“As soon as you arrived at the emergency room, your mother went berserk. She asked all the doctors to check your condition. Many people immediately gathered and covered their noses.” Seeing Philip frown, Barbara clenched her fists. "You are lying! My mother couldn't embarrass me." Philip shrugged his shoulders lightly. "What else can we do? Your mother was too panicked. And you know what?” He smiled crookedly again. “Your mother announced to all the medical staff that you were in emergency because you took the wrong medicine. The funny thing is ... when the test results came, the doctor concluded that you had taken too many laxatives. Everyone suddenly failed to hold back their laughter.” Barbara gaped in disbelief. From her limited angle, she glanced at the couch. Only Melanie's legs were visible. ‘Mom can sleep well after causing such a stir?’ Barbara closed her eyes holding back annoyance. Slowly, she turned her back to Philip. She had lost her face in front of the man. “As
Barbara just sighed. She was too lazy to talk. "We can’t stay still, Dear. We have to prepare a counterattack. Otherwise, they will become even more reckless." "Mom," Barbara frowned, "can't you just calm down? Just for one day, don't worry about anything. I'm still recovering. I need peace." Melanie stared wide eyed. "How can I be calm, Darling? Those parasites are still eating away at your brother's property. They are taking away our rights! I can't let it happen." Barbara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She realized that she couldn't possibly win in an argument with her mother. "Whatever, Mom. Just think and do it yourself. Today, I want to rest." Barbara turned around and pulled back the blanket. Melanie was stunned by her daughter's unusual behavior. "Baby, are you okay? Does your head hurt? Did you hit something?" "I want to sleep, Mom. If you go out, please turn off the lights." Melanie sighed in disbelief. However, she still fulfilled her daughter's request. S
Susan smiled broadly. She knew Melanie felt depressed. "I'm not proud, but grateful. I appreciate whatever I have now and I am grateful to those who make sure I always have enough." Melanie laughed bitterly. "Let's see how long you can be grateful. Would you still be grateful when you couldn't feel luxury anymore? Let's just wait." Susan nodded. A moment later, her hand stretched towards the door. "Thank you for visiting my simple room. If you have nothing else to do, may I rest?" The look in Melanie's eyes was getting scarier. With a throbbing jaw, she walked out of Susan's room. ‘I should be intimidating that poor woman, but why was I the one who's annoyed?’ Behind her furrowed brows, Melanie's brain was working fast. After a few moments, her sly smile appeared. “That poor woman deserves a lesson.” Carrying scissors, she went to the greenhouse. In the afternoon, when Susan came to her garden, her eyes widened at her bare plants. All the flowers and leaves had withered on the
Melanie smiled wryly. Her hands were folded in front of her chest. "Do you realize who you are talking to? I am your mother-in-law, the mother of the man who supports you and your children. You should not talk to me like that. Your position is not higher." "So? Can someone with a higher state do anything she likes? Including things that harm other people?" The corners of Kara's lips twitched slightly. "Sorry, Mom. I can't let that happen in this house, especially with the twins who need role models. I want them to grow up well, without being polluted by bad influences." "You're calling me a bad influence?" Melanie's tone rose drastically. "Aren't you?" Melanie's breath suddenly roared. "How dare you mock me? You should be grateful for living in such a magnificent house, be submissive and obedient to us. But it turns out? You’re so selfish, shameless, and ungrateful." "It seems I'm not the one who’s shameless here, but you, Mom. You as a parent should set a good example, not caus
Kara swallowed hard. Before Frank's suspicions could grow, she let out a laugh. “Oh, about that .... I just feel sorry for Mom. Her garden was attacked by a rat. The plants all died.” Frank gasped. "All plants? Including the gifts from the children and us?" Seeing Kara's nod, Frank's expression became a little dimmer. "Too bad. The flower only blooms once, and its time is coming soon. Louis and Emily will definitely cry if they find out." “They won't know. I've ordered a new one. Tomorrow, the plant will come with the others. We ordered a truck.” Frank smiled at Kara's small laugh. Lowering his gaze, he continued to brush her hair. “Why didn't you tell me that the plants were affected by a rat? Mom was still gardening happily yesterday. If only we had known sooner, we could have called an expert to handle the problem.” The curve of Kara's lips suddenly shrank. Before Frank found it, she faked a smile again. "You know Mom. She doesn't like bothering other people." “We're not oth
Frank massaged his temple. When he straightened his head again, he muttered, "Just buy it. Send me the price details. I'll transfer it straight to your account." Melanie's eyes suddenly lit up. "Are you serious?" "Yeah," Frank nodded lazily. "Now get some rest, Mom. It's getting late." "Besides," Melanie interrupted when Frank was about to close the door, "I also found this crystal night lamp in the same shop. I haven't been able to sleep well lately. Maybe this lamp can improve my sleep quality." Frank sighed. "Just buy it, Mom. Send me the price details. I'll transfer it straight away," he repeated with more emphasis. "Can I buy two? Your sister also needs quality rest. What's more, she has just recovered from illness." Frank took a deep breath. "Just buy it." "And this ...." Frank raised one hand. His eyes were firm. "That's enough for tonight, Mom. If there's anything else you want to buy, we'll talk about it tomorrow." "But this ...." "If the items are destined to reach
As Nora left, Melanie pursed her lips. Her eyes narrowed cynically. "They dare to throw a party and invite people? Do they think this is their house?" "People nowadays are shameless and greedy, Mommy. We give them an inch, they take a mile," Barbara replied sarcastically. Melanie sighed. "Well then, we have to prepare too, Dear. Let’s show them who the real queen is in this house. If possible, we should be the ones to welcome the guests." "Time to wear a new dress?" Melanie raised an eyebrow. "Yes. But before that, let's go to the spa. We have to look fresh tonight." Barbara nodded vigorously. However, later that night, Melanie's face turned gloomy. Her shoulders rose and fell as her breath roared. "You ...." Her elegance had been erased by the presence of the guests. Vivian put on a thin smile. "Good evening, Mrs. Harris. Nice to meet you. It’s been a very long time, right?" Hearing the greeting, Melanie snorted. "Did you come here to tease me?" Vivian raised an eyebrow, gla
"Grandma often complains of back pain if she sits for too long. So, I bought this specially designed item! Grandma won't have back pain anymore!" Arriving in front of Susan, Louis wiped his sweat. "Come on, Grandma. Open it!" Susan opened the package enthusiastically. As soon as she found a sturdy rocking chair, she let out a sigh of emotion. "This is a very beautiful chair, Louis." "And it's comfortable too. You can sit here every time you read a book or knits," Louis smiled broadly. After stroking his round face, Susan bent down and gave him a kiss. "Thank you, My Grandson." "You're welcome, Grandma." Kara smiled at the sight. However, realizing Melanie's cynical glance, the curve of her lips shrunk. "Frank, do you want to give your gift first?" Kara asked softly. "You go first. I want to be last. That's usually more impressive." Melanie's expression grew sour. Her lips twitched. Most likely, she was cursing in her heart. Meanwhile, Kara approached Susan. "My gift may not
Philip rushed in and grabbed Barbara's hand. Before he could say anything, Barbara was pushing again. After Briony came out, Barbara breathed a sigh of relief. “Philip .... Our child has been born.”Even though his head was nodding, Philip blinked in confusion. His mouth was agape, not knowing how to respond. "Yes ...," he sighed after a few moments. Briony's cries helped him regain his senses. "Wow," Philip blinked. He bent down, stroking his wife's hair with mixed feelings. "You're so great, Babe. You can give birth that fast." Barbara smiled proudly. "Our efforts weren't in vain, Phil. I was actually scared earlier. Briony's urge was very strong. But Louis and Emily forbade me to push. I tried to hold it in until finally, I gave in." Philip sighed in amazement and disbelief. Still looking stiff, he kissed Barbara's temple. "You're amazing, Babe. I'm glad you didn't encounter any major difficulties." Philip wiped the tears from her face. "I'm happy too. But where were you? I to
"Louis, Auntie is about to give birth!" Emily rose with a high arch of her eyebrows. "You’re right! We have to take her to the hospital!" Wasting no time, Louis grabbed Barbara's hand, pulling her to turn around. "Come on, Auntie. Let's go back to the car." However, Barbara shook her head. Her face was pale, her body tense. Her feet seemed to be glued to the earth. "What's wrong, Auntie?" "Call Philip," she muttered softly. "What?" "Call Philip!" The twins flinched. After one nod, they ran towards Philip. "Uncle Philip! Uncle Philip!" "Hey, where are you guys going?" Barbara exclaimed again. The twins braked. When they looked back, Barbara was waving. "Why did you leave me here alone?" Her voice was shrill. "You told us to call Uncle Philip!" Louis shook his head, not understanding. "Yeah, but don't leave me here." While limping, she inched closer to Louis and Emily. "One person calls him. One more person, hold me!" The twins blinked. Not because they didn't understand, b
"Hello, Orion," Emily whispered as the tiny baby in the box opened his eyes. Her hand reached out, trying to reach his chubby cheek. From the other side of the box, Louis also looked inside. "Hello, Oscar." "Louis?" Emily scolded with round eyes. "Why do you call him Oscar? This is our first meeting with him. Don't make a bad impression." Louis pursed his lips. "Okay, sorry. I'm used to it. Let me repeat." After clearing his throat, he looked down again. "Hello, Orion. It's me, Louis. I'm your cousin." Emily smiled slightly and nodded. "That's just right." After giving Louis thumbs up, she waved her hand downwards. "And I'm Emily. Nice to meet you, Orion." For a few moments, the two toddlers were busy observing Orion. Philip and Barbara were amused by their comments. "It turns out that Uncle Philip was right. Orion looks like both of his parents. His eyes are like Auntie's, while his nose and mouth are like Uncle's." "His chin also looks like Uncle’s, but his hair looks like
A nurse tried to calm Ava. However, the woman still shook her head, rejecting all the words directed at her. She was very weak. The pain seemed to knock out all the bones in her body. Her brain could no longer function normally. "No. I have no strength anymore. I can't continue." After taking a heavy breath, Jeremy bowed. The nurse had shifted. Jeremy had more freedom to stroke Ava's hair which was wet with sweat and her face which was flooded with tears. "Ava, can you hear me? Ava?" Their gazes finally met. Jeremy could see the desperation in those brown eyes. "I can't take it anymore, Jeremy. I can't. Let the doctor take it out. I can't take it anymore." Jeremy's chest felt like it had been torn apart. He almost choked with pain. Stroking Ava's shoulder, he shook his head. "No, I know you. You're not someone who never gives up, Ava. You can do it." "But I don't have the energy anymore, Jeremy." "There is. There definitely is." Jeremy grabbed Ava's shaking fingers. "This is f
"Look at this, Brandon." Louis placed a stack of photo paper on the table. Then, he showed them one by one to his friend. "This is a picture of Russell crying. This is a picture of him laughing. And this is a picture of Russell being angry." "Can babies get angry? Isn't he still too young to understand anything?" Brandon shook his head faintly. Louis shrugged. "I don't know about that. But when Russell sees something he doesn't like, his hands keep flapping and his mouth makes sounds ...." Louis imitated a baby's moan which made the librarian glance. "Russell also has sharp eyes, Brandon. If he feels annoyed by us, he will glare while furrowing his eyebrows." Emily touched the base of her eyebrows, checking to see if they were the same shape as Russell's eyebrows in the picture. Brandon smiled at Emily's expression. "I think he must be really cute when he's angry." "Yes!" Emily nodded quickly. "He's always cute, all the time. Louis, show him a picture of Russell in the shower."
"Oh, look at Russell, Louis. Isn't he very handsome? He's clean and smells good." Emily put her nose closer to Russell's face. When she managed to kiss that very soft cheek, she giggled holding back her laughter. She didn't want to disturb Kara who was sleeping in Frank's arms. "Yes, he is very handsome. He looks like me. Isn't that right, Grandma?" Louis raised his gaze towards the woman holding Russell. Susan smiled amusedly. "Yes, he looks like you. Only his nose is a little sharper." Louis' lips immediately pursed. His forefinger pointed at his own nose. "How sharp do you want Russell's nose to be? My nose is already very sharp." Susan chuckled at Louis' answer. "I’m just joking, Louis. It doesn't matter whose nose is sharper. What's important is that you're both healthy." Louis nodded in agreement. His hands then rose to touch the baby's feet. "Grandma, is Russell heavy?" Susan raised her eyebrows. "Do you want to carry him?" Louis glanced at Emily. "How about you try fir
"Hello, Good Boy," Kara held Russell carefully, as if the little creature was a very fragile pearl. Tears could not stop running down her face. After kissing the baby who was covered in a towel, Kara whispered again, "This is Mommy, Russell. I'm happy that I can finally hug you like this." While biting his lips, Frank also bowed. He stroked the tiny back then kissed his head. "And this is Daddy, Russell. Daddy is also happy that you are finally here." Still with a wide smile and red eyes, Frank looked at Kara gently. Before the pool of emotion dripped again, he quickly kissed her forehead. Kara closed her eyes accepting the warmth. "Thank you for giving birth to our son, Queen Bee," Frank whispered hoarsely. Kara smiled wider and nodded faintly. "Thank you for accompanying me here." "That's what I should have done a long time ago." Frank stroked her cheek before kissing her again. "Daddy, we want to see Russell too! Can we come closer?" Emily asked, jumping a little on the chai
Kara was sitting on the bed. Her head rested on the broad shoulder next to her. Closing her eyes, she tried to catch her breath."Is there any news from the Twins?" she asked quietly. Frank shook his head. His hands kept to massage Kara's fingers. "You don't need to worry about them, Queen Bee. They are independent and intelligent children. They will understand that you have to give birth soon. Let's celebrate their birthday after Russell is born, hmm?" After a short nod, Kara turned her head further. "Are you crying?" Frank's eyebrows pulled together. Moving his head away so that it would be easier to see her, he shook his head. "Why do you think I'm crying?" "Your voice is shaky, Frank." Pursing his lips, Frank took a deep breath. "I'm not crying." "Then why are your eyes red and watery?" Frank blinked firmly. "I'm not crying," he repeated with more emphasis. Still out of breath, Kara let out a laugh. Her head tilted slightly, waiting for his tears to fall. "Are you sure?"
"Hello, Brandon. Welcome to our event," Louis shook his classmate's hand. "Hello, Louis. Happy birthday. I hope you live a long and healthy life," the blonde boy said, occasionally glancing at Emily. "Thank you, Brandon. Did you come alone?" Brandon nodded. "Yes, my parents had to attend another event. So, only the driver took me here." After one blink, Brandon offered his hand to Emily. "Happy birthday too, Emily. You're so beautiful tonight." Emily shook Brandon's hand with a sweet smile. "Thanks, Brandon. You also look cool tonight. The jacket suits you." Brandon blushed. His lips twitched to suppress the excitement in his chest. "Thank you, Emily. I deliberately asked my mother to look for the best outfit. I want to look cool at this event." "Your mom has a good sense of fashion," Emily nodded before glancing to the side. "Louis, I think you should try a regular tie like Brandon. You're five years old. It's time for you to leave that bow tie behind. You should try somethin