"Grandma, I need to use the restroom." Rosalie put down her cutlery, and stood up to leave.After Rosalie left, Rebecca turned to Theodore. "Why are you sitting there like you’re mute? You should’ve said something!"Theodore smiled bitterly. "What could I say? Even if I agreed, Rose might not. She doesn’t want to be close to me, so even pretending will be stressful for her."That was why he hadn’t said anything. No matter what he said, it would only make her uncomfortable. He didn’t mind telling Rebecca, because he knew she understood deep down. Hiding it only give everyone more pressure.Rebecca sighed. This was exactly what she had expected. "Rose treating you this way now is your own fault. You lost a good wife, just like your father. Why don’t you ever learn?""I don’t know why. Maybe it’s human nature. We know it’s wrong, but we do it anyway. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many wars," Theodore replied helplessly.Rebecca shook her head in resignation. "I’m tired of reprim
“What’s the problem?”“I…” Theodore didn’t want to tell his grandmother that Rosalie was already married. Just as he was thinking of an excuse, his phone dinged. He took it out, and saw a message from Rosalie. [Please come to the restroom, thanks.]He put his phone back in his pocket. “Grandma, I need to use the restroom.”Theodore left the dining room and headed to the restroom. When he got there, Rosalie opened the door for him, pulled him inside, and shut the door with a bang.He waved his phone in front of her. “You're being very polite.”Rosalie had sent him a message with "please" and "thanks," speaking to him as if he were a stranger.“What do you want? Do you want me to speak rudely to you?” Rosalie asked.“I’d rather you be rude and curse at me.”She frowned. “Do you really want me to curse at you that much?”“Yes, I’d prefer that to you being polite. Your courteous attitude makes me uneasy.”The more polite she was, the further away she seemed. He’d rather she hit
“Why do you think I wouldn’t agree?” Theodore asked.“It’s not that I think you wouldn’t agree. It’s that I don’t know if you would, so I wanted to ask you privately,” Rosalie explained.“You’re very cautious. Can I take this to mean you care about my feelings? Otherwise, you could have just said that since she’s my grandmother, it’s my responsibility to fulfill her wish.”“Don’t misunderstand. It has nothing to do with caring about your feelings. I just think it’s a matter of courtesy. We’re divorced, and things aren’t the same as before. Besides, visiting your grandmother is a responsibility, but you’re not obligated to fulfill her competitive desires. You can refuse, and that doesn’t make you a bad grandson,” she retorted calmly.“So, you think Grandma shouldn’t compare us to others?”“It doesn't matter. It has already happened. I understand her feelings, so if I have the ability to fulfill her wish, I’m willing to do it.”“Aren’t you afraid that she might demand more in the f
Seeing Rosalie's wary expression, Theodore scoffed. “Are you afraid I’ll press you against the wall and kiss you? Then you shouldn’t have called me here.”Rosalie lowered her gaze. “I hope you don’t do such things here.”“Not here?” Theodore smirked. “You mean I can do it somewhere else?”Rosalie frowned. “Stop joking. Let’s go out.”Considering what he had done before, she knew he was capable of such actions. More importantly, she had texted him to come here. If he really did kiss her, it would be hard for her to defend herself.“I have a question for you.”“What?” Rosalie asked.“You’re worried about Grandma, and so am I. She says she’s fine, but we don’t believe it without seeing her medical report. Now I’m worried about you. When was your last check-up?”Rosalie felt a stab of pain in her heart. “Didn’t you take me for a check-up before our divorce? You already know everything, didn’t you?”Fortunately, Stephanie had helped her. Otherwise, she would have been exposed.“Yo
“I don’t know,” Rosalie said, looking at him sadly. “I only know that if you hurt him, it’s the same as hurting me.”Theodore couldn’t help but clench his fists. Indeed, Rosalie and Sebastian were married now. Hurting either one of them meant hurting the other.He wanted to say something, but the words were stuck in his throat. What could they reach an agreement on in the restroom, and with Rebecca outside? It would just end badly. The more he spoke, the more mistakes he would make.He sighed and turned, opening the door of the restroom to leave.Rosalie stood there for a long time. Her heart ached painfully. After quietly wiping away the tears from the corner of her eyes and regaining her composure, she made her way back.Rebecca was ecstatic to hear that Rosalie and Theodore had agreed to attend the wedding as a married couple.“You’re such good children. Thank you for indulging my vanity. I feel a bit guilty. I promise I won’t compare anymore next time. At my age, being vain i
“Stop acting like you know him, okay? You don’t understand his situation at all! Don’t judge his actions based on your own values. There’s a reason why I'm staying in the hospital to take care of him,” Rosalie said.Sebastian had amnesia, and needed her. Now, he was like a lost child who couldn't find his way home. He was unfamiliar with everything around him. If she wasn't by his side, he would be terrified. Brain surgery wasn't a joke; even a tiny error could result in paralysis or death. It was already a miracle that he survived.Theodore had no idea what she had gone through!Seeing how protective Rosalie was of Sebastian, Theodore could see their relationship was indeed unbreakable. He felt a mix of bitterness and sadness.“As long as you think it makes sense,” Theodore said flatly. He didn't mean anything by that, but to Rosalie, it sounded a bit harsh.She wanted to argue back, but couldn’t find the right words. All she could do was swallow her anger and fume in silence.W
“Every time I get angry, it leads to serious consequences because I’ll come after you, interrogating you with righteous indignation, making you angry, making you cry, and even hurting you, as if I were the victim. But all of this was self-inflicted. I’m the one who divorced you for another woman, who abandoned my wife for the promises made to another woman. Why should I blame you for being close to Sebastian?” Theodore went on.“Even if you’re close to him, so what? It's my fault I lost you. You met a man who was gentle and caring, who stayed with you when you were in pain and protected you. Naturally, you’d be touched. Rose, tell me. Did Sebastian’s dedication move you so much that you transitioned from being ordinary friends to best friends who would go to great lengths for each other?”Rosalie was silent for a moment before nodding. “Yes, he moved me deeply.”Her heart wasn’t made of stone, so she could feel Sebastian’s kindness. While she didn't feel romantic love for him, love
“I'm the scumbag, but every time I see you with Sebastian, I feel like you shouldn’t be so close to him. Since you both are just friends, why should you be so intimate with each other? I ignored what I had done, and all the painful situations I put you in. At that time, Sebastian brought you so much hope.”“Ordinary friends and best friends are different. If you must compare the two and then use the standards for ordinary friends to criticize all cross-gender friendships, that’s superficial. It just means that one doesn’t understand how complex emotions can get. Such a person is doomed to never have true friends, and even if they do, they will lose them.”“I shouldn’t have measured your friendship with Sebastian using the standards of ordinary friends. I was viewing your relationship from my narrow perspective, so I became extreme and harsh. I hurt you repeatedly, questioned you, and belittled you.”“Foolish and superficial people see everything in black and white, but there are gra
"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