By the time Jamie arrived home, it was close to midnight. The night was as cool as water. Mason hadn’t slept and had been waiting in the living room for Jamie. The dim light highlighted his chiseled features. Although he was nearly 60 years old, he still looked well-maintained and quite handsome. “You’re still awake, Dad!” Jamie took off his coat and tossed it casually onto the sofa. Then, he sat down and pulled out a cigarette to smoke it. Mason looked at him and chuckled lightly, “You usually don’t smoke at home. What’s going on? Did a woman give you a hard time? Is Carol's mom mad at you?” Jamie leaned back on the sofa, his mind replaying the scene he had witnessed at the club entrance. He felt like a worthless man. Monty was a divorced old man who could still win over Paityn.Jamie felt a mix of sorrow and anger. However, he couldn't bring himself to say anything either for Carol or out of a man's pride. He thought back to the moment when he confronted Paityn. If Pait
Jamie wanted to be closer to Zoe, but he still avoided the heavier topics and said, “I just had a little bump with the car on the road. It’s nothing serious.” Zoe didn’t quite believe him, but she chose not to press the issue. She watched as Jamie walked to the bedside and wrapped Carol in a small blanket, preparing to carry her away. Zoe couldn’t help but remind him, “She just finally fell asleep after having a bottle of milk and asking for her mom. If she wakes up, it’ll take a while to soothe her again.” Jamie replied softly, “I’ll comfort her.” Although he felt a deep disappointment with Paityn, he genuinely adored Carol. After all, she carried his genes. In the quiet of the night, Jamie held the Carol as he walked down the empty corridor. She seemed a bit dazed when she woke at first. Then, she caught the scent of her father. Carol reached out her tiny arms and tightly hugged his neck. Her warm breath brushed against his skin, making Jamie's heart feel soft.“Dad.”
Meanwhile, Noah was busy entertaining his daughter. Meanwhile, Tegan stood quietly off to the side. Her gaze on Jamie carried a hint of complexity. It was clear she was aware of the fallout between Jamie and Paityn.Before lunch, Tegan ran into Jamie in the bathroom perhaps by design. The villa was warm and inviting, and she wore a light pink wool dress, giving her a gentle and soft appearance. She stood beside Jamie. Then, she turned on the golden faucet. Her voice was low and measured. “I know you want Carol’s custody,” Tegan said softly. “She is indeed your child, but she is also my sister’s. "Paityn gave birth to her under tremendous pressure when she was still so inexperienced. She loves Carol deeply. Regardless of how you feel, she would give up everything for Carol’s sake.“I’m not trying to reconcile anything between you two; I just want to ask you to please give her a way out even if it’s for the sake of the past. "You still have plenty of opportunities to marry a youn
After Jamie spoke, everyone was stunned. No one expected him to say something like that. It was clear to everyone present that Paityn and Jamie had emotional ties and had even had a child together. Didn’t he just completely push her away by saying something like this? The room fell into a deathly silence, and no one dared to speak. Finally, it was Wylie who mustered the courage to say, “Perhaps you and Ms. Paityn should discuss this privately, Mr. Jamie. We can step out for a moment.” Jamie kept his gaze locked on Paityn’s eyes and replied softly, “The lawyer team is here specifically for this custody case; there’s no need to avoid it.”Wylie dared not say anything further and quietly stepped aside. Jamie turned his attention back to Paityn. He spoke directly, “I understand that raising a child requires time and effort. I won’t let you have borne this child for nothing. "Name your conditions; I will agree as long as they are reasonable. Also, if you want to see Carol, you
Monty went straight to the point, "After our last meeting, I developed a strong liking for you, Paityn. I want to take things further. "With my wealth as a guarantee for your company and your status as a married woman, securing custody of the child shouldn't be a problem if we get married."Paityn couldn’t deny that she was tempted. She didn’t love Monty; they had even been business rivals before. However, she was utterly hopeless with Jamie, having already lost all her leverage. If Paityn didn’t want to lose custody of Carol, Monty was indeed an ideal marriage candidate. However, she had reservations. She wasn't ready to give herself emotionally or physically. If they did get married, it would be purely a transaction.The setting sun melted into gold. Paityn sat in the car and said quietly, "Let's skip other details for now, Mr. Monty. The most pressing matter is that I won’t have any more children."To her surprise, he readily agreed, "I already have a child, and you have Caro
Jamie was a big man, but he couldn't replace the soft body of a woman.At 3:30 am, he got up and carried the five-year-old Carol into the bedroom. He walked back and forth, while he gently comforted her. Just as she was on the verge of falling asleep, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky. Then, it was followed by a thunderous crack as the heavens opened up. Torrential rain poured down and enveloped the world in a misty haze.Carol suddenly woke up. Although she liked Jamie and the Lockwood Manor was luxurious, it wasn’t the place she had grown up in. On a stormy night like this, she missed the babysitter who raised her even more. Most of all, she missed Paityn.Carol made quite a fuss, crying for her mother. Despite his reluctance, Jamie couldn’t fulfill her wish. Eventually, Carol was exhausted from crying, and she finally nestled on his shoulder and fell asleep, only to be startled awake again by the thunder. This cycle continued several times, eventually disturbing Ma
On the other end of the phone, Paityn thought for a moment before replying, "Let’s make it in the afternoon! I have a meeting scheduled for the morning."Jamie didn’t think much of it. After all, Paityn was in business, and social engagements were common. He grunted affirmatively and confirmed the time and location with her.To Paityn's surprise, Jamie didn’t arrange the meeting at the Lockwood Corporation. However, he actually decided on a high-end private room in a club. Paityn figured Jamie was probably planning to bring his legal team along to negotiate with her. The thought of that scene made her feel a chill, but she had come to accept it calmly.Paityn agreed, and Jamie hung up. Perhaps he couldn’t accept his own compromise either. He still minded her involvement with Monty. He resented her lack of self-respect.After hanging up the phone, Jamie stared at the dim sky, feeling an indescribable heaviness in his heart. He took a shower and washed his face. Then, she changed i
"You just need to be my faithful wife."Your duties include maintaining a pure reputation outside and avoiding any scandals that could impact Lockwood Corporation. "This also includes the responsibilities of being a spouse. As for whether we will have a second child, that will be decided two years after the wedding."…Paityn blinked lightly when Jamie finished speaking and expressed his intentions clearly.Her voice was slow as she replied, "It sounds like you've granted me a tremendous favor. I can see my child anytime and have 50 million a year to spend. "On top of that, I have the opportunity to bear your second child. I believe many women would be overjoyed to receive such privileges, but I do not want them. After all, you don't treat me as a person in this marriage at all."Jamie's expression darkened. He hadn't expected Paityn to reject him outright. She had even cried and begged him previously, expressing a willingness to live in Silvercrest with Carol. Were those ch