Theodore stared at Rosalie silently, unable to speak for a moment.He was clearly angry, but couldn't find a way to vent it. Didn't she just say she didn't want his child because he himself said he wouldn't give her one? So, why did he feel so stifled?Rosalie wiped away her tears and turned to open the door.Theodore grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going?"Rosalie forcefully shook his hand off. "You don't expect me to sleep with you, do you? Obviously, I'm going to sleep in the next room."The term 'husband and wife' had lost its meaning between them. There was no point in deluding themselves anymore. Every moment she spent with him was painful.Rosalie opened the door and left. In the guest room, she lay down on the bed, buried her head in the pillow, and cried bitterly.Why was she so weak? Why was she crying at a time like this? She hated herself, but she couldn't control it. Love cut deep. How could it not hurt?Rosalie held her chest, feeling as if her heart was being s
Rosalie felt disoriented after being wheeled out of the emergency room. She could hear voices, but her eyelids felt heavy.Two hours later, Rosalie jolted awake from a nightmare. Having dreamt about losing her child, she instinctively touched her belly."My baby... my baby!""Rose, the baby is fine," Stephanie said, holding her friend's hand.Rosalie turned to see her best friend standing by her bed. Upon hearing that her baby was okay, she breathed a sigh of relief, feeling her tension finally ease. Yet, tears started running down her face."I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm so sorry. Thankfully, you're okay. Mommy won't say silly things again!"Stephanie wiped away Rosalie's tears. "Don't cry. You're showing signs of miscarriage, so you mustn't get too emotional. You have to take good care of yourself for the next few months. Rest in bed, eat balanced meals, and avoid strenuous activities."Rosalie nodded vigorously. "I understand. I'll do all of that!"Suddenly, a man walked into the
Theodore tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Thinking about what Rose had said to him before she left made him feel like there was a gaping hole in his chest. The various complex emotions running through him left him feeling restless.He got out of bed and approached Rosalie's room door. After hesitating for a while, he lightly knocked on the door."Rose, are you asleep?"He received only silence as a reply. It was already late, so she should be asleep by now. He turned to leave, but felt uneasy, so he turned back and knocked on the door again."Rose, I need to talk to you. Can I come in?"Still, nothing but silence.He sighed. "I know you don't want to see me right now, but I want to apologize. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that today."I've been doing and saying everything wrong today, and I hurt you. I know I'm not a good man. I'm truly sorry. If I could have another chance, I would have been clear with you from the start. I would never hurt you. But unfortunatel
At the hospital, Sebastian sat by Rosalie's bedside, slicing an apple for her."Mr. Carter, I'm really sorry for making you come all this way.""No need to apologize. I came of my own accord. Besides, why do you mind when I don't?"Rosalie smiled politely, but still felt guilty."I was a bit abrupt when I hung up on you. You're not upset, are you?""Come on, if I were upset, would I be here?"After slicing the apple into small pieces and putting them in a container, Sebastian speared one with a toothpick and handed it to Rosalie."Here, have some."Rosalie attempted to sit up. "I can do it myself...""Don't move. Have you forgotten what you just experienced?" said Sebastian, in a tone that was slightly admonishing but still warm.Rosalie grinned awkwardly. "Mr. Carter, you don't have to be so nice to me. I'm not used to it.""You don't have to be used to it. You're a patient. It's a chance for me to experience taking care of someone. So that when I have a wife in the future,
At that moment, Rosalie saw Stephanie poking her head through the door and giving her a signal with her eyes.She immediately understood. Stephanie must have helped her out, preventing Theodore from finding out about her almost having a miscarriage. Thank goodness for that, or it would have been troublesome for Rosalie."Say something! You have the strength to eat the apple pieces he's feeding you, but no strength to answer my question?" Theodore clenched his fists, his anger raging.It wasn't just her coming to the hospital alone that bothered him. It was also because Sebastian was feeding her. It was a scene that was such an eyesore to him!Sebastian stood up, his expression turning cold as he put down the container of apple pieces."Mr. Spencer, she's your wife, not your enemy. Can't you speak a little more gently?""So, you do know she's my wife," Theodore said sternly. "Then, why are you here?""I'm friends with Mrs. Spencer. Isn't it normal for a friend to be here?"Frien
Theodore's eyes were filled with hostility. Sebastian didn't back down either, staring back with an equally intense gaze that even held a hint of disdain.Sensing the tension between the two men, Rosalie hastily asked, "Theo, why are you here?"Theodore turned to look at his wife. "I went to your room to see you, but you weren't there. The servant said you had gone out, and you kept rejecting my calls. Your friend lied to me and said you were at her place. Why would you do that?"Theodore had been really frantic at that moment, afraid that something had happened to her."How did you know I was here, then?""I heard a doctor talking about a blood transfusion on the phone, so I guessed you were in the hospital. You once mentioned that you often visited Delta Hospital, so I figured you might be here."Even if you don't want to see me, you can't risk your own life. What if something had happened to you on the way here?"Rosalie could clearly see the concern in her husband's eyes. Th
Even though Rosalie knew she couldn't get worked up, how could she control herself in a situation like this?Seeing Rosalie's trembling fists, Theodore suddenly felt like he had been doused in cold water. He had almost forgotten that she was sick!He quickly held her hand and said, "I'm sorry, I'll stop. Please don't be angry."The sudden apology made Rosalie pause for a moment. But indeed, he seemed to have calmed down. Her tight grip on the blanket slowly relaxed.Rosalie noticed Stephanie lingering at the door, so she said, "Steph, come over here."Truth be told, Stephanie was a bit afraid of Theodore. This man had a natural aura of intimidation, and wherever he went, it felt like the Grim Reaper was passing by.As a small fry herself, she naturally felt crushed by this influential man. But thinking about her best friend being tormented by him made Stephanie angry, so she straightened her posture and shot him a dirty look.Stephanie walked over to Rosalie's side, leaned in, a
Rosalie's anger made Theodore uneasy, making him feel like a child who had been caught misbehaving.Worried that Rosalie might make herself sick with anger, Stephanie was about to comfort her friend, when suddenly, a voice broke the silence."Ms. Carter, I'm sorry."Stephanie thought she had misheard, until she looked up and met the man's apologetic gaze. Although he didn't seem remorseful, the fact that he had apologized to her for Rosalie's sake was already surprising enough.Stephanie was so surprised that she momentarily forgot how to respond. After a few seconds, she regained her composure and grinned."It's alright."As Rosalie's close friend, she felt obligated to accept his apology, as it would put Rosalie in a difficult position if she didn't."Ms. Carter, I meant to say that you don't have to worry about Rose because I'm here. It's late, so you should head home and rest," Theodore said, his voice noticeably calmer than before, resembling his usual composed self.Seein
Before his departure, Theodore carried Steve in his arms for a long time, saying many things to him."Stevie, I'm so sorry. If anything were to happen to Daddy, I can't take care of you anymore. I know I should be doing that and that I shouldn't be so selfish, but I can't help it. I have to go save Mommy. If I don't come back, you must listen to Grandpa and Grandma. They will take care of you."Theodore kissed his cheek. "I left you many videos, enough to last you till you turn 18. Remember to watch one every year on your birthday. I want you to know that I'll remember you forever."He started tearing up. "I'm sorry, Daddy needs to go. I'll protect myself and your mommy as best as I can. We'll definitely find a way back home."Theodore put Steve back into his cot."Dada…" Steve leaned against the edge of the cot and blinked innocently at Theodore."I'm sorry. Daddy's leaving." He planted a final kiss on Steve's cheek and left, his heart breaking.Steve plopped onto the mattr
They were thirty hours away from the launch of the rescue operation.Theodore called Sydney and Wesley over for a talk in the living room. With his solemn expression, the atmosphere was very tense."I called you two over because I have something very important to tell you.""What is it?" Wesley asked."If I were to die, please take good care of Steve."Shock registered on both their faces when they heard Theodore's words."Theo, what do you mean by that?" Sydney asked. "What happened? You've been acting so secretively as of late. I don't see you and can't even reach you. In fact, I can't reach Rose, either."She sensed that something major had happened, but no one was telling her what it was. She even tried contacting Christopher to understand what was going on, but he refused to breathe a word about it.The rescue operation had to be kept under wraps. Theodore and Christopher hid it from everyone else for fear of unnecessary complications and information leaks. They couldn't a
In the dark, silent night, moonlight flitted about in the night sky like a weak flame on a candle in the endless darkness.Clouds covered the sky and the night breeze felt chilly, like a sneaky thief drawing close under the cover of the night.The office was a mess, the darkness outside melting into the tense atmosphere in the room.There were many computers laid out on the large table, information and data blinking rapidly on the screen like the stars in the night sky, piercing through one's nerves.Theodore was leading the pack, walking around the periphery of the table amidst the tense atmosphere, his attention completely drawn toward the computer screens. Everyone was involved in this extremely dangerous and challenging rescue operation. They were now at the stage of planning for the rescue operation.Christopher was involved, as well. Half of the men in the office room were working under him.Theodore placed the report he received on the table and said to Christopher, "Vel
Nana's tears fell down her cheeks as she clutched the blanket tightly, her small body trembling.Sebastian was originally furious. He had suffered at Rosalie's hands, but upon seeing Nana's pitiful appearance, the anger inside him began to subside. He moved closer to her and reached out his hand, but she shrank back in fear.Sebastian forcibly pulled the blanket off Nana and lifted her. He then walked toward the balcony.Nana was terrified, but she dared not move recklessly. She could only silently shed tears, too scared to cry out loud.Sebastian carried Nana to the balcony, where a cool breeze blew. He sat down in the chair on the balcony, placing Nana on his lap."Nana, are you upset with Daddy for not saving you at that time?"Nana lowered her head and kept silent."I could only save one of you. Your mother was right by my side, and you were far from me. I couldn't get to you in time."Though if given another chance, he would still save Rosalie."You didn't die, so you're lucky. I
Sebastian took a deep breath, seemingly trying to hold back his anger. Finally, he said in a calm tone, "Let's eat first. We have plenty of time ahead of us. Rose, think about it. You're just in your twenties, and we still have so many years to go. This is just the beginning."Sebastian was not in a hurry because he was the one in control. He still had plenty of time with Rosalie. He would slowly make this woman obey him.After lunch, Sebastian didn't stay long. Even though he wanted to talk to Rosalie, she wouldn't say anything pleasant. Listening to her would only frustrate him.Just as he reached the door, Rosalie called out to him. "Wait a moment."It was rare for her to call him. Sebastian couldn't help but feel a flicker of expectation in his heart.Rosalie asked, "Won't you sleep with me tonight?"There was a hint of mockery in her eyes when she said this. Sebastian's brows furrowed tightly. He knew she was humiliating him. She was saying this on purpose, trampling on his pride
Rosalie didn't say anything and let Sebastian talk to himself."Rose, am I really such a bad person in your eyes?"Rosalie didn't want to respond to such a stupid question—it wasn't just stupid, it was ridiculous.He had done so many bad things, yet he was completely oblivious to it and still had the nerve to ask if he was really that evil.Sebastian let out a bitter laugh. "Fine, I'm a bad person, but it's all because of you. If you had accepted me earlier and stayed by my side obediently, none of this would've happened."Rosalie's hand holding her cutlery trembled. She wanted nothing more than to stab them into his body."Rose, if I didn't love you enough, after you nearly ruined my manhood, I would have pulled out all your teeth, whipped you three times a day, and even brought Nana in front of you to strangle her. Even though she's not your biological daughter, it would still be enough to make you suffer and despair."Rosalie coldly stared at him. "So, should I thank you for that?"
Rosalie didn't know how long she had been trapped here—was it a month, two months, or even five or ten years? She had lost track of time.Since the last time she hurt Sebastian, she had been tied up. Even when she went to the bathroom, someone was watching her, holding onto the rope. She had been stripped of all dignity.But as far as she was concerned, Sebastian had no dignity left as well. Even the most crucial pride of a man had been wounded by her bite, leaving him too afraid to touch her for a long time. This was something he would remember for a lifetime.Since that incident, Sebastian would occasionally come by to take a glance at her, but he didn't sleep in the same bed with her anymore. He wanted to protect his manhood and needed time to recover.This was fine with Rosalie. Though she was tied up, at least she no longer had to sleep with Sebastian.At that moment, Rosalie heard a voice in her ear. "Mom."Turning her head at the sound, Rosalie saw Nana being wheeled in on a whe
Yerick continued, "Think about it—what countries in the world, outside of globalization, are completely isolated, where the outside world cannot get any information? Such countries must be economically backward and lacking in foreign exchange, and yet they don't have normal trade relations with the international community. How, then, do they obtain foreign exchange?"Theodore listened to Yerick's words and felt they made sense.Yerick went on, "These countries are extremely isolated, economically backward, and have low productivity. They may lack creativity, but they certainly are a threat, which is why they've been under sanctions. To obtain foreign exchange, they have a few ways. One of those ways is to get money from some of the world's richest individuals. They will hide these wealthy individuals in their secretive countries, keeping them safe from discovery."Yerick smirked. "In such countries, even tourists who enter will go missing, let alone those truly wanting to hide there t
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