He was already certain, and with the conversation having reached this point, I had no other choice. But I wanted to be selfish just this once.I got up. "Mr. Smith, if you can't do it, then I don't think I can either."I didn't want to make decisions for Frank under the guise of doing what was best for him. But no matter what he chose, I would respect it.Mr. Smith's gaze became sharp. "Right now he's infatuated and impulsive, willing to give up everything for you. What about later? After the initial excitement wears off and he falls from his high perch, have you thought about three years, five years, or ten years from now?"I suddenly found it difficult to breathe.Mr. Smith sneered. "When he sees his mother and sister suffering because of his love, will he regret it and blame you as the stumbling block?"I had to admit, experience had its merits. Every word struck right at the heart of the matter."Whether you are Mrs. Frost, Ms. Wilson, or Ms. Shaw, I just hope you can see th
“Mrs. Smith Collapses from Emotional Distress”“Second Son of the Smith Family Joins the Smith Group”“Second Son of the Smith Family and Mr. Frost”“Frank's Position is Challenged”“Second Son of the Smith Family Secretly Contacts RF Group”By the evening, the news had been released piece by piece.When I saw the last one, I dialed Ryan's number. "Is this your doing?"There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before he sneered and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Which part are you asking about? The fake daughter of the Shaw family or the mess with the Smith family?""You know what I'm asking about.""Whatever you say."His voice was cold as the sound of a lighter flicking on came through. "Charlotte, come back and be Mrs. Frost. I can help you with the Shaw family's issues and the Smith family's problems."I was momentarily stunned. "The Smith family's issues?""Frank's issues."He seemed to take a drag of his cigarette, his voice sounding husky. "Do you th
I suddenly stood up on my tiptoes, and threw myself into his embrace. My arms wrapped tightly around his waist."Such enthusiasm?" He seemed pleased, rubbing the back of my head. "Have you thought about what you needed to think about?""I have." As I spoke, my gaze swept over to Ryan, who was standing at the door with a stern expression.Before I could say anything, Ryan's well-defined fingers tapped lightly on the door. "Honey, it's time to go home.""I'll handle it." Frank patted my head, gently releasing me and turning to leave."Frank!" I called out to him. He seemed to sense something, his lean body stiffening slightly, but he still responded, "Yeah? What's up?"I dared not look into his eyes. Summoning all my strength, I said as casually as possible, "He's here to pick me up."He pursed his lips, but he wasn’t smiling. His tone bewildered. "What did you say?""I've had enough fun. I need to go back to being Mrs. Frost." I shrugged nonchalantly. "Frank, let's go our separa
Frank had once again become the flamboyant and unpredictable Mr. Smith just like before.Meanwhile, Ryan had used his connections to find a reclusive traditional medicine expert, who came out of retirement to check Grandma's pulse and attempt to totally cure her. Grandma's coma was related to the poison affecting her heart and the emergency treatment at the hospital only addressed the symptoms, not the cause.That day, after the company gathering, Megan seemed to intentionally lag behind the other employees, walking beside me with great caution. She then asked cautiously, "Charlotte, did you ever like my brother?"I knew she was inquiring on behalf of Frank.But Mr. Smith had warned me over the phone yesterday.I smiled and said, "No, never.""What do you mean never?"Ryan walked over and stood tall in front of me. "Honey, I'm here to pick you up."Lately, he had been acting like the perfect gentleman.He had returned to his role of a devoted husband.He would drop me off at
My head buzzed for a moment and my mind went blank.Although Frank seemed disorganized, he was actually very measured and strategic in everything he did. The fact that Megan was in a panic meant that it was likely a major issue.I quickly turned around and looked at Jane, who had followed me out and looked anxious. "Jane, what happened? You know, don't you?"Her behavior had been off when she entered my office earlier. Now it seemed clear she was hiding the news about Frank."Charlotte..."Jane licked her lips, looking uncertain about whether she should speak.The more hesitant she was, the more scared I became.I grabbed her arm. "Tell me, Jane, I'm begging you, please tell me..."She was still hesitating.I knew she was afraid I wouldn't be able to handle it."If you don't tell me, I'll ask someone else." I picked up my phone and started dialing as I headed outside. "If no one tells me, I'll go to Jeswood myself to find out."Megan didn't answer the phone.I tried calling
I had never seen him before. But I had heard Ryan speak with him on the phone twice. They seemed to have a life-and-death friendship, and Ryan trusted him and Ian."Alright, do as you wish." I nodded thoughtfully. "We should go and get the divorce certificate the day after tomorrow. Please remember to arrange the time."His dark eyes flickered, and he gave a self-deprecating smile with a hint of bitterness. "Are you counting the days until you're done with me?""Something like that," I answered without hesitation.Ryan's long lashes cast shadows over his eyes, and his thin lips were pressed into a straight line. "Fine, I'll do as you say.""It's not about doing as I say." I corrected him. "Ryan, this is something we've already agreed on. There's no such thing as one side following the other."He looked at me quietly, and after a short pause, he sighed. "Was I always like this in front of you?""Like what? Do you mean indifferent, perfunctory, or hypocritical?" I took a sip of co
Something wasn’t right. I wasn’t going to believe in such coincidences.I grabbed the car keys and was about to leave when Ryan grabbed my wrist. "Where are you going? I'll take you.""To somewhere with a signal."Before I went out, I looked at him. "What's going on with that live broadcast from earlier in the afternoon? Why can't I find any records online?"Ryan's eyes flashed for a moment. "Many live broadcasts won’t be replayed.""Impossible."Previously, when Frank attended a public event, his video was edited and shared by many girls. For this live broadcast, not even a single clip could be found online.It was as if it had never been broadcasted.I suddenly realized something, and my fingertips began trembling. "Ryan, that live broadcast was fake, right? Something really happened to Frank, didn't it?""Charlotte...""Don't call me that. Just answer me!" I backed away, unable to control my voice as I demanded, "Why are you lying to me? Why didn't you tell me if something
Before he could finish speaking, the phone slipped from my hand.My hands were trembling uncontrollably as I stood by the window for a long time, until Ryan left and the Rolls-Royce drove out of the Frost family's residence.I watched until the taillights disappeared from view.After 20 minutes, I finally opened the bedside drawer, took out a fruit knife, and made a cut on my wrist.The blood was warm and glaring.But not deep, so I wouldn't die.I walked out barefoot, twisted open the door, and went downstairs. Albert came over. "Mrs. Frost, Mr. Frost instructed..."He was startled by the blood oozing out of my wrist."Albert, I don't want to make things difficult for you."I seemed to feel no pain, grabbing my car keys. "Let those bodyguards let me out, or else, Ryan will come back and only find a corpse."Albert's eyes were full of concern as he followed me to the car and hurriedly opened the door. "Why are you doing this... Ryan only means well...""Mean well?" I sat dow
It was the habit of someone accustomed to a high position."What’s wrong?" the man asked, his deep voice carrying a clear warmth."Look at you, acting so cheap. If you’re happy, just smile. Why pretend?"Frank, after all, was now happily settled.Seeing others in turmoil, he liked to tease them."No wonder you can’t win your wife back."Westley was rendered speechless.Jordan, not wanting to join the topic, quickly ran off.Frank joked, "See? Your wife just ran off again."Westley clenched his molars tightly.One by one, these happy people were taking turns mocking him."If you’re not going to help, at least don’t make things worse."Frank clicked his tongue and said, "Wow, the resentment is strong."Charlotte, holding Frank’s arm, tried to smooth things over. "That’s enough, Mr. Smith. Stop making fun of others."Westley was rendered speechless.‘Thanks. Appreciate that...’Charlotte added, "And stop mentioning Zachary’s pregnancy symptoms—it’s a sign of love."Frank
“These are all the photos of landscapes and animals you’ve taken over the years?”“Yes, I didn’t have anything else to gift, but I thought the baby could experience these through pictures while young and then go see them in person when older.”“You’re so thoughtful! I’ll thank you on behalf of this little embryo, Auntie.”Jane genuinely liked it. After flipping through the album, she instinctively tried to pass it to someone nearby but then remembered that Zachary had gotten out of the car when Jordan got in. He was now riding in the vehicle behind them.She placed the album into the front passenger seat’s storage compartment and then started chatting with Jordan about her recent experiences.Jordan said, “Not much, really. Things went pretty smoothly overall. I gave all the photos to the media. I hope it can raise awareness and help save more girls. That place was hell on earth for them.”Jane nodded. “You did an amazing job.”After her praise, she asked, “What do you want to e
The Collins family’s expressions all changed.Although Madam Collins had spoken so casually, deep down, she was certainly still displeased about Zachary marrying Jane.She had simply seen the deeper truth. Zachary was resolute about Jane.She also understood that Zachary was no longer someone they could control.But when this was bluntly laid bare, her chest still tightened.“What do you mean by that?” Rebecca pressed.Sean merely replied, “That’s all I can say. And that’s because of the bond we share as former master and servant. After all, now I must follow Mr. Collins’s orders.”The room fell into a prolonged silence.Madam Collins broke it with a soft chuckle.She looked at Rebecca and said, “You said he doesn’t acknowledge you as his mother, yet he could have quietly gone off to register the marriage without us knowing, but instead, he let Sean inform us.”Rebecca didn’t immediately react.Madam Collins clarified, “He specifically instructed Sean to pass the news to you
At the hospital.Rebecca listened to Sean's report.When she heard that Zachary had come to the hospital, she immediately panicked. "I knew that woman was bad luck! Ever since Zachary got together with her, he's been plagued with all sorts of misfortune and illness!"Eric hesitated before speaking. "Zachary went to see the doctor because of morning sickness?""What?"Rebecca couldn't believe her ears. "Do you even hear how ridiculous that sounds?"Sean chimed in, "It’s true."Rebecca was rendered speechless.Sean explained, "I consulted with an expert. This kind of situation is rare but does happen. If a husband deeply loves his wife, seeing her suffer during pregnancy can cause him to experience symptoms like morning sickness."At that moment, Rebecca felt like a beehive had exploded in her ears.All she could hear was a loud buzzing noise.It took her a long moment to recover before she scoffed."He’s such a good husband, isn’t he? I risked my life to give birth to him an
Jane leaned in for a sniff. "Smells so good."Zachary’s worries were unnecessary, she only took a few bites before losing interest.The rest ended up in his stomach.Which then found its way to the toilet, and finally, down the drain.After Zachary rinsed his mouth, Jane peeled an orange for him. "Try this, see if it helps."Zachary ate the orange directly from her hand.It was so sour it made his teeth ache.Still, it seemed to provide some relief.Jane poured him some water."You don’t need to take care of me, I can handle myself.""And I can handle myself too," Jane retorted. "Why are you always doing things for me, then?""It’s different—you’re pregnant."Zachary drank a sip of the water, mostly because she had poured it."I’m just throwing up a little," said Jane.She had experienced it before—constant retching, even with nothing left in her stomach. That kind of discomfort was hard to endure.His voice was hoarse by now, which showed just how bad it had gotten.At
However, the test results showed nothing wrong.Even after being in a coma for those days, his body remained strong thanks to the nutritional IV.As long as he avoided alcohol and irritating foods, his gastritis wouldn't flare up.It certainly wouldn't become severe enough to cause this kind of reaction.Yet Zachary's vomiting was even more intense than her pregnancy nausea.Even though there was nothing left to throw up—not even stomach acid—if he kept going, he might end up vomiting bile.It really didn’t seem like the symptoms of someone perfectly healthy.So Jane contacted Tanner.After hearing her description, Tanner chuckled.Jane felt as though Tanner was gloating."Isn’t this great? He’s throwing up for you, so you can feel a bit better."Jane was taken aback.Over the time she had spent taking Zachary to the doctor, she truly hadn’t felt any discomfort herself.She had thought it was because she hadn’t eaten much, so her symptoms were temporarily subsiding."Dr.
Jane washed her face, took a moment to gather herself, then straightened up and hugged him."Stop reflecting on yourself already, hearing it makes my pregnancy symptoms worse."The tactic worked well, as she didn’t hear any more apologies from him afterward."I feel like eating an orange. Could you peel one for me?"Zachary immediately carried her to the sofa, tucked a blanket over her, and sat beside her to peel the orange.He meticulously removed every single white thread from the orange segments.Resting her chin on her hand, Jane watched him and teased, "You’re treating me even better now that I’m pregnant. Do you love the baby more than me?"Without hesitation, Zachary replied, "It’s because pregnancy is hard on you. If you hadn’t agreed to have the baby, I wouldn’t have kept—"Before he could finish, Jane kicked him, silencing him.He handed her the peeled orange.Jane couldn’t taste her mood anymore, so she focused on eating the orange.Zachary felt his teeth ache jus
"I envy his fiancee so much!""You women are so shallow. Just because he’s buying some raviolis, you think he’s humbled himself for love. Why don’t you think about this—he’s the son of an affluent family. If he hadn’t picked someone from such a poor background, why would he come to this rundown place to buy these commoner foods?"As soon as the man finished speaking, he felt a sharp, cold gaze land on him.The people who had been enthusiastically discussing with him moments earlier suddenly avoided looking at him.But Zachary merely glanced at him.His raviolis were already packed, and he was eager to bring them back for Jane.He didn’t linger long, nor did he feel the need to waste his words on clueless fools like these.Besides, even if he explained, they probably wouldn’t understand—or even care.Meanwhile, Jane had been leaning against the car window, watching Zachary the whole time. When she saw him walking back, she opened the car door for him.“Hurry, get in.”Zachary
They were heading back to their cozy little nest.On the way, her phone rang. When she saw the caller ID, she slapped Zachary’s thigh.“Oh no!”Zachary looked confused.“I forgot about Jordan!”Jordan had mentioned that she would be filming, and Westley had been by her side the entire time to protect her.Jane, preoccupied with her own matters, had assumed that with Westley around, nothing would go wrong.Her return to the country had been a last-minute decision, and she had left in a hurry.She was also dealing with the discomfort of her pregnancy.All the emotions and tasks piling up caused her to completely forget.Sure enough, when she answered the call, Jordan’s voice was full of grievance.“Aren’t we good friends?”“Yes, yes, we are,” Jane replied with an awkward cough. “Something urgent came up, so... I’m sorry.”Jordan, however, was gracious. “I understand your situation is special. Just treat me to a meal to make up for it. I’ll be flying to Jeswood soon.”“Alrig