front desk.Jeremy recounted everything that had happened, his voice filled with urgency. Phoebe, though shaken, took a deep breath to calm herself and turned to the officer. "Officer, can we check the security footage?""Of course. I'll request authorization now." The officer made a quick phone call,
In the car ride home, Jeremy sat sulking in his seat, puffing out his cheeks, eyes fixed straight ahead, completely ignoring Amy. Amy gazed at him pitifully. She had apologized several times, but Jeremy remained unmoved.Amy felt both aggrieved and anxious. Is Jeremy really that angry with me? Is he just going to ignore me like this? No, she couldn't stand it. She didn't want her brother to keep giving her the cold shoulder."Jeremy, I'm sorry. Please talk to me. Forgive me, will you?" Amy sobbed as she stole glances at Jeremy, desperately hoping he would at least spare her a glance — even just a fleeting one.Jeremy folded his arms tightly across his chest and turned his head toward the window, deliberately avoiding Amy's gaze. He secretly made a vow to himself: From now on, I'm never taking her out again.Seeing that Jeremy still refused to pay her any attention, Amy had no choice but to seek help from their mother. She threw herself into Phoebe's
"Phoebe, pack your things and report to the CEO's office now!" the HR manager, Alvis, commanded.Phoebe, who had been carefully organizing documents at her desk, immediately stopped what she was doing and responded, "Got it, sir!""I mean NOW! Don't keep boss waiting!" Alvis urged. Phoebe didn't dare hesitate any longer and hurriedly stood up to gather her belongings.Ten minutes later, she was on the top floor, her arms full of items.The company had been doing well, but for some reason, it was mysteriously acquired by an unknown corporation last week, and with that, a new boss had taken over.The news had shocked the entire staff, including Phoebe. But what puzzled her even more was how she had inexplicably become the new CEO's secretary.Was she lucky or unlucky?On one hand, her salary had doubled, but on the other, she had suddenly become the target of envy and hostility from the female employees.As she stepped out of the elevator and arrived at the CEO's office door, she knocke
Five years ago...Outside a dimly lit, intoxicating bar at night, Phoebe stood with her head lowered, nervously watching the men and women who continuously went in and out of the establishment.It was her first time in a place like this, and the unfamiliar environment already made her feel uneasy. The leering gazes of some of the men nearby only heightened her anxiety, causing her to break out in a cold sweat. She was too scared to even take another step forward."Hey, are you...?" A voice suddenly appeared near her ear, making her heart skip a beat. The man didn't say so explicitly, but the leering look up and down his face said it all.Phoebe timidly raised her head, only to regret coming here the moment she saw the disgusting man standing in front of her. But there was no turning back now.A bitter taste spread in her mouth as she lowered her eyes. Did she even have a choice? She didn't.Her father was still lying in a hospital bed, her brother had accumulated a massive debt due to
On a summer night, the city was ablaze with lights, hosting a world-renowned luxurious yacht party.Phoebe stood still by the window like a beautiful statue, not moving an inch.However, her hands at her sides were clenched tightly, her knuckles pale. The sea breeze brushed her face, but all she could feel was a bone-chilling cold. The moonlit night outside was mesmerizing, yet she had no heart to appreciate it.Watching the elite guests move across the yacht's deck, each of them radiated an aura of wealth and prestige. They whispered in low voices, laughing softly, clinking their glasses in elegant toasts.She smiled bitterly. This was the stark difference between the rich and the poor.The world was never fair, and all she could do was use her body to save her family.Raising her eyes to the empty night sky, her heart filled with a deep sadness. She felt utterly lost."Follow me." A deep, magnetic voice came from behind her.Phoebe closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her chest r
In the car ride home, Jeremy sat sulking in his seat, puffing out his cheeks, eyes fixed straight ahead, completely ignoring Amy. Amy gazed at him pitifully. She had apologized several times, but Jeremy remained unmoved.Amy felt both aggrieved and anxious. Is Jeremy really that angry with me? Is he just going to ignore me like this? No, she couldn't stand it. She didn't want her brother to keep giving her the cold shoulder."Jeremy, I'm sorry. Please talk to me. Forgive me, will you?" Amy sobbed as she stole glances at Jeremy, desperately hoping he would at least spare her a glance — even just a fleeting one.Jeremy folded his arms tightly across his chest and turned his head toward the window, deliberately avoiding Amy's gaze. He secretly made a vow to himself: From now on, I'm never taking her out again.Seeing that Jeremy still refused to pay her any attention, Amy had no choice but to seek help from their mother. She threw herself into Phoebe's
OfficePhoebe was fully engrossed in her work, her eyes scanning the design proposal on her screen with meticulous focus. The office was silent except for the rhythmic tapping of her keyboard and her soft breathing. Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps broke the stillness. She instinctively looked up and saw a police officer walking toward her."Excuse me, are you Miss Phoebe Garcia?"Phoebe frowned slightly, puzzled. "Yes, I am. May I ask what this is about?""It's about your child. She's downstairs waiting for you," the officer explained briefly.Phoebe's face turned pale in an instant. Without hesitation, she rushed toward the front desk.Jeremy recounted everything that had happened, his voice filled with urgency. Phoebe, though shaken, took a deep breath to calm herself and turned to the officer. "Officer, can we check the security footage?""Of course. I'll request authorization now." The officer made a quick phone call,
For the past month, Phoebe's work had been progressing smoothly. She quickly adapted to the team and earned the recognition of both her colleagues and superiors. However, as her workload increased, the time she spent with the children grew less and less."Jeremy, are you sure this will help us find Mommy?" Amy stood at the kindergarten gate, her face full of worry as she looked up at Jeremy."Of course!" Jeremy grinned with confidence. "Just follow me closely."With that, he tightly grasped Amy's small hand, leading her toward the bus stop like a little adult.After a long bus ride, they finally arrived near the city center. Jeremy carefully helped Amy off the bus, holding her hand firmly. As they approached the entrance of LD Corporation, just as they were about to step inside, Amy suddenly frowned and tugged at Jeremy's hand anxiously."Jeremy, I need to go potty.""You're so troublesome." Jeremy scrunched his little brows in frustration a
NighttimeInside X Villa, Alexander stepped out of the bathroom. He walked over to the liquor cabinet, took out a bottle of strong alcohol, and leaned elegantly against the plush sofa.For years, he had been haunted by a strange dream—an indistinct figure appearing and disappearing in the shadows. It seemed to be a woman. Every time, he tried desperately to see her face, but the closer he got, the blurrier she became until she eventually faded into the darkness.He had no idea how much time had passed when the sudden ringing of the phone in the living room pulled him back to reality. Reaching out, he picked up the receiver. A voice from the other end said, "Sir, we've found something. Your sister is alive."Alexander's body tensed instantly. His grip on the receiver tightened involuntarily...***Early the Next MorningPhoebe arrived at LD Corporation bright and early.The HR staff led her to the design department. Throug
At the kindergarten.Amy sat quietly on the swing, gently swaying back and forth. Tilting her head slightly, she gazed at Jeremy in the distance and murmured, "Jeremy, I'm not happy."Jeremy didn't even lift his head. He simply responded coldly, "Talk."Amy's eyes flickered with confusion and curiosity as she said, "Everyone else has a dad." She pointed toward a group of children playing not far away. Among them, a little boy was being lifted high into the air by his father, laughter ringing out."Mhm, I know. We have one too," Jeremy replied, still focused on his work."You mean Daddy Gavin?" Amy tilted her head."Mhm." Jeremy was beginning to lose patience. To him, Amy's questions were far too childish."Then why doesn't Daddy Gavin live with us?""Because Daddy Gavin isn't really our dad." Jeremy finally stopped what he was doing, his tone serious."Why not?""There's no reason. He just isn't.""Then who is our real dad?"Jeremy's body stiffened slightly. He slowly put down the blu
The entire evening was filled with laughter and joy in the living room. Dinner was lively, and it wasn't until ten o'clock that everyone finally started clearing the table.Initially, Gavin had planned to leave after dinner, but as soon as Amy heard that, she clung tightly to his shirt, pleading for him to stay.Jeremy, though not as outspoken as Amy, also showed his reluctance through his gaze.Phoebe, worried that the children were bothering Gavin, tried to put on a stern face and ordered them to go upstairs to bed. However, when she met their pleading eyes, her heart softened. She simply couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh. Instead, she looked at Gavin apologetically, her eyes full of helplessness and gratitude.After a long night of excitement, the children finally succumbed to exhaustion. Gavin patiently soothed Amy, humming a lullaby softly. Before long, her eyelids drooped, and she tilted her head, falling into a deep sleep in his warm embrace.Meanwhile, Jeremy, sitti
Inside the car, Phoebe glanced at her two children and gently asked, "Kids, do you like it here?""Yes!" Jeremy and Amy answered in unison. Their eyes were wide with curiosity as they gazed out the window, taking in the unfamiliar yet exciting sights around them."Mom, is this where you grew up?" Amy tilted her head and looked at Phoebe."Yes," Phoebe nodded with a smile."When can we see Gavin?" Amy suddenly asked."He said he'll come over tonight.""Yay!" Amy clapped her hands excitedly, her face lighting up with joy.Watching her daughter's excitement, Phoebe let out a soft sigh and turned her gaze to the scenery outside.The familiar yet distant landscape passed by, blending memories with reality. Laughter, tears—every emotion had left its mark on this land.As the car slowly pulled up in front of the house, Phoebe took a deep breath, steadied herself, and stepped out with the children.Standing at the door, she lifted her hand and pressed the doorbell.Moments later, the door ope
Two days later, at the airport.Phoebe walked hand in hand with Jeremy and Amy, slowly emerging from the terminal.The moment the three of them appeared, they instantly became the center of attention, like magnets pulling in every gaze around them.The reason? The two children were simply too adorable.As soon as they stepped out of the terminal, an eager voice called out from not far away."Phoebe! Over here, I'm over here!"It was Alva. She had been waiting for a long time, waving her arms excitedly from a distance."Alva!" Phoebe's voice trembled with emotion, carrying the weight of years of longing.She quickly stepped forward, and Alva rushed to meet her. The two women embraced tightly, as if trying to make up for all the lost time."Welcome back," Alva said, her voice choked with emotion. Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks.Amy, watching the two adults caught up in their own world, suddenly felt left out. She pouted and interjected, "Auntie Alva, I'm Amy! A
Five years later.Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow over the cozy home. Inside, a little girl, Amy, ran toward Phoebe with her short legs, her big eyes brimming with unshed tears. Her voice was full of grievance as she whined, "Mommy, Mommy! Jeremy is bullying me again!"Phoebe paused what she was doing, turned around, and gently stroked Amy's soft little cheeks. "Sweetheart, what happened?" she asked tenderly.Amy pouted, her small face scrunching up with distress. "Jeremy said that when you go back home, you'll only take him with you and leave me behind!"The moment she finished speaking, a thin layer of tears formed in her bright, watery eyes, making her look even more pitiful.Phoebe couldn't help but chuckle at her daughter's adorable expression.Seeing her mother's reaction, Amy panicked and sniffled, her little shoulders trembling. "Mommy, is it true? You and Jeremy are ganging up on me! We're not friends anymore!" She turned her head away in a huff.Rea