The operating room lights blazed for seven straight hours. Eudora remained outside, never leaving her post. Ryan, equally anxious about their child, waited patiently with her.
The door finally opened, and Eudora sprang to her feet, her voice sharp with worry,“Doctor, how is my daughter?”Seeing Eudora's frail form, swaying as if about to fall, Christian reached out to support her.“Donna's out of the woods, and the surgery went great. Unless something unexpected happens, she'll be as healthy as any other kid.”Eudora was a mix of relief and fear. Tears streamed down her face as she kept thanking the doctors and nurses for saving her daughter. Dr. Christian patted her hand gently, offering a reassuring smile.Suddenly, a strong hand pulled Eudora away from the doctor. Ryan, who had moved closer without anyone noticing, pulled her into a protective hug. He then turned to the doctor, his voice deep with gratitude,“Thank you, Doctor”Christian looRyan was a mess of confusion and shame, unsure how to approach Eudora. But deep down, he desperately wanted to see her, hold her close, and make amends for everything he'd done wrong. He arrived at the hospital just as Donna woke up. Seeing the sweet, fragile little girl in the bed, he was overwhelmed with emotion. This beautiful angel was his daughter, born to the woman he loved. He had never known about her before, but from the moment he saw her, he felt an incredible tenderness and love. Maybe this was what people meant by a blood connection. Eudora felt a wave of anxiety when Ryan appeared. He'd been gone for over a day, surely enough time to find out everything he wanted to know. So why was he here now?Donna tilted her head, looking at the unfamiliar man in her hospital room. “Mom, who's that?”Eudora smoothed her daughter's hair, trying to sound calm. “He's a friend of mine, sweetie. You stay here for a minute, okay? I'll go talk to him and be righ
“Why are you here again?” Eudora asked abruptly, the peaceful atmosphere in the hospital room instantly shattered.Ryan stood up, his usually stoic face now etched with tension and anxiety, as if caught red-handed.Before he could explain, Donna, in a weak voice, asked, “Mom, he gave me a Barbie doll. Can I keep it?”Though she was asking for her mother's permission, her eyes pleaded intensely, her hands clutching the doll tightly, unwilling to let go.Eudora knew the gift was expensive, even she couldn't afford it for Donna. But seeing her daughter's happiness, she couldn't bring herself to say no.“Did you say thank you?”“Yes, I did,” Donna replied, her face radiating happiness.Eudora smiled at her daughter, then said to Ryan, “Let's talk outside for a minute.”She couldn't even begin to describe the fear gnawing at her as she watched Ryan and Donna happily chatting. He was getting close to Donna, he liked Donna, what next? Would he take
Eudora walked into the hospital and saw Ryan and Donna laughing and playing together. Her heart was filled with a mix of emotions. She realized that Donna had become much more cheerful and open lately. It was partly because she was healthy, but mostly because of Ryan. Eudora knew that for a child's development, having both a father and a mother figure was important. But she couldn't change what had happened. She couldn't give Donna a complete family. Donna saw her mother and shouted, “Mom is here!” Eudora smiled and went over to her daughter, stroking her head. “What were you two talking about that made you so happy?” she asked. “Nothing, Mom,” Donna replied quickly. Then she winked at Ryan, letting him know that it was their secret and not to tell her mom. Ryan understood. He secretly made an “OK” sign with his hand, and Donna gave him a big smile. These days, Ryan was on cloud nine. Even though Eudor
Donna's health gradually improved, finally giving Eudora some peace of mind.Ryan continued to visit them at the hospital, but Eudora's attitude towards him was icy. She had never been particularly warm, but now she completely ignored him.This made Ryan feel terrible, but he couldn't blame her, as he knew he deserved it. After many attempts to show his good intentions and win her back, all met with Eudora's cold shoulder, Ryan, feeling defeated, called his best friend out to get drunk.They met at their usual nightclub, but this time Ryan didn't drink excessively. He swirled the whiskey in his glass, his eyes unfocused, staring into space.After a long silence, he finally said, “I have a child.”“Whoa, dude,” Radley choked out, spitting some whiskey back into his glass.Ryan just scowled, not liking his friend's messy look. Radley surprisingly asked, “What are you talking about? When did you get a girlfriend? Was it that girl from the club the othe
Eudora was a familiar face in the Times Group headquarters. Everyone knew her, and they made sure she could get to the CEO's office without any hassle.Ryan was surprised to see Eudora in his office, but he quickly realized it wasn't that unusual.Eudora didn't waste any time with pleasantries. She went straight to the point, her voice firm,“Ryan, you promised you wouldn't fight me for Donna, so why did your lawyer contact me?” Ryan tried to take her hand, but she pulled away.He tried to calm her down,“Let's sit down and talk about this.”Eudora glared at him, but she knew she was in a tough spot. She had no choice but to listen to him.After they sat down, Ryan called his assistant to bring Eudora a latte. Then he said,“I know you love Donna, but you have to think about her future. With me, she'll have everything you can't give her. She's such a sweet and wonderful girl, she deserves to live like a princess, you know? Think about it. And the
The guardianship transfer was finalized, but Ryan's journey was just beginning.Standing before his daughter, the man who was a ruthless and decisive businessman in the business world rarely showed a sign of hesitation. He feared that after Donna learned the truth, she would blame him for abandoning her and her mother for so many years.Donna looked at the two people standing before her, hesitated for a moment before saying,“Mom, Uncle Ryan, did you two do something wrong to me?”Eudora was speechless, she curled her lips, and asked cheerfully,“What are you thinking about?” “Because your faces look like mine when I stole all the strawberry jam from the kitchen cabinet.”Ryan was amused by his daughter, and he couldn't help but feel less tense than he had been at first. “Donna, I'm your father,” he said.Donna looked at Ryan silently, scanning him from top to bottom before sighing, looking like an old lady saying,“There are many people who
Donna was completely recovered and ready to be discharged from the hospital. Knowing she'd be going home with her parents today, she was so excited, chattering nonstop all the way. Eudora thought Ryan would take them back to their old apartment, but the car wound its way through the city, finally stopping in front of a luxurious mansion. Eudora was surprised, but didn't say anything. Ryan, as if reading her mind, quickly explained, “This is bigger, has a playground, and is more suitable for a family with little kid like us.” He used to live here. When he first met Eudora again, he planned to buy her an apartment so he could visit whenever he felt like it. But somehow, he ended up moving in with her and living there until now. Eudora's eyes widened, thinking to herself, “Who is a family with you?” But Ryan had been pushing her boundaries with his words these past few days, and she was too tired to respond. The place was hu
Donna had only been asleep for an hour when she woke up. Right away, she wanted to go play on the swings. Eudora was about to take her out when Donna ran to Ryan, hugged his neck, and said,“I want to go with Dad. It's super sunny outside, Mom. You should rest.”Of course, Ryan didn't say no. He happily picked her up and they went out to the playground.As they left the house and walked on the marble path, Donna looked back. She noticed her mom wasn't following them. She turned to her dad and said,“Did you make Mom mad?”Ryan raised his eyebrows and smirked.“Why do you ask that?”Donna rolled her eyes like his question was ridiculous.“Do I have to think about it? When mom talks to me, she's like this,” she said, pushing up the corners of her mouth with her fingers and squinting her eyes like a crescent moon. “But when mom talks to you, she's like this,” she said, frowning and pulling down the corners of her mouth to make a grumpy face.Donna's
Donna slept like a log. When she finally woke up, her parents were gone. She looked everywhere, but the only room she hadn't checked was her dad's, and it was closed. Just as she was about to knock, the butler stopped her. He put a finger to his lips and whispered, “Your parents just got home from the hospital. They're still really tired and need to rest.”Donna wasn't buying it. She pouted and said, “But I wanna play with them!” “You can play with me,” the butler said. “Come downstairs, the chef made pudding for you today.” Hearing about the pudding, Donna forgot her parents for a minute and ran off to find the chef.“Slow down, honey, no running on the stairs!” the butler called, his old legs struggling to keep up with Donna's little legs.Inside the bedroom, Eudora lay face down on the bed, panting, “I… I think Donna is calling for us.”Ryan covered her, his body relentlessly moving. He seemed frustrated by her distraction and increased his speed, forcing her to bury her face i
The luxurious car pulled up in front of the grand mansion. Ryan stepped out, his face beaming. One arm was still wrapped in a brace, while the other held tightly onto Eudora’s hand. Together, they walked inside, exuding the confidence of a warrior returning from a glorious victory.“Dad! Mom!” Donna squealed with joy and ran over to hug them tightly.Today was the day Ryan was discharged from the hospital, a cause for celebration. The chef took the chance to show off his skills, preparing a meal that had everyone thoroughly enjoying themselves.After lunch, Donna could barely keep her eyes open. She had been so excited about her parents coming home that she stayed up late at night and woke up early to wait for them. Now, completely worn out, she dozed off on the sofa without anyone needing to lull her to sleep.Eudora carried her to her room, but as she stepped back out, Ryan called her over.“Come check my back. It’s itching like crazy!”She sighed and followed him, grumbling as she
While Ryan and Eudora's relationship was growing stronger and his health was recovering smoothly, Clenda was still facing her sentence.Despite the overwhelming evidence against her, Clenda admitted her guilt and also exposed Bonnie's illegal actions.Although it all started with Clenda, who actively approached Bonnie and urged her to harm Eudora, the plan failed, and Clenda became the target of Bonnie's revenge. From a cause-and-effect perspective, Clenda brought this upon herself, but legally, Bonnie had committed crimes such as rape, coercion, blackmail, and defamation, and she had to face the consequences.When Bonnie's father heard the news, he was completely shocked. This time, he refused to step in and help Bonnie cover things up. His daughter had gone too far, and it was time for her to learn a lesson. If he continued to protect her, she would never grow up. More importantly, he couldn't bear Ryan's retaliation.Eudora, hearing Ryan's account, felt a mix of emotions. “Evil wil
He smirked. “I mean, I don’t need the medicine. A kiss from you will do the trick.”As he spoke, he lifted his head, looking at Eudora with hopeful eyes. Over the past half-month, their relationship had improved a lot, but because of his injuries, and his fear of pushing too fast and making her uncomfortable, they had only held hands so far.Eudora’s face heated up. They had been much more intimate before, knew each other’s bodies better than anyone. But now, faced with Ryan’s simple request, she found herself feeling strangely shy.“Can’t do it?” he asked.Under Ryan’s pleading gaze, she lowered her head and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, light as a butterfly’s touch, there for a second before flitting away.Ryan was momentarily stunned, then looked at her again, eyes full of longing, clearly wanting more.Eudora chuckled. “Feeling better now?”He shook his head. “You kissed the wrong spot. It still hurts,” he said, pointing to his lips.She shot him a look and huffed, “You have
Ryan woke up to a stark white ceiling above him, the faint scent of antiseptic in the air reminding him that he was in a hospital.A sharp pain hit him all at once, making him groan in agony. But he didn’t have time to care about that. His first thought was: How is Eudora?Ralph was sitting by his bedside. Seeing Ryan wake up, he immediately pressed the call button for the doctor.“Where’s Eudora? How is she?” Ryan asked anxiously.“She’s resting in the room next door,” Ralph replied. “She stayed here the whole time. I had to convince her to get some sleep. She’s only been resting for about an hour.”“Is she okay?” Ryan pressed on.“She inhaled a lot of smoke. Luckily, her lungs weren’t affected, but she’s still coughing. The doctors said they need to keep an eye on her for now.”Hearing that, Ryan felt somewhat relieved.Just then, a team of medical staff entered to check on him. After confirming that everything was stable, the doctor gave a few instructions before leaving.The momen
Thick smoke billowed, and the scorching heat felt like it was searing Ryan’s lungs. But he didn’t care, he was willing to risk everything to find the woman he loved.“Eudora, where are you? Answer me!”His desperate voice cut through the chaos, making Eudora wonder if she was imagining things. She forced her stinging eyes open, trying to focus, and rasped weakly,“I’m here, Ryan… I’m here… cough… cough… cough…”As soon as she spoke, she was overcome by another fit of coughing.Through the thick smoke, Ryan finally caught sight of Eudora tied tightly to the staircase railing near the window. His heart clenched, and without hesitation, he dashed toward her.“Don’t be scared, I’m here!”His voice was hoarse but filled with warmth. Eudora looked up in anticipation, and through the suffocating smoke, she saw his tall figure cutting through the haze, framed by the raging flames behind him. At that moment, only one thought filled her mind - he was her hero.Ryan’s mind was far from calm, des
Eudora knew that in Clenda’s state of complete rage, reasoning with her was pointless. All she could do was keep trying to calm her down,“Clenda, please, just take a breath. We can talk this through. I don’t know exactly what happened between you and Bonnie, but if you let me go, I swear Ryan will help you. You have my word on that.”“Clenda, we’re both young. We have our whole lives ahead of us. Don’t throw yours away like this.”But Clenda wasn’t listening. Instead, she lashed out and slapped Eudora again, her eyes wild and furious like a cornered animal. She screamed,“You think this isn’t your fault?! When you put all that stuff online, did you even stop to think about what would happen to me?! I’ve lost everything, there’s no way to fix it anymore! You’re dying with me! I’m not going alone!”Eudora shook her head. The burning pain on her face was nothing compared to the fear tightening in her chest. She didn’t want to die. She had a daughter, a career that was just starting, and
“Come on, don’t cry. This is a good thing,” Ryan said gently.Eudora sniffled and took the handkerchief he handed her, quickly wiping her tears.“I’m okay, just a little emotional.”Ryan gave her a soft look. “Don’t worry, no one’s going to steal your credit anymore.”Eudora glanced at him with a complicated expression, then quickly looked away, avoiding his gaze. Ryan knew he had to take things slow and keep a little distance.“You’re going out with your team tonight, right?”Eudora nodded.“What time are you leaving?”“Around five.”“I’ll drive you.”Eudora shook her head. “No, stay home with our daughter. We’re just eating nearby.”Ryan nodded but still reminded her, “If you’re driving, don’t drink, okay?”“Of course not. I’ll be home early to spend time with her. I’ve been so busy this past month, I haven’t given her enough attention.”That night, Eudora and her entire team from the Couture Étoile competition had a blast celebrating. Wanting to show her appreciation, she generousl
Eudora washed her face and changed her clothes before heading straight to the dining room to have a meal with Ryan. She didn’t have the habit of using her phone while eating, so it wasn’t until after lunch that she realized the internet had erupted into a frenzy.She stared at her phone, mouth agape, for a long moment. Eudora could hardly believe it, within the span of a single meal, Clenda’s reputation had been completely dragged through the mud.“Oh my god, not a single design in the entire collection belongs to Clenda!” she exclaimed in shock.Sitting beside her, Ryan appeared relaxed, as if everything was well within his control.“You already know what she’s capable of and what kind of person she is, don’t you?” he said casually.Eudora looked up at him, hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Was it you?”Ryan neither confirmed nor denied it. He simply said, “She brought this on herself.”Only then did Eudora recall what had happened to her the night before.“How did you manage to