Seeing Sebastian get increasingly agitated, Rosalie remembered the doctor's advice and said, "Seb, please don't act like this. I'm begging you.""No, Rose. I can't allow you to be harmed. I need to remember what happened."But each time he tried to recall, his headache would become unbearable."Seb." Rosalie embraced him, holding him close and caressing his face. "It's okay. Don't think about it. The most important thing right now is for you to focus on your recovery. You can think about it later when you're better."Look, there are so many bodyguards outside protecting us. I'm not in any danger. You've just woken up. If something happens to you now, what would I do? For my sake, please stop thinking about it, okay?"The warmth of her body calmed the agitated Sebastian significantly. In her embrace, he was as docile as a kitten, and he slowly closed his eyes.A wave of fatigue overcame him; he wrapped his arms around Rosalie's waist, holding her affectionately.Rosalie furrowe
Rosalie was stunned, as if a bomb had exploded in her head.The warmth of Sebastian's kiss still lingered on her lips, leaving her at a loss for what to do.He had kissed her so suddenly. However, seeing how satisfied and happy he was as he lay in her embrace, like a child who had just eaten candy, she couldn't bring herself to blame him.It wasn't Sebastian's fault. After all, he truly saw her as his wife, and it was normal for a husband to kiss his wife. If she reacted too strongly, it would surely upset him.Rosalie glanced at the time, and lowered her head. "Seb, you must be hungry. I'll get you something to eat. What would you like?"Sebastian thought for a moment, and replied, "I don't remember what I like to eat, but I love whatever you prepare for me." He smiled like a golden retriever.Rosalie nodded. "Then whatever I bring you later, you must eat it all and not be picky, okay?"She spoke to Sebastian like a gentle mother speaking to her child.Sebastian nodded obedien
"Really? He's awake?" Yerick asked excitedly. "That's great! Now you won't be sad anymore. I'm so happy!"He opened his arms. "Can I have a hug?""Alright, now." Rosalie lifted her hand and patted his head. "A hug? It's broad daylight, and I'm a married woman.""So what? I'm your brother," Yerick grumbled."Well, you're still an adult man."Yerick grinned happily."Why are you grinning like that?""You said I'm a grown man. I'm so happy! It means I'm not a kid anymore," Yerick said."Yes, you're not a child anymore. You're a little genius," Rosalie said, giving him a thumbs-up."Now that I know you're okay, I'm relieved. I'll leave now so I don't disturb you. We should have a meal together next time. We still haven't had that meal we talked about," he said."I'll treat you to a meal once this busy period is over," Rosalie said. "Alright, I'll keep that in mind. Bye!" Yerick waved goodbye.Just as he turned to leave, he suddenly doubled over, clutching his stomach and letti
To Sebastian, every minute and every second without Rosalie by his side was a torture, and he would count the seconds till he would see her again.Finally, the door to the ward was opened. Sebastian felt a surge of joy in his heart, thinking it must be Rosalie. He turned his head, looking glad, but saw his bodyguard coming in with food instead.His face fell immediately.“Mr. Carter, this is food we bought for you. Let me serve it to you.”There was a foldable table by the side of the bed which could be opened up with just the press of a button. The table opened up flat on the bed, so patients could eat on it.“Where’s Rose? Why did you come in?” he asked. The bodyguard explained, “Mrs. Carter said she had something to attend to and can’t come, so she asked me to prepare some food for you to eat. She wants you to rest well after the food. She’ll rush over once she’s done.”“What is she busy with?” Sebastian pressed further. “Where is she right now?”The bodyguard shook his hea
Rosalie waited outside the operating theater until it was nine at night.The doors to the theater finally opened after five arduous hours of surgery drew to a close.When the doctor came out, Rosalie rushed forward and asked, “Doctor, how is he?”“The patient’s appendix ruptured. Given his condition, we couldn’t do laparoscopy surgery and had to operate on him by the traditional method of open gastric surgery. When we did so, we found gastrointestinal perforations and adhesions, but the operation was a success. He needs a lot of rest and recuperation to prevent infection,” the doctor explained.“This means he’ll recover, right?”The doctor nodded. “Yes, he will. Make sure he gets lots of rest and he’ll recover.”Rosalie heaved a sigh of relief. “Got it. Thanks, Doctor.”Yerick was pushed out of the theater. He was still unconscious from the anesthesia, and Rosalie followed him back to the ward.Yerick needed someone to take care of him, but Rosalie couldn’t keep staying with hi
“Oh, is that so? Seems like Sebastian doesn’t care much about you. He’s not even bothering to bring you to the doctor for a check-up and see what’s wrong. You always look so weak and frail each time I see you, as if something is sapping all your energy,” Theodore said. Rosalie ignored him, and continued walking upstairs.Despite that, Theodore went on, “I’m serious. Something seems wrong with you. You clearly look weak, but you also put on weight. You really should go for a thorough check-up.”If they were still married, he would have many reasons to bring her for a health check-up. However, they were now divorced. He couldn’t force her, no matter how much he wanted to.Rosalie felt a little guilty. She was now slightly past three months pregnant and it was normal for her to put on some weight, but she was worried that Theodore would be suspicious.So she said, “Is that so? I weighed myself yesterday and lost a couple of pounds. Maybe I’m bloated.”Theodore found it even more su
Theodore sounded slightly angry. If he hadn’t followed Rosalie, she would have fallen in the stairwell and no one would have known. “Theodore Spencer, Sebastian always carries me up the stairs. He was the one who spoiled me. Let me go!” Rosalie snarled. His breath felt hot against her cheek, and the achingly familiar scent made her very upset. She disliked, even hated, this man—but she knew this hatred was mixed with love buried deep in her heart. It caused her inexplicable pain that made her instinctively want to stay far away from him and the pain he brought her.Suddenly, Theodore hauled her up in his arms.“What are you doing?” Rosalie wrapped her arms around his neck, for fear that she might fall. Once she realized what she was doing, she immediately retracted her arms. “Let me down!”“Didn’t you say that Sebastian always carries you upstairs? I’ll carry you upstairs right now. Don’t ever say that your ex-husband never carried you upstairs!”For some reason, Theodore insis
Rosalie explained the situation patiently and in all seriousness to him, seeking his forgiveness. She knew Sebastian would definitely be upset, having promised him she would return very soon, but ended up making him wait for so long. He had lost his memory, and she was the only person he remembered. The wait must have been torturous to him, making him feel as though he were abandoned.Sebastian peeked his face out from the sheets. “What friend? Male or female?”Rosalie chuckled helplessly. Did he lose his memory, or was he just jealous?“Don’t worry. He’s just an 18-year-old boy,” she said.“Is that so? How did you get to know him? You care so much about him.”“We live in the same district. Don’t worry, there’s nothing between us. We’re just friends. I see him as a brother, and he treats me like a sister. I couldn’t just ignore about him when something like that happened to him. Don’t pick a fight with me over this, okay?”Sebastian pouted like a child, clearly still angry. How
"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
Sebastian never left home without an impressive entourage, always ensuring he had enough bodyguards with him. He feared an assassination attempt at any moment.Even here, in a place he considered extremely safe, he still felt a lingering sense of insecurity.Security teams were stationed at the mountain's foot and helicopters, patrolling the summit. Sebastian stood at the mountain's base, holding Nana with one arm while his other hand held Rosalie's.Rosalie set Nana down on the ground and said, "Now, the three of us are going to climb up the mountain together."Looking ahead, they saw a long flight of stairs. This mountain originally had none, but Sebastian had funded their construction."Rose, Nana, let's begin. Nana, you go first. Mommy will go after you, and Daddy will protect both of you from behind," Sebastian said as he gently nudged Nana forward.Excited, Nana eagerly climbed the steps.Rosalie had no choice but to follow, while Sebastian took up the rear.After about twenty mi
Seeing her mommy being sad, Nana remembered her daddy's instructions to make her mommy happy. That was why she asked Rosalie the question.Rosalie didn't know what to say in response to Nana's question. Even a five-year-old could tell that she was unhappy. She shut the book and said, "I'm not sad, I just don't like to smile. Go and have fun by yourself. I'll be here reading."She couldn't bring herself to see Nana as her daughter. It wasn't a matter of Nana being biologically hers or not, but that Nana was someone that Sebastian forced upon her.Rosalie continued with her book, but she realized she couldn't read a single word of it.Nana sat obediently on the couch, looking crestfallen. "Mommy, do you hate me very much?"Rosalie was stunned by her question. "Why do you ask that?""I feel like you hate me and don't want to care about me. You don't even want to hug me."Rosalie sighed. "Nana, I don't hate you."The one she hated with a vengeance was Sebastian. It had nothing to
Rosalie was speechless to see that she suddenly had a five-year-old daughter that popped out of nowhere. This was completely Sebastian's decision and Rosalie naturally had no affection whatsoever for the child.The girl was indeed adorable, and although she was an innocent party, Rosalie couldn't bring herself to treat the child like her mother."Where are the biological parents of this child?" Given how cruel Sebastian was, she worried that this child's parents' lives were in danger."Rose, she's an orphan. I carefully selected her from a bunch of children and we're her parents from now on."Sebastian stood up and carried Nana in his arms. "See, it's great with the three of us as a family. Once you get used to her, we might adopt another child. We can adopt many."Nana looked just like a fragile porcelain doll, the look on her face as pitiful as ever. She found everything around her foreign and she behaved with utmost caution for fear that she might upset the adults around he
Theodore had the email address investigated and found it heavily encrypted and difficult to hack into.He adopted many different approaches, tracking down the IP address, analyzing the source code of the email address, and so on—but the other party seemed to be prepared for any hacking attempts. All the clues left behind ended up false. The other party used an anonymous network and virtual private network for all his communications, making it difficult to trace the source.Theodore sought out professional hackers for help, but all traces that the other party left behind had been sophisticatedly erased away. Even professional hackers could do nothing about it.The email address he got ended up being useless in finding Sebastian's whereabouts.He didn't dare imagine the kind of life that Rosalie was leading right now. She disappeared into thin air and Justin's life was probably in danger as well. Otherwise, he would certainly protect Rosalie with his life.He contacted the Jackson