A familiar voice came from not far away.My father-in-law was wearing colorful sunglasses and a floral shirt. He had clearly just got back from some island getaway, where he had likely been cavorting with women.A typical playboy who never outgrew his frivolous ways, now aging into a lordly figure.Jessica spotted him and burst into tears instantly, "Dad... You're finally back. I've been bullied so badly.""Ryan bullied you?"My father-in-law, John, pushed his sunglasses up to his forehead and looked at Ryan. "I've said it a hundred times, you need to take good care of Jessica. I've only been gone for two days, and she's already at the hospital?"I couldn't help but feel frustrated and wanted to leave during this lull.But John suddenly noticed me and smiled contentedly. "Charlotte? You're here too.""Dad."Out of politeness, I still addressed him as such. Even though in my eyes, he wasn't a qualified father to Ryan.John nodded. "You two should take care of Jessica."I coul
My heart sank.I almost didn't dare to meet his gaze, afraid that the doctor might blurt out something.That would be disastrous.I spoke first. "Doctor, he didn't come with me today. He came for a prenatal check-up with another woman."Ryan's voice was warm and deep. "I didn't specifically come with her.""But you did come, didn't you?"I didn't want the doctor to go into the details.It was like catching a cheater. Nobody would care why your husband would be with another woman. All people cared about was that he betrayed you.Whether it was a drunken mistake or premeditated, did it really make a difference?What happened couldn't be changed. No matter how noble the excuse, a mistake was already made.Ryan had nothing to say, his gaze was firm. "You still haven't told me, why did you come to the hospital today?""Haven't I told you...""Don't stall." He interrupted coldly, seeming determined to get to the bottom of this.The ultrasound doctor hadn't left yet. "Mrs. Frost,
He was slightly stunned. "You... knew about what happened at the company?""Yeah, I just found out today." I tried to shrug nonchalantly, but I found that I had no strength left. "So, you're not going to change your decision, right?"How could he bear to let Jessica stand at the center of attention again?As expected, his face turned slightly cold. "She's having a delicate pregnancy and can't handle stress. But rest assured, once she's better, I won't let you suffer any more grievance."His words made me completely disappointed.I suppressed the sourness in my nose and looked at him disappointedly. "But what if I'm pregnant too? What if my situation is worse than hers?"Every minute and every second I stood there, I could feel the dull ache in my lower abdomen and the dampness below.But my husband told me his sweetheart couldn't handle stress, so I had to handle it.Meaning, my life was expendable, and I should just endure it.Ryan's body stiffened slightly, then he chuckled
I was suddenly taken aback and instinctively glanced at Ryan. He appeared calm and gentle, holding me in his arms, looking nothing like someone who was here for a divorce. The floor of the hall was dry, and I gently freed myself from his grasp, pursing my lips. "No, we're here to get divorced.""Oh..."The staff member seemed regretful. "It's not easy for two people to come together. You seem to have a good relationship. Why do you want a divorce? Getting divorced is not a small matter. Please don't be impulsive. Once there's a crack, it's hard to mend."I lowered my gaze helplessly. "You might have gotten the sequence mixed up. Cracks don't appear because of divorce. Divorce happens because there are cracks."Few couples would want to divorce unless they had no other choice.The staff member stopped trying to dissuade us. "Well, go ahead. There aren't many people here because of the heavy rain. You can go to any available counter.""Okay, thank you."After thanking them, I foun
He was taken aback. "How did you know?"We were getting divorced so there was no point hiding anything. I said, "That day, I overheard you and Grandpa talking in the office. I heard you admit that you no longer have any feelings for me. Actually, this marriage may have been wrong from the beginning.""No."He almost urgently denied, furrowing his brow as he recalled, explaining, "My acknowledgment wasn't about that question. You misunderstood..."I wasn't eager to argue, simply watching him quietly with a faint smile. "So, did you ever love me?"Ryan was briefly stunned, perhaps finding this question particularly difficult. "Charlotte...""Don't explain. It would only make me look pitiful."I smiled lightly, seeming indifferent. "Have Gary send over the agreement I gave him. In the future, when you marry someone else, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to hold onto that share..."He suddenly interjected forcefully, every word deliberate, "I won't marry anyone else."My eyelashe
"So afraid that I'll regret it?" His voice was muffled. "But I'm more afraid that you'll treat me like a stranger."The surroundings were cold, but his embrace felt just as warm as it did in the past.His words left me stunned.By the time I collected my thoughts, he had already opened the car door for me. After I got in, he turned away without looking back.Through the rain curtain, I glimpsed his upright figure, soaked halfway through.It felt like a thousand ants were gnawing at my heart, leaving it emptier and emptier.So, this was how easy it was to end a marriage.Just half an hour at the Civil Affairs Bureau, submitting documents, signing papers.One month later, another visit, both parties were still in agreement, and we received our divorce certificates.And just like that, everything was cut off.The days of sharing a bed and pillow, of mutual support, seemed like nothing more than a dream.Of course, this all hinged on whether Ryan would keep his word.When I ret
Albert urgently spoke, "Mrs. Frost! Please come back quickly. Grandpa is furious and wants to beat Mr. Frost. Only you can talk him out of it.""What?" Just hearing the first half of the sentence, I sprang up, grabbed a coat, and headed out.It wasn't so much about worrying for Ryan.Although Grandpa had more than one grandson besides Ryan, he cared for him the most. Even if he were to lay hands on him, there would be degrees of severity, and it wouldn't be life-threatening. But Grandpa's health was important, and it was best not to upset him unnecessarily. Unless absolutely necessary, Albert wouldn't be this anxious.Albert said, "You'll see when you get back!"Regardless of my thoughts, when I arrived at the Frost family's residence, I was still stunned.In the study, Ryan, who had once been dignified and composed, was now kneeling on the floor, unable to straighten up from the beating. His forehead was throbbing with veins, and he could only support himself on the edge of th
Although I hadn't considered continuing this marriage with Ryan.Hearing Grandpa's resolute defense, my heart warmed.Ryan pursed his lips. "I have disappointed Charlotte, but I never intended to marry another.""Never intended? If you never intended, why did Charlotte divorce you? Wasn't it because you completely broke her heart?" Grandpa didn't believe a single word.Supporting himself on the edge of the ebony table, Ryan slowly stood up. "I truly never intended to. But I can't ignore Jessica either, especially since she's pregnant.""You're quite the humanitarian!" Grandpa threw a teacup at him.He didn't dodge it, taking the hit squarely on his forehead, which soon began to bleed. Despite this, his expression remained unchanged as he earnestly said, "I promised Aunt Wen that I would take care of her.""What about Charlotte? There are strong rumors in the company that you brought Jessica closer, making everyone see Charlotte as the homewrecker. Do you think that's fair to her
Charlotte patted her head. "First, make a video call to that little girl." Jane quickly found her phone and opened the landlord's WhatsApp. As soon as the call connected, the little girl appeared on screen, her eyes red. Tears were still visible on her face. The landlord was sitting next to her, waiting, not having gone to sleep. Jane apologized, "Sorry to disturb your rest." "Don't say that." The landlord gently patted her daughter's head. "I'm just happy you're alright." Jane smiled at the little girl. "Thanks to Celine, I'm fine." The little girl leaned closer to the screen. "Jane, you're lying. Your lips are swollen." Jane cleared her throat. "I ate something spicy earlier." She quickly added to prevent the little girl from saying anything else, "Alright, go to sleep now. We'll talk more when you get out of school. Jane went through a lot today, and she's tired too." The little girl, very understanding, handed the phone to her mother and went to bed
The captain laughed. "Don't think that just because we're from abroad, we don't understand anything.""Young lady, if you want to buy some time, then I'll play along with you. But if you're hoping for someone to rescue you, I advise you to give up on that thought. This is the border. Domestic ships can't get through here."Well, you don't know Frank.There's no one who can stop him from going where he wants to go.Jane tried her best to suppress her fear. "Sir, I have all kinds of tricks. If I can make you guys happy, can you spare my life?"She reached out, grabbed the captain's belt, and moved closer."As long as you don't kill me, you'll be my savior. I'll be yours from now on and let you have your fun with me. Is that okay?"Although Jane hadn't dressed herself up recently.But her facial features were stunning. Those fox-like eyes with a smile in them were even more alluring.The captain kept swallowing saliva. Apparently, he was attracted.However, they had already rece
They were anxious, not just because of the situation, but because they feared Zachary would go mad and go abroad with Jane. Frank glanced at their expressions and immediately understood that they were aware of Lexi's plan to send Jane abroad. "I suggest that while Zachary is looking for Jane, you should take care of the Sanchez family's matters. Otherwise, when Zachary comes back, there will be hell to pay." Jane ate the meal the waiter brought and then felt drowsy. She fell into a light sleep, and when she opened her eyes again, it was already half past nine. She remembered the things she had told the little girl before leaving and quickly grabbed her phone to call. But just then, the door was suddenly kicked open. Several adult men stormed in and grabbed her, dragging her outside. "What are you doing?" They had originally planned to reach the border, but unexpectedly, a violent storm had forced a slight course change. This delay allowed the effects of th
Lexi said, "The plane will leave traces. By then, Zachary will find you. The ship will change at the border and private sea areas. Once she changes ships, it will be hard to track." Jane remembered when Jack had taken Charlotte away before. She felt a sense of unease. After all, Lexi wasn't someone she could fully trust. "I didn't expect you to be so timid." Lexi noticed Jane's worry. "I thought someone with your background, who dared to pursue someone as different as Zachary, and even date him, would have extraordinary courage." But wasn't Jane regretting it now? Otherwise, why would she be running away? She decided not to care anymore. With a firm heart, she boarded the ship. Lexi smiled in satisfaction, but then a cold glint appeared in her eyes as she spoke to the captain. "When we reach the border, throw her into the sea and feed her to the sharks." No matter where she went, as long as Zachary wanted to find her, it was just a matter of time.
Lexi was so angry that she wanted to smash something. She got up and walked away, with each step of her high heels hitting the ground, the sound echoing her immense fury. The more difficult it was to conquer, the more determined she became to conquer it! Zachary went directly back to the Collins family home. The Collins family members were somewhat uneasy. When they saw him come back alone, they were both shocked and suspicious. "Did Lexi not come back with you?" asked Rebecca. Zachary did not respond and walked upstairs with long strides. Rebecca, along with Sir Collins and Madam Collins, exchanged gazes, all feeling something was off. It was strange that Zachary had actually returned to the Collins family. "Sean." Rebecca saw someone else entering behind him and immediately asked, "Did you follow him the whole time? Did you notice anything unusual?" Sean bent slightly, his face carrying a polite smile as he respectfully replied, "No abnormalities w
The situation between Zachary and Jane's relationship had not been made public. It was normal for the employees at the company not to know about it. Zachary did not answer when people congratulated him, and Lexi stood silently by his side, not saying anything either. But to those around them, their actions were as good as an admission.Some people even offered their congratulations, but Zachary didn't acknowledge them. He didn't go upstairs. Instead, he turned and left the building. This time, he didn't even get into Lexi's car. The smell inside the car was too overwhelming, making him dizzy.Lexi followed him, and they entered a nearby cafe. He didn't go straight to Jane's place, but Lexi knew that was just a way of hiding his true intentions. However, she wasn't concerned. After all, the Collins family would never approve of him being with Jane. She just needed to give him a bit of time to play along."Mr. Collins, aren't you going to consider my suggestion?" Lexi asked with a sli
The shock from the Collins family was too much for her. She wouldn't take the initiative, nor would she have the courage to continue with him.So what other way did he have?He'd tried both soft and hard tactics, yet this situation was still more complicated than advanced mathematics.The next day.Lexi invited Zachary out.But the Collins family hesitated.Rebecca said, "Why don't you two spend some more time getting to know each other at home first?"Lexi smiled. "Mrs. Collins, I know what you're worried about, but that woman is no longer in Jeswood."Rebecca was aware of this.After all, they had been keeping an eye on Jane's movements. They even knew where she was staying.It was surprising that Lexi had just returned a day ago, yet she had already figured it out.This kind of method and family background was exactly what the Collins family needed.It was also what Zachary needed."I've erased all traces. Even if he wants to find her today, he won't be able to, and it
The landlord nodded understandingly. "You young people do have a lot of new ideas."They chatted casually and soon reached the large square.The stage had already been set up.They had arrived early, but there were already a lot of people gathered.Jane commented, "It's quite formal."The landlord proudly replied, "This isn't just a community event, there are even celebrities."Jane became a little curious and wanted to see what celebrities were here.It turned out to be an R-list boy band, along with a few elderly artists.Well, it was still a big stage.She watched for a while, but soon lost interest. She made an excuse to go to the bathroom.Under the cover of night, she wandered around.She spotted a small shop and bought a bag of cheese-flavored chips to eat.This kind of life, she thought, couldn't last long. She hoped Zachary would hurry up and get married, so he would stop bothering her."Jane..." Jane was lost in thought when the voice startled her, almost caus
"Stop dreaming."Lexi, despite her feelings for Zachary, couldn't suppress her anger anymore."You want to marry that woman? That's nothing but wishful thinking."Zachary's gaze was icy, and every word he spoke, from his thin lips, carried a chilling frost."Her name is Jane."Lexi, at this point in her life, had never met a man who not only showed no interest in her but also repeatedly poked at her vulnerabilities."The more you protect her, the more dangerous she becomes. My offer won't change. You'll come to me eventually."With that, she turned, her heels clicking sharply as she walked toward the door."Excuse me, open the door."Sean opened the door.Lexi held her head high as she walked downstairs.Sean was about to close the door when Zachary threw the food outside.He even "thoughtfully" closed the door after that.When Rebecca saw the untouched food that Sean had brought down, she couldn't help but feel some pity."Not eating yet?"She had just praised Lexi for