Watching Phoebe walk into her room, Anila turned to Gavin with a serious expression. She didn't want to make things difficult for him; she just wanted to share her thoughts.
"Gavin, although we don't know exactly what happened before, since you and Phoebe have broken up with Alex and she has chosen you, I believe you must hold a special place in her heart. Our family is quite traditional, and we struggle to accept the idea of having a child before marriage. But since it's already happened, what we want is for our daughter to have a happy future. We want her to marry a good man and build a wonderful family. As for everything else, it doesn't matter to us. We don't care about your background or wealth. We just need one thing from you: can you guarantee a good future for her?"
"I can," Gavin said firmly.
"With your word, we'll be at ease. Seeing you both happy will be the greatest comfort for us." Anila continued. "Considering Phoebe is still in school, we think it
It was already late when Phoebe left the company. Just as she reached the entrance, she heard someone call her name."Phoebe."She looked up to see Gavin getting out of a sports car, a smile on his face as he walked toward her.Phoebe smiled and walked toward him."How about some late-night snacks? I can take you to get some now," Gavin said, a playful smile on his lips and his eyes shining brightly like stars."I'd love to," Phoebe replied, grinning. "How about we go to a street vendor?""It's up to you."Phoebe thought for a moment before saying, "Let me think about where to go while we're in the car."After getting out of the car, Phoebe took Gavin's hand and led him toward a small food stall.The place was bustling with people, and the atmosphere was lively. Phoebe casually picked an empty spot and sat down with Gavin.Gavin looked around in surprise; he hadn't expected this place to be so crowded at night.
In the study, Alexander opened his laptop, flipping through photo after photo.His eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized the images, his gaze sharp and icy.Damn it. Didn't she love him? How could she move on so quickly?The further he scrolled, the darker his expression became.Her smile… it was too dazzling, too painful for his heart to endure.Why?Why did he feel such an intense, burning emotion?His eyes locked on the image of Gavin kissing her—his lips claiming hers without resistance.A wildfire of rage ignited in his chest, making his blood boil. His entire body felt like it was going to explode. His eyes burned red with fury.When he saw Gavin holding her hand, her flushed face nestled against him, the simmering anger snapped.Alexander slammed his fist onto the desk, his expression dark and terrifying.Damn it.He had only wanted to check if she was miserable after their enc
For the past few days, Phoebe had been diligently working on the tasks Kimberley had assigned to her before leaving the country.Her performance had been excellent. Within just a few days, she had designed several series of wedding gowns, which she sent to Kimberley for review. Kimberley was thoroughly impressed and scheduled a meeting for Sunday to discuss them further.Because of this project, Phoebe had more flexible hours and didn't need to go to the office every day. On Friday, after her classes, Gavin picked her up for dinner.After their meal, Gavin took her to a large supermarket.They headed straight to the fourth floor to browse baby products.Phoebe hadn't expected to start shopping for baby items so soon, but Gavin seemed excited, picking out quite a few things.When they finished on the fourth floor, Gavin led her to the second floor to buy sour snacks that were popular with pregnant women.Phoebe added some sour plums to
Office."Sir, we've investigated. She's four months pregnant.""Four months?"Alexander felt his entire body go rigid.The faint spark of hope that had ignited in his heart was extinguished once again.Why not five months?They had been together so many times, and he never used any protection. It would have been natural for her to be carrying his child. Her abdomen had already begun to swell—it didn't seem like a recent pregnancy.But the last time they were together had been five months ago.Damn it. Did this mean the child really wasn't his?His gaze grew ice-cold. Damn it. So it was related to Gavin after all? She had fallen right into Gavin's arms as soon as she left him?The thought of her body being touched by another man—and carrying his child—filled Alexander with a suffocating sense of betrayal.A wave of anger and hurt crushed his chest.He clenched his jaw, his face dark
"Did Alex invite you here?"Hermosa asked softly, breaking the silence as she glanced at Phoebe. The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them, feeling they were too abrupt.Phoebe stood frozen in place, her shocked expression revealing she had no idea about Hermosa's identity. Clearly, she had just found out."Though this comes as a surprise, I still want to thank you,"Hermosa said calmly as she took a seat. "I doubt Alex even knows that you're the designer working on my wedding gown."Phoebe sat beside her, gazing at Hermosa up close. A sudden, inexplicable sadness washed over her. Hermosa was stunningly beautiful.Her elegance was entirely different from Melissa's fiery charm—gentle and serene, like water."May I see your designs?"Hermosa's question broke the awkward silence. Normally reserved, Hermosa found herself speaking more than usual in the face of Phoebe's quiet demeanor.She understood why Phoebe
The Next Day – Alexander's OfficeMorning light streamed through the blinds, casting slivers of shadow across Alexander's expansive desk. Seated behind it, he worked intently, his pen gliding across the documents, pausing occasionally to annotate or circle key points.The room was silent except for the faint scratching of the pen against paper and the rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall.The quiet was broken when the office door creaked open, and Dana stepped inside. His usual nonchalant grin spread across his face as he observed Alexander's focused demeanor.Teasingly, he said, "Boss, so this is how you look when you're working in the office? Quite serious, aren't you?"Alexander paused, setting his pen down deliberately. He raised his eyes slowly, his sharp gaze cutting through the room. "Speak. What is it?"His tone was cold and clipped, like a blade slicing through the air.Unfazed, Dana chuckled. "Boss, you're about to
On the other side, Phoebe found herself unable to decline the task of designing a wedding dress. She had considered resigning, but was told that without her, the project would fall apart entirely. Out of a sense of responsibility, she reluctantly decided to stay.After a few days of deliberation, she resolved to grit her teeth and see it through.The preliminary work was already done, but the latter stages would be more demanding. She needed to take Hermosa's measurements before beginning the actual construction of the dress.Once it was nearly finished, Hermosa would need to try it on again for final adjustments to ensure the gown was flawless.By her estimate, they would only need to meet four or five times in total.All she had to do was treat Hermosa like a stranger.She kept telling herself: "Just get through these days, and it'll all be over."Phoebe comforted herself with this thought.When she met Hermosa again, she exp
The warm sun shone brightly as Hermosa and Alexander shared lunch in a cozy restaurant. Suddenly, Alexander's company called with an urgent matter, and he quickly drove her back to the X villa before rushing off to his office.Hermosa moved gracefully, the sound of her heels echoing through the empty hall as she opened the villa's front door. At that moment, a servant's voice rang out: "Miss, your letter.""A letter?"Hermosa raised an eyebrow, her voice filled with confusion."It just arrived,"the servant replied respectfully.A hint of suspicion rose in Hermosa's mind. Could it be from my foster parents? But that doesn't seem right. They always call. She extended a slender finger, taking the letter from the servant and examining it closely. The sender's name and address were both blank, leaving her with an unsettling feeling."Who brought this?"she asked, lifting her gaze to the servant."I'm not sure. When I went outside
Meanwhile, at Wright's home, Laura remained trapped in the terrifying memories of the film, unable to escape...Wright stepped out of the bathroom, ready to go to bed, when the doorbell rang.He was puzzled. Who could be visiting him this late?Not bothering to put on a robe, he wrapped a cloth around his waist and went to answer the door, still naked.As soon as he opened it, a blast of cold air hit him. He looked up and saw a man of striking presence standing there."Can I help you?" Wright asked, his voice cautious.Gavin's cold, dark gaze swept over Wright's half-dressed body, and his face twisted with fury. Without warning, he swung his fist at Wright.Caught off guard, Wright was struck hard. His brain buzzed, and before he could react, he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.With a violent kick, Gavin slammed the door open, storming inside.Room by room, he kicked open the doors with force, each one shaking with t
Wright reached out to hug her, but Laura struggled, trying to push him away."No. No.""Laura, what's wrong?"Her reaction puzzled Wright. His brow furrowed in confusion, his expression full of disbelief. But beneath the confusion, a wave of worry surged within him, sending his heart into a frantic turmoil."No, no, I'm your sister!"Whatwas she talking about?A thousand thoughts flashed through Wright's mind, like tangled threads that he couldn't untangle. He instinctively opened his mouth to ask something, but the confusion bottled up inside him, and he couldn't speak."Don't be afraid. I'm Wright."Wright suppressed the growing panic inside and tried to make his voice gentle, comforting, as he cautiously approached her.But the closer he got, the stronger Laura's reaction became. She acted like a frightened animal, desperately fighting back. Her sharp nails scratched his face, leaving a few bloodied marks.Af
"Gavin, why do I never see Laura around lately? Is she busy with her studies?"During dinner, Phoebe set down her fork and gazed at Gavin's handsome and elegant profile, finally unable to hold back her question.The last time she saw Laura was just a brief encounter, and since then, she hadn't seen her once. Something felt off, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was."...?"Gavin fell silent, clearly unaware of Laura's situation."Don't you care about your sister at all?"Phoebe complained, frustrated.What kind of brother was he? Gavin treated her so well, but he seemed so indifferent toward Laura. That really bothered her. She just couldn't understand it.Logically, a brother should care for his sister, so why didn't Gavin seem to care about Laura at all?Especially that day when Laura looked at him with such fear—Phoebe found that really strange.In the past, even though Gavin didn't seem to pay much a
The warm sun shone brightly as Hermosa and Alexander shared lunch in a cozy restaurant. Suddenly, Alexander's company called with an urgent matter, and he quickly drove her back to the X villa before rushing off to his office.Hermosa moved gracefully, the sound of her heels echoing through the empty hall as she opened the villa's front door. At that moment, a servant's voice rang out: "Miss, your letter.""A letter?"Hermosa raised an eyebrow, her voice filled with confusion."It just arrived,"the servant replied respectfully.A hint of suspicion rose in Hermosa's mind. Could it be from my foster parents? But that doesn't seem right. They always call. She extended a slender finger, taking the letter from the servant and examining it closely. The sender's name and address were both blank, leaving her with an unsettling feeling."Who brought this?"she asked, lifting her gaze to the servant."I'm not sure. When I went outside
On the other side, Phoebe found herself unable to decline the task of designing a wedding dress. She had considered resigning, but was told that without her, the project would fall apart entirely. Out of a sense of responsibility, she reluctantly decided to stay.After a few days of deliberation, she resolved to grit her teeth and see it through.The preliminary work was already done, but the latter stages would be more demanding. She needed to take Hermosa's measurements before beginning the actual construction of the dress.Once it was nearly finished, Hermosa would need to try it on again for final adjustments to ensure the gown was flawless.By her estimate, they would only need to meet four or five times in total.All she had to do was treat Hermosa like a stranger.She kept telling herself: "Just get through these days, and it'll all be over."Phoebe comforted herself with this thought.When she met Hermosa again, she exp
The Next Day – Alexander's OfficeMorning light streamed through the blinds, casting slivers of shadow across Alexander's expansive desk. Seated behind it, he worked intently, his pen gliding across the documents, pausing occasionally to annotate or circle key points.The room was silent except for the faint scratching of the pen against paper and the rhythmic ticking of the clock on the wall.The quiet was broken when the office door creaked open, and Dana stepped inside. His usual nonchalant grin spread across his face as he observed Alexander's focused demeanor.Teasingly, he said, "Boss, so this is how you look when you're working in the office? Quite serious, aren't you?"Alexander paused, setting his pen down deliberately. He raised his eyes slowly, his sharp gaze cutting through the room. "Speak. What is it?"His tone was cold and clipped, like a blade slicing through the air.Unfazed, Dana chuckled. "Boss, you're about to
"Did Alex invite you here?"Hermosa asked softly, breaking the silence as she glanced at Phoebe. The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them, feeling they were too abrupt.Phoebe stood frozen in place, her shocked expression revealing she had no idea about Hermosa's identity. Clearly, she had just found out."Though this comes as a surprise, I still want to thank you,"Hermosa said calmly as she took a seat. "I doubt Alex even knows that you're the designer working on my wedding gown."Phoebe sat beside her, gazing at Hermosa up close. A sudden, inexplicable sadness washed over her. Hermosa was stunningly beautiful.Her elegance was entirely different from Melissa's fiery charm—gentle and serene, like water."May I see your designs?"Hermosa's question broke the awkward silence. Normally reserved, Hermosa found herself speaking more than usual in the face of Phoebe's quiet demeanor.She understood why Phoebe
Office."Sir, we've investigated. She's four months pregnant.""Four months?"Alexander felt his entire body go rigid.The faint spark of hope that had ignited in his heart was extinguished once again.Why not five months?They had been together so many times, and he never used any protection. It would have been natural for her to be carrying his child. Her abdomen had already begun to swell—it didn't seem like a recent pregnancy.But the last time they were together had been five months ago.Damn it. Did this mean the child really wasn't his?His gaze grew ice-cold. Damn it. So it was related to Gavin after all? She had fallen right into Gavin's arms as soon as she left him?The thought of her body being touched by another man—and carrying his child—filled Alexander with a suffocating sense of betrayal.A wave of anger and hurt crushed his chest.He clenched his jaw, his face dark
For the past few days, Phoebe had been diligently working on the tasks Kimberley had assigned to her before leaving the country.Her performance had been excellent. Within just a few days, she had designed several series of wedding gowns, which she sent to Kimberley for review. Kimberley was thoroughly impressed and scheduled a meeting for Sunday to discuss them further.Because of this project, Phoebe had more flexible hours and didn't need to go to the office every day. On Friday, after her classes, Gavin picked her up for dinner.After their meal, Gavin took her to a large supermarket.They headed straight to the fourth floor to browse baby products.Phoebe hadn't expected to start shopping for baby items so soon, but Gavin seemed excited, picking out quite a few things.When they finished on the fourth floor, Gavin led her to the second floor to buy sour snacks that were popular with pregnant women.Phoebe added some sour plums to