Sebastian felt his heart melt."Baby, are you smiling at Daddy? Steve, can you smile once more, please?"Sebastian was so moved he nearly cried. It was the child's first smile, and it was directed at him.For the first time, he truly felt the joy of being a father. All along, though Sebastian cherished Steve, he had always felt some distance from the baby.After all, Steve was Theodore's child. It was because of Rosalie that Sebastian had grown fond of the boy, hoping this would earn Rosalie's affection.Deep down, he couldn't say he truly loved this child. Yet, at this moment, he suddenly felt he was falling in love with Steve.It felt as though Steve were his son, regardless of his bloodline.Blood ties no longer mattered. The moment Steve smiled at him, Sebastian no longer cared about anything else.Steve smiled again, his eyes clear and bright.When he smiled, it was like a small flower blooming, delicate and enchanting. His laughter was as crisp and delightful as silver bells, a h
"Steve, remember this name—Theodore. He is your enemy."-Night fell.The hospital was immersed in darkness, with starlight outside like scattered pearls glimmering over the buildings. The faint light outlined the hospital's silhouette as the moon slowly rose, casting a soft silver glow over the world.Theodore lay on the hospital's white bed with a white sheet covering him. The room was filled with the smell of disinfectant.Soft light bathed his pale face, highlighting his exhausted expression.An IV drip hung beside the bed, with a clear liquid slowly flowing into his veins.Theodore opened his eyes, his gaze wandering around the room. He sat up in bed and glanced at the IV drip bag, noticing there was still about half remaining.The door to the ward opened, and a foreign man walked in."Mr. Spencer, you're awake.""Have you found her?" Theodore asked anxiously.The man shook his head. "Not yet. We're still searching other locations."The light in Theodore's eyes dimmed, his face he
"So… How are things going with Miss Payne?" Sydney's tone carried a hint of probing.Theodore remained silent.After a moment, Sydney asked, "Theo, is something wrong?""Do you really want me to get along well with Aurora? I want you to be honest with me," Theodore said.Sydney was silent for a few seconds before she spoke. "Yes, I think she's a good match for you. Since things are over between you and Rose, why not embrace a new relationship?"A new relationship? Theodore let out a mocking laugh. "Mom, when I was with Cynthia, why didn't you approve of her like this? But now, with Aurora, you do?""Aurora is a better fit than Cynthia. Back then, I thought there was still a chance between you and Rosalie, but things are different now. Rosalie has already married Sebastian. She's moved on."Sebastian. It was always Sebastian.Theodore's heart hurt as if it were being cut by a knife. He was also furious."Let me ask you something. Were you aware of Rosalie's pregnancy all along?" Theodor
After a long silence, Sydney finally spoke. "Theodore, things have already come to this. You're a smart kid and know what's best for you. Aurora is a nice girl, and if you can find happiness with her, it wouldn't be a bad thing. Your grandmother would also be happy, seeing how similar Aurora and Rose are. As for the real Rose, just let go. Don't bother her anymore.""Shut up!" Theodore suddenly lost control and yelled at Sydney. "Stop trying to get me to give up on Rose under the guise of doing it for my own good! I'm so sick of hearing that! Are you really my mother? Why does it feel like you're Sebastian's mother instead? Every time, you seem to speak up for him. Do you think I can't tell? You even call him ‘Sebastian' so affectionately—it's disgusting! What kind of spell did he cast on you?"He never expected his mother to take sides, but he at least expected her to be fair!Yet now, he couldn't help but feel that his mother wasn't siding with Rosalie but rather with someone who ha
Sydney threw off the covers, got out of bed, and started putting on her clothes."Sweetheart, where are you going?" Geoffrey asked."I don't have time to waste with you. Geoffrey, if it weren't for your threats, I would never have let you touch me. You know perfectly well how disgusting the things you've done are. You haven't shed a single drop of blood yourself, but you manage to make everyone suffer while you sit back and reap the benefits. Truly devious. To you, Sebastian is nothing more than a tool. You've never seen him as your son!"After getting dressed, Sydney picked up her bag, ready to leave."Sydney," Geoffrey said heavily. "Sebastian is our son, and that's an unchangeable fact. I love you, too. I've already compromised this much—even if you don't divorce Wesley, it's fine. Just spend some time with me, that's all I ask. What more do you want?"Sydney turned back around, her face full of rage. "Geoffrey, I'll tell you what I want. I will free myself from you—just wait and s
It was all his fault! He should have chased after her then. He shouldn't have let her leave alone.If he had resolutely pursued her, Rosalie wouldn't have run into trouble.How could he have let her go home alone after she came to find him in the middle of the night?One moment of hesitation had led to a grave error.With a thud, Theodore knelt beside the wrecked vehicle. "I'm sorry, Rose! I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I'm a bastard… I'm such a bastard!"He had lied to her to protect his pathetic pride, causing her pain. Once again, he had abandoned her for another woman, letting her leave on her own.He finally understood why Rosalie hated him and why she was unwilling to forgive him. He was just a bastard—a thorough and utter bastard!Every time, he hurt her feelings and even abandoned her. At first, he hurt her for Cynthia, and now it was for Aurora.He truly didn't deserve her, and he never would. If Rosalie died, he wouldn't live either.-Night fell.Rosalie had no idea what V
After a long time, Rosalie finally calmed down and realized that she was still holding onto him. She quickly let go and tidied her hair, feeling somewhat embarrassed.She had just been scared out of her wits, so she had clung to him like a lifeline.Rosalie turned and pointed at the door. "I heard strange noises from below and wanted to check it out. It seemed like there was something down there. Do you want to take a look?"Vincent dismissed her concern. "There's a lot of junk piled up down there. Sometimes things fall and make noise. It's perfectly normal.""Junk falling?" Rosalie was doubtful. She turned to glance at the door again. "But it didn't sound like that. Why don't you go check it out?""If you want to go, go ahead. I'm not going," Vincent replied nonchalantly as he walked away.Since he refused to go down, Rosalie naturally didn't dare to venture down either. Moreover, this house didn't belong to her.There was nothing more she could do. Perhaps she had indeed made a mist
In the next moment, he pounced on Rosalie like a wild beast, abruptly pinning her down on the couch with his hands tightly gripping her neck.Rosalie looked at him in terror, her heart racing from the sudden attack. Her eyes widened in fright, resembling a startled deer.She struggled weakly under Vincent's oppressive hold. She wanted to cry out, but her throat was constricted, producing only a silent gasp."Let…me…"She frantically hit Vincent's chest. Breath was slowly being taken from her.Rosalie's eyes filled with despair and helplessness as she struggled with all her might, trying to break free from his grip.Vincent's gaze quickly sharpened. Upon seeing the woman before him, he fearfully loosened his hold, guilt crashing into him like a tidal wave."It's you." Frustration welled up in his eyes.Suddenly, he scooped Rosalie into his arms, holding her tightly with one hand cupping the back of her head."I'm sorry, Youngie, I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?"Rosalie's neck hurt. She op
Although Chandra was vicious with her words, she couldn't stop the tears from falling down her cheeks."Since Charles isn't fit to be your child, so am I and so is Chris! All three of us aren't fit to be your children. We don't want to be your children, either!" Xyla yelled."You…you three…" Chandra pointed a trembling finger at Xyla. "All you ingrates, treating me like this just for the sake of an outsider, a vixen?! I sacrificed so much for this family, and this is how you're treating me?""If you murder someone for the sake of my so-called happiness, I'd rather do without such a sacrifice! I don't see this as a sacrifice, and I don't feel an ounce of happiness. All I feel is fear and pain. The fact that you're my blood-related mother has become a burden to carry my entire life. As your daughter, your sins keep me up at night."Chandra's head buzzed with anger. She sat by the bedside and lamented helplessly, "Xyla, are you really going to treat me like this?""If you're going to
"Mom," Christopher snarled, "if you do that, I'll never forgive you my entire life." His voice was severe, tinged with warning and resolution.Chandra's heart leaped.She hissed through gritted teeth, "Christopher Jackson! Did you forget who gave birth to you? You're my biological son whom I raised, and now you're—""Enough!" Christopher cut her off. "Are you allowed to do this just because you're my mother? Being my mother isn't an excuse to do evil! Mom, I'm serious. If she dies, I'll never want to see you ever again in my whole life. I'll hate you forever! You've already lost a son. If you want to lose your other son as well, go ahead and kill Sydney and fulfill your selfish desires. I won't be the only one—Xyla won't forgive you either. I'll hate you with my entire being!"Chandra's hands shook. "Are you not even acknowledging me as your mother? How could you speak like this to me because of that bitch? If you don't want me as your mother, fine!"She hung up and threw Xy
Xyla pleaded with her mother, tears streaming down her face."Mom, I'm begging you. Don't keep doing such foolish things. If Sydney is still alive, please let her go, won't you? It isn't too late to stop now, I'm begging you.""You're such a fool," Chandra scoffed, wishing Xyla was bolder. "How could you be so weak?""I'm not weak. I just don't want to be bogged down by the past. I'm begging you, let her go before things get worse. Or else, if things blow up, you'll have no escape. She isn't any ordinary person. If she dies, you'll…""Shut up!" Chandra cut her daughter off. "No one will know if you don't say anything! Don't worry, I did it flawlessly. Just tell me honestly. What exactly did you see in my room?"Upon hearing the commotion outside, Chandra woke up. When she switched the lights on, she realized that her phone screen was facing up. She then recalled that her son had come over today, and his expression wasn't right.Immediately, she became alert and went to her daught
Xyla returned to her room, drenched in cold sweat. She never imagined her mother would do something like this.She opened the photo she had just taken. This must be Sydney.What kind of treatment was she enduring? Her mother was truly terrifying!Xyla swallowed hard, and immediately sent the photo and a message to Christopher. [This is the suspicious number I found in Mom's phone, along with a photo. Check this number. The woman in the picture might be Miss Harper.]As soon as she sent the message, Christopher called her.Just as Xyla was about to answer, her room door suddenly opened. Chandra walked in with a cold expression.Startled, Xyla quickly hid her phone behind her back, her wide eyes filled with panic."Mom, why are you here? Why aren't you sleeping?""I was woken up by you. Why aren't you sleeping?" Chandra walked toward her slowly. "Why were you in my room so late at night?""Mom, what are you talking about?" Xyla laughed awkwardly. "I didn't go to your room. You must have
"It's probably because he was worried about me, so he drove here himself. Don't worry, Mom. Nothing will happen to him," Xyla assured.Chandra nodded, and the mother and daughter walked into the villa together.Chandra took off her coat and handed it to a servant. She seemed somewhat tired, and asked the servant to bring her a bottle of cold water."Mom, why do you look so tired?" Xyla asked. "I went dancing, so I'm a bit worn out. Go to bed, sweetheart. I'll be heading to my room now.""Alright, Mom. Goodnight."Xyla went upstairs. Once inside her room, she locked the door and entered the bathroom, taking out her phone to call Christopher."Xyla, how's it going? Did you find out anything?" he asked. "Don't worry, Chris. I'll handle things on Mom's side. If I get any news, I'll let you know immediately. You continue looking for Sydney. If you can find her, great. If not, I'll see if I can get any clues from Mom or gather more information elsewhere."Christopher sighed. "Alright then.
Xyla smiled. "Mom, what are you talking about?" She linked arms with her mother, acting like the perfect, affectionate daughter. "Mom, you're forever young. I think you look under 50—still so youthful!""You and that sweet tongue of yours! Always so good at flattering others."Chandra was indeed pleased by the compliment. "Come on, let's head inside," she said. "What if you start feeling unwell again?""Alright, let's go in," Xyla said; she gave Christopher a look, her gaze flicking toward the gates, as if silently urging him to leave."Mom, since Xyla's fine, I'll head back now and visit you another day," Christopher said, playing along. "It's so late already, and you've come all this way," Chandra said. "Why don't you stay the night and leave tomorrow?""Mom, I have to be up early tomorrow, and it's quite far from here to the office. I'd better go back now. You and Xyla should also get some rest.""Alright then," Chandra said. "Make sure to take care of your health. Don't overwork
Christopher didn't answer Xyla's question, but his eyes spoke volumes. It was clear that he cared for Sydney."I swear I didn't say anything bad about her to Mom! When Mom asked Vonnie to help investigate, I even warned Vonnie not to say a word against Sydney, and Vonnie didn't. I really didn't harm Sydney. Please believe me."Seeing how anxious Christopher was, Xyla figured this had to be related to Chandra. Although Yvonne hadn't told Chandra anything, Chandra may have already discovered something in secret considering how smart she was. However, no one expected her to suddenly make such a move after so long. It seemed she had been holding a grudge all this time."Xyla, you know Mom's temper. Once she holds a grudge, the target will be in big trouble. Is there any clue you can think of that might help me find her?" Christopher asked.He fully trusted Xyla, but not Chandra."Chris, I don't know where she is right now. Let me try calling her.""She won't answer your call.""What shoul
The whip was raised high before it was brought down with force.With a sharp crack, Sydney's skin was torn open. A piercing scream shattered the night.-Christopher had called Sydney several times that day, but she hadn't answered. He felt uneasy, sensing that something was wrong.He decided to send someone to investigate and soon discovered a clue from the Spencers, learning that Sydney had gone missing. Growing more alarmed, Christopher immediately sent people to search for her.At the same time, he was looking into the Spencers' activities and found that they were searching for a watch.This watch was one of only a few dozen in the world; excluding foreign owners, only a few people in Blencalgo possessed one. Following the trail, Christopher made an even more shocking discovery. One of the people who owned this watch was his mother.He called his mother, but she didn't pick up. He sent her a message, but she didn't reply.Christopher drove straight to his mother's house.The light
"That was Geoffrey's fault, not mine. He ruined me too. Why are you making things difficult for me?" Sydney shot back.She didn't understand. Why was it that women like Chandra always targeted other women? When a man made a mistake, they didn't go after him but instead focused on persecuting other women."You were ruined by him? Why didn't you resist? If you didn't want it, who could force you? You're the president of Apex Bank and from the Spencers! What could Geoffrey do to you?""I resisted. I didn't want him to touch me. You're right, I'm from the Spencers, but if they knew about this, they would go to war with him. The two families would fight to the death, and I don't want that. So…""So?" Chandra pressed."So, I didn't tell the Spencers. I've been trying to find a way to get rid of him."She thought she had succeeded because Christopher had told her that he had already made it clear to Geoffrey. He would continue to monitor the situation and make sure Geoffrey wouldn't harm her