"Come to my office at noon," said Theodore as he straightened his tie."Are we going to sign the divorce papers?" Rosalie asked directly.She hoped to sign the papers and get the divorce over with, sparing herself the unnecessary sadness of dragging it out.Theodore frowned at his wife’s anxious demeanor. "You'll find out when you get there."With that, he left the room. There was a sense of unspoken anger in his movements.Rosalie was doubtful, but she waited till noon. Unsure if she should go before or after lunch, she called Theodore.When the call connected, Rosalie immediately asked, "It's noon. Should I come to your office now?""Yeah. Come over," Theodore replied."Have you eaten?" Rosalie asked out of habit."Not yet.""How about I pack a lunchbox for you and bring it over?"She knew Theodore often got too busy to have lunch, or simply grabbed something quick. Sometimes, he even just had a cup of coffee instead of a proper meal. That’s why she occasionally made lunch
Theodore placed the lunch boxes on the coffee table. There were exactly two portions, one for him and one for Cynthia. When he opened the lunch boxes, he noted that the ingredients were the same for both, but one had chili peppers while the other didn't.Brows furrowed, he asked, "Why did you include chili peppers? I thought I told you to not use any spices."His words brought Rosalie's chaotic thoughts back to normal.She regained her composure and said, "I just threw them in randomly. If you don't want it, then forget it."Theodore seemed to sense something from Rosalie's cold tone. But upon second thought, he knew neither he nor Rosalie liked chili peppers. So, since Rosalie wasn't making the food for herself, it was probably just a mistake."Mrs. Spencer, have you had lunch?" Cynthia asked politely, her complexion somewhat pallid and fragile."She already ate," Theodore answered for Rosalie.Whenever Rosalie brought him lunch previously, she had usually already eaten at home
Theodore quickly pulled out a tissue to wipe Cynthia's tears. "It's okay. Don't cry."Then, he looked up at Rosalie and said, "Rose, Cindy feels guilty about our divorce. I asked you to come today, hoping you could personally clarify our agreement and assure her that the divorce isn't her fault."Rosalie was speechless.So, Theodore intended to have her personally assure his beloved Cynthia that she wasn't a homewrecker. How ridiculous!Rosalie almost laughed out loud. Was it acceptable for Theodore to humiliate his wife just to make Cynthia feel better? Maybe he didn't see it as humiliation, but it certainly felt that way for Rosalie.Rosalie was about to speak when Theodore’s secretary suddenly knocked on the door and announced, "Mr. Spencer, Mr. Jones urgently needs to have a video conference with you."Theodore stood up. "Connect it to the conference room computer. I'll be right there.""Yes, sir."After the secretary left, Theodore turned to Cynthia and said tenderly, "I h
"If it looks good on you, keep wearing it. After you and Theo get divorced, I'm afraid he won't be able to give you any more gifts," Cynthia said as she lowered her head, a hint of darkness flickering in her eyes.She picked up her utensils and took a bite of the lunch Rosalie had made, nodding at the taste. "It's really good. It's a pity that after you divorce Theo, he'll hardly get to eat something like this again."Her tone sounded somewhat regretful, but perhaps concealed a hint of satisfaction."You take your time eating. I'll leave first," said Rosalie.Rosalie wouldn't really stay to foolishly take care of Cynthia. This woman didn't need her care."Wait." Cynthia stopped her. "Didn't Theo tell you why you're here? If you leave like this now, he won't be happy."She was acting in a completely domineering manner, speaking in a tone that was gentle but carried a warning."Ms. Zeller, what do you want to hear from me? Don't you and Theodore understand your relationship the
"Because I was dying!" Cynthia's eyes reddened. "I had a serious illness and needed a double lung transplant surgery. Theo finally found a donor for me, but do you know what the old lady did?!""What did she do?" Rosalie asked."She used her connections to block the donor from reaching the hospital. My surgery was forced to stop. I was lying on the operating table, waiting for the lungs that never came. I was going to die!""That's impossible! Grandma wouldn't do that. I don't believe it!" Rosalie's eyes were red as she shook her head vigorously."You may not believe it, but it's true! Go ask Theo, or better yet, ask the old lady if she did such a thing!""And then what? You keep fabricating stories!"Rosalie couldn't believe it. Rebecca had raised her, nurtured her, and taken care of her. She couldn't just believe Cynthia's words without evidence.Cynthia sneered coldly before continuing, "My life was hanging by a thread. When Theo went to confront his grandmother, she forced h
Rosalie felt like her heart was being torn apart, and her mind was on the verge of splitting open.Cynthia even knew about these things. It seemed that Theodore had been telling Cynthia everything about his married life over the past year. They had been in contact all along."Theo once went on a two-month business trip, right? He was with me," Cynthia volunteered the information. "He was with me the whole time, traveling together. He was happiest when he was with me."It felt like one thunderbolt after another was striking Rosalie's brain. She was in a daze, hoping desperately that this was just a nightmare and that she would wake up soon.Rosalie remembered the night when Theodore had come home in a hurry, wanting to be intimate with her. They hadn't seen each other for two months, and she was deeply in love with him, so she hadn’t pushed him away.The whole process had gone smoothly. He had been gentle and considerate of her feelings. But the following day, he asked for a divorc
Despite Cynthia's gentle tone, every word felt like a knife, cutting straight to Rosalie's heart. The other woman seemed like a victorious queen, crushing Rosalie underfoot and leaving her with no room to maneuver.Indeed, Rosalie had almost forgotten that Cynthia, while not on the same level as the Spencer family, still came from a wealthy background.Struggling to control her emotions, Rosalie clenched her teeth and sternly said, "Ms. Zeller, you're overthinking it. I've known Theo for ten years. Do you think I don't know what kind of person he is?"Moreover, he made it clear to me before we got married that ours was a contractual marriage. You have no idea what he's going to give me after our divorce. Please don't pity me. I'm not as helpless as you think."Upon hearing Rosalie's words, Cynthia's worried expression softened into a slight smile. "Is that so? You don't feel wronged being with Theo?""As you said, he's an outstanding man. In this past year of marriage, he's given
Rosalie laughed bitterly. "What have I done behind your back? Hurt your Cindy? Do you know the whole story? You only heard what I said at the end, but not what she said earlier!""That's enough!" Theodore interrupted her. "I know what she said. I can show you all of Cindy's medical records. If you knew what she's been through, you would feel ashamed instead of questioning her here!"Rosalie was momentarily speechless. She did indeed doubt Cynthia, especially after seeing her looking healthy at the restaurant, while Theodore remained convinced otherwise.But whenever Cynthia went to the hospital, Theodore was always with her. It would be difficult for Cynthia to deceive him, but it wasn't entirely impossible. Even in Theodore's presence, Cynthia could have faked her condition, like Rosalie had done when she concealed her pregnancy from him.Apart from her health, Cynthia was also clearly acting in other aspects, especially when Theodore was around. She deliberately said things to pr
Blencalgo.Lying on the hospital bed was a coughing man, so thin he seemed like skin and bones. His eyes were deeply sunken, his face was pale, and his body was connected to many machines.All this while, Yerick had been under constant surveillance in the hospital.Today, Yerick wanted to see Theodore.Naturally, Theodore was unwilling to meet him, but Yerick had someone pass his message to Theodore: Did he want to find Sebastian?Upon hearing this, Theodore came.The bodyguard brought in a chair. Once Theodore sat down, he crossed his legs and leaned back against the chair. Staring coldly at Yerick, he said, "Yerick, it seems you don't have long to live."Yerick smiled. "That's precisely why I wanted to see you."Theodore furrowed his brows. "Where is Sebastian? Do you know?""I don't know where he is.""You don't?" Theodore said coldly, "If you don't know, then why did you call me here? To watch you die?"He had come here with some hope, thinking Yerick might know something, but to
Rosalie had overheard everything. Sebastian no longer had any information about Theodore or Steve.Now, with Sebastian so far from home and Theodore taking full precautions on his end, even if Sebastian had incredible abilities, what could he do?He was merely relying on her fear to threaten her. Now that she knew the people she cared about were safe, she had nothing to fear.Upon seeing Rosalie's expression, Sebastian likely guessed what was going on. He sneered coldly. "Very well. You think I can't do anything to them, huh? What about Nana? Do you think I can't deal with her?"At the mention of Nana, Rosalie's gaze wavered slightly.But in the next moment, she lifted her head and said, "Nana is your adopted daughter. If you do anything to her, it's on you. Don't even think about threatening me with anyone else."She had been threatened by Sebastian over and over again, but in the end, she always succumbed to him. Now that she knew Theodore and Steve were fine, she felt relieved. She
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a glow on Sebastian's pale face.The curtains fluttered in the breeze. The nurse walked to the window and closed it.The doctor stood by the bed, explaining the situation to Sebastian. "Mr. Carter, you need plenty of rest given your current condition."Sebastian was filled with resentment. He coldly asked, "Will my quality of life decrease in the future?"Sebastian emphasized the word "life," clearly indicating that he was referring to more than just his general existence.The doctor understood. "Mr. Carter, with proper treatment and regular check-ups, after enduring the long recovery period, your quality of life will be close to what it was before.""How long is this recovery period?"The doctor replied, "At least six months before you can resume marital relations."Upon hearing this, Sebastian clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. His eyes burned with fury.He hadn't expected Rosalie to pull such a stunt on him. She had been pretendin
"Rose, what are you doing?" Sebastian's eyes were practically glued to her.Rosalie propped herself up and brushed her long hair aside. "Do you not like it? Then I'll change into something else."Just as she was about to get out of bed, Sebastian grabbed her wrist. "Wait a moment."Rosalie looked at him with a smirk. "What is it?""I like it when you dress like this." His voice was hoarse. "What made you decide to wear this tonight?""I just felt like it. And I've been thinking about a lot of things.""Is that so?" Sebastian sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard as he gazed at her. "What have you been thinking about?"He gently pushed the strap of her black lace camisole off her shoulder."Things have already come to this. The only thing I can do now is make my life a little easier. As long as you promise me not to hurt Theodore or my child again, I'll do whatever you want," Rosalie said.Her obedience and submission made Sebastian feel like he was dreaming. He cupped her face
"She's just a five-year-old. She's done nothing wrong. Whether I like her or not, you were the one who adopted her, so you have an obligation to take care of her. You cannot simply abandon her like this," Rosalie said. Sebastian sat beside her. "Aren't you afraid that I might go mad and kill her? Yet you still want me to continue looking after her?""I can take care of her," Rosalie said. "Didn't you say before that you adopted her to make our so-called family complete? If Nana doesn't come back, then this family will never be whole.""Are you saying that you fully acknowledge her as your daughter now?"Things had already come to this point. Whether she wanted to or not, she had to accept it. Rosalie nodded. "Yes, I do."She was indeed a mother, and she couldn't help but think about what she would do if Steve were in such a situation. That thought alone made her determined to help Nana.Sebastian kissed her on the cheek. "I'll think about it. I have some matters to attend to—I'll be i
Rosalie had nothing more to say to Sebastian, nor did she wish to continue arguing."If that's how you see things, then there's nothing I can do. I can't change your way of thinking," she said.Sebastian let go of her hand. "Rose, I risked my life to save you. If I hadn't shielded you with my body, you might already be dead. If you don't feel grateful, fine, but now you're blaming me instead? Do you have any idea how disheartening that is?""Thank you for saving me," Rosalie said coolly. "I truly owe you one.""What kind of attitude is that?" Sebastian snapped. "They say that true feelings are revealed in times of crisis. I risked my life to protect you, and what did I get in return? You mock me with sarcasm. How many men would do what I did for you? If it weren't for me, you would have—""Sebastian," Rosalie interrupted him, unable to hold back anymore. "You killed my husband, kidnapped me, made me endure an earthquake, and then saved me. And now you want me to thank you? Should I be
The bodyguard maintained his formal smile. "Mrs. Carter, Mr. Carter is waiting for you. You should go now."Rosalie stood up, ready to leave, but just then, a weak voice came from the bed. "Mommy.""Nana." Rosalie immediately sat back down and held Nana's hand tightly.Nana slowly opened her eyes. "Mommy, it hurts."Sensing something, Nana felt tears well up in her eyes and stream down her face."Nana, everything will be alright." Rosalie's heart ached."Mrs. Carter," the bodyguard reminded from behind, "you should go now. If Mr. Carter becomes impatient, he might blame Nana."He deliberately said this.Rosalie leaned closer to Nana and whispered, "Nana, I'll be back soon. Don't be afraid. There are people here to protect you."Rosalie didn't believe her own words, but she had to go. She feared Sebastian would lose his temper and take it out on Nana. He was capable of anything. He had even abandoned Nana when danger struck—how could he possibly see her as his daughter? To him, Nana wa
The earthquake lasted for about a minute and a half. The impact had left the mountain in ruins within moments. A crack split through the mountainside, exposing tangled roots, while trees leaned precariously in all directions.Rosalie suffocated under the debris. She struggled to free one hand and desperately patted Sebastian's face."Sebastian? Sebastian?"Sebastian's eyes remained closed, and blood continued to pour from his wounds.Rosalie hadn't expected him to shield her like this at such a moment.If this had happened in the past, she would have been deeply moved. But now, when she thought about everything Sebastian had done to her, any trace of emotion instantly vanished.She truly wished Sebastian would just die.A man like him—finally, the heavens had dealt him justice!Rosalie turned her gaze toward Nana's direction, and tears gushed down her face.She gritted her teeth and tried to free herself, but the moment she struggled, the surrounding rocks suddenly collapsed, crushing
After resting for a while, they continued their climb up the mountain.Nana took the lead, using both her hands and feet to ascend. She climbed like a kitten, quickly putting several dozen feet between herself and her adoptive parents.Though a child's strength was limited, her energy seemed boundless. Nana left the two adults trailing behind.Rosalie followed, a faint smile appearing on her face. Although Nana wasn't her biological daughter, she was, in fact, a mother. After becoming a mother, seeing children always stirred her maternal instincts. When Nana first called her "Mommy," she instinctively rejected it because the child had been brought back by Sebastian. But later, she found herself wanting to cry.Sebastian noticed the smile on Rosalie's face. It seemed bringing this little girl back had been the right decision.Suddenly, birds in the forest screeched and took to the sky. The treetops began to sway as a gust of wind blew through, and the ground rumbled and trembled violen