Jennifer's face remained expressionless as she looked at Seth. "Where's my mom?" "She had left to attend to some matters, so Evie asked me to pick you up. Albert has already gone with Chet." Seth gently guided Jennifer into the car, then handed her a small box from the back seat. "Your favorite almond cookies. Try them and see if they taste the same." Jennifer stared at the cookies, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Did Albert tell you?" Her words struck a chord deep within Seth. It was indeed Albert who told him that Jennifer's favorite snack was almond cookies, and her favorite dish was pan-seared salmon. He felt a pang of guilt after getting to know that from Albert. Back when they were abroad, Jennifer had once brought home a box of almond cookies for him to try. Without a second thought, he refused it and told her he didn't like the taste of almonds. Hearing his words, Jennifer had tossed the box of cookies into the trash, and they never reappeared in their home
Inhaling the familiar scent on Seth's body, Jennifer shut her eyes helplessly for a moment. During the toughest times of her pregnancy, plagued by morning sickness and the agony of childbirth, she had often yearned to call Seth. But each time she remembered the harsh words he had spoken when they broke up, she forced herself to let go of that longing. Just as Jennifer was about to push Seth away, a Bluetooth call connected to the car speakers. Albert's innocent voice echoed from the other end of the line. "Dad, did you follow my advice to win Mom back? She'll forgive you once she sees the almond cookies!" Seth looked at Jennifer in his arms and chuckled softly. "I'm with her right now. We'll be there to meet you soon, okay?" "Hurray! Dad, remember to give Mom lots of kisses. She loves it when I do that. No matter what I do wrong, one kiss makes it all better. Did you get that?" Seth smiled. "Got it. I'll try that." He then leaned down and kissed Jennifer on the forehead.
Warren couldn't help but clench his fist. He stepped forward, gently pulling Evelyn into his arms, and said with a smile, "Evie is pregnant. It's not ideal for her to be hugging everyone around. Any germs you have might be passed on to her." The Miles uncles raised their fists at Warren in unison. "You little brat! If it weren't for you and Evie being legally married, we'd flatten you right now." "It's just a marriage certificate, and there's no wedding ceremony held. Without our blessing, you can't take Evie away." "Exactly! I think we should reconsider this matter, given he once treated Evie poorly. With her status, Evie could easily marry a prince or a president's son." As the uncles argued, Warren remained calm, his smile unwavering. He gently ruffled Evelyn's hair and spoke warmly, "There's no way around it. Evie and I had an arranged marriage since childhood. Aunt Sonya herself confirmed it. You wouldn't want her spirit to be restless, would you?" His statement left t
Evelyn slowly approached Sonya's portrait, her pale, slender fingers gently caressing Sonya's cheek. In a hoarse voice, she murmured, "Mom, it's me, Evie. You had risked your life to save me. I'm here to see you." Hearing these words, Sally could no longer hold back her tears. They once again streamed down her cheeks. "Sonya, it must be your blessing, helping us to find Evie. Don't worry. We'll take good care of her. Rest in peace." Sally handed Evelyn a small bouquet, her voice choked with emotion. "Evie, place these by Sonya's picture, and ask her to bless you and your child with peace and safety." Evelyn took the bouquet. After kneeling in front of the portrait, she arranged the bouquet in a nearby vase. Then, she brought her hands together in a brief prayer. As she prepared to rise, Warren knelt beside her, his expression solemn as he gazed at Sonya's portrait. "Aunt Sonya, thank you for trusting me and betrothing Evie to me before she was even born. We are now marri
"Warren, just wait. I'll have something for you at tomorrow night's banquet!" The uncles and cousins of the Miles family, who had been waiting outside, surged forward and gathered around Chet. They fixed their curious gazes on Warren. "Chet, don't worry. If Warren plans to marry our little princess, he'll have to pass our test. Tomorrow night, we'll have plenty of drinks ready to get to know this prospective son-in-law." Confronted by the challenge posed by over 20 men, Warren displayed unwavering composure. He had long been prepared to accompany Evelyn to this gathering. He understood that every man in the Miles family cherished their daughters and sisters deeply. The loss of Sonya had left her brothers devastated. Now, upon finding her daughter, they poured years of pent-up affection into Evelyn. During the family reunion, Evelyn met her grandparents and got to know her grandfather's six brothers, ten uncles, and 13 cousins. Though Harry was her only biological uncle, the
Albert ran into the room with an air of confidence, whisking Evelyn along as they hurried outside. To him, Evelyn and Warren were family, while the other uncles were nothing but troublemakers. Evelyn swiftly ended her call and followed Albert into the banquet hall. Upon entering, she spotted several uncles slumped over the table, muttering to themselves. A cluster of cousins surrounded Warren, deeply engrossed in a dice game. Seeing Evelyn approach, Warren, typically the victor, unexpectedly faced defeat by rolling a mere one. The cousins erupted in cheers, egging him on to drink. Without hesitation, Warren grabbed his glass and downed three shots in quick succession. Then, stumbling to his feet, he staggered toward Evelyn, embracing her. With a plaintive tone, he said "Darling, they've teamed up against me. I want to go home." After finishing his words, he buried his head into Evelyn's shoulder, standing utterly still. Chet, somewhat tipsy himself, walked over and nudged Warr
"You cheeky thing, trying to steal my wife while I'm drunk? Not a chance!" With a swift motion, he pulled Evelyn, who was seated on the edge of the bed, into his embrace and lowered his head to kiss her lips. Evelyn immediately thumped his chest, admonishing, "Warren, you're drunk. Don't act silly. Albert is still around." Warren seemed oblivious to Evelyn's words, continuing to lavish Evelyn's face with a cascade of kisses. Albert observed with his eyes wide open. It prompted Evelyn to swiftly instruct, "Albert, go find Mom and Dad and get ready for bed. It's late. Let's play again tomorrow." Albert hesitated, casting reluctant glances back before finally departing. As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, Warren's kisses grew more fervent. His tongue, flavored with the sharp tang of alcohol, unexpectedly intertwined with Evelyn's in a deep kiss. What had started as a simple deep kiss swiftly evolved into a more passionate exchange. Somewhere along the line, Evelyn's
Upon hearing those words, Chet stumbled back several steps, eventually collapsing onto the bed. The very thing he had feared most had become a reality. The driver, Eric Lindt, was a distant relative of Iris, battling cancer even before the incident. Despite his illness, he had hidden it and continued working for the Sullivans. With only three months left to live, the unsettling possibility of bribery lingered. Following the accident, Iris promptly paid Eric's wife half a million dollars as compensation. "Was this just a coincidence or a meticulously planned scheme years in the making?" Chet wondered aloud. "If Iris is truly responsible for Mom's death, how will Evie face Warren?" These troubling thoughts weighed heavily on Chet's mind as he took a deep breath. He returned to Bramston City that very night. …Meanwhile, Iris sat alone in the cafeteria, her gaze fixed on the untouched food before her. Her eyes simmered with bitter resentment. Suddenly, she noticed a familiar