"Don't be scared."Theodore turned to open the door. Aurora followed right behind him.When they arrived at the living room, they saw Sebastian seated on the couch, peeling an apple.A few armed men in black were standing right next to him.Upon hearing Theodore enter, Sebastian turned around and glanced at him. He noticed the woman next to Theodore and their tightly held hands.Sebastian smirked coldly. "You two look like a couple. I even heard that your girlfriend is pregnant."Aurora was frightened, but she mustered up the courage to remark, "You're illegally trespassing private property.""You're right, I am."Sebastian put the apple and the knife down and slowly stood up."Theodore Spencer, you already have another woman. Why are you still trying to snatch my wife from me? You're shameless!"Theodore furrowed his brows. "Does Rose know that you're here?""Of course not," Sebastian said as he walked toward Theodore. "Just as I don't know where you led my wife to. So I'm
"I don't know."Theodore added coldly, "Since you know that Aurora is pregnant, Rose must have told you about it. When she contacted you, didn't she tell you where she was? Or are you unable to contact her?"Theodore wanted to know the answer to that too. Did something happen to Rose on her way back?He shouldn't have let her leave alone."Theodore Spencer, don't change the subject! Where exactly is Rose?""I don't know!"Theodore shoved Sebastian away hard."Is she your wife? If you can't even protect her well, what right do you have to call her your wife? Sebastian Carter, you're utterly useless!""Theodore Spencer, how stubborn can you be when death is right around the corner for you?!" Sebastian clenched his fists, poised ready to punch him.But right before the punch landed on Theodore's face, Theodore smirked coldly.Sebastian retracted his fist and spluttered, "You're not scared, are you? How could I forget that the great Mr. Spencer isn't scared of anything."Sebasti
"Ah!" Aurora shrieked again.Theodore was about to go over and help her up when the man behind him who was holding the gun against the back of his head warned, "Don't move!" Sebastian pointed his gun at Theodore's forehead."Theodore, kneel!"Theodore threw a punch at Sebastian and snatched the latter's gun away at lightning speed. He held Sebastian down and pressed the gun against the aorta in Sebastian's neck.In an instant, everyone aimed their guns at Theodore and Aurora. "Let Mr. Carter go!""Put all of your guns down!" Theodore warned loudly. "Or I'll kill your Mr. Carter!"Shock registered on Sebastian's face. He didn't expect Theodore to do this.Theodore had guns pointed at him both front and back, but he managed to extricate himself from the dangerous situation.Damn it, he had been careless!"Sebastian!"Theodore whispered a warning in his ear, "You're the one who should be careful right now. Make your subordinates put their guns down, or I'll kill you and we'l
Theodore and Sebastian were left in the living room.All the guns on the floor had been kept away and they were the only two people left there."Theodore Spencer, what do you want now? I'm telling you, if you dare hurt me, Rose will hate you her entire life. You should know that I'm the father of her baby. I'm her husband!" Sebastian yelled. Theodore shoved Sebastian hard to the floor.Sebastian's body rolled on the floor from the impact. When he got up, there was blood oozing from the corner of his lips."Theodore Spencer, you bastard!"Sebastian was about to charge toward him when he realized that Theodore was holding a gun in his hand."Well? Scared now?" Theodore sneered. "You didn't seem scared when you came all the way here with your subordinates to point some guns at me. Sebastian Carter, is that all you're made of?"Whoever was armed had the right to be arrogant. Whoever had to fight unarmed was at a clear disadvantage.Theodore opened up the magazine of the gun and t
Whether it was he or Sebastian who found Rose, either way was better than her being in danger outside."I don't need you teaching me what to do!" Sebastian burst out in fury. "Theodore, you're just a bastard. What right do you have to go find her? I'm the one who should be looking for her. I'm her husband."Theodore charged forward and grabbed Sebastian's collar."Sebastian Carter, I was once her husband. I have known her for longer than you do. No matter what, Rose is the most important woman to me in this whole world. Whether I love her or go find her, shut your mouth because you have no right to comment!"With that, Theodore shoved Sebastian hard to the floor. He then turned to head upstairs."Theodore, you have no right to love her!" Sebastian said. "You betrayed her and fooled around with other women while you had her. After you divorced her, you started to regret after you lost her and now you're fighting with me over her. You're no man, you're a beast!""The police alarm h
Theodore was very calm as he said those words. It seemed as though those thoughts had been carved into his very bones and he was speaking them instinctively, and no one could change his mind.Aurora looked at him with dismay, as though she had been struck by lightning. There was an empty look in her eyes, as though they had lost their spark."What about me? Everything that has happened between us, the things you did to me, what are they to you? What is my heart and body to you?" she asked. Every word of hers was drenched with agony and sorrow, as if someone was burning her at a stake.Theodore looked down as guilt flashed past his eyes."I'm very sorry for what I did to you," he said as he lifted a hand and wiped her tears away. "Thank you for replacing Rose and bringing me warmth.""Replacing Rose…" Aurora lost all hope upon hearing Theodore's words.As it turns out, she had been a mere replacement all along. Theodore had never treated her as who she was, Aurora Payne.Whet
Theodore grabbed Aurora's hand and pried her fingers away. "Go back and get some rest. Go to sleep and for all you know, I'll be back tomorrow morning."He hoped he'd be back first thing tomorrow morning.Not because he wanted to come back to Aurora, but because he wanted to find Rosalie as soon as possible.Theodore turned around and held Aurora's shoulders.Aurora's tear-streaked face and look of misery made Theodore say helplessly, "Aurora, don't invest too much emotions on me. I can't give you much."He admitted that he was wrong. He had made it clear right from the start, but this woman was undaunted in sacrificing everything for him with no hesitation whatsoever.He was moved by it and accepted her being Rosalie's replacement, using her to relive those happy moments during his marriage with Rosalie.Yet, he still couldn't wipe Rosalie away from his memories. He was still living in the past, unable to extricate himself from it.He wiped the tears from Aurora's face with gu
Theodore had reached out to local forces in Melrine. He knew that to locate Rosalie effectively, he needed their help. They were familiar with the area and typically well-resourced. They also had strong underground connections and extensive intelligence networks.Furthermore, SK Enterprise's business in Melrine was huge, so they maintained connections with various local factions across the regions. They retrieved surveillance footage across Orego. Though they located the car Rosalie had been driving, they couldn't find where it ultimately ended up.The surveillance in Orego wasn't comprehensive. Cameras were primarily installed in places like commercial centers, government buildings, important sites, and transit hubs to ensure safety. Residential areas, remote locations, or sparsely populated areas had low or no camera coverage. Their only option was to analyze the available footage and search different locations based on possible leads.Though they didn't know exactly where Rosal
After that camping trip, the relationship between Theodore and Rosalie seemed to have reached a new level of understanding.Though they were no longer husband and wife, they interacted like close family.Theodore found a good burial site to lay Justin to rest.Even though only a few fragments of Justin's bones remained, he still deserved a proper burial in a place with good geomancy.The burial was kept simple. There was no formal funeral. Only Rosalie and Theodore brought Justin's remains to the cemetery.Rosalie held the small box in her arms, reluctant to part with it. Theodore gently placed his arm around her shoulders. "Rose, let him rest in peace."Tears welled in Rosalie's eyes as she gazed at Theodore. She opened the box, revealing the few remaining fragments of Justin's bones, and gently caressed them. "Justin, I will come visit you again."Theodore glanced at the bones inside the box and frowned slightly. Something seemed off. There were supposed to be seven bone fragments
"That's right, you're not silly—you're just a little dummy," Theodore said teasingly. He didn't actually think Rosalie was silly. He was only joking with her.Rosalie knew that as well, so she wasn't upset. She turned and lay on her side to face him. "Theo, we got along so well when we were kids, and you always took care of me. I liked you ever since I was little. Later, when I was able to marry you, I was really happy.""I was happy to marry you, too. But I was the foolish one. Rose, you're not a little dummy—I'm the big fool here."If he hadn't been so foolish, things wouldn't have turned out the way they did. When it came to love, he was utterly clueless.Even a genius with a high IQ could be completely ignorant in certain areas. It often took countless detours before finally coming to a realization.Love, in particular, was the easiest thing to get wrong—especially when viewed from one's perspective."But we're still family, and we have a child together. The bond between us will
The sun gradually set, casting an orange glow over the tent and the grass. The family of three sat around the campfire, enjoying the joy of camping and admiring the beauty and tranquility of nature.Rosalie and Theodore had arrived in the morning, and they had spent the entire day together. They chatted, took walks, and explored the surrounding area.Neither of them had taken out their phones to pass the time, yet the hours flew by, and before they knew it, night had fallen.The three of them sat by the fire and enjoyed barbecued meat together. By the time they finished eating, the fire had begun to die down. The sky was now pitch black.Rosalie lay on the mat spread out on the grass, staring up at the sky. The twinkling stars above shimmered like glowing diamonds.In the quiet of the night, the occasional crackling sound came from the extinguished embers of the campfire.It was a soothing sound, one that didn't disturb the beauty of the night.Rosalie formed a circle with her index fi
"Alright." Theodore nodded. "I'll give the child a name, but this is an important matter—I need to think it through carefully."Since this was Rosalie's wish, he was naturally willing to fulfill it.Rosalie smiled and said, "Alright, let me know when you've decided on a name.""I will. I'll tell you as soon as I decide." Theodore raised his hand and gently stroked Rosalie's head.Steve stumbled as he ran toward his parents and threw himself into Rosalie's arms. His movement was a bit forceful, but Rosalie still managed to catch him in time.Seeing this, Theodore immediately took Steve from Rosalie's embrace.He said seriously, "Steve, Mommy is pregnant now. You can't throw yourself at her like that—you might hurt her."Steve's dark, round eyes blinked as he listened to Theodore's words. Realizing he had done something wrong, he looked at his mother with a guilty expression."It's okay. I'm fine," Rosalie quickly reassured him. "Come here, let Mommy hold you." Rosalie pulled Steve back
A few days later, Theodore took Rosalie and Steve on a camping trip. They found a quiet spot, and bodyguards were stationed around for security.The scenery was breathtaking. In the distance, layers of mountains stacked upon each other, while lush greenery spread in all directions. Just a few dozen feet ahead, a clear stream flowed gently, creating a serene and natural landscape."Theo, let's set up the tent first," Rosalie said.They had decided to camp here for the night, as it was a perfect spot for stargazing."Alright, I'll have the bodyguards set it up.""Theo," Rosalie walked forward and said, "let's set it up together. No need to ask the bodyguards.""But it will be tiring. I can do it myself—you should sit and rest," Theodore said, not wanting her to exert herself."It's fine. I can handle it. Let's set up the tent together," Rosalie insisted.Theodore nodded. "Alright, we'll do it together."He bent down, opened the bag, and took out the tent. The two of them then started ass
Late at night, Rosalie woke up from yet another nightmare. This time, however, she did not scream. Instead, her eyes snapped open, and her breathing was rapid.Theodore immediately rushed to her bedside. "Rose, did you have another nightmare?"She hadn't had one in several days.Rosalie turned on the lamp, surprised to see Theodore by her bed. "Theo, why didn't you go back to your room to sleep?""I was worried about you, so… Rose, I just want to stay with you. Did you have another nightmare?""Theo, I...""What is it, Rose? Do you have something to tell me?"Rosalie shook her head. "Repeating those words over and over again doesn't really change anything. I just...""Theo." She gripped his hand tightly. "You must protect yourself well. Get more bodyguards.""Alright, I promise you. I will protect myself, protect the baby, and protect you. I will never let you get hurt again." He pulled Rosalie into his arms."By the way, Rose, I have something to tell you. Aurora, Angie, and Cynthia
Rosalie wondered if the baby would look more like her or Justin.Looking up at the azure blue sky and the white clouds floating in it, she could almost see Justin looking and smiling back at her.Steve raised his hand and caressed her face. She looked at him and smiled, and caressed his head. "Stevie, Mommy will always love you."She kissed his forehead gently, and he hugged her gleefully.Just then, a voice sounded from behind. "What are you two talking about?"Rosalie turned around to see Theodore walking toward them. He was wearing a suit, looking smart, a tender look on his face as he stood next to the mother-and-son pair."Nothing much, just getting some sun. We should head in soon," Rosalie said as she stood up with Steve in her arms.Theodore took over Steve with one hand and pulled Rosalie up with another."Let's head in together."He held Rosalie's hand and didn't let go. She didn't shake his hand off and nodded, letting him hold her hand.They walked into the villa.
Theodore brought Rosalie back to her room and she sat by the windows, exhausted."Rose, lie on the bed and rest for a while. I'll call you when it's time for lunch.""Theo, you don't look too good."His face was very pale."I'm fine. Perhaps it's because I didn't sleep well the past two days.""You should get some rest too. Don't just keep staying by my side."During this period, she would see Theodore by her bedside whenever she woke up from a bad dream. She gathered he hadn't been getting enough rest during this period."I'm fine. I'll wait for you to fall asleep before leaving."He helped RoslIe onto the bed and covered her with the sheets. Rosalie shut her eyes and exhaled out loud."Oh yes, Rose. There's one more thing.""What is it?" Rosalie asked."We found a girl called Nana.""Nana?" Rosalie sat up on the bed. "You saw her?"Theodore nodded. "When we found her in the villa, she kept saying that you're her mother and Sebastian is her father.""Sebastian adopted he
She and Justin's baby must have really wanted to survive, which was why it tried so hard to stay in her body.For all she knew, it was Justin staying by her side in another way.Rosalie caressed her stomach while covering her lips as she sobbed brokenly. This time, she didn't cry merely due to sorrow, but because she saw a ray of light amidst the hopelessness, and Justin's shadow within the light.Theodore gently patted her through the sheets. "Rose, you still have me and Steve. We'll stay by your side. I'll also take care of the baby in your stomach. I won't let him grow up without a father."Rosalie looked at Theodore, tears streaming down her face. She held his hand tight, words unspoken in her heart that she didn't know how to express.After being under observation in the hospital for two days, the doctors made sure that she was physically fine and Theodore took Rosalie home.Rosalie was ready to see Steve.She had been emotionally unstable and didn't dare to see Steve not b