"Rose, what happened to the baby? What's wrong?" Sydney asked. "Mom, the doctor said my cervix is weakened, so I need to undergo a cervical cerclage procedure."Sydney sounded somewhat angry. "You should have told me about such a serious matter earlier!""I only found out today, and you weren’t answering my calls."Sydney sighed all of a sudden. "You said the surgery is the day after tomorrow, right?""Yes, it’s the day after tomorrow. Can you tell me where Theo is?" Rosalie was on the verge of crying again as she spoke.Sydney replied, "Rose, I wasn’t answering your calls because I knew you would ask about Theo. I couldn’t lie to you and say I didn’t know.""Mom, so you do know how Theo is now? Is he alive or dead? Please, tell me."Sydney was silent for a long time, seeming hesitant, but Rosalie’s anxious voice made her relent. "He’s still alive, but his injuries are serious. He barely survived. The doctor said that when he was brought to the hospital, he had an arrow lodg
“We knew you were kidnapped, and were very worried. Theo said you had been rescued and were safe, but he didn’t want to see you. When we asked him why, he wouldn’t say.”Rosalie wiped the tears from her face. “Mom, please, tell me where he is now. I need to see him before my surgery. I have something to tell him. Please, I’m begging you. I won’t be able to relax for the surgery otherwise.”Sydney was silent. After a long pause, she said. “What if Theodore still doesn’t want to see you?”“I don’t know. I just have to find him now. Please, Mom, for the sake of the baby.”Just then, a voice came from outside the door. “Rose, where are you?”Rosalie was startled. Sebastian had woken up.She quickly told Sydney, “Mom, text me the address. I’ll go find him myself.”“Do you want me to come pick you up?” Sydney asked.“No, I’ll go on my own. Just send me the address.”“Alright.”After ending the call, Rosalie opened the door and stepped out.Sebastian was anxiously looking for her i
With that thought, Sebastian immediately said, “It’s fine for you to go find him. I’ll take you.”Rosalie shook her head. “No, I should go alone. I know you don’t like Theo, and if you come along, you’ll definitely be uncomfortable.”“It’s alright. I want to accompany you. I wouldn’t feel comfortable letting you go alone. If you’re worried I might interfere, don’t be. I won’t. Whatever you say to Theo, I won’t interfere. I just want to ensure you get there safely. I can keep my distance.”Rosalie sighed softly. “Is it really worth it for you?”“It is. You’re worth everything. Don’t make me worry, alright?”In the end, Rosalie nodded. “Okay. But Seb, I’ll tell him about my pregnancy in person. If that makes you uncomfortable…”“It’s fine,” Sebastian interrupted. “I’ll be prepared. My only goal is to accompany you there and bring you back safely. That’s enough for me. I won’t interfere with anything else, and I’ll give you full freedom.”Since Sebastian had said this much, Rosalie
“Doctor, I’ll take care of myself. I’m sure everything will be fine. I just need to see someone before my surgery. I’ll be back quickly,” Rosalie said.The doctor hesitated. “Before you were diagnosed with a weakened cervix, you had lower back pain and bleeding, which were quite severe. Now, you need to stay in bed and rest. If you insist on going out, it could pose significant risks to both you and the baby.”“But this matter is very urgent. I have to make this trip. Is there any way to minimize the risk?”Rosalie asked. She was determined to see Theodore before the surgery.The doctor shook his head. “There’s no way to reduce the risk. You must remain on bed rest. With cervical incompetence, you could miscarry at any time. As a doctor, I don’t mind you going out if it’s an emergency, but it’s better to wait until after your surgery.”Rosalie gently caressed her belly. “Is it really that serious? Can’t I even go out?”“I understand your feelings, but according to your test result
The ward was eerily quiet. Theodore lay alone on the bed, staring blankly out the window.The sunlight streamed through the window and cast a faint glow on his pale face. His face was ashen and his eyes were vacant, as if he didn’t have a soul. He looked exhausted and drained.He was as silent as a walking corpse. Even when the doctor came in for his examination, he said nothing.Sydney entered the ward. She visited Theodore every day. He remained silent, not saying a word and continuing to stare vacantly out the window.Sydney walked over and sat in the chair beside the bed, placing her bag to the side. She took an apple from a plate and said, “Let me peel an apple for you.”Theodore still remained silent. He didn’t even glance at her, as if she didn’t exist.Sydney sighed inwardly, and began peeling the apple with a knife. “I don’t know exactly what happened. You haven’t told me anything, and I don’t even know who brought you to the hospital. But I know something must have h
“Care about me?” Hearing these words, Theodore suddenly smiled, but the smile was extremely bitter.Rosalie obviously cared more about Sebastian. At such a critical moment, she had chosen Sebastian. Yet, she said she cared about him? It was simply laughable.Hearing the term “care,” he even felt nauseous.Seeing Theodore’s terrifying smile, Sydney felt very uneasy. “What exactly happened? If you don’t tell me, how can I know?”“You don’t need to know. No one needs to know.”Theodore didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want Rosalie to be blamed, so he would pretend that it never happened. He didn’t want Rosalie to become a disappointment to the Spencer family. After all, she was like an angel in his family. Her parents had also died because of his family.Seeing Theodore’s silence, Sydney knew she couldn’t find out anything more from him.“Rose will come to see you today,” Sydney said. “She told me last night, and I gave her the address.”Theodore clenched his fists. “I wa
“So that’s how it is. You’re back so soon. I thought you’d be gone for a long time.”Theodore replied, “I was originally supposed to be away for a while, but since there were issues back home, I finished up early and came back.”“Theo, you’re running around so much. It must be tiring. You should take some time to rest. You don’t need to push yourself so hard.”“It’s alright, Grandma. I’m fine.”“Listening to your voice, you sound really exhausted. Theo, even though I’m strict with you, it was only because I wanted you to succeed. Now that you’ve truly become successful, I’m content. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Rest when you need to.”Theodore gently rubbed his nose, his eyes slightly red. “I got it, Grandma. I’ll make sure to rest.”“By the way.” Rebecca seemed to remember something. “Rose called me earlier. She asked where you went. Didn’t you meet her before? Why didn’t you tell her where you were going? Did you two argue again?”Rebecca was still worried about their relati
“Alright, Grandma, I understand.”“Good. Then you can get back to your work. I won’t disturb you any longer.”“Goodbye, Grandma.”Theodore blankly hung up the phone. He weakly leaned against the headboard, his gaze vacant.The Spencers all cared so much about Rosalie. It was fine, because he cared about Rosalie too. But she didn’t care about him.Rosalie cared about everyone—except for him.He was the one who made foolish mistakes and lost her. He was now facing the consequences. What right did he have to complain?In Rosalie’s eyes, he was a despised ex-husband, someone who could be discarded at a crucial moment. Their ten years together couldn’t compare to her few months with Sebastian. That was the difference.She had really fallen for Sebastian. Otherwise, why would she choose him so decisively?Indeed, Sebastian was now her husband. Sebastian was despicable, but he would take good care of Rosalie because his love for her was real. What use was there for Theodore now?T
Sebastian carried Rosalie out of the washroom. Her knees were both slightly red.He put her on the bed, his thumb rubbing the corners of her lips. He smiled and whispered into her ear, "Did that taste good?"Rosalie flipped to her side, her back facing him.Sebastian kissed her shoulder as a wicked look flashed past his eyes. He dove into the sheets, moving lower and lower.Rosalie knew what was about to happen and tried to struggle, but he pinned both of her legs down.Everything that happened after that felt torturous.Rosalie didn't even know when it ended.When it finally did, her cheeks were flushed and she sobbed silently while biting on her fingers.Sebastian emerged from the sheets and pulled her into his arms."Darling, why are you crying?" he coaxed her as he patted her back. "Don't cry. Did I hurt you?"Rosalie held her tears back and turned her face away, but Sebastian forcefully twisted her head back.His lips crooked wickedly. "Look how red your cheeks are. Wel
When it was past three in the afternoon and the weather wasn't so hot, Sebastian brought Rosalie out for a stroll.Although Veloso's industry and economy were underdeveloped, the natural scenery wasn't bad.Sebastian brought Rosalie to many places.Throughout the entire time, she didn't say much, simply letting him hold her hand.When they stood at the seaside, Sebastian hugged her from behind and kissed her neck, whispering sweet nothings into her ear.He also brought her to a sea of flowers. He hugged her as they lay on the flower bed, making her kiss him.Sebastian was enjoying every moment of it.At night, he booked the most luxurious restaurant to have dinner with Rosalie. The two of them sat by the window.Throughout the meal, Rosalie hardly responded to him. Eventually, Sebastian put down his fork and said, "Rose, don't be so grouchy. Give me a smile, won't you?"He was as patient as he could with her. However, there was a limit to his patience.Rosalie looked up at Se
Sebastian shut his eyes, savoring the kiss. He wrapped an arm around her waist and deepened the kiss, but he didn't take over control from Rosalie and simply enjoyed the feeling of her taking the initiative to kiss him. However, she didn't kiss him for too long. It was a simple kiss and nothing fancy, where she just let her lips touch his for a while before letting him go.Rosalie looked at Sebastian, as if asking with her eyes whether that would do.Sebastian wasn't exactly pleased with the kiss.However, the empty look in her eyes made him soften his stance.He picked up his phone, covered her eyes, and unlocked the screen with a code before retrieving a video of Steve.He took the video when he was previously taking care of Steve. Although Steve was biologically Theodore's child, he was way too adorable and Sebastian truly adored him. That was why he took many photos of him.He clicked on the first video and showed it to Rosalie. It lasted over a minute and showed Steve sitt
The delighted look on Sebastian's face made Rosalie look away. No matter how handsome he was, the sight of his face made her retch.Sebastian spooned food onto her plate and said, "Rose, I know you like this cuisine. I had all the ingredients air-flown here and they are as fresh as they can be. Just tell me what you want to eat and I'll have the kitchen prepare it for you. You need to take care of your health."He held her shoulders. "I want to fatten you up. Be good and eat up."He urged her tenderly, but this tenderness was only temporary. If she were to resist, he would immediately turn violent and hurt her.Rosalie picked up a spoon and stuffed the food in her mouth. She wolfed everything down, hoping that lunch would come to an end soon."Be good, eat slowly," Sebastian said as he caressed her hair like she was a child. "Don't choke, my heart will ache if you do. These are all for you. You can eat as much as you like. If it's not enough, I'll have the kitchen cook more."The
"Well, Rose? Have you come round yet? Do you want me to send someone to kill your son, or will you submit to me obediently, listen to me, and behave yourself? Instead of trying to kill or harm yourself."Sebastian tried to make himself look as gentle and tender as he could be, as if he were patiently negotiating with Rosalie. In truth, this was nothing like a negotiation. Rosalie basically had no choice."How do you want me to submit to you?" she asked in a hoarse voice.The video of Steve woke her up. Not only was she Justin's lover, but she was also a mother. She couldn't stand idly by watching Steve get into trouble. She couldn't neglect her son's safety because of the misery she was in.Sebastian smiled, finally satisfied. "I just want you to listen to me and stay by my side. Don't act like a living corpse and cooperate when in bed with me."Sebastian spoke as though he was talking about things as simple and intuitive as eating and drinking.A simple word from the devil was
Sebastian's head was still throbbing. He drank a lot last night also because he wanted to drown his sorrows.He stared at the woman on the bed, the look in her eyes empty like a lifeless doll.Sebastian gently caressed her hair and stood up to walk to the washroom.When he returned last night, he went to bed straight away without showering.He brushed his teeth and took a shower in the washroom. After he was done, he wiped himself dry and returned to the bed, wrapping Rosalie in his arms once more."Darling, things have come to this point and you can't change anything. You should just accept things the way they are. This country is quite beautiful. Let me take you out for a walk."His voice was very gentle, like a lover mumbling words of affection.Rosalie didn't respond to him, as if she were a corpse.Sebastian went on, "Do you want to be tied to the bed, unable to move your entire life? How long are you going to be stubborn like this? Darling, let me wash you up and brush yo
Rosalie felt her body being flipped over as Sebastian pressed his body against hers.The smell of alcohol made her feel nauseous.She wanted to shove him away, but her hands were tied up and she couldn't move them.Sebastian cupped her face in his hands and planted hot kisses on her cheeks. His lips landed on a swollen area.Rosalie winced in pain.Sebastian could feel the swell on Rosalie's face through his lips. He opened his eyes and realized that almost half of Rosalie's face was swollen. There was even an imprint of a palm on her cheek.He had slapped her very hard this morning because she angered him. He lost control and hit her.Rosalie's skin was tender and certainly couldn't withstand his force. Her cheeks were now badly swollen.Although Sebastian was drunk, he was still conscious. Remorse filled his eyes as he cried, "Rose, you really shouldn't have angered me at that time. If you didn't, I wouldn't have hit you."He poked her cheek gently with a finger. "See, it's
In the deep of the night, the curtains fluttered in the cold wind.The moon shone like silver outside the window and into a bedroom in the villa. The weak moonlight danced in the darkness, reflecting a dim blue shadow in the room. Branches swayed outside the window, making a rustling sound.Rosalie lay on the bed, her face pale as a sheet and her eyes bloodshot and swollen, reflecting the fatigue she was feeling inside.The look in her eyes was empty and hopeless, like a sole boat wandering in the endless night, void of direction and hope.The bedside lamp shone a gentle light, lighting up her haggard features. The shadows in the dim room accentuated the loneliness etched on her face.The night was quiet except for the rustling wind and the heartless ticking of time. The silence in Rosalie's heart, however, was deafening.Her breathing gradually became labored as she lay on the bed, hopelessness filling her eyes. She looked like a lone spirit roaming the darkness.The door ope
Rosalie smirked. "Is that so?"She knew Sebastian was the one in denial. She was sure he felt furious and indignant, and was just feigning confidence to cover up the unease he was feeling."Sebastian Carter, I curse you to never find happiness! I'd rather be torn to pieces than fall in love with a man like you. I curse you to never find love!"Sebastian smacked Rosalie's face hard. He slapped her so hard, she felt dizzy and collapsed on the bed. Her tender cheeks swelled up immediately.His hand trembled after the slap, still left handing in the air. He looked at his palm as shock, disbelief, guilt, regret and all sorts of conflicted feelings flashed past the depths of his eyes.Rosalie didn't have much of a reaction. She simply lay on the bed expressionlessly, as though she were dead and completely void of emotions.Sebastian clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "Rose, you shouldn't be talking to me like this. You shouldn't be angering me. Don't think that just because I lo