Ava choked on her overflowing emotion. Wiping the corners of her eyes, she nodded. "Yeah, let's merge our stories and create a new, more exciting chapter." Jeremy couldn't help but laugh. Even though he was sure he would get the answer, the sensation still couldn't be denied. They were already a thousand feet above the earth. Who would have thought, his heart could still soar even higher. "Thank you, Ava. Thank you for accepting me." Jeremy put the ring on Ava's finger—a real ring. Then, he sealed it with a kiss. "Don't ever take this off until the new ring comes later." Ava nodded slightly. "Yes, definitely. I'll take good care of it." "And I will take good care of you." Jeremy stood up and kissed Ava lovingly. The waiters could no longer hold back their excitement. They laughed and whispered in admiration. Then, in another corner, two toddlers jumped out of hiding. They wore tiny tuxedo and dress. Their faces were bright with wide smiles and red cheeks. "Woohoo! Uncle Jerem
"First," Jeremy raised his finger briefly, "you are not allowed to go into the kitchen. For the dining room, you can enter it only when we are there." Eva's eyebrows rose. "Why?" "Even though you are Ava's sister, you are still a stranger to me. I just met you, so of course I have to be careful. I don't want someone to put poison in my food." Eva snorted quickly. "Does a beautiful face like this have a murderous aura?" Jeremy blinked stiffly. "I'm always alert. Nowadays, even a mother can kill her own child, let alone someone else?" Eva shook her head. "I couldn't possibly do that. What's in it for me?" "You are jealous of Ava. You could have intention to harm her. Or perhaps, you hold a grudge against me. I have never sided with you." Eva laughed sarcastically. "I'm not that mean, Mr. Harper." "Then you shouldn't mind the rules." "What if I'm hungry and want to eat?" Eva looked for an excuse. "You can ask the servant to help you get food. And besides that, you can't go upst
Jeremy raised Ava's left hand, pointing to the ring on her finger. Seeing a diamond there, Eva's eyes almost jumped out. "You still want to call our relationship wrong?" Jeremy tilted his head slightly. One of his eyebrows pressed against his forehead. "I told you, Ava is my future wife. I proposed to her earlier. So, it is my duty to protect her. You insist on staying in this house. So, I have no choice but to unite our rooms. Only then, you won't touch her without my knowledge." "But Mom—" "She wouldn't mind," Jeremy interrupted firmly. "If she really wants her beloved daughter to live here, take care of her and accompany her, she will definitely agree to any conditions." "What if this news leaks? Aren't you afraid of ruining your reputation?" Eva's tone became increasingly soaring. However, Jeremy wasn't intimidated at all. "Even if the whole world knew that we slept together, I wouldn't mind. I'm that serious about wanting to have a child with Ava. And I don't think anyone w
Vivian welcomed the morning with a happy face. The message from the servant had made her feel so light. She never expected that her son's progress could be so rapid. "If it's like this, I'll be able to see my grandchild soon. He or she must be very cute. Oh, I really can't wait." While imagining what the faces of her grandchildren would look like, she stepped lightly. However, when she saw Eva at the door leading to the dining room, her cheerfulness faded. "Good morning, Mrs. Harper. You look so radiant. What makes you happy?" Instead of answering, Vivian narrowed her eyes. Her finger was pointed forward. "You .... What are you doing here so early?" Eva smiled. "Sorry if I haven't had time to ask your permission. My mother asked me to stay here so she wouldn't be lonely. That’s why I decided to stay here to take care of her until she recovers." With a high arch of eyebrows, Vivian nodded. "Does Jeremy know yet?" "Yes, I asked his permission yesterday. He allowed me here." Eva
Seeing Jeremy and Ava confused about finding a way out, Vivian finally stopped her amusement. Clearing her throat, she waved her hand. "Okay, you don't need to answer that. Come on, sit down. Let's have breakfast. Ava, don't be shy. You have to eat a lot so that your womb will be healthy." Ava couldn't open her eyes any wider. She gasped, not knowing what to reply. Meanwhile, Jeremy sat with his back very straight. His expression was stiff. His hand had to struggle extra to reach Vivian's fingers. "Mom, please don't tease Ava anymore. Poor her. She's already like a tomato. She'll explode if you keep talking like that." Vivian smiled faintly. "Okay. I won't mention that matter again, but Ava really has to eat a lot." A second later, she clenched and unclenched her hand. "Come on! Bring your future wife's plate. Let me handle the portions." Ava gasped. All her ten fingers straightened up, but Jeremy had handed the plate to Vivian. "Come on, Vivian. Give her a lot of food." Melani
"Good morning, Bryan. How are you today?" Eva sat on the other side of the bed in a coquettish manner. Seeing that, Bryan's eyebrows furrowed. "Good." A second later, Bryan continued wiping his patient's neck. Eva knew that was a cold response. However, her smile widened. Her gaze turned to Mrs. Connor. "Good morning, Mom. How are you this morning?" The pale woman nodded with a faint smile. "Fine. I’m ready for physiotherapy. Do you want to accompany me?" "Of course I want to. That's my purpose for staying here so that it's easier for me to look after you. And you don't have to worry about my boutique, Mom. I've trained all my employees to be independent." Eva glanced at Bryan briefly. However, to her surprise, the man didn't react at all. "Have you had breakfast, Mom?" Eva deliberately sweetened her voice. While Mrs. Connor nodded, Bryan replied, "Ava told the servant to deliver your mother's breakfast this morning. I just finished feeding her." Seeing those shady eyes, Eva'
During dinner, Eva didn't make a sound at all. She ate gracefully, listening to the conversation while occasionally nodding. Even when Vivian asked about Mrs. Connor's physiotherapy, she didn't interrupt. It seemed like she no longer needed the attention she had been looking for. "Everything went smoothly. Ava and Bryan worked well. Eva also helped out earlier," Mrs. Connor explained, relaxed. Again, Eva just nodded slightly. "Do your legs feel sore?" Melanie was also curious. "Yes, my legs feel sore and heavy. But after Ava's massage and Eva's encouragement, I feel better." Eva did not protest that her sister's name was mentioned first. Her silence made Ava glance over. "What's wrong with her? Is she up to something?" Ava wondered. She realized that her sister's clothes were more revealing than usual. Eva wore a casual dress with spaghetti straps and a low slit—her signature style whenever she is on the “hunting”. After dinner, Ava secretly disappeared. She left Jeremy alone i
After hanging up the phone, Jeremy scratched his temple. He was a little confused about how to tell Ava about previous incident. He couldn't possibly cover up the truth. However, he also didn't want to hurt her feelings or make her family relationship even more strained. "Should I skip the sexy dress part? That might be more acceptable to Ava. But we promised not to keep anything a secret." Jeremy furrowed his brows deeper. At that moment, the door to his study opened. "Ava?" He stared wide-eyed when he saw his lover enter with an expression that was difficult to describe. "Did Eva come here earlier?" Ava's voice was low and a little hesitant. Her hands intertwined in front of her stomach. Jeremy's jaw dropped. "Yes ...." However, before he had time to explain further, Ava ran over and hugged him. The arch of Jeremy's eyebrows instantly changed meaning. "What's wrong, Ava? Has something happened?" "Thank you." Ava pressed her cheek against Jeremy's chest. She closed her eyes.
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