Yanni was discharged from the hospital three days later. They returned to Kirk Manor and lived out the rest of the month peacefully. Both of them looked after Yanni together. When Mason had a social or business outing, he’d take Zoe along with him. It looked like they were an actual married couple.Neither of them brought up their painful history. Instead, they tried to put it past them. He knew this was his last few weeks with the people he loved.He told Zoe that he needed to work late into the night, but he’d make sure he came back home before Yanni’s bedtime. He’d bathe her, put on pyjamas for her, and wrap her in a warm blanket before letting her sleep on his chest. Underneath the warm glow of the night light, he’d tell her fairy tales until she slept. Afterward, he’d return to his study and resume his work. By the time he was done, it was past midnight. Both his wife and daughter were long asleep.It was enough for him to simply lie next to them. That was happiness for him
All of the love and hatred that they shared would cease to exist.This was the first time she leaned on his chest of her own accord. She proceeded to talk to him. Her voice was soft when she said, “Ella and Farley are going to get married at the end of the year. Yanni’s condition will have improved by then. I might take her back to Silvercrest to attend the ceremony. I’m wondering what kind of gift should I prepare for them.”He didn’t say anything about it. Brushing her hair, which was damp from the sweat, he chose to enjoy the quiet for a brief moment. She gave him some time. Her voice was a little strained when she spoke. “Are you going to attend the ceremony as well? Ella told me that you have some business dealings with Farley as of late.”Lowering his head, he stared at her intensely, “Do you want me to go?”Instead of answering his question, she ran her fingers across his dashing features and talked about Rosemary. “Rosemary is going to attend as well. After all, she was
“I’m going to make something warm to drink!”Mason didn’t reject his offer. He watched as his father hurried into the cramped kitchen and went about boiling water clumsily. The night breeze was a tad too strong, causing him to cough intermittently. All of a sudden, Mason asked, “Have you gone to see the doctor?”Westley’s body stiffened. Then, he responded softly, “I’ve had this cough for a long time. It’s no big deal, really! All it takes is some pill and I’ll feel better.”Mason knew he was lying. One look was all he needed to know that this condition had haunted his father for a long time. However, he didn’t press for more information. Instead, he started paging through the books on the couch. Westley proceeded to make some tea once the water was boiled. He was a little uneasy when he gave his son the cup of tea. He even smiled bitterly when he said, “I don’t have any better tea leaves. I’m sorry if you find it distasteful.”Mason took a sip and put the cup down.The old ma
Mason walked over, sat by the bed, and flashed her an affectionate smile. “I went out to take care of some matters. Did you have a nightmare?”Zoe stared right at him wordlessly. She didn’t tell him about her dream. It felt like a bad omen. Then, she took his hands when he laid down on the bed. The warmth of his palms made her feel easier somewhat.It was just as they say, dreams were usually the opposite of reality. It wasn’t going to happen. After all, it was just a dream.Just as she was about to doze off, she thought she heard him murmuring in her ear, saying that if she ended up getting pregnant tonight, then she should name the baby Jamie.Zoe woke up the next morning. She thought about what he murmured over and over again in her mind and decided that it was nothing but a dream. “You’re on edge. That’s all,” he said.That wasn’t how she felt, though. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. What was worse, the feeling was growing stronger
The surgery took a long time, almost sixteen hours. There were some hiccups, but it was ultimately successful. The only thing was, Mason didn’t wake up. He was still lying on the operating table quietly. He didn’t know that the surgery went well for Yanni and that she was sent out of the operating room. He didn’t even know what would happen to him tomorrow. All he could do was lie down wordlessly as the universe meted out its sentence to him unfeelingly. Cecil took off his mask and read the numbers shown on the monitor. It was a frightening sight because it showed that Mason’s vital signs were dropping significantly. He might die at any second. Now, Cecil was a doctor who had seen a lot of deaths in his lifetime. He had grown used to it, but he simply couldn’t accept it when it came to Mason. Leaning close to him, he murmured, “Zoe’s waiting for you! Are you just going to leave her like this?”Mason didn’t respond to him. He simply lay there quietly, his face was as white as
Perhaps the emergency at his branch company in Hucksburgh was a really complicated affair. That didn’t track, though. Mason loved Yanni very much. It was impossible that he’d ignore her texts about their little girl just because things weren’t good at his company.She thought about giving him a call, but, with the way things were between them now, she didn’t dare to do it.Perhaps she should wait, she thought!Mason could just respond to her texts or call her tomorrow itself. Better yet, he could just take a flight back to Brookesville.…Mason was lying on the bed quietly in the Intensive Care Unit. The medical team had extracted nearly half of his bone marrow as well as one-third of his blood from his body, giving it all to his little girl. He sacrificed himself to save Yanni.The fact was that the cross he had gotten from the Beacon of Hope Church didn’t do anything. What made it work was his sacrifice. Back then, he kneeled for four hours before the altar and asked
It was the middle of the night and Mason’s ward was brightly lit. Cecil ran through a full examination for him, but the results didn’t look good. It was true. Mason had woken up, but his vital functions had all but stopped working. His limbs were unresponsive, especially his right hand. All of the nerves in there had basically died.Mason accepted his fate. He might have to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. His right hand was basically unusable and he’d have to learn to make do with his left hand. To put it bluntly, he was disabled!With that said, he didn’t regret his decision one bit. Lying on the bed, he said calmly, “Yanni’s my daughter, and I’m more than willing to do it! Zoe doesn’t have to know about this, though. After all, we’re no longer married. She has the right to pursue a better life with…”Cecil didn’t let him finish. Instead, he walked right out of the ward. Lisa fell on her knees by the bed and hammered it with her fists. She was crying at the top
Zoe was rooted to the spot. She had anticipated all sorts of reasons behind the radio silence, but this was the last thing she thought could’ve happened. He had treated her with such affection and thoughtfulness. She could swear that he genuinely wanted to reconcile with her. She had to admit that his actions were starting to change her mind. That was why it was such a shocker when Mason told her he was with Gabriela now!Tears started filling up in her eyes. Her rational side told her that she should take Yanni and leave right away. However, since when had people listened to their rational side when it came to love?So, Mason was claiming that he had changed his mind and chosen Gabriela instead.It was just a text message. It was going to take more than that to convince her that it was true. She needed something more concrete. She needed him to tell her personally. So, she called him. This particular phone call seemed unbearably long…All of a sudden, Mason picked up t
At that moment, Gwen was completely flustered. She didn’t understand what Zion meant, nor did she understand why he was deliberately getting close to her. She wanted to ask, but before she could, Zion had already led her out of the car. The restaurant arranged by the school leadership was nearby, just off campus. Gwen had been there with Zion before, but not in a private room. Returning to an old haunt brought a sense of nostalgia. Zion walked side by side with Gwen. He was six-foot tall, and she was about five-foot-five. They made for a strikingly good-looking pair. Considering their history, the school leaders naturally couldn’t resist teasing them a bit. Gwen felt slightly uncomfortable and replied, "We were young and foolish." Over the years, Zion had grown seasoned in the business world, exuding an effortless charm. He responded with a light smile, "I wonder if we can pick up where we left off—still holding a grudge?" As soon as those words were said, the schoo
After running away in a flurry that night, Gwen retreated into her home, avoiding the world outside for several days. Her father, Noah, meanwhile, busied himself with his new hobby of keeping turtles—purchased on a whim after his wife, Gwynn, teased him for being too old. In an attempt to prove his youth, Noah even released the turtles back into the wild one evening, making a point of marking one with the name "Zion" on its shell in a bold act of petty revenge. Gwynn, ever the pragmatist, found the gesture immature and pointless, but it brought him a fleeting sense of satisfaction. Gwen, however, was unaware of the antics her father had indulged in. All she knew was that her father had been unusually concerned during her self-imposed seclusion, urging her to get out and take a break. Noah's insistence that she shouldn’t remain cooped up at home was an attempt to draw her back into the world, to reconnect with life. But she couldn’t shake the weight of everything that had transp
In the lounge, Gwen curled up in Tegan’s embrace, crying silently. Tegan gently stroked her smooth black hair, sighing softly. “If you really like him, I’ll help you talk to him.”Gwen sobbed quietly, “Dad will say you’re being rebellious.”Tegan paused for a moment, then replied, “Your brother will help me, won’t he?”Gwen clung to Tegan, continuing to cry softly. She remembered that today was Yeager’s full moon celebration and decided to cry for just a little while. After all, who hasn’t shed tears in their youth?At that moment, there was a knock at the door. From the sound of it, the person outside had a very refined aura. Tegan immediately guessed who it was; it certainly wasn’t her husband. She gently rubbed Gwen’s head. “I’ll go answer it.”When Tegan opened the door, as expected, it was Zion standing outside. The two locked eyes, and after a moment of silence, Tegan calmly spoke, “You two talk.” Zion nodded.In the quiet lounge, the soft sound of Gwen’s crying fill
The following August. It was the party for Ocelotte and Molly's child. Molly had given birth to a boy, named Yeager Sanders, a name chosen by her eldest brother-in-law, Lorian. She was very fond of the name. As for Lorian and Tegan's youngest son, he was named Fergus Sanders. Yeager and Fergus were the next generation of boys in the Sanders family. However, the first child was still Lola, the one and only little princess. She loved following Gwen around. The little girl was now three and a half years old and about to start kindergarten. On the day of Yeager's party, Gwen was still taking Lola around, but she unexpectedly ran into an old acquaintance. It had truly been a long time. Since the year Zion had left for another country, although they had occasionally bumped into each other, they hadn’t had the chance for a proper meeting. How many years had passed? Gwen didn't dare to think about it, nor did she want to calculate. She vaguely felt it had been four
After Yanni finished speaking, the Sanders family stood frozen in shock. It was Gwynn who recovered first, quickly asking Yanni, “How is Molly doing?” Yanni smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Aunt Gwynn. Molly is fine, just a bit overwhelmed. I think the baby came as a surprise. Ocelotte is with her right now.” Before Gwynn could respond, Noah muttered under his breath, “A surprise is great! A surprise is wonderful.” Although the young couple’s relationship was excellent, what parent wouldn’t hope for grandchildren? And with Ocelotte and Molly’s stunning looks, the baby was bound to be exceptional. The mere thought of it had Noah brimming with excitement. He silently speculated that it was definitely going to be an adorable little girl. Definitely just like Molly.After a while, Ocelotte emerged, carrying Molly in his arms. She had regained her strength after sipping some sweetened water but was advised to rest for a few days at home. Moreover, during the first trimeste
Over half a year later, in the golden autumn of October. The film "Scarlet Dreams, Jade Skies", starring Molly, achieved a blockbuster box office success and earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the prestigious Golden Bear Awards. On the night of the ceremony, the entire Sanders family showed up to cheer Molly on. Tegan, worried she might feel pressured, kept comforting her, saying, “It’s okay if you don’t win this time. There’s always next time.” Molly was deeply moved. Tegan had just finished her postpartum recovery and yet still came to support her. Looking at Ocelotte, Molly whispered, “I’ve already won the biggest award of my life, Tegan.” Usually composed, Tegan was amused by her and replied gently, “You’ve been much more lively since hanging out with Ocelotte! Your big brother thinks it’s great. He always praises Ocelotte for being so caring.” Molly felt a little shy and leaned in closer to chat softly with Tegan. Gwen handed over a piece of candy and qu
Molly spent the most joyful holidays of her life.In early spring, she married Ocelotte. Her wedding veil was an impressive three meters long, as the elders said that the longer the veil, the longer the marriage. So, Ocelotte had a three-meter-long veil designed for her.He said he wanted to be with her for three lifetimes and more.As the bells of the church rang, Molly, holding onto Lorian’s arm, slowly walked toward Ocelotte. From that moment on, they were one, bound together not only as a couple but as a family. His loved ones were now hers, and they would share both joy and hardship.The few meters between them felt like the culmination of the four years they had spent together.At the altar, Lorian handed Molly to his younger brother and gave his shoulder a gentle pat. "Take good care of her," he said.Ocelotte took a step forward, gazing at Molly through the delicate veil. Today, she looked like a pure white jasmine flower.Ocelotte gently lifted the veil, wanting her t
On the steps in front of the villa, Ocelotte and Molly stood ready to greet their guest. Brody stepped out of the car, looking particularly sharp and dashing tonight. The sight made Ocelotte frown instantly. Dressed as flamboyantly as a peacock, Brody had clearly put in some effort. Later, Ocelotte decided, he’d ask Molly outright who looked better. Was it him or Brody? Brody walked up the steps, his silhouette framed by the twilight. Molly stepped forward and gave him a brief hug. After everything they’d been through, they were like family now. Ocelotte, watching from the side: *Is all that closeness really necessary?* When Molly and Brody finally separated, Ocelotte decided he wanted a hug too. Brody froze, startled by the unexpected request, but before he could react, he was nearly bowled over by Ocelotte's overly enthusiastic embrace. Ocelotte pulled him into a firm hug, slapping him hard on the back. “Now that you’re leaving, I’ll really miss you, you know.”
Before the Spring Festival, Ocelotte moved out of the family estate and started living with Molly. Noah fully approved, saying, "Hurry up and move out. Don’t disturb your mom and me enjoying our world of two." Ocelotte swiftly packed his large luggage, pulled Gwen over, and shoved her toward Noah. "Dad, you must regret having a third child. Too late to send her back to Mom’s belly now." Noah frowned. "Can’t you pack your sister up and take her with you?" Ocelotte hoisted his luggage. "Dad. Molly and I also want our world of two. You and Mom just need to endure it a bit longer. Once Gwen gets married, you’ll truly have your world of two, and none of us kids will need you and Mom to take care of us." Noah cursed playfully, watching his youngest son nimbly hop into a black Range Rover and head toward his fiancée. For a moment, he felt a little sentimental. Noah still remembered the year Ocelotte was born. Times were tough, and he was locked in a life-and-death struggle wi