Rosalie listened to Laila's screams. Though she felt a bit afraid, Laila deserved this. It was karma.Laila's gambling addiction had led her to incur heavy debts, and to think she even conspired with kidnappers to abduct her own niece! It was utterly unforgivable.The screams continued for several minutes before finally subsiding. Eventually, Laila's pleas for mercy faded away."What a fucking jinx!" the man cursed. He was panting heavily, as if exhausted from the beating.But no sooner had he finished cursing, he kicked Laila again. "Look what you made me do. You made me curse! How can a refined person like me use such foul language? It's all your fault! Damn it! Damn, I cursed again!"He grabbed a bottle nearby, and smashed it over Laila's head."Anyone who makes me curse deserves to die!"The sound of the bottle shattering echoed sharply, like a knife piercing Rosalie's eardrums.Then, footsteps approached her. She trembled in fear. Suddenly, the blindfold was removed fr
Rosalie was extremely tense. "What game do you want to play? Please don't harm my child."The man slowly walked over to her, lowered his head, and gently placed his hand on her belly. "Your child, or should I say, Theodore's child?""It's my child, and also his child," Rosalie replied. "The child is innocent. Please don't harm him.""You care so much about this embryo?" The man chuckled softly. "Then why haven't you told Theodore that you're pregnant?"This man knew everything. Could he be someone from her or Theodore's life? But who could he be? Rosalie couldn't figure it out."What's wrong? Are you afraid to tell him? How about I tell him when he arrives?""Did you contact him?" Rosalie asked immediately."Look at your face. You want him to come, don't you?"The man leaned in close to her, his black mask swaying before her eyes. It was terrifying.Rosalie turned her head to the side. "He's already married to another woman. There's no point in you reaching out to him. You s
"I may be her ex-husband, but you probably found out in your investigation that I've known Rose for ten years. Even though we're divorced, we're still family. I'm more reliable than Sebastian, so whatever you want, you can talk to me. There's no need to involve Sebastian.""Oh, really? But I already contacted him late last night, and told him about Rosalie's situation. He seemed very worried. He also said he'd do anything to ensure Rosalie's release. It sounds like he's more anxious than you, her ex-husband.""You contacted Sebastian?" Theodore frowned."What, you don't believe me?"Theodore's breathing became more rapid. Sebastian had promised to notify him if the kidnappers called, but didn't say a word.However, Theodore wasn't entirely surprised. Expecting Sebastian to share information with him was wishful thinking. A man like Sebastian wanted to have everything to himself."I believe you. If you want to play some twisted game, I'm willing to play along. But you have to guar
"Did you hear that? Your ex-husband wants you to talk to him. Don't stay silent, or he'll think I killed you and won't play my game anymore. That would upset me."Rosalie still refused to speak. What could she say to Theodore? In her current situation, anything she said would only be a fatal blow to him.Things had already reached this point. Theodore was certainly going to try to rescue he, but deep down, she didn't want him to come. If he really did, it would not end well.She couldn't risk other people's lives just to save her own. If Theodore died, his grandmother wouldn't want to live anymore. Plus, what would his parents do? He was their only son."You bastard! Did you kill Rose?" Theodore roared in anger, unable to contain his fury.Rosalie still said nothing. This was for the best. If Theodore thought she was dead, he wouldn't foolishly come to rescue her.Suddenly, a sharp knife was pointed at her belly, the blade glinting menacingly.The man leaned close, and whispered
"You better think this through. You can only come alone. If I see you bring anyone else, I’ll immediately cut open this woman’s stomach, and then take out what's inside her..."As he spoke, the man suddenly paused and turned to glance at Rosalie meaningfully.Rosalie's heart nearly leaped into her throat. Was this man about to tell Theodore that she was pregnant?The man continued, "As for what happens next, you can imagine it yourself.""I won’t bring anyone with me," Theodore said, trying hard to suppress his rage. "Don’t harm her. I’ll do exactly as you say.""Good. I’ll send you the address now. Make sure you behave."Seeing the man's fierce gaze, Rosalie became very agitated. "Theo, don’t come!"But before she could finish speaking, the man had already ended the call.He walked over to Rosalie, grabbed her chin, and lifted her head. "Even in this state, you still want to protect your ex-husband, huh?""Why didn’t you tell him I’m pregnant?" Rosalie asked. The man had me
"What’s your relationship with Laila?" Rosalie asked.She couldn't even call Laila her aunt now, filled with resentment toward the latter."What relationship could I possibly have with her?""Then why is she here?" Rosalie pressed on."Oh, it's like this," the man said. "She was with the kidnappers at the time. Later, to save her own life, she betrayed you to them. I found a way to get her out, and sent her to the wedding to tell Theodore that you were kidnapped.""Why did you do that?""Are you asking why I had Laila tell Theodore that you were kidnapped?"Rosalie nodded. "What do you want to get from Theodore? Is it just to play some boring game?"The man leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "I like playing games, and unknown games are even more exciting for me."Rosalie felt a chill at his words.She then turned her head and looked at Laila, asking, "What do you plan to do with her?""What do you think?" the man asked. "Maybe I can give her to you. You can do whatever
Laila's words made Rosalie feel increasingly disgusted. She was glad she hadn't given in. Such a person was unworthy of any sympathy."If it weren't for me, would you have been able to live the life of a wealthy lady or to have a good life? You wouldn't even lend me money and just watched me fall into trouble. You've wronged me! What did I ever do to deserve this? You brought this on yourself!"Laila, who was desperate now, glared at Rosalie menacingly. "You're so stingy! Even though you have so much money, you wouldn't lend me any. You were the one who wanted to harm me first!"Rosalie snorted coldly. "Say whatever you like. You won't have a good ending."Rosalie then ignored her.Laila struggled to get up from the ground and move toward Rosalie, but the man blocked her path. His hands on his hips, he looked down at her. "What, do you want to hit her?"He raised his fist, ready to hit her.Laila fell to the ground with a thud. She covered her head, and curled up in the corn
Rosalie didn't care about what Laila said, except the one thing regarding her not being her parents' biological child."Stop it!" Rosalie shouted at the man.The man retracted the foot he had just raised.After putting his foot down, he felt a bit frustrated. He seemed to be a bit confused about his role. He was a kidnapper, so why should he listen to his hostage? It was annoying! He also had to avoid swearing, lest it affect his image.‘Forget it,’ he thought. He would just listen and not be petty with women. He still had to listen to Rosalie.Rosalie immediately said, "Laila, you said I'm not my parents' biological child. Why should I believe you? It sounds like you're just saying that out of desperation. You have no evidence.""What evidence do you need? You're not their biological child!" Laila's voice trembled. "If you don't believe it, you can do a DNA test. If you're truly my brother's biological daughter, then we have a blood relation. If not, the DNA test will show tha
'Why?! Why are you doing this to me? What's so good about Rosalie Young? Why are you like this? She's another man's wife!' she cried inwardly.Aurora clutched her chest and stumbled back to her ward. 'Theodore Spencer, how could you stomp on my feelings so cruelly?'Aurora shut her eyes, overwhelmed by pain. She felt as though her world had turned dark. All she could see was black and white. Colors no longer existed in her life.That was all there was to life. Where was its beauty? Only lies and schemes existed between people, even between kin and loved ones.Aurora suddenly thought of something and pulled out a pill from her pocket. It was the pill Yerick gave her last night.'Should I really take it? What if I die?' she thought.However, if that man really wanted to kill her, he would have done it long ago. There was no need for him to do it in such a roundabout manner.Aside from getting a heart transplant, there was no way around her heart disease.However, if she were
When Aurora arrived, she noticed Theodore leaving the ward.She hurriedly hid behind a corner as he walked forward. At first, she wanted to call out to him. Then a thought came to mind, and she followed him in secret. Theodore left the hospital to buy breakfast from a nearby store. Who was he buying breakfast for? Was it for her?Aurora saw a glimmer of hope.Since Theodore stayed with Rosalie for an entire night last night, was he buying breakfast for her out of guilt?She saw Theodore buying two portions of breakfast in two boxes before returning.Aurora quickly hid herself again. She continued following Theodore, and saw him walking back into Rosalie's ward with breakfast in hand.Her world imploded before her eyes. Was Theodore going to have breakfast with Rosalie, too? He had already spent the entire night with her!'Oh Theo, what do you see me as? Am I not your girlfriend? Why are you keeping your ex-wife company?' Aurora thought, anguished. Gritting her teeth, she p
"You'll…you'll help me get a new heart? How will you do that?" Aurora asked."Why not? You can choose not to believe me, but once you miss this chance, it's gone," Yerick said. "The pill is right here. Eat it when you feel like it. If you really don't want it, you can throw it away—but that's akin to throwing away an opportunity."Yerick released his hand. "It's late. Go to sleep."Aurora looked coldly at the pill in her hand. "How can I possibly fall asleep?"She couldn't eat or sleep knowing that Theodore was with Rosalie. Hatred filled her heart right now.Suddenly, a pocket watch appeared before her and started swinging. Yerick's voice drifted into her ears as he fixed his gaze upon her. "Go to sleep."The pocket watch swung before her for around ten seconds. Aurora suddenly felt dizzy; she then collapsed on the bed, falling into a deep sleep.Yerick looked coldly at her as he kept the pocket watch away. He reached out to pull the sheets over her. "Good night, Ms. Payne.
But now that she thought about it, if she had really done that, Theodore would surely have found out."Let's go back to your ward first. I'll tell you what to do," Yerick said, extending his hand.Aurora took his hand, following him back to the room in a daze. Once inside, she sat on the bed and burst into tears."Theodore lied to me! Why did he lie to me? How could he do this to me?" She clutched her chest, struggling to catch her breath.Yerick's lips curled into a cruel smile, and he said seriously, "With your frail health, how can you compete with Rosalie?""What should I do, then? It's not my fault that I have bad health! I have no other choice."Yerick raised an eyebrow. "What if I told you that you do have a choice?""What do you mean? Can you help me?" She grabbed his arm, her voice trembling with emotion. "You can help me, right? Please think of a way for me! I can't lose Theo. I've fallen deeply in love with him. If I have to leave him now, I'll go crazy. I'd rather die!"Th
Aurora collapsed onto the bed and gripped the sheets tightly, tears streaming down her face. "What do you want from me? What do you want?""Welcome to my game, Aurora. What I want is random, based on my mood. Before this, all of you were players in my game. The rules are set by me."Aurora lifted her head, finally realizing that she had walked straight into a trap. Yet now, she had no choice. If she told Theodore, it would prove that she had been lying to him. She had saved Theodore not by accident, but by deliberate design.Aurora wiped the tears from her face. "Are you going to hurt Theodore?""That depends on how cooperative you are. When the game's over, if you listen well, maybe I'll let you both grow old together. After all, I was the one who made you two go from strangers to being acquainted, to being in bed together. My abilities are greater than you think."Yerick's eyes gleamed with confident amusement. Aurora knew she was no match for him, so she could only resign herself a
"Aurora, you still haven't seen the thing that will break your heart even more. If you saw it, you wouldn't be saying this," Yerick countered."I still don't know your name," Aurora said. "You've been telling me you're Theo's friend, but he never mentioned he had such a friend.""He certainly wouldn't mention me, because things between him and I are very strained."Aurora was rendered speechless. He had told her that they had severed ties."By the way, Aurora, did he go back?" Yerick asked.Aurora nodded. "Yes. He originally wanted to stay and take care of me, but I was worried he'd get tired, so I told him to go back and rest. He'll come to see me again tomorrow.""Did he really go back?""I'm absolutely sure," Aurora said. "I told him to go back. Otherwise, where else could he go?""Have you thought about the possibility that he went to find Rosalie?""Rosalie! Are you saying he's with Rosalie now? No, that's impossible! Theodore wouldn't do that," Aurora protested."Why not? Didn't
"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