After Yvonne sent the text message, Rosalie asked, "What did you send?"Yvonne showed Rosalie her phone.Rosalie frowned. "Why did you send that? He'll be really worried if he sees it."Just as Rosalie finished speaking, Yvonne's phone rang. The caller ID showed that it was Sebastian.Yvonne proudly waved her phone, as if telling her, "See?" She then answered the call and put it on speaker.Before she could say anything, Sebastian's agitated voice came through. "Yvonne, what's going on? Where's Rose?""Seb, where are you right now? Why didn't you answer your phone?""Answer my question first!" Sebastian sounded somewhat irritable. "Where's Rose?""I'm here," Rosalie said.Hearing Rosalie’s voice, Sebastian asked worriedly, "Rose, are you okay? What's wrong?""I'm fine. You didn't answer our calls, so Vonnie sent that message to you."Sebastian's voice immediately turned cold. "Yvonne, you can’t crack that kind of joke!""I wasn't joking!" Yvonne said; she lowered her head,
Yvonne took a sip of her drink as she continued staring at her favorite couple. She silently cheered, "Go for it!""Why aren't you saying anything?" Sebastian asked when he saw that Rosalie was in a daze. He raised his hand, and waved it gently in front of her eyes. "What's going on, Rose? What's happened now?"Rosalie quickly shook her head. "It's nothing. I just want to tell you something.""What is it?"Nervous, Rosalie tugged at the hem of her shirt. Finally, she lifted her head and said, "Didn't you mention before that we could have a fake marriage?"Sebastian frowned. "Why bring that up?""Let's go see your father and tell him we're in a relationship. Even if you have to get married, you'll marry me," Rosalie said in one breath.A look of surprise flashed across Sebastian's face. "Rose, do you know what you're saying?""I do." Rosalie raised her voice. "Seb, I know exactly what I'm saying. Let's go see your father right now."She grabbed his hand and tried to lead him ou
Late at night, the Carter Residence was brightly lit.Xyla was dressed neatly. Sitting at her dressing table, she yawned. A maid was doing her hair. "So late, and still making a fuss," she grumbled.The maid, who looked to be in her forties and seemed to have worked for Xyla for a long time, bent down and whispered in her ear, "Mrs. Carter, it's the first time Mr. Sebastian is bringing his girlfriend home. He must be eager for you to meet her.""He brings a girlfriend home just after a marriage has been arranged for him. How timely." Xyla picked up a diamond hairpin from the dressing table, and put it against her hair. "I'll wear this one."Xyla went downstairs with her maid’s help. Everyone in the living room was seated nicely.Geoffrey glanced up at his wife, and said indifferently, "Come over and meet Miss Young."Xyla slowly walked up and glanced at Rosalie, who stood up nervously from the sofa. "Hello, Mrs. Carter."Xyla looked her up and down. "You’re Sebastian's girlfri
Xyla's gaze fell on Rosalie. Her half-smile made Rosalie feel uneasy. However, Rosalie still offered a polite smile. This was her first time meeting Sebastian's mother. Xyla looked well-maintained; she was a beautiful woman with great poise. Sebastian's excellent appearance must be inherited from his parents."Very nice," Xyla said calmly. "When are you two getting married?"As soon as the topic of marriage came up, Rosalie tensed up. She smiled, and said, "Seb and I are still discussing it. As for the wedding, we...""What's there to discuss?" Geoffrey interrupted her.Rosalie was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "Marriage is a big deal. Of course, it needs to be properly discussed. And then...""Aren't you in love with each other?" Geoffrey interrupted her again. "Isn’t the reason you announced you’re together and came here in a hurry to explain the situation to us is so you can get married as soon as possible?"Sebastian, worried his father might make things difficult for
After Rosalie entered the restroom, she started vomiting.Sebastian waited anxiously outside.After a while, a pale Rosalie reappeared.“Rose, it's all my fault. If you really don’t want to get married, it's okay. I’ll just tell my father the truth. You don’t have to do this for me…” he began.“I’m fine,” Rosalie reassured him. “It’s just normal morning sickness. It’s nothing serious, and it has nothing to do with you.”To ease his worry, she gave him a gentle smile. “I’m fine now. Let’s go back. We shouldn’t keep them waiting.”They made their way back to the living room after navigating several corridors.Rosalie had specifically asked Sebastian to take her to a more distant restroom, as she was worried someone might overhear her vomiting. If the Carters found out she was marrying Sebastian while pregnant with her ex-husband’s child, it would be a difficult situation to handle. Even though their marriage was fake, it needed to appear real.Back in the living room, because S
The next morning, Rosalie put her documents in her bag. She was ready.She received a call from Sebastian, who said he would arrive in three minutes.Rosalie went downstairs with her bag to wait for him, but as soon as she reached the bottom, a tall and handsome figure ran toward her. “Good morning!”Seeing Yerick, Rosalie was pleasantly surprised. “Yerick! What a coincidence!”Yerick, carrying a backpack, was slim but not frail. He also wore a very bright smile. “You look beautiful today. Are you going on a date?”Rosalie was wearing a V-neck blue lace dress with long sleeves. There was also a lovely necklace around her neck. She looked very elegant and beautiful.“I have something to attend to.”She had made an effort to dress up; if she was going to put on a show, she would go all out. After all, Geoffrey had mentioned that he would send an assistant, who was likely there to check whether they had actually gotten married or not.“So, have you had breakfast?” Yerick asked.“
“Oh. Did he approach you first, or did you start the conversation with him?” Sebastian asked.“He thought I was in a bad mood, so he came over to ask me what was wrong,” Rosalie said. “Were you in a bad mood?” Sebastian asked, concerned.“No, I was just quiet. I wasn’t in a bad mood.”“I see,” Sebastian said thoughtfully. He sensed that Rosalie was hiding something from him. “That Yerick seemed quite enthusiastic about you.”Rosalie blinked in confusion and turned to look at Sebastian’s side profile, sensing a hint of jealousy in his tone.Chuckling, she said, “He’s only eighteen.”“Eighteen…” Sebastian relaxed a bit at the mention of Yerick’s age. However, he suddenly remembered that Rosalie was only twenty-one, just three years older than Yerick.“Eighteen-year-olds are popular nowadays. Many girls like them,” Sebastian said interrogatively.Rosalie nodded. “Yes, Yerick is very sweet. He's like a younger brother. His voice is so soft and cute that it cheers me up when he ta
“Even though it’s a fake marriage, it’s still a spousal relationship. After we’re married, I won’t be fooling around with others,” Sebastian said.In his eyes, there was only Rosalie. There was no room for a third person in a relationship. It would be too crowded.Rosalie looked at Sebastian with a hint of suspicion in her eyes.Noticing Rosalie staring at him, Sebastian asked, “What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”He was focused on driving, but from the corner of his eye, he could see Rosalie seemed to be doubting something. He felt uneasy—had she noticed something?Rosalie smiled. “It’s nothing. It’s just that you seem a bit…”She paused, suddenly unsure how to describe Sebastian.He asked curiously, “A bit what?”Rosalie thought for a moment, and came up with a word. “You seem a bit…honest.”“Honest?” Sebastian was puzzled. “You think I’m honest?” No one had ever described him like that before.“Aren’t you? We’re in a fake marriage. You don’t need to be loyal to
"Next time, I'll make sure to not leave evidence behind." Sebastian gently caressed Steve's face."Steve, Daddy will win in the end. Just wait and see. When you grow up, you'll be like Daddy, always winning. We'll never lose." Sebastian laughed, his eyes bloodshot.Steve seemed startled, fear beginning to show on his face. He seemed like he was about to cry.-In the middle of the night…A peaceful atmosphere filled the ward, with the soft light of the night lamp casting a warm glow on Aurora's pale face. She lay alone in bed, her body seemingly blending into the silent night.Through the window, the night scenery appeared calm. Moonlight shone on the curtains, casting shadows in her room. Stars adorned the sky like diamonds, flickering as if silently telling tales of endless loneliness and thoughts.The door creaked open, and a man in black quietly entered the room. He was slender, and walked lightly. He blended into the shadows of the darkness. His gaze was sharp, like a star in th
Theodore gripped the magazine tightly in his hands, flipping through the pages. In truth, he didn't absorb a single word.Rosalie felt like she was suffocating. She couldn't continue speaking to Sebastian. "Seb, I'll hang up now. I'm going to rest."She was afraid that if she kept talking, she would lose control."Alright," Sebastian said, gently waving Steve's hand. "Steve, say goodbye to Mommy.""Goodbye, darling." Rosalie waved at the camera.Thinking about Steve made her heart ache deeply. This whole situation was just absurd. Steve's biological father was right next to her, but he could only remain invisible.After a while, Rosalie ended the video call with Sebastian. She set her phone aside and covered her mouth, crying.She was deeply upset. So many things had happened recently.On one hand, Theodore suddenly appeared in Melrine with his pregnant girlfriend. On the other hand, there was Justin. And then, Sebastian had done something terrible and lied to her. Now, he had returned
Rosalie asked this on purpose as she wanted to hear Sebastian's response. Had he truly returned to the country out of guilt, or was everything just a coincidence and the company issues had truly forced him back?"Actually, Rose," Sebastian said, "after I came back, I realized the situation is worse than I thought, so I won't be going to Melrine anytime soon. I just can't find the time.""I see." Rosalie lowered her gaze, a little disappointed.It just so happened that he returned to the country now, but it seemed that he also didn't dare to come back to Melrine. Was he really avoiding the authorities?But who had tipped Sebastian off? Could Sebastian have planted someone around Theodore? Who could it be?Rosalie forced a smile. "Alright then, I hope you sort out the company's matters at home. Don't worry about things here in Melrine. I'll come back as soon as I finish my studies.""Okay. Rose, why don't you talk to Steve for a bit?"Rosalie looked at the child on the screen, her eyes f
The sky gradually darkened.By now, Rosalie's IV drip bag was empty.She wanted to go to the bathroom. She had just gotten out of bed when Theodore stepped forward to support her.Rosalie immediately pulled away from his arm, her tone cold. "I can manage."With that, she carefully made her way to the bathroom, closed the door, and locked it.Theodore felt helpless.Later, she came out of the bathroom. She had finished washing up and returned to bed to lie down. "I'm going to sleep now. You can go back."Theodore didn't say anything but sat down on the couch."Go ahead and sleep." He picked up a magazine, and began flipping through it.Seeing his demeanor, Rosalie knew she couldn't change his mind. She turned to the other side, facing away from him.Theodore put down the magazine and secretly watched her. He cautiously walked over and adjusted the blanket on her, then returned to sit on the couch.Late at night, Rosalie's phone rang. It was a video call from Sebastian.Rosalie glanced d
"So, Dad, I can stay in Blencalgo without worry for now, right?"As they say, experience came with age. His father's connections and resources were certainly more extensive than his own.Sebastian had committed the offense in Melrine, but now he was back in Blencalgo. There was no extradition agreement between Melrine and Blencalgo, and Blencalgo had no law enforcement rights over him. Coupled with his background, he could escape any danger."I can help you this time, but next time, you'd better be more careful. If you're going to do bad things, don't let anyone have anything on you."Sebastian lowered his head. "I understand. I'll be more careful next time."Geoffrey's gaze lingered on him for a long moment before asking, "I heard you brought the child back."Sebastian nodded. "Yes. Rose is staying there to finish her studies, so I thought I'd bring him back to take care of him. After all, I've been looking after him all this time.""You really are something, raising another man's chi
"What question?" Sebastian asked. "Are you pregnant? Which man did you fool around with?""Seb, why are you acting like this?" Yvonne retorted. "I didn't mean that! I was going to ask you something.""Ask me? What is it?"Yvonne thought for a moment, then said, "Have you and Rose...consummated your marriage?"Sebastian furrowed his brow. "What on earth are you talking about?"Yvonne's heart skipped a beat. She had been indirect enough. "Well, Seb… You two are married now, and Rose has a child. Have you…?"Sebastian gave her head a tap, though not gently."Ouch! Why did you hit me, Seb?" Yvonne rubbed her head."Don't mention this again."Seeing the gloomy expression on Sebastian's face, Yvonne seemed to realize something. Could it be that he and Rosalie hadn't slept together yet? If that was the case, then it was great."Vonnie, hold the baby for a moment." Sebastian handed Steve to Yvonne.Yvonne took Steve into her arms. "You're so cute."The baby in her arms was soft and cuddly, lik
"I-I didn't mean it like that. I-I just blurted it out. Why are you being so harsh?" she said, stuttering.Could the treatment he went through damaged his brain and caused a change in his personality?Why did it feel like Sebastian's gaze had become so dark? It was completely different from the warm look he used to have. Was it just her imagination?Sebastian pursed his lips. "Vonnie, stop saying things that upset me. You know very well that I treat him as my own. Next time, don't speak without thinking. It could be bad if someone else hears it. After all, Theodore doesn't know about this yet. Do you understand?"Yvonne nodded. "I understand, Seb, but why is Rose staying in Melrine? Did she not want to take care of him? Or is she coming back soon?""She's busy with her studies over there. I wanted to take care of him, and he's more attached to me, so I brought him back to look after him. Once she's done with her studies, she'll come back.""So, from the way you're speaking, you're not
"Steve, isn't your mother being unreasonable? How could she treat me like this?" Sebastian said. "I just left, and she took advantage of my absence to get together with her ex-husband. I'm livid."But I know this can't be Rose's fault. It must be Theodore who seduced her."Steve, who was awake, blinked his big, round eyes.Sebastian picked him up and held him in his arms."You wouldn't do this to me, would you? Steve, you're with me now. Don't worry, I won't blame your mother. If I blame anyone, it'll be Theodore. It's that man who destroyed everything. I won't let him get away with it."Sebastian held Steve's small hand. "We, father and son, must be of one mind, right? When you grow up, you'll help your dad get revenge. You'll make sure to teach those who've bullied your dad a lesson.""Seb, you're back!" Yvonne rushed in.Upon hearing that Sebastian had returned, Yvonne hurried over. She saw Sebastian sitting on the couch, holding Steve in his arms.Yvonne was overjoyed and ran over
Theodore told Rosalie that Aurora was pregnant, but now, she knew that Aurora had a heart condition and needed a heart transplant. How could Aurora possibly be pregnant, then?"We weren't careful," Theodore said. "We didn't use protection, and she got pregnant. So now, I have to cherish her and make sure she doesn't come to any harm."Rosalie was left speechless. She didn't know what to say. Theodore was absurd—he found a woman who resembled her, and coincidentally, that woman had a heart condition and became pregnant. Was this man out of his mind?If Rosalie thought about it, Aurora did look a little like her. Plus, Aurora shared some traits with Cynthia—heart disease and fragile health.Theodore was a true romantic, wasn't he? He had found a new woman who combined the traits of his two previous lovers.What if, in the future, after breaking up with Aurora, he found a fourth woman? Would the woman have combined features of his first three women?The more Rosalie thought about it, the