"You’re still alive!" Professor Marshall changed his voice and spoke bluntly.He turned slightly, catching a glimpse of his unnatural smile with the skin mask on in the glass cabinet reflection. "Sorry to disappoint you."The voice on the other end continued, "Although you've had a better relationship with Carson over the years, we’ve never been enemies, have we?""Do you need a favor from me?" Professor Marshall saw through the person."Yes, I do. You know I rarely ask for help.""Now I'm curious. What makes the great Joseph of Angle Perfumes ask for help?” Professor Marshall chuckled mockingly."Cough, cough.” Joseph York couldn't help but cough violently on the other end. His companions were concerned, but he raised his hand to hush them. "Two youngsters in the organization have been at each other's throats recently. Hank is pursuing Nathan closely. Could you ask Hank for a favor? Everything is possible, but please spare Nathan's life.""Why would Hank agree with it? Fr
Joseph couldn’t help but think of his son’s biological mother, the woman who would never fall in love with him even though they had been intimate.Her heart had always belonged to Carson. Thinking of this, Joseph became even more enraged."Hmph!"Joseph sneered, refusing to listen to any advice. "It’s settled then! We shall see the outcome soon!” The butler sighed quietly. "Miss York, I’ll arrange a place for Nathan to settle down, but to ensure confidentiality, you must not let Miss Pam see him for now."-Melanie overheard several sentences, but she couldn’t grasp the content. The voice sounded like her grandfather’s, only older than she remembered.But the distinctive pauses and enunciation when he spoke were vividly etched in her memory.She desperately wanted to see through the wall, to see who was speaking on the other side.Suddenly, she recalled Professor Marshall leaving with his phone, saying he was going to make a call.She wondered why Professor Marshall reminde
"A few years ago, I got injured in an experiment. Unfortunately, the reconstructive surgery didn't go well. Does it look scary?" Professor Marshall replied. "But I don't make a living off my looks, so it's fine."Professor Marshall laughed at his joke. Melanie forced a smile but couldn't genuinely laugh.Her mind was restlessly spinning on her way home. If her grandfather were still alive, he would be around eighty years old now.It coincided perfectly with the appearance of Professor Marshall's hands. She shook her head, reminding herself not to overthink it. Just like the issue of whether Maximilian and Professor Marshall were the same person, she hadn’t found any clues even after working with Professor Marshall for a while.If her grandfather were indeed alive, why hadn't he appeared all these years? Why was he constantly changing identities? These questions were even more puzzling. She couldn’t hurry for answers.-Elsewhere.After making work arrangements, Linda calle
The day before leaving Delfino, Melanie was playing Lego with Ermin when she suddenly received a call from Linda.Her heart tightened.Since the last time Linda touched her belly, Melanie knew Linda wouldn't let it go.That was why she wanted to leave Delfino quickly, avoiding Linda’s invitations.She wondered what excuse she could use this time."Guess who I'm with right now?" Linda's voice was warm and friendly. "I’m with Mr. Castillo! I heard you haven't seen each other for a while. Mr. Castillo really wants to see you. Join us. I'll send you our location.""Is it a business meeting?" Melanie couldn't help but sigh in relief."Yes, of course. It’s related to you. You should come," Linda continued enthusiastically.Melanie wondered if Linda was trying to probe about her relationship with Hank and to find out whose child she was carrying. Melanie knew that Linda would think that the father was Jefford if it wasn’t Hank. So, she couldn’t outright refuse to meet Hank."Sure,"
“Didn’t you say tonight was a business meeting, Miss Yancey?” Melanie asked puzzledly. No one else was around the yacht and only a few sets of tableware had been prepared.“That’s right. Mr. Castillo and I have recently started working together officially. Mr. Castillo wants to get into the perfume business. I was thinking that we could meet up to discuss your future perfume raw materials supply?” Linda said, not forgetting to probe, “What’s wrong? Didn’t he tell you?”“Is that so?” Melanie shook her head helplessly. “He never talks to me about business.”“Men like Mr. Castillo tend to have a bit of a chauvinistic streak,” Linda pretended to comfort her while scrutinizing her outfit. “You look different tonight.” Melanie looked down at her outfit and smirked. She whispered, “I’ve been hanging out with youngsters lately. It’s great to be young!”“Hahaha!” Linda laughed heartily, looking at Melanie’s animated expression. “Wait until you’re a bit older, and you’ll know the perks of
Melanie didn't expect Linda to be so direct. "Why are you looking at me like that? Miss Yancey was just speaking hypothetically...""I will think of it when it happens," Hank said and took a sip of wine. Neither of them denied having a relationship, nor did they deny the possibility of pregnancy. Linda scrutinized the two of them while contemplating something.Melanie smiled bitterly. "Miss Yancey, please don't worry about me. Trying to win a man's heart isn't something you can achieve by being a good woman or by pregnancy.” "That's true, it’s hard to guess a man's heart!" Linda laughed.Hearing this, Jeffrey stiffened.Melanie felt conflicted. On one hand, she wanted to provoke and irritate him, but on the other hand, she felt that they were in a toxic cycle. What she wanted was mutual trust and support, not endless guessing games.-On the yacht, Linda and Hank talked business, while Melanie absentmindedly nibbled on her food. She would only join their conversation wh
The water continued to pour into the yacht, quickly submerging Melanie's ankles. Soon, the yacht lost balance, swaying from side to side. It couldn't hold out much longer.The two servants who had gone to check the problem hadn’t returned, likely having escaped with the prepared life buoy rings.Melanie frowned as she realized the urgency of the situation.She couldn’t hide it any longer, so she looked up at Hank and said, "I'm pregnant."She was carrying twins and wasn't even three months along. Jumping from a height and swimming in cold water would be extremely risky for the fetuses.She wouldn’t survive the ordeal, so she couldn’t take that risk.Hank was shocked. He now knew why Linda was probing earlier! Melanie asked him to play along with her to make Linda believe that she was pregnant with his child."Did you and Jefford break up?” Hank asked.Melanie was definitely pregnant with Jefford’s child. The fact that she had someone else pretending to be the father suggest
Melanie clung tightly to the fully armed man.With one arm wrapped securely around her, they began to ascend rapidly. The wind generated by the helicopter was so strong, making it impossible for her to open her eyes.Dangling in the air on a single rope was terrifying, but the man barely swayed. His stability provided Melanie with a profound sense of security, so she began to relax.Through her messy hair, she caught a glimpse of the man’s face.His black mask and helmet revealed only his determined gaze and those eyes were familiar.They looked just like...Soon, they reached the edge of the helicopter.The man handed her over to someone inside. After Melanie climbed into the helicopter, the man followed swiftly, signaling for the rope to be lowered again to rescue Hank.Melanie wanted to turn and look at the man, but the person assisting her handed her several dry towels, gesturing for her to dry herself first.As she wrapped herself in a towel and dried her damp hair, her e
Pleasantly surprised, Melanie turned around to see the man she had been looking for. She never stopped saying his name in her head. He stood right behind her.At that moment, she stopped thinking completely.Without even hesitating, she ran toward him and dove into his arms."Ughh."Jeffrey groaned in pain. He did not dare to press against her stomach. Instead, he arched his back to hold her."Where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea how I…" She cried so much that she could not speak."Alright, alright. Good girl. Don't cry. I've come back."Jeffrey kept rubbing the back of her head. "Eagle was too neurotic. I've nearly gone mad from dealing with him. I finally got him to regain some of his sanity today… That's how I had the chance to find you…""How did you know where to find me?" Melanie asked."Today is the day of Nathan's trial. I know you'd definitely be in the courtroom," Jeffrey said confidently.Melanie finally calmed down a little. After letting go of him,
"We're not together…"Kenneth's facial expression changed as soon as he saw Melanie.Melanie noticed there was a hint of guilt in his eyes. This was an unsettling feeling for her. "Then where is he? What happened to you guys?"Noticing that she was shaking, Annie and Carson, who had accompanied her to court, rushed forward to assist her."Eagle had a prior arrangement with Nathan. Once Nathan and Leo's plan at the York family's residence was thwarted, Nathan would press a button. Eagle would then receive a code to detonate a bomb. He'd blow us all up," Kenneth explained."Jeffrey was the one who noticed Eagle wasn't in the right state of mind. That's why he informed me to leave with Mr. Oliver. He… Stayed behind to persuade Eagle…" He added."What happened then?" Melanie's voice was shaking."All I knew after that was that the hotel blew up. I waited for him to contact me but he never did. Mr. Oliver and I have been on the run from Nathan's shadowy pursuits. I only managed to sn
Three days later, the trial was officially in session.Leo's attorney was practically defenseless because the York family's allegations of him poisoning Joseph had been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. Leo was directly sentenced to life in prison.Nathan's attorney, on the other hand, was clever. They tried everything they could to deflect Nathan's allegations.After the presiding judge evaluated the case, he looked up. "Does the plaintiff have any more evidence that the defendant, Nathan, intentionally killed someone?"Hank sat silently at the plaintiff's table.They could only provide evidence of the time when Nathan had tried to murder Hank. However, they had no evidence of Nathan being involved in the explosion on the island this time.Hank looked at Melanie in the audience. She was also frowningThe presiding judge's implication was well understood. Without more evidence, Nathan would not receive a life sentence…"The plaintiff simply does not have sufficient evidence to
Carson sighed. It was time to explain everything to Hank…Although Carson had spent a lot of time in Hank's hospital as Professor Marshall, and he would also tend to their men's wounds, as well as discuss a variety of topics with Hank, they had never acknowledged their relationship…Besides, Carson knew Hank hated him.Hank hated him for being heartless to his grandmother back then. That was why Hank changed his last name to Castillo instead of Yule…"Let's take Melanie back to rest. I'll explain the rest to you myself," Carson said. Hank had already figured out half of it."Grandpa, I'm not going back. I'll wait for the news here," Melanie said firmly.There was no sign of Jeffrey's corpse yet. She would wait until the rescue team confirmed that they could not find any corpse.She wanted a clear answer."Okay. I'll get the trailer ready for you. You can lie down inside. You can't afford to hurt your body anymore than you already have. I checked your pulse earlier. It's not loo
Buzz!Melanie's vision turned black. She began falling backward."Melanie! Melanie!"Carson propped her up and called the doctor over.However, Melanie opened her eyes after a few seconds and tried to stand up. "I'm fine… Grandpa, take me there… I want to go to the scene of the explosion…""You're in no state…""I'm fine. I can hold up," Melanie promised."If you don't let me go and see it with my own eyes, I'll be even more paranoid," she added.Carson knew his granddaughter too well. He sighed and frowned before requesting for a ride. He met up with Hank. The two of them accompanied Melanie to look for Jeffrey.Jeffrey, Kenneth, Mr. Oliver, and Eagle waited at the drop-off point near the York family's residence. Nathan had instructed them to not do anything rash.Mr. Oliver and Eagle were still useful to Nathan.Once Nathan acquired Joseph's signature, he would meet up with them.However, the small hotel they were waiting at was already in ruins. There was smoke everywher
'Chief… Frankie?'Leo turned around in surprise. Nathan did the same. They saw Chief Frankie and several Interpol agents walking out from behind a screen in Joseph's room.Melanie was a part of that group!"Aren't you… dead?" Leo pointed at Melanie in shock."Thanks to you, I'll live a long life." Melanie sneered.Chief Frankie waved his hand. The police behind him charged forward to put handcuffs on Leo and Nathan. Leo narrowed his eyes and quickly pressed a button on the remote in his hand."We'll all die together!" He shouted.However, no matter how hard he pressed, nothing happened in the room."What's going on here… Eagle?" Leo's voice was trembling.His hands were cuffed, and the remote control was confiscated by the police."Leo, you are suspected of poisoning Master York and attempting to murder Melanie and others on the island. We are arresting you for premeditated murder!" Chief Frankie uttered calmly."No… No…" Leo struggled but to no avail. He had no idea what wa
At the same time, Melanie and Carson were on a plane with Professor Turner. They soon arrived at Medonia.Carson contacted Hank ahead of time and asked him to pick them up with his men.After the exhausting journey, Melanie's face was pale. She seemed to be in very poor condition. "I've already contacted the maternity hospital for you. You can go there and wait for your delivery. Leave the rest to me.""No…"Melanie shook her head. "I have to go back."Jeffrey was still in Nathan's hands. She would not be able to wait peacefully if she went to the hospital.Carson knew his granddaughter well enough. "Let her go. Professor Turner and I will be with here. We'll be ready for anything."Carson was still disguised as Maximilian. Hank did not know he was Carson. Hank nodded in agreement.“Mr. Castillo, there's something I need to trouble you with.” Melanie said."I heard from Professor Marshall that you're on good terms with the chief of Medonia's Interpol. Can I trouble him to be a
"Wait a minute! Isn't Jefford actually Jeffrey?" Leo asked while running after Nathan.Nathan ignored him and continued to walk forward.Leo did not give up and followed Nathan closely. "Who exactly is Jeffrey to you?""Are you being unreasonable right now? Why are you still so unsure at this point?" Nathan glanced at Leo contemptuously."I'm dealing with serious business. Don't get in my way with your petty romantic affairs!"After saying that, he glared at Leo and exited the cabin.Leo felt chills in his heart, but he could not make Nathan stay…-Jeffrey was tied up on the deck all this time. His body was freezing, and his lips were turning purple from the cold."Hey, President Morgan, fancy seeing you like this!" Nathan laughed grimly when he saw the miserable state Jeffrey was in."Thanks to you, I've been more miserable than this on many occasions. This is nothing." Jeffrey made it sound like a walk in the park."Hehe." Nathan sneered."I know. You've had strong willp
Lynette seemed stunned. She could not help but stand up with the help of the railing on the speedboat. Her eyes turned red as looked at the island burning in the distance. There was a look of disbelief on her face…If they had not evacuated five minutes ago…By now…She would not have even been able to breathe and think…The explosion sent shockwaves across the ocean's surface. The ride became even more bumpy. With sea water splashing against them, they had all become wet."Are you alright?" Carson protected Melanie. He was worried she would not be able to take it.Her stomach did feel awful, but she braced herself and tried not to tense up. Her emotions would affect her baby.When Lynette heard the voices behind her, she turned around to look at Melanie. Her gaze had become much softer than before. "You're not going to give birth on the boat, are you? I'm a woman, but I don't know how to be a midwife!""I won't give birth now. There are still things left to do," Melanie said.