"Mr. Jackson, I'll go up with you."Christopher's eyes softened. He held Sydney's hand in his and kissed the back of it.Sydney followed Christopher to his house.He lived alone in a bungalow that wasn't as big or opulent as she thought it was. After leading her to his room, Christopher poured out two glasses of red wine and handed one of them to her.Sydney took the glass and sipped on the wine as she looked around her. "Is there no one here taking care of things around here?""I have help coming in regularly to clean the house and cook, but she doesn't live here. I like a quiet space of my own," Christopher replied. "I see," Sydney said with a smile before taking another sip of wine.The room was dim; they gazed at each other as they put their wine glasses down and drew near to each other. Christopher pulled her into his arms and lowered his head in a bid to kiss her.Just then, Sydney covered his mouth with her hands. "Wait, I want to ask you a question.""What is it? Have
Was she upset and felt forced to accept this due to fear of rejecting him?"If you're not willing, just tell me. Don't force yourself. I won't cause you trouble, too. I'm not a man who would be petty toward women," he said. Sydney shook her head. "I'm not unwilling. It's just that I'm in huge trouble right now. If I were to be with you, it might affect you negatively.""What trouble?"He could tell at one glance that she was troubled, but he didn't want to pursue matters if she wasn't willing to tell him about it."Mr. Jackson, I can tell you about it. If you think it's not worth the trouble, just send me home and we won't meet each other ever again. But if you still want me, I'll divorce my husband and I'll be with you from now on. You can have any sort of relationship you want with me, and I won't tell anyone about it," she said. He looked at Sydney, believing that she was genuinely facing problems.Sitting up straight, he said, "Tell me what happened. If you're really in a
Whether Christopher was willing to help her or not, it no longer mattered. He didn't owe Sydney anything and wasn't obliged to help her. It was good enough that he was willing to hear her out.Sydney looked up and said, "I'm not expecting you to help me by telling you all these. You can just hear me out. I'll figure a way out myself.""How are you going to do that?" Christopher asked.Sydney pondered for a long time, and her eyes grew sharp. "If he were to force me to a corner, I'd die along with him. I'll kill him and go to jail, at most. Or I could kill myself after killing him. Whatever it is…"Before she could complete her sentence, Christopher covered her mouth with his hand. His brows furrowed, he said solemnly, "What nonsense are you talking about?"Sydney broke down and hugged him."I really have considered dying with him. I thought of killing him in his sleep, but I hated the thought of having to sacrifice myself to get rid of him. Why? I refuse to accept that!""Syd,"
Rosalie took her child from Sebastian's home and checked into a hotel.She couldn't bring herself to be under one roof with Sebastian.She carried her baby in her arms as she sat on her couch, feeling extremely troubled."Stevie, we only have each other from now on. All those men are nothing but liars. They're absolutely unreliable. Don't ever become fickle-minded, big fat liars like them when you grow up.""Mama…" cooed the baby in her arms.Although his voice wasn't very clear, Rosalie could understand what he was saying."Darling, did you just call me mama?"The baby laughed and pouted as he repeated himself. "Mama."Rosalie couldn't hold back her tears. "Oh, darling! Thank you."She was so touched to hear her baby calling her mama. She regretted many things, but the only thing she didn't regret was giving birth to her child."Stevie, don't you worry. Mommy will take care of you from now on."-The next day, Rosalie went to visit Rebecca. She wanted to see her grandmothe
Rosalie was at a loss for words. She didn't know how to deal with this situation.Her beloved Grandma no longer recognized her and even took another woman as a granddaughter. She couldn't even correct the situation for fear that Grandma might get traumatized.She could only smile bitterly and say, "Yes, I'm her friend. I'm here to visit you.""Oh, I see," Rebecca said with a smile. "You're a beautiful young lady too, with the same family name to boot. Come here and let me see your baby.""Okay."Rosalie suppressed the sorrow in her heart and handed her baby to Rebecca.Rebecca was delighted with the baby in her arms. "How adorable! What's his name?"Trying to hide her sorrow, Rosalie said, "Steve Young.""This is great!" Rebecca looked at Aurora. "Rose, when are you going to have a child with Theo? I don't have much time left, you know."Aurora blushed.Rosalie didn't know how to react to the scene unfolding before her. She could only suppress her pain and try to keep her com
Rosalie's chest throbbed with pain. "Alright, I have to go now.""I'll be going for the surgery in a few days. Can we have a meal tomorrow night?""Theodore Spencer, what's the point of this? Do you not remember what happened when we had a meal at Melrine? You already have Aurora.""What if I die in the operating theatre?" Pain filled Theodore's eyes as he spoke. "Every surgery has its risks. If I were to die, we'd never see each other again. Take it as our last meal together."After a long silence, Rosalie nodded. "Alright, then."Theodore smiled.He gently caressed the baby's forehead. Rosalie wanted to avoid his touch, but the gentle look in his eyes made her stop.Theodore stared at the baby for a long time. "He's adorable."Rosalie was very upset. She could see Aurora standing at the door, watching them from a distance.The thought of Theodore and Aurora's current situation made her wonder what telling Theodore that the baby was his would achieve."Theo, I've made things
"What did you say?" Rosalie asked, shocked. "She has undergone heart transplant surgery and has recovered from it. I don't have anything else to worry about. She might get sad over the breakup, but it wouldn't threaten her life. I'll give her some cash," Theodore explained. "And then? Even if you broke up with Aurora, it's impossible between us. Don't…""Rose," Theodore said, cutting her off. "I haven't thought so far ahead, so don't worry. I'm going for the operation in two days. Can you have this meal with me?"After a moment's pause, Rosalie hugged her baby tighter in her arms and nodded.Theodore, pleased, pulled a chair out for her. Seeing the baby in her arms, he asked, "May I carry him?"Rosalie nodded and handed the baby to him.Theodore carried the baby in his arms. His eyes were filled with tenderness upon seeing how adorable and obedient the baby was."He doesn't look a thing like Sebastian. He looks more like you."The baby was very obedient and quiet in Theodore
"Theo, why is your hair still so thick after so many rounds of chemotherapy? Why don't you look tired or haggard at all?" Rosalie asked. She began doubting the truthfulness of Theodore's condition. His explanation made sense to her—until she read that email."That's because of the medication. Not all medication causes hair loss. Everyone's bodies react differently," Theodore explained. "So you're saying that you really underwent chemotherapy?""Rose, are you trying to insinuate that I didn't? Are you saying that I lied to you?"Rosalie took a deep breath and showed him the email attachment. "Take a look. Is this your medical report?"Theodore took the phone from Rosalie's hands. Shock registered on his face as he read the words on the report. "How did you get this?!"Theodore's reaction was enough to tell Rosalie that the email attachment was genuine."You lied to me, didn't you? You don't have cancer and you didn't undergo chemotherapy. All the more you aren't going for surg
Xyla pleaded with her mother, tears streaming down her face."Mom, I'm begging you. Don't keep doing such foolish things. If Sydney is still alive, please let her go, won't you? It isn't too late to stop now, I'm begging you.""You're such a fool," Chandra scoffed, wishing Xyla was bolder. "How could you be so weak?""I'm not weak. I just don't want to be bogged down by the past. I'm begging you, let her go before things get worse. Or else, if things blow up, you'll have no escape. She isn't any ordinary person. If she dies, you'll…""Shut up!" Chandra cut her daughter off. "No one will know if you don't say anything! Don't worry, I did it flawlessly. Just tell me honestly. What exactly did you see in my room?"Upon hearing the commotion outside, Chandra woke up. When she switched the lights on, she realized that her phone screen was facing up. She then recalled that her son had come over today, and his expression wasn't right.Immediately, she became alert and went to her daught
Xyla returned to her room, drenched in cold sweat. She never imagined her mother would do something like this.She opened the photo she had just taken. This must be Sydney.What kind of treatment was she enduring? Her mother was truly terrifying!Xyla swallowed hard, and immediately sent the photo and a message to Christopher. [This is the suspicious number I found in Mom's phone, along with a photo. Check this number. The woman in the picture might be Miss Harper.]As soon as she sent the message, Christopher called her.Just as Xyla was about to answer, her room door suddenly opened. Chandra walked in with a cold expression.Startled, Xyla quickly hid her phone behind her back, her wide eyes filled with panic."Mom, why are you here? Why aren't you sleeping?""I was woken up by you. Why aren't you sleeping?" Chandra walked toward her slowly. "Why were you in my room so late at night?""Mom, what are you talking about?" Xyla laughed awkwardly. "I didn't go to your room. You must have
"It's probably because he was worried about me, so he drove here himself. Don't worry, Mom. Nothing will happen to him," Xyla assured.Chandra nodded, and the mother and daughter walked into the villa together.Chandra took off her coat and handed it to a servant. She seemed somewhat tired, and asked the servant to bring her a bottle of cold water."Mom, why do you look so tired?" Xyla asked. "I went dancing, so I'm a bit worn out. Go to bed, sweetheart. I'll be heading to my room now.""Alright, Mom. Goodnight."Xyla went upstairs. Once inside her room, she locked the door and entered the bathroom, taking out her phone to call Christopher."Xyla, how's it going? Did you find out anything?" he asked. "Don't worry, Chris. I'll handle things on Mom's side. If I get any news, I'll let you know immediately. You continue looking for Sydney. If you can find her, great. If not, I'll see if I can get any clues from Mom or gather more information elsewhere."Christopher sighed. "Alright then.
Xyla smiled. "Mom, what are you talking about?" She linked arms with her mother, acting like the perfect, affectionate daughter. "Mom, you're forever young. I think you look under 50—still so youthful!""You and that sweet tongue of yours! Always so good at flattering others."Chandra was indeed pleased by the compliment. "Come on, let's head inside," she said. "What if you start feeling unwell again?""Alright, let's go in," Xyla said; she gave Christopher a look, her gaze flicking toward the gates, as if silently urging him to leave."Mom, since Xyla's fine, I'll head back now and visit you another day," Christopher said, playing along. "It's so late already, and you've come all this way," Chandra said. "Why don't you stay the night and leave tomorrow?""Mom, I have to be up early tomorrow, and it's quite far from here to the office. I'd better go back now. You and Xyla should also get some rest.""Alright then," Chandra said. "Make sure to take care of your health. Don't overwork
Christopher didn't answer Xyla's question, but his eyes spoke volumes. It was clear that he cared for Sydney."I swear I didn't say anything bad about her to Mom! When Mom asked Vonnie to help investigate, I even warned Vonnie not to say a word against Sydney, and Vonnie didn't. I really didn't harm Sydney. Please believe me."Seeing how anxious Christopher was, Xyla figured this had to be related to Chandra. Although Yvonne hadn't told Chandra anything, Chandra may have already discovered something in secret considering how smart she was. However, no one expected her to suddenly make such a move after so long. It seemed she had been holding a grudge all this time."Xyla, you know Mom's temper. Once she holds a grudge, the target will be in big trouble. Is there any clue you can think of that might help me find her?" Christopher asked.He fully trusted Xyla, but not Chandra."Chris, I don't know where she is right now. Let me try calling her.""She won't answer your call.""What shoul
The whip was raised high before it was brought down with force.With a sharp crack, Sydney's skin was torn open. A piercing scream shattered the night.-Christopher had called Sydney several times that day, but she hadn't answered. He felt uneasy, sensing that something was wrong.He decided to send someone to investigate and soon discovered a clue from the Spencers, learning that Sydney had gone missing. Growing more alarmed, Christopher immediately sent people to search for her.At the same time, he was looking into the Spencers' activities and found that they were searching for a watch.This watch was one of only a few dozen in the world; excluding foreign owners, only a few people in Blencalgo possessed one. Following the trail, Christopher made an even more shocking discovery. One of the people who owned this watch was his mother.He called his mother, but she didn't pick up. He sent her a message, but she didn't reply.Christopher drove straight to his mother's house.The light
"That was Geoffrey's fault, not mine. He ruined me too. Why are you making things difficult for me?" Sydney shot back.She didn't understand. Why was it that women like Chandra always targeted other women? When a man made a mistake, they didn't go after him but instead focused on persecuting other women."You were ruined by him? Why didn't you resist? If you didn't want it, who could force you? You're the president of Apex Bank and from the Spencers! What could Geoffrey do to you?""I resisted. I didn't want him to touch me. You're right, I'm from the Spencers, but if they knew about this, they would go to war with him. The two families would fight to the death, and I don't want that. So…""So?" Chandra pressed."So, I didn't tell the Spencers. I've been trying to find a way to get rid of him."She thought she had succeeded because Christopher had told her that he had already made it clear to Geoffrey. He would continue to monitor the situation and make sure Geoffrey wouldn't harm her
"Your daughter?" Sydney frowned, confused. "Who's your daughter? I haven't interfered with anyone's marriage. You must be mistaken."If she had interfered, she would have known. She had never done such a thing."Are you still pretending to not know?" Chandra sneered. "Sydney Harper, what is your relationship with Geoffrey?"At the mention of Geoffrey's name, Sydney immediately understood everything. So, Chandra's daughter was Geoffrey's ex-wife.Chandra must have thought Sydney had ruined Xyla's marriage with Geoffrey, and that was why she had kidnapped her.Sydney quickly explained, "You've misunderstood. It's not like you think. I didn't interfere in their relationship.""You didn't?" Chandra suddenly stood up from her chair, walked over to Sydney, and slapped her hard across the face.The slap was sharp and resounding.Sydney's head spun from the blow, and she trembled all over. She was tied up, unable to move. Her face burned, but she forced herself to turn her head. "I truly didn
On the other end of the phone, Theodore remained silent for a few seconds. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but ultimately didn't.Sensing this, Rosalie quickly said, "Finding your mom is more important right now. Whatever it is, we can talk about it after she's found."The issues between her and Theodore were no longer of significance."I got it. I'll go look for her now. You should get some rest."Rosalie hummed in acknowledgment and ended the call. Helping Theodore made her feel better. She was sincerely grateful to Justin.She considered calling to thank him, but given how late it was, she worried about disturbing him. Instead, she sent him a message. [Thank you. I've already informed Theo, and the information was very helpful.]Justin replied, [You're welcome.]Rosalie responded, [Good night, sleep well.]Justin texted, [I will. You too.]Rosalie lay on the bed, gently holding Steve. Her eyes were on him as she murmured, "Baby, your grandma will be alright."-With a sp