Rosalie was silent for a long time. “Sebastian, so much has happened between us, but please believe that everything will work out. I’ve been by your side all this time. Can you not…pressure me?”Seeing the redness in Rosalie’s eyes, Sebastian lowered his gaze, thought for a moment, then took her arm. “Rose, I never wanted to pressure you. I was just confused, and now that you’ve told me, I feel…”“Are you angry?” Rosalie asked. “If you’re angry, just tell me.”Sebastian shook his head. “No, I’m not angry. I’m just very sad. And deep down, I feel like I’ve always known.”“Seb, I’m sorry I’ve upset you.”“Rose, if you can’t answer my questions directly, it must mean this is very complicated. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. I know it’s for my own good, and I won’t pressure you. But promise me, if something comes up, you’ll tell me. I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do. I just want you to be happy. I’ll listen to whatever you say.”Sebastian’s unders
Rosalie returned to the next room, took a shower. After getting back into bed, she glanced at her phone and saw she had a message.It was from Yerick. [Rose, are you asleep yet?]Rosalie replied, [I’m just about to go to sleep. Is something up?][Not really, just wanted to say goodnight and let you know that I’ve joined a new R&D team recently.]Rosalie responded, [That’s great! Congratulations!][Rose, I really want to take you out for a meal, but there’s never been a good time. How’s your husband doing?]Rosalie wrote back, [He’s out of the hospital now and recovering well.]Yerick replied, [That’s good to hear. You’ve gone through a lot, Rose. Make sure to get some rest.]Rosalie smiled. [It’s fine. No matter how tough things get, it’s worth it. The storm has finally passed.][Yes, the storm has passed. Let’s hope there are no more storms; they’re so annoying!] Yerick joked.Rosalie wrote, [Yes, but life is full of ups and downs. Let’s focus on handling the present and che
“Do you like it?” Cynthia stepped back a few paces, holding the hem of her wedding dress and twirling around in front of Theodore.Objectively speaking, she looked lovely in the dress. Despite that, he seemed uninterested.Noticing his lack of enthusiasm, she said, “Theo, what’s wrong? Does the dress look bad? It’s a gift from you, and I’m finally wearing it. We’re about to get married! You should be happy.”Theodore had promised her so many times that this time, she wouldn’t let him back out.Theodore stared at her in silence for a moment before saying, “Cindy, I remember you said you loved music when you were younger, but you never had the chance to study it.”Cynthia nodded. “Yes. I did love music when I was a child, but as you know, I wasn’t very favored in my family. If I pursued something as impractical as music or the arts, I would struggle to support myself, so I had to choose a more practical field.”Theodore nodded sympathetically. “I know, and I’m sorry for that. But
Cynthia was thunderstruck. Her eyes went wide with shock and disbelief, as if she had heard something utterly inconceivable. She shook her head frantically. “No! Theo, you’re lying to me. You must be lying! I don’t believe it!”Theodore lowered his gaze, took a deep breath, and said helplessly, “I’m telling the truth. Whether you believe it or not doesn’t change anything.”“I refuse to believe it!” she cried. “You took care of me when I was sick! You even sent me abroad for treatment. You were so kind to me because you love me! Why otherwise would you have taken such good care of me? You were already married—even if I was just an excuse, you didn’t have to look after me. If you wanted to divorce, you could have easily made up a story about falling in love with someone else. But your kindness to me was real! I—”“It’s all because of my guilt!” Theodore interrupted her.Cynthia was stunned. “What did you say?”“When your lungs were failing, I thought it was because of something my
“Theo, you have to marry me! You can’t just drop these cruel words on me and walk away like this! I’ve spent my youth loving you. All these years, I’ve loved you so much! I’ve held on for you, but…but how can you do this to me? You promised you’d marry me! How can you break your promises, time after time? It’s so despicable of you!”“I really am a bastard. You can curse me however you want, it’s all my fault. I will take responsibility.”“Then marry me!” Cynthia shouted. “I don’t want anything else! I just want you to marry me. You must fulfill everything you promised. How can you call yourself a man otherwise? You’ve hurt Rosalie, and now, you’re hurting me. It’s simply unforgivable!”“I’m sorry.” Theodore didn’t know what else to say beyond that.“I don’t want to hear your apologies! I want you to marry me!”“I can’t marry you.”“You promised you would! I don’t care what you’re thinking now. You must marry me! Theo, you can’t do this to me!” Cynthia, frantic, grabbed his suit.
As Cynthia cried, she suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, and she struggled to breathe. She clutched her heart, gasping for air.Theodore immediately kneeled beside her, and helped her up from the floor before guiding her back to the bed. He quickly pressed the emergency button.Medical staff rushed in to check on Cynthia. The doctor informed Theodore that Cynthia had recently undergone a heart transplant, and was still recovering. She needed to get plenty of rest and avoid emotional stress, as it could put a significant strain on her new heart.Once the medical team left, Cynthia lay on the bed in her white wedding dress. Theodore walked over to her.He didn’t take her hand, but said with a resigned tone, “Cindy, why are you doing this to yourself? I’m just a man who’s always breaking his promises. You shouldn’t waste your time on me. There are many other men in this world who deserve your love. You will meet someone better.”“That’s easy for you to say,” Cynthia sneered. “An
Theodore looked down, and nodded as gently as he could. “I admit that I do feel guilt toward you, but…I don’t love you.”Cynthia pulled the sheets open with a whoosh, and rushed to the windows.Theodore immediately chased after her. “Cindy!”He shot out like an arrow toward Cynthia, and grabbed her arm.Cynthia charged forward stubbornly. “Let me go! Let me go!”“Cindy, don’t be like this!” Theodore pulled her back hard.“No, just let me die! What’s the point of living? Let me die, let me go!”Cynthia cried brokenly, and threw herself into his embrace as Theodore pulled her back. She hugged him tight, and buried her head in his chest.“You can’t treat me like this,” she said through sobs. “You can’t be like this! You said you wanted to marry me! You promised me… You promised me!”“Cindy, didn’t you hear what the doctor said? You can’t get agitated.”“I’m getting agitated, I don’t care! I managed to survive, and this is how you treat me? What’s the point of surviving? Just let
“I must tell you this beforehand, because I can’t bring myself to accept another woman born emotionally and physically,” Theodore said. “Another woman?” Those words were like salt to Cynthia’s wound. “Am I just ‘another woman’ to you now?”“Aside from Rose, all other women are ‘another woman’ to me. That has always been the case. So, Cindy, it’s not too late to leave me right now. I’m not worthy of your devotion. You’ll only be miserable if you marry me now.”Theodore made himself absolutely clear, without holding anything back. He made sure to present the whole truth in its cold and cruel entirety.Cynthia had never imagined all these happening. She thought she had full control over Theodore—that he would trust, defend, and love her the moment she shed a tear or looked weak and innocent. It was only until today, after hearing everything he said to her, that she realized everything had been in his control all along. He had been holding himself back the entire time. How well he 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
Rosalie had overheard everything. Sebastian no longer had any information about Theodore or Steve.Now, with Sebastian so far from home and Theodore taking full precautions on his end, even if Sebastian had incredible abilities, what could he do?He was merely relying on her fear to threaten her. Now that she knew the people she cared about were safe, she had nothing to fear.Upon seeing Rosalie's expression, Sebastian likely guessed what was going on. He sneered coldly. "Very well. You think I can't do anything to them, huh? What about Nana? Do you think I can't deal with her?"At the mention of Nana, Rosalie's gaze wavered slightly.But in the next moment, she lifted her head and said, "Nana is your adopted daughter. If you do anything to her, it's on you. Don't even think about threatening me with anyone else."She had been threatened by Sebastian over and over again, but in the end, she always succumbed to him. Now that she knew Theodore and Steve were fine, she felt relieved. She
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a glow on Sebastian's pale face.The curtains fluttered in the breeze. The nurse walked to the window and closed it.The doctor stood by the bed, explaining the situation to Sebastian. "Mr. Carter, you need plenty of rest given your current condition."Sebastian was filled with resentment. He coldly asked, "Will my quality of life decrease in the future?"Sebastian emphasized the word "life," clearly indicating that he was referring to more than just his general existence.The doctor understood. "Mr. Carter, with proper treatment and regular check-ups, after enduring the long recovery period, your quality of life will be close to what it was before.""How long is this recovery period?"The doctor replied, "At least six months before you can resume marital relations."Upon hearing this, Sebastian clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. His eyes burned with fury.He hadn't expected Rosalie to pull such a stunt on him. She had been pretendin
"Rose, what are you doing?" Sebastian's eyes were practically glued to her.Rosalie propped herself up and brushed her long hair aside. "Do you not like it? Then I'll change into something else."Just as she was about to get out of bed, Sebastian grabbed her wrist. "Wait a moment."Rosalie looked at him with a smirk. "What is it?""I like it when you dress like this." His voice was hoarse. "What made you decide to wear this tonight?""I just felt like it. And I've been thinking about a lot of things.""Is that so?" Sebastian sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard as he gazed at her. "What have you been thinking about?"He gently pushed the strap of her black lace camisole off her shoulder."Things have already come to this. The only thing I can do now is make my life a little easier. As long as you promise me not to hurt Theodore or my child again, I'll do whatever you want," Rosalie said.Her obedience and submission made Sebastian feel like he was dreaming. He cupped her face
"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