And so, Sydney and Wesley came to know each other.Had Wesley not rescued her that night, Sydney would have faced a brutal assault from those thugs.Wesley, in his early twenties, was strikingly handsome and charismatic. His every gesture exuded charm and confidence, making him incredibly attractive.He had a witty and humorous way about him, which gradually won Sydney over. Wesley helped her heal from past wounds, and they became close friends. Whenever Sydney faced trouble, Wesley was always there to stand up for her.Wesley's mother, Rebecca, took a great liking to Sydney. She often chatted with her and learned about Sydney's past—she had a child before, but he had died. Despite this, Rebecca hoped Sydney would marry Wesley. At that time, Wesley was still immature, but Rebecca believed that Sydney could provide the stability he needed and would make a wonderful wife.Sydney had fallen in love with Wesley, and assumed that he loved her in return. She told Rebecca, "If Wesley i
Each of these questions pierced Sydney's heart like sharp thorns. She didn't know how to explain these matters to her son, so she could only avoid them. As she kept avoiding, Theodore lost the motherly care he deserved. Not to mention, he had a father who didn't care about him at all. Theodore was truly pitiful; both of her sons were.Sydney had endured a decade of torment, watching Wesley maintain an affair with another woman. Numerous times, she had contemplated divorce, but various reasons kept her from going through with it. Only when Wesley was left with nothing and the mistress had fled did Wesley realize he had been deceived and decided to return to his family, seeking forgiveness from his wife. But Sydney's heart had already turned to stone. She insisted on a divorce, but Wesley clung to her stubbornly, refusing to let go and disrupting her peace. He even threatened to haunt her even after their separation. Eventually, Sydney grew weary. She agreed to stay married in nam
"What's the matter? Is there a problem?" the person outside asked.Sydney replied, "I'm sorry, but the car won't start."The person seemed to be the driver of the armored vehicle. Growing a bit impatient, he glanced at his leader's car and then said to Sydney, "Let me take a look. Hand me the keys."Given that he was driving an armored vehicle, Sydney didn't question his authority. She grabbed her bag, stepped out of the car, and handed the keys to him.At that moment, the window of the armored vehicle slowly rolled down."Luke, what's going on?" a deep, steady voice inquired.Luke Parker quickly approached. "Mr. Jackson, the car suddenly won't start. I'm checking it out and will move it right away."Christopher glanced at the car, then his gaze shifted to Sydney, recognizing her.Sydney seemed to recognize him too, her surprise evident."President Harper, what a coincidence," Christopher said with a faint smile.Sydney moved closer. "Oh, it's you, Mr. Jackson."As the presi
It was a shame, really—Sydney had a persistent sadness about her, one that Christopher had sensed from the moment he first laid eyes on her. Though his frequent appearances at various high-profile events meant he interacted with many people, this particular encounter with Sydney had reminded him of that fleeting, striking impression."You're Theodore's mother, which makes you Rose's mother-in-law. Did you come to the hospital to see her today?"Sydney was momentarily taken aback, confusion flickering in her eyes. "How do you know that? You…""I've spoken with Rose before. She mentioned these details. I'm Christopher, Sebastian's uncle," he explained.Sydney froze, realizing that Christopher was Sebastian's uncle. This implied that Geoffrey's former wife must be related to Christopher—either as a sibling or a close relative.It made sense now why Geoffrey had been so desperate to marry that woman. The depth of the connection was undeniable, and who could resist such allure?"So,
Sydney turned her head. "Is there something else?""Leave me a phone number."Sydney was momentarily taken aback."You're the bank president. We'll have opportunities to be in touch. Just leave me your number," Christopher said.His tone wasn't exactly negotiable, but it didn't carry any hint of coercion—just an authoritative presence that was hard to refuse.Sydney, accustomed to dealing with various executives—some sleazy, some superficial, and others who abused their power—found Christopher's dignified and courteous demeanor refreshing and rare. What struck her even more was how Christopher, despite his status, was waiting for a parking spot like an ordinary person. Most people in his position would have simply called ahead to secure one, but he was waiting in line like anyone else.She fished out her business card from her bag, and handed it to him respectfully.Christopher accepted it, saying, "I'll be in touch."Sydney offered a polite smile before exiting the vehicle.
Seeing the tenderness in Sebastian's eyes, it was clear his love for Rosalie ran deep, imprinted on his very soul. If anyone tried to separate them..."Uncle, are you here to see Rose?" Sebastian asked.Christopher nodded. "Yes, I came to check on both of you."He stepped into the hospital room. Rosalie was holding a bowl of chicken soup. When she saw Christopher, she quickly placed the soup on the table. "Uncle, you’re here.""How are you feeling?" he asked."I’m doing great," Rosalie replied with a smile. "The baby’s fine too, all thanks to Seb.""I can see that," Christopher chuckled, adding, "His face is all swollen."Hearing that, Rosalie felt a bit guilty."His injury is partly my fault," she admitted.She then explained the whole situation to Christopher, who finally understood. He had noticed Sydney seemed off when he saw her earlier. Could it have been because of Sebastian’s injury? But that didn’t fully make sense. After all, she and Sebastian didn’t have much of
As soon as Sebastian turned around, Christopher said coldly, "Sebastian, I’m serious. This isn’t up for discussion. You must divorce Rose."Sebastian stopped in his tracks. "Why?"He turned around, anger simmering on his face. "I don't understand! Even my father isn't saying anything. Why are you suddenly trying to tear me and Rose apart?""I'm doing this for your own good. You can't be together.""Why not?"Seeing Christopher fall silent, Sebastian assumed he couldn't come up with a reason."Uncle, is it because Rose is pregnant with her ex-husband's child? Do you look down on her?""No.""Then why?""Sebastian, can you tell me—have you regained your memory?"If Sebastian had his memory back, he would tell him about this. If he hadn't, they might need to take their time.Mentioning "regained memory" made Sebastian clench his fists, his palms growing sweaty."I haven't fully regained it. Most of it is still missing."Hearing this, Christopher was skeptical.The only rea
Meanwhile, Wesley was nearly losing his mind. Sydney had suddenly told him she wanted a divorce, and no matter how many times he called or texted, she didn't respond.With no other options, he had to turn to his mother."Mom, Sydney wants to divorce me. I don't know what's happening. She won't answer my calls. Please help me."As soon as Wesley entered, he grabbed his mother's hand. Rebecca was annoyed by the commotion."Okay, okay. Wesley, you're in your thirties now—can you be a little more composed?""Mom, I—"Suddenly, Wesley froze.Hearing his mother say he was in his thirties, he thought he must have misheard."Mom, how old did you say I am?""You don't even know your own age? Do you think you're still three years old?" Rebecca shook her head in exasperation. "I've told you so many times to treat Sydney better and to stop messing around with other women, but you just won't listen to me!""Mom, that was a long time ago.""A long time ago? How long has it been? Theo's
Rosalie's heart trembled. She rushed forward and covered Theodore's mouth with her hand, her eyes filled with intense panic. "Don't say such things."He had a son now, but he was speaking of an end to his lineage. She also didn't want Theodore to die a terrible death.Theodore grabbed her wrist and suddenly pulled her into his arms, lowering his head to kiss her lips.Rosalie's eyes widened, and her mind felt like it exploded in that instant. In a panic, she stretched out both hands to push him away, trying to resist—but he wouldn't budge.Rosalie dared not struggle or shout too hard, fearing that Justin might hear. Justin would certainly come out to stop them. He was injured and running a fever; his body couldn't handle such an ordeal. He definitely wouldn't be a match for Theodore. Rosalie had no choice but to helplessly close her eyes, allowing him to kiss her.After a long while, Theodore finally let her go. He cupped the back of her head with one hand and held her waist with the
Theodore walked in, and Rosalie passed by him directly. She found a thermometer and went back into the room to take Justin's temperature. The thermometer read 104 degrees."Justin, you have a fever. We need to go to the hospital."Rosalie tried to help him sit up, but Justin grabbed her wrist. "I can't go to the hospital. I'll be fine after one night of rest.""No, your temperature is too high, and you're injured. Your wound is definitely inflamed.""I'm really fine, don't worry. Do you have any fever medicine here?"Seeing Rosalie's anxious expression, Theodore closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and suppressed the anger within him. He walked over and said, "I can call a doctor to treat him."Rosalie turned to him and asked, "Will they talk about it?""I guarantee they won't. I know people who are professionals in secret treatments. They will not reveal a thing."Rosalie thought for a moment, then looked at Justin. "Can we call the doctor? Please? Otherwise, your life will be at risk
After Theodore hung up the phone, he walked to the liquor cabinet and opened a bottle of whiskey, pouring it into a glass.Just as he was about to take a sip, he suddenly thought of his stomach and put the glass aside. He had promised Rosalie many times that he would stop drinking. If he drank now, he would feel guilty.He walked over to the window, gazing blankly at the night sky. The city was especially bright, shimmering with light, as if the stars were hovering on earth.Why was Justin at Rosalie's place at this hour? Was he really sick? Or was it just an excuse?Furthermore, what was Justin's sudden arrival in Blencalgo about? With his status, he could only bring trouble and danger to Rosalie.Theodore became more and more troubled as he thought about it.He walked to the wardrobe, opened it, and took out his coat.-Rosalie was lying in bed, unable to sleep. She gently held Steve and stared at his face, thinking, 'Steve, if your grandmother wakes up, I will tell Theodore that you
Aurora tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.She turned over and asked, "Angie, how did Rebecca react after the injection?"Angie was holding her phone, reading a novel online. Hearing Aurora's question, she turned to her and asked, "Why aren't you asleep yet?""How could I sleep?""She didn't have any reaction," Angie replied.Aurora recalled what Yerick had told her. The solution was provided by Yerick, who had said that there wouldn't be any special reaction once it was administered. They just needed to wait. Aurora didn't know if the solution would work.She turned her head and saw that Angie was still absorbed in reading, as if nothing had happened."Angie, how can you still read a novel? After what happened, can you still concentrate?""What's so hard to handle? It's just a dead old woman. Nothing to worry about."Angie lay back on the bed. She started cursing again while reading a novel. "The female lead is such a saint, but now she's acting so promiscuously. Don't blame t
Rosalie helped Justin onto the bed, and he lay down. "Rest well. You can stay here as long as you need to recover."She took the blanket and put it over him."Justin, how long were you waiting outside my door?"Justin smiled faintly. "Not too long."In reality, he had waited for several hours. However, knowing she was busy, he didn't want to disturb her, so he waited quietly on his own."Why didn't you call me beforehand? If you had, I would have come back earlier."Despite his injuries, he had been waiting at her door. She felt he must have waited for quite a while."I planned to come after my wound healed, but I wasn't sure how long that would take. I wanted to tell you about this as soon as possible because I was worried about you. I needed you to think about whether there was anyone suspicious around you.""I can't think of anyone suspicious… Oh, by the way, Theodore lied to me earlier, saying he had stomach cancer. I really believed him. Later, I received an email with his medica
"It's clearly not! Look at you. Don't move, I'll grab the first-aid kit."Rosalie got up, went to the cabinet, and retrieved a medical kit before rushing back. Thankfully, she had a medical kit on hand."Lie down here. I'll help you treat it."She had treated Justin's injuries before, so she was a bit more experienced now.Justin didn't resist this time, allowing Rosalie to undo the bandages on his shoulder. When she saw the wound, she was shocked. The blood stains on it had already blackened."How did it get like this? We need to go to the hospital!""It's fine, Rose. Don't worry about me. I'll be okay."Justin opened the medical kit and pulled out the necessary supplies. Then, he used a cotton ball soaked in antiseptic to clean the wound."Justin, let me do it," Rosalie said, taking the tweezers from his hand. "Lie still."She understood his reluctance to go to the hospital, likely to avoid further complications. So, she stopped urging him to go to the hospital. For now, she would tr
"Something came up suddenly, so I had to deal with it. Sorry about standing you up last time," Justin said.Rosalie wanted to say more, but realizing they were still standing at the door, she quickly said, "Let's head inside."She entered the password and opened the door. Justin followed her inside.Rosalie carefully laid the sleeping baby on the bed before closing the door and heading into the living room."Justin, why didn't you let me know you were coming?"After she found the apartment, she had sent him a message with her new address. She hadn't expected him to show up unannounced."Sorry. I should've informed you beforehand. I'll leave now," Justin said, looking a bit embarrassed as he turned to go.Rosalie quickly stopped him. "That's not what I meant. I just didn't expect you to come suddenly. It's not that I don't want you here. I'm happy to see you—I was worried something had happened to you."Justin gave a faint, bitter smile. His pale face looked somber. "Rose, if… One day s
Aurora pulled Angie to a secluded spot."Angie, we're in the same boat now, aren't we?"Angie nodded. "Yes.""There's something I need your help with. Once this is done, no one will ever know what we did.""What is it?" Angie asked, noticing Aurora's expression as if she was planning something major.Aurora leaned in and whispered something in her ear.Angie's face turned pale with shock. "What? Me? Why don't you do it?"Aurora gripped her hand tightly. "You're smarter and better at thinking on your feet. I wouldn't trust anyone else with this.""But I can't guarantee success. What if…""You'll succeed," Aurora assured Angie with a calming smile. "I will do everything I can to become Theo's wife. When that happens, you'll be my cousin, and whatever you want will be yours. Don't forget, we're talking about Theodore Spencer, the CEO of SK Enterprise. I can ensure you'll have plenty of money. If you like him, I can even arrange something."Angie's heart wavered at the mention of being wit
"I'll bring Steve to visit Grandma often. If she wakes up and still remembers me, I'll keep her company regularly," Rosalie said gently.Theodore stood up with the baby in his arms. "Rose, it's already very late. Let me take you home to rest. The baby's tired too. He can't stay in the hospital all the time. He's so young, and he has a weak immune system."Rosalie nodded. "Alright."If she were alone, she wouldn't have minded staying. Now that she had Steve, she had to be more mindful.Theodore escorted Rosalie out of the ward. Before leaving, he instructed the bodyguards to ensure Rebecca's safety."Theo, I can go back by myself. You don't have to send me. You should rest early too," Rosalie said. "It's fine," Theodore said. "I'll take you home first, and then I'll rest. I've booked a hotel near the hospital."Rosalie wanted to say more, but Theodore immediately added, "No need to refuse. Let's go. I won't feel at ease if I don't send you back this late.""Alright, then."Rosalie reac