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
Paityn walked down the stairs. A long black limousine was parked in front of the building. As she approached, the driver got out of the car to open the door for her. He politely said, “Mr. Monty has been waiting for you. He truly cares about you.” The driver was referring to Monty Verdan. Earlier that morning, Monty and Paityn had reached a consensus. They would marry. This marriage felt more like a transaction. Paityn needed Monty’s wealth to maintain her image, while he required a presentable wife and her expertise in the new energy development project. Monty would save a substantial amount of expenses by marrying her. Neither of them would be at a loss.Paityn nodded and slid into the back seat of the car. Monty was impeccably dressed. He looked at her with a gaze that held not only admiration for her abilities but also a subtle hint of tenderness. For a man like him, marriage didn’t have to be merely a transaction. He proposed it primarily because he liked Paityn. He
Lorian tilted his head up to look at Tegan, and his gaze was filled with questions. "Since when did Paityn have a fiancé? If Jamie finds out about this, won't he lose his mind?"Tegan bent down to hold the child and responded softly, "I only found out in the past couple of days, and I didn’t know how to tell you. Jamie was planning to sue Paityn, wasn’t he? Isn't this outcome much better?"She had begged Jamie when they were at Lockwood Manor that day, but his heart was as cold as ice. Tegan’s felt despair right there and then, and it must have been even worse for Paityn. After all, the latter was the one who got targeted. That was why when Tegan didn’t object to it when she learned of Monty's existence, even though she was surprised. If there was someone in this world who could protect Paityn and provide her with a stable life, she wouldn’t care who that man was.Tegan might not have cared, but Lorian did. After all, he knew Jamie the best. They are cousins. If Jamie found out th
The atmosphere in the private room suddenly froze. Everyone’s eyes were on Jamie, while his gaze locked onto Paityn and Monty. They were sitting close together and looked every bit like a newlywed couple.Jamie’s voice was cold. “Quite the lively scene. Are you all discussing wedding plans?”Carol saw him and softly called, “Daddy.”That single word brought Jamie back to his senses, keeping him from flipping the table on the spot. Still, his expression remained dark as he walked over and picked up Carol for a hug. Then, he looked icily at Paityn. “Let’s talk alone.”Before Paityn could respond, the rest of the Lockwood family arrived. They saw the scene and immediately understood the situation. Mason paused in surprise. Then, he said to Jamie, “Paityn’s having a family dinner. Whatever you need to discuss can wait. There’s no rush.”Mason greatly admired Paityn and hoped she could become his daughter-in-law.But with Jamie pressuring her into such a quick engagement, how could
The night felt as eerie as a specter.Mason and Zoe did their best to comfort Carol inside the Lockwood Manor. They treated her exactly as they usually did. They didn't give the little one any pressure, and they certainly not probing about Monty in front of her. Adult matters had nothing to do with children.On this chilly spring night, Jamie wore only a thin white shirt as he leaned against the railing of the terrace and smoked. Within half an hour, a small pile of cigarette butts had accumulated on the ground. Jamie calculated the time and turned to extinguish the cigarette. As he made his way downstairs, he put on a jacket.Mason blocked his way on the first floor. “Where are you going?”Jamie didn’t stop his pace, and he replied while opening the front door, “I'm off to find Paityn.”A gust of cold wind blew in, chilling Mason to the bone, and prompting him to curse under his breath. He sneered, “Can’t you wait for even a single night? Who did you inherit this nasty temper
Paityn acknowledged that she had received kindness from Jamie, but she had also suffered because of him. Whenever she was alone, she could remember the scene of Jamie holding Yara, and his gaze was so tender at that moment.Ending peacefully.Jamie seized Paityn's wrist before she could react, and he pushed her against the side of the car. “Jamie!” Paityn exclaimed in alarm.He looked down at her, and his gaze held an inscrutable meaning. Then, he kissed her soft lips, and he even cradled her face as he pressed his lips against hers. That half-forceful kiss made Paityn's legs weak. If Jamie hadn’t supported himself with one leg, Paityn wouldn’t have been able to stay upright.She whimpered, "This isn't right, Jamie."However, Jamie was deaf to her words, and he entangled her more fiercely. Paityn had no choice but to free one hand and slap him across the face with a loud crack.The crisp sound echoed through the night, freezing the air around them. Jamie took a step back, and