"Yes, I know her, but..." Rosalie didn't tell Geoffrey that Sydney was her mother-in-law. Technically, they were no longer in-laws, but she still called Sydney ‘Mom’. She was worried Geoffrey wouldn’t believe her if she told him this fact, and right now, saving Sebastian was more important."Do you have any proof? Why should I believe you? Even if she refused to lend to Regent Co., it doesn't necessarily mean anything. Unless..." Geoffrey's firm tone suddenly softened. "Unless I can hear it from her directly. Otherwise, your words are just that—words.""Alright, I'll ask her to tell you herself. Wait a moment." Rosalie took out her phone, and walked to the side to send a message to Sydney. [Mom, please help me with something. My friend's father thinks he lost a project to Regent Co. and wants to punish him severely. I need to prove that Regent Co. has issues so I can help him avoid punishment. Can you tell his father that Regent Co. has problems? You're respected in the field,
Although Geoffrey might eventually learn about her relationship with Sydney, her priority right now was to save Sebastian. She would deal with this problem later."The relationship is not the main point here. What's important is that you believe her. If you still have doubts, you can hire a professional to thoroughly analyze all the data. If I can figure it out, I believe they can too. "Regent Co.'s methods aren't particularly sophisticated. They just took advantage of good timing and the regulatory authorities' negligence. Many companies are operating this way. They think they can get away with it, but it's just a matter of time before they’re exposed. I'm sure the short-sellers have already set their sights on Regent Co."Geoffrey turned around. "Phillip." Phillip stepped forward. "Yes, sir?"Geoffrey passed him the wooden stick, instructing him to put it back in its place.When she saw the stick being taken away, Rosalie finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Sebastian
The doctor examined Rosalie, and said she had low blood sugar. Coupled with physical exhaustion and stress, she needed a balanced nutrition and ample rest.Sebastian was so busy taking care of Rosalie, he didn't have time to get his own wound treated.Hence, Rosalie "ordered" him to get it treated. Only then did he leave to find the doctor, albeit reluctantly.Yvonne sat by the bed, and gave Rosalie a thumbs up. "You really impressed me today. I can’t believe you confronted my dad!"She thought that Rosalie was either naïve, or incredibly courageous.Rosalie smiled. "I was just being practical with your dad."She didn’t fear Geoffrey, but she respected him.After all, her upbringing wasn’t exactly ordinary. Although the Spencers looked frightening, they were just humans like everyone else.People like the Spencers and Geoffrey exuded a kind of awe-inspiring presence and a natural authority that commanded respect and fear. It was different from the terrifying aura of criminals w
"Seb’s a good friend of mine, and he’s helped me a lot. It's only natural for me to return the favor. Besides, it's not very difficult. It's just that no one has done it before. I wasn’t fully prepared just now, either," Rosalie said. She didn't think that much credit was due.Yvonne grinned. "Rose, stop being modest. Whatever it is, Seb will definitely love you more than ever after this."The smile on Rosalie's face froze instantly, and she stared blankly at Yvonne.Yvonne closed her mouth immediately. She froze, and a hint of panic flashed in her eyes. Oh, no! She had let it slip!In the corridor, Sebastian had just turned to enter the ward when his footsteps suddenly stopped—he appeared thunderstruck. He immediately withdrew his foot, turned around, and leaned against the wall. The room was right beside him, but he didn't dare to enter. His breathing also became quicker.Damn Yvonne! What was that brat saying? Did she even know what she just did? She really didn’t think b
"That's good." Yvonne then added, "But I have a condition. Between Seb and me, I have to come first. I must be your best friend, and no one else."Rosalie was at a loss for words. "But Vonnie, I have other friends too, like Stephanie Carter. I've known her for many years, and we're good friends.""Stephanie Carter?" Yvonne's brow furrowed at the mention of Stephanie. "Who is she? What a coincidence, she has the surname Carter too.""Yes. She shares the same surname as you."In fact, the surname Carter wasn't very common. Rosalie realized that she knew three friends with the surname Carter. It was such a small probability, yet she encountered it."How long have you known each other?" Yvonne asked."Over a decade," Rosalie replied."Over a decade?" Yvonne exclaimed. "That long? Then how can I compare with her? I've only known you for less than a month!"Rosalie chuckled. "Why do you want to compare yourself with her?""Because you said you're good friends with her, and you've
Yvonne grinned happily. She was easily pleased, just like a child. "That's right! Seb, did you hear that? I don’t know why you had to lecture me. Rosalie isn't even mad at me. You're meddling way too much!"Seeing Sebastian's furrowed brow, Rosalie quickly said, "You two, stop arguing all the time, especially because of me. I feel guilty."Since Rosalie looked so pitiful, Sebastian and Yvonne hurriedly shut their mouths.Seeing the siblings finally calling a ceasefire, Rosalie relaxed. She glanced at Sebastian's forehead, where his injury had been bandaged."Seb, do you have any other injuries?"When she arrived at their house earlier, Sebastian's forehead was already injured. She wondered if Geoffrey had beaten him anywhere else."Don't worry, Rosalie," Yvonne said. "My brother has thick skin."Sebastian wanted to lecture Yvonne again, but with Rosalie present, he refrained from saying anything. He didn't want to upset her."Vonnie, don’t be so mean to your brother all the t
In the ward, only the two of them remained. Sebastian smiled awkwardly. "Don’t mind her, Rose. She never thinks before she talks.""It's okay, actually. It's kind of nice. She doesn't have any ulterior motives, and I quite like her," Rosalie said.She got off the bed, and bent down to put on her shoes.Sebastian immediately walked up to her and crouched. "Let me help you."He knelt down on one knee, held her ankle, and picked up a shoe.Rosalie instinctively pulled back.Sebastian seemed to notice, and lifted his head. "Let me help you. You have low blood sugar. If you get dizzy again later, it's not good for the baby."He then carefully slipped her foot into the shoe. Even in the simple act of helping her put on her shoes, his movements were gentlemanly and courteous.Looking at Sebastian helping her with her shoes, Rosalie’s eyes briefly misted over.The scene felt familiar. She suddenly remembered the time Theodore had done the same for her. It was shortly after they had
"I'm not avoiding you. I just got my period. There's nothing wrong. I'm sorry you had to come back for nothing," Rosalie said.She knew Theodore was very busy, so she usually tried not to bother him. She was obedient and quiet.They had only been married for a short time. She was learning to be a good wife and getting accustomed to Theodore being her husband. She wanted them to be comfortable around each other as a married couple, but she still felt that things were somewhat surreal.There seemed to be a distance between her and Theodore—like she was just an ordinary girl secretly admiring an unattainable idol, longing for him day and night.And one day, she suddenly got to be with that idol, and they became husband and wife. She was in a panic and at a loss. In a short time, she didn't know how to get along with her idol. Every move was made cautiously, because she was afraid of being disliked by him."What's there to be sorry about?" Theodore frowned slightly, his handsome face
Sebastian carried Rosalie out of the washroom. Her knees were both slightly red.He put her on the bed, his thumb rubbing the corners of her lips. He smiled and whispered into her ear, "Did that taste good?"Rosalie flipped to her side, her back facing him.Sebastian kissed her shoulder as a wicked look flashed past his eyes. He dove into the sheets, moving lower and lower.Rosalie knew what was about to happen and tried to struggle, but he pinned both of her legs down.Everything that happened after that felt torturous.Rosalie didn't even know when it ended.When it finally did, her cheeks were flushed and she sobbed silently while biting on her fingers.Sebastian emerged from the sheets and pulled her into his arms."Darling, why are you crying?" he coaxed her as he patted her back. "Don't cry. Did I hurt you?"Rosalie held her tears back and turned her face away, but Sebastian forcefully twisted her head back.His lips crooked wickedly. "Look how red your cheeks are. Wel
When it was past three in the afternoon and the weather wasn't so hot, Sebastian brought Rosalie out for a stroll.Although Veloso's industry and economy were underdeveloped, the natural scenery wasn't bad.Sebastian brought Rosalie to many places.Throughout the entire time, she didn't say much, simply letting him hold her hand.When they stood at the seaside, Sebastian hugged her from behind and kissed her neck, whispering sweet nothings into her ear.He also brought her to a sea of flowers. He hugged her as they lay on the flower bed, making her kiss him.Sebastian was enjoying every moment of it.At night, he booked the most luxurious restaurant to have dinner with Rosalie. The two of them sat by the window.Throughout the meal, Rosalie hardly responded to him. Eventually, Sebastian put down his fork and said, "Rose, don't be so grouchy. Give me a smile, won't you?"He was as patient as he could with her. However, there was a limit to his patience.Rosalie looked up at Se
Sebastian shut his eyes, savoring the kiss. He wrapped an arm around her waist and deepened the kiss, but he didn't take over control from Rosalie and simply enjoyed the feeling of her taking the initiative to kiss him. However, she didn't kiss him for too long. It was a simple kiss and nothing fancy, where she just let her lips touch his for a while before letting him go.Rosalie looked at Sebastian, as if asking with her eyes whether that would do.Sebastian wasn't exactly pleased with the kiss.However, the empty look in her eyes made him soften his stance.He picked up his phone, covered her eyes, and unlocked the screen with a code before retrieving a video of Steve.He took the video when he was previously taking care of Steve. Although Steve was biologically Theodore's child, he was way too adorable and Sebastian truly adored him. That was why he took many photos of him.He clicked on the first video and showed it to Rosalie. It lasted over a minute and showed Steve sitt
The delighted look on Sebastian's face made Rosalie look away. No matter how handsome he was, the sight of his face made her retch.Sebastian spooned food onto her plate and said, "Rose, I know you like this cuisine. I had all the ingredients air-flown here and they are as fresh as they can be. Just tell me what you want to eat and I'll have the kitchen prepare it for you. You need to take care of your health."He held her shoulders. "I want to fatten you up. Be good and eat up."He urged her tenderly, but this tenderness was only temporary. If she were to resist, he would immediately turn violent and hurt her.Rosalie picked up a spoon and stuffed the food in her mouth. She wolfed everything down, hoping that lunch would come to an end soon."Be good, eat slowly," Sebastian said as he caressed her hair like she was a child. "Don't choke, my heart will ache if you do. These are all for you. You can eat as much as you like. If it's not enough, I'll have the kitchen cook more."The
"Well, Rose? Have you come round yet? Do you want me to send someone to kill your son, or will you submit to me obediently, listen to me, and behave yourself? Instead of trying to kill or harm yourself."Sebastian tried to make himself look as gentle and tender as he could be, as if he were patiently negotiating with Rosalie. In truth, this was nothing like a negotiation. Rosalie basically had no choice."How do you want me to submit to you?" she asked in a hoarse voice.The video of Steve woke her up. Not only was she Justin's lover, but she was also a mother. She couldn't stand idly by watching Steve get into trouble. She couldn't neglect her son's safety because of the misery she was in.Sebastian smiled, finally satisfied. "I just want you to listen to me and stay by my side. Don't act like a living corpse and cooperate when in bed with me."Sebastian spoke as though he was talking about things as simple and intuitive as eating and drinking.A simple word from the devil was
Sebastian's head was still throbbing. He drank a lot last night also because he wanted to drown his sorrows.He stared at the woman on the bed, the look in her eyes empty like a lifeless doll.Sebastian gently caressed her hair and stood up to walk to the washroom.When he returned last night, he went to bed straight away without showering.He brushed his teeth and took a shower in the washroom. After he was done, he wiped himself dry and returned to the bed, wrapping Rosalie in his arms once more."Darling, things have come to this point and you can't change anything. You should just accept things the way they are. This country is quite beautiful. Let me take you out for a walk."His voice was very gentle, like a lover mumbling words of affection.Rosalie didn't respond to him, as if she were a corpse.Sebastian went on, "Do you want to be tied to the bed, unable to move your entire life? How long are you going to be stubborn like this? Darling, let me wash you up and brush yo
Rosalie felt her body being flipped over as Sebastian pressed his body against hers.The smell of alcohol made her feel nauseous.She wanted to shove him away, but her hands were tied up and she couldn't move them.Sebastian cupped her face in his hands and planted hot kisses on her cheeks. His lips landed on a swollen area.Rosalie winced in pain.Sebastian could feel the swell on Rosalie's face through his lips. He opened his eyes and realized that almost half of Rosalie's face was swollen. There was even an imprint of a palm on her cheek.He had slapped her very hard this morning because she angered him. He lost control and hit her.Rosalie's skin was tender and certainly couldn't withstand his force. Her cheeks were now badly swollen.Although Sebastian was drunk, he was still conscious. Remorse filled his eyes as he cried, "Rose, you really shouldn't have angered me at that time. If you didn't, I wouldn't have hit you."He poked her cheek gently with a finger. "See, it's
In the deep of the night, the curtains fluttered in the cold wind.The moon shone like silver outside the window and into a bedroom in the villa. The weak moonlight danced in the darkness, reflecting a dim blue shadow in the room. Branches swayed outside the window, making a rustling sound.Rosalie lay on the bed, her face pale as a sheet and her eyes bloodshot and swollen, reflecting the fatigue she was feeling inside.The look in her eyes was empty and hopeless, like a sole boat wandering in the endless night, void of direction and hope.The bedside lamp shone a gentle light, lighting up her haggard features. The shadows in the dim room accentuated the loneliness etched on her face.The night was quiet except for the rustling wind and the heartless ticking of time. The silence in Rosalie's heart, however, was deafening.Her breathing gradually became labored as she lay on the bed, hopelessness filling her eyes. She looked like a lone spirit roaming the darkness.The door ope
Rosalie smirked. "Is that so?"She knew Sebastian was the one in denial. She was sure he felt furious and indignant, and was just feigning confidence to cover up the unease he was feeling."Sebastian Carter, I curse you to never find happiness! I'd rather be torn to pieces than fall in love with a man like you. I curse you to never find love!"Sebastian smacked Rosalie's face hard. He slapped her so hard, she felt dizzy and collapsed on the bed. Her tender cheeks swelled up immediately.His hand trembled after the slap, still left handing in the air. He looked at his palm as shock, disbelief, guilt, regret and all sorts of conflicted feelings flashed past the depths of his eyes.Rosalie didn't have much of a reaction. She simply lay on the bed expressionlessly, as though she were dead and completely void of emotions.Sebastian clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "Rose, you shouldn't be talking to me like this. You shouldn't be angering me. Don't think that just because I lo