She looked like a flower beaten down by a storm.“Mom!”I hurried over and took her hand.She gently patted my head, and after a long pause, finally spoke, “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I’m sorry for what happened to your grandma.”“Mom, this has nothing to do with you.”I looked at her injuries and frowned. “But how did you get hurt so badly?”“Compared to Grandma’s death, my injuries are minor.”She didn’t seem to care much, sighing with some guilt. “I keep thinking, if I hadn’t held the banquet, maybe they wouldn’t have had the chance, and you and Grandma wouldn’t…”“Mom!” I interrupted seriously her, wiping her tears. “Whether you held the banquet or not, we were in the open while they were in the dark. It’s impossible to prevent everything. So, it really has nothing to do with you! Don’t think that way!”My mom looked at me with pain in her eyes. I squeezed her hand and escorted her back to the ward.“Mom, you’re injured too. You should rest. I need to take Grandma to the c
"It's fine."Frank helped me to the place. I first settled Grandma next to Grandpa, then it was Ben's turn. After burying them, I knelt in front of Grandma's gravestone. The ground was covered in gravel, and after the rain, it mixed with the mud. There was a look of heartache in Frank's eyes. Although he was wearing long pants, they felt thin. However, he held back and said nothing and paid his respects as well. The others, including Jane, did the same. "Grandma, later on, I'll bring the child to see you. When she can talk, I'll have her call you Great-Grandma. You should take care of yourself on the other side. If you need anything, just tell me in my dream. Grandma, I'll take care of myself. Don't worry about me... Grandma, this is where I'll send you off." After saying that, I bowed. Frank accompanied me. He helped me up and bowed to Grandma again. He solemnly promised, "Grandma, rest assured, I will protect her thoroughly." I looked up at Fra
During the emergency treatment, Prof. Kilburn came out to talk to Frank about the situation. "I've done all I can, the rest depends on Dr. Travis. However, Dr. Travis said that treatment is possible, but he is not a miracle worker. If the patient remains emotionally distressed and cannot resolve it on her own, he cannot guarantee the child's safety." Frank's hands, hanging by his side, clenched into fists. His lips tightly pursed. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke, "If we can't guarantee the child, then we focus on saving Charlotte first." Jane noticed the restrained emotions in Frank's eyes. She didn't fully understand it. But she always felt that she could see such emotions in Frank. It was as if every bone in him had been shattered. "There must be a way." Jane turned her face away, holding back tears. "Charlotte is very strong. She just needs time to accept it. Plus, she said she wouldn't give up on this child. Frank, you need to hang in there to
Alana glanced over, then picked up the child and said to Frank, "The child will catch a cold sleeping like this. I'll stay in the nearby ward. Call me if you need anything." Frank nodded. Alana understood his feelings right now but couldn't comprehend why they had to endure so much hardship. How could this suffering never end? Now the unborn child was also suffering. She hoped the good luck charms she sincerely prayed for could protect them. "Give me the child to me." On the way back, Alex was left behind at an intersection by her. He had originally planned to take a shortcut but didn't expect to get stuck in a traffic jam. He was much slower and had just arrived. Alana sidestepped his outstretched hand and entered the ward. She placed Danny down, took off her shoes and coat, and covered him with a blanket. Then she sat down beside him. Alex said, "You should sleep with the child for a while. I'll call you if there's anything." Alana remained s
I must have been unconscious for quite a while, my mouth felt dry. However, knowing that the baby was still there, I breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to get up for some water. It was at that moment that Jane rushed back in and quickly took the cup from my hands. "I'll get the water for you. Just lie down, wait for Dr. Travis to come and check on you before moving." Seeing her so anxious, and fearing for the baby, I lay back down. Jane poured a cup of warm water and handed it to me, then adjusted the pillow behind me so I could lean comfortably. I sighed. "You don't have to be so meticulous, I'm not that bad off yet." Jane's expression turned serious. "You don't need to pretend to be okay in front of me. We've been friends for so many years, and I know you." I lowered my head to drink the water, hiding the pain in my eyes and not responding to her. "Where's Frank?" Jane replied, "He has a high fever and is being treated next door." She didn't give me
"Be prepared for what?" Dr. Travis and Prof. Kilburn exchanged a glance and said, "The worst-case scenario. If the fever develops into pneumonia, combined with his extensive wounds…" I didn’t want to go there that day. "You can't stay up late or overwork yourself. After this, go back and rest. Even if you can't sleep, just close your eyes and rest. We'll keep an eye on things here." Frank was lying face down, and I saw the extensive wounds on his back. My nose felt sore, but I didn't want to cry anymore. Crying was the least useful thing. "Jane." "Charlotte, what is it?" I took a deep breath, trying to appear fine. "I want to have something to eat." "Okay, I'll go buy something for you right now." It was getting late, and Zachary came along too. "Buy more, everyone probably hasn't eaten yet." After the funeral, we were supposed to eat, but one thing after another had prevented us from doing so. Yet, when I mentioned it, Dr. Travis and Prof. Kil
"Not really…" Frank paused for a few seconds before continuing, "Your palms have been sweating. Just now, you grabbed my hand tightly, so I knew you were overthinking things." "Charlotte, don't punish yourself for someone else's mistakes." I opened my mouth, wanting him to stop talking. But before I could say a word, he closed his eyes again. Even in such poor health, he was trying to comfort me. What reason did I have to keep myself trapped in a self-made prison? Jane and Zachary returned with food. After I ate, Jane insisted I rest while she kept watch. I asked her to wait a moment and went to talk to Dr. Travis and Prof. Kilburn. "You two should go to sleep, I'll call for you if anything happens." Prof. Kilburn was fine, but Dr. Travis really shouldn't stay up all night. Thinking it wasn't useful to have so many people here for now, I decided to rest. I turned to Alan and said, "Can you set up another bed? I'll sleep here." The VIP ward's bed was
Several people were standing at the emergency room door. Danny was among them. "Aunt!" He threw himself at my legs. "Aunt, I saw the bad guys take you away. I was so scared. It was a good thing that Uncle was capable of saving you, but he got hurt." He sniffled. "I didn't know Uncle would end up like this…" I hadn't expected it either. Ultimately, it was still my fault. "Why aren't you asleep? It’s so late." Alana explained for him, "He slept, but he was worried because he hadn't seen you. When he woke up, he rushed over to check on you." I patted his head. "Good boy." Jane tapped my shoulder. "You two talk. I need to make a few work calls." "Is something wrong at the company?" I asked. "No, I can handle it. You don't need to worry about it." Jane reassured me, "I'll be right next door. If you need anything, call me." "Okay." I nodded. "You handle your things, I still have Danny here." Danny puffed out his little chest. "Pretty sister, I'm here
“Why?” asked Jane.“Because such an opportunity is rare,” replied Zachary.Westley indeed cherished the opportunity tonight.Regarding potential rivals, he had investigated a lot.Oliver was the only person who was a little close to Jordan.So tonight, he was confident he could remain emotionally stable and have a proper conversation with Jordan.But he hadn’t expected to encounter a problem as soon as they got off the plane.“Jordan!”Leanne, holding a large bouquet of sunflowers, immediately passed the flowers to Jordan upon seeing her.“If I hadn’t asked, I wouldn’t have been able to catch you. It’s been so long since we’ve gathered together.”“No matter what happens between you and my brother, we can’t cut off our relationship, right?”Jordan had always had a good relationship with the members of the Howard familyNo one treated her poorly or like an outsider.During her school years, any troublemakers had been dealt with by the Howard family.Especially Leanne, who h
Zachary was rendered speechlessFrank teased him, "Family status."Zachary ignored him, as if Frank's family status was any higher."Dominic is keeping an eye on things over there, which is reassuring. The finished products have already been produced, and Jordan helped take some photos. The promotional effect has been good.""Dominic is reliable. It's just a pity I can't model for the later set of the clothes' promotions. Honestly, I really wanted to wear them, the patterns in the later designs are even more intricate."Charlotte glanced at her belly. "You're not showing yet, so you can wear them. I had Dominic send them over. I was in a rush to come back today because of Jordan and didn't bring them, but when the package arrives, you can wear them for the shoot."Jane sighed. "I wonder if the girl will still have time to help me take photos in a few days. I want her to take my maternity photos too.""Whether or not she gets divorced, if you ask her, she’ll definitely come. You
“Let’s go back to the the Howard family’s residence.”“It’s too late, I don’t want to disturb them.”Jordan gritted her teeth. “Then let’s go to your house. It’s so big, we can each take a room and not disturb each other.”Westley calmly took a sip of tea. “It’s not very convenient.”Jordan’s temper flared. “Let’s just stay in a hotel!”Westley replied, “There are too many people watching me in Nelana. I don’t want to be misunderstood.”Jane and Charlotte exchanged a look.They both understood each other’s thoughts.Before, they had thought Westley was calculating and manipulative.He had always been clever at using tricks to handle Jordan.Now, they realized it wasn’t just that.This man had a thick skin—he could say anything without blinking.But they didn’t fully understand Westley’s intentions.He clearly had the chance to spend time alone with Jordan, perhaps to explain some things and clear the air.Yet he kept refusing.If he felt it was inconvenient, if he didn’t
At that moment, someone under Westley came to report.“Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Howard flew to Jeswood. They’re likely going back to celebrate Mr. Collins and Mrs. Collins’ wedding.”Westley immediately booked a flight as well.When Jordan saw Jane, she started venting her frustrations.As she spoke, her voice gradually faded, and she apologized, “I’m sorry. It’s your big day, and here I am talking about this.”Jane poured her a cup of tea. “It’s alright, I understand. I invited you to celebrate, which is sudden of me, considering you’re in the middle of a divorce.”Jordan shook her head. “I could use the good vibes. Hopefully, it’ll help me get the divorce finalized smoothly.”Zachary and Frank exchanged glances, wisely choosing not to get involved in the conversation.What they didn’t expect was for Westley to show up at such a critical moment.He even handed Zachary a gift. “Congratulations.”Zachary instinctively looked at Jane and saw her smiling faintly. His scalp tingled wi
Zachary had already planned for today.He didn’t take Westley’s words to heart.He assumed Frank would explain things to Charlotte.Who knew Charlotte actually accompanied Jordan to Nelana?“It’s not that, it’s just a coincidence.”Jane chatted with Charlotte and asked about Jordan’s situation.Charlotte said, “Westley didn’t show up, so the young girl is very angry right now. I’m taking her to get some photos taken.”“Then after you’re done, come back. How can I celebrate without you here?”Nelana and Jeswood weren’t far from each other. Charlotte checked the time and agreed.“If you’re hungry, just eat something first. Don’t keep waiting. Once I’m on the plane, I’ll let you know. You can roughly estimate the timing.”“Alright!”Jane hung up the phone and looped her arm around Zachary’s. “I want to eat a strawberry cake.”Zachary helped her into the car and instructed Ross to drive to a cake shop.He got out of the car himself to buy it.As Jane ate, she asked, “So if We
“I don’t care! I must go back and put on some makeup!” Jane declared.Ross, who would rather face Zachary’s wrath than make Jane unhappy, immediately prepared to turn the car around.But Zachary stopped him. “Keep driving.”He gently patted Jane’s back to calm her down.“I know you’re excited about getting the certificate, but don’t get so worked up—think about the baby.”Was that what he thought this was about?Jane grabbed Zachary’s ear. “Are you getting old and becoming deaf? I said turn the car around! If you keep pretending not to hear me, don’t even think about me taking a photo with you to get the certificate when we get there!”In the end, Zachary had no choice but to compromise.Jane hadn’t done her makeup in a while. With the sudden pregnancy, she hadn’t had the time to prepare maternity-safe cosmetics.So they went to the mall, where she bought what she needed and applied a full, flawless makeup look.Feeling beautiful and confident, she finally went to the Civil A
Jordan planned to return to Nelana right after breakfast.Yasmin tried to persuade her to stay a few more days.But she was eager to return and finalize her divorce.Charlotte decided to accompany her since she hadn’t had the chance to visit Dominic and look at the finished products after Jane’s recent accident.Frank wanted to tag along, but Charlotte stopped him. “You stay here and handle things.”Frank sneered. “You’re just tired of me and keep coming up with reasons to stay apart.”Charlotte had been hearing this from him a lot lately and was immune to it by now.She patted his shoulder, linked arms with Jordan, and walked away.Frank was rendered speechless‘Fine.’Westley had never drunk so much alcohol before.Although he wasn’t completely wasted, there were still some things he remembered clearly.However, his headache was intense.Buck brought him some water, asked about his schedule, and reported on the events of the night before.Westley paused while drinking t
She could say nothing more.Moreover, even if she said something, it would be useless.Zachary achieved his goal and turned to leave.After the door to the ward closed, Rebecca picked up a piece of yellowing apple to eat.The old lady of the Collins family sighed, “We didn’t raise him in vain.”Rebecca wiped away tears, she still couldn’t bring herself to like Jane.But Zachary was her only son. At this point, there was nothing she could do to stop him.She could only look the other way and let it go.She said to Eric, “Jeswood is too cold. Take me to Clisfield. This is what you’ve promised me.”Spring had already arrived in Jeswood, it wasn’t cold at all.But Eric still immediately arranged for tickets to be booked.There were still several months before Zachary and Jane’s wedding.In the meantime, she could relax and gradually come to terms with things as time passed.Eric looked at the elderly couple. “Mom, Dad, come with us. The weather there is warm year-round.”Zach
If this were Jane, just a single cough would send him into a panic.Rebecca felt that Zachary now cared more about Jane than her.“Even if Jasper isn’t her biological father, how can you be so sure her real parents are good people? What if...”Zachary finished slicing the apple into small pieces, placed them on a plate, and handed it to his mother.His tone was unhurried. “I can accept anything. As I said before—I will marry no one but her.”Rebecca didn’t take the plate, so Zachary set it aside.The apple, left untouched, began to oxidize and turn brown.Zachary lightly tapped the apple with the fruit knife and said, “There are more than one path in front of me.”Rebecca opened her mouth to speak, but Zachary interrupted her.He pulled out a photo and handed it to her.“The Collins family doesn’t only have me for the official route. There is a sister who can take my place.”Rebecca was stunned. “What sister?”Zachary produced a document. “A recently acknowledged goddaughte