Mason said nonchalantly, “I need her to hate me!” He fixed his gaze on Gabriela. “Look at the sorry state I’m in. Am I supposed to let her hang onto her false hope and think about me all the time? Cutting her off now is the more merciful route. It’s the best outcome for everyone!”Sneering, she retorted, “Best outcome for everyone? Do you even know what went on in her mind? She loves you for the kind, loving way you’ve treated her for the past few months. All of a sudden, she was told that you’ve been having sex with me for the past three years.“That’s going to make her have some wild speculations about everything. Have you ever thought that you might make a full recovery someday, Mason? What are you going to do if you want to win her back, but she had already given up on you for good? Did it occur to you that she might’ve ended up with another man by then?”He remained quiet briefly before responding to her with a blank face. “I’ll take my chances!” With that, he clumsily whee
The way he was now, what could he possibly do even if he was to chase after Zoe at the airport? Was he supposed to come clean and tell her that he had sacrificed his physical abilities for Yanni’s sake? Was he supposed to say that he actually never slept with Gabriela, and proceed to bind her to him for the rest of his sorry life?He couldn’t possibly do that…Now that Zoe was pregnant, it meant there was one more thing that’d remind her of him. She would become a loving mother to their next baby and Yanni stood to gain another family member. Everything was fine and well, considering.So, what excuse did he have to feel devastated because he couldn’t be with the lady he loved?Lying on the floor, he panted heavily. On the other side of the door, Ava was calming herself down and regaining her composure. Then, she swung open the door and stepped into the study, only to be met with this shocking sight. “Mason!”Dashing over, she gripped underneath his arms and pulled him up. It too
It was a big day for the family, but she couldn’t help but burst into tears. Lisa started to confess her guilt. “If I hadn’t put Zoe through hell and tortured her, then there might still be hope for you and her…” To her surprise, Mason rebutted her. “It’s my fault. I didn’t treat her as well as I should!” Lowering his head, he said bitterly, “Zoe has a good life now. We shouldn’t mess it up for her. I’m sure she’ll start thinking about her love life when the kids grow up. She certainly is more than qualified to find another man who loves her.”Mason used to be arrogant and obnoxiously confident in the past. Now, however, he was willing to give her up to another man. Lisa’s heart bled when she saw the sort of state her son was in now. It took her a long time to recover from the sorrow. That was when Layla came into the study with supper. It was chicken soup. Lisa took it and got a spoonful of soup. Then, she looked at Mason with tears in her eyes. “Why don’t you move back into
After a brief moment, Zoe said softly, “Ella’s going to move her businesses back to Brookesville.”Rosemary knew about it. After all, she was friends with Farley. Then, she gripped Zoe’s hands and said, “She can move back to Brookesville anytime. Just give me a call if she needs help with anything. I’ll be there for her.”Smiling faintly, Zoe responded, “You have my thanks.”Rosemary waved it off, signaling her that this was what friends do for each other. Both of them were a little saddened by this particular turn of events!At the next moment, a servant came in and told Rosemary that her important guests had arrived. Excusing herself, she said, “I’ve been wanting to make a connection with this guest for quite some time now. It took me several attempts to get this person to come to my party. Please excuse me, Zoe. You’re more than welcome to feel at home here.”Zoe smiled faintly in response as her friend left.After Rosemary left, she took a stroll in the backyard because i
Zoe caught herself and stopped. She was actually embarrassed that she had told him about it. Why, Mason had abandoned her as well as Yanni for a long time, but she still couldn’t let go of her hatred for him…With that said, she didn’t want to appear bitter. So, she composed herself and said calmly, “There’s no point in saying these things anymore! You made your choice two years ago, Mason. Don’t backtrack on it and try to keep things open between us!”Then, she lowered her voice abruptly, “I’m with someone now!”Mason was completely stunned by her response. Staring straight into her eyes, he was having trouble grasping what he had just heard. Did she just say she was with someone now?Tears filled her eyes and she asked him, “What did you expect? He looked after me and loved the kids. I think he’s the right man for me.”So, what she meant was that she fell in love with another man.He fell into a trance for a long time. Then, he asked softly, “Can you tell me who it is?”Sh
It was autumn and it was cold outside. Tugging at the coat, she wrapped it around her delicate face, the refined fabric felt so comfy to the touch. She could just smell David’s scent off of it.Then, she snapped out of the trance!Shaking her head, she denied David’s claim. “It’s nothing like that!”The next thing she knew, David held her shoulders. Her slender figure made her look especially fragile, like a delicate flower. They looked like a perfect match in this exquisite view.Sitting in the wheelchair, Mason stared at them quietly as they left. He turned his back to the pitch-black night. Now that he was no longer feeling the joy of reuniting with Zoe again, the night had lost its serene beauty. In its place, a layer of sorrow and hopelessness draped over it.David was embracing her. They looked so lovely together. She used to be his everything, but she belonged to another man now.…David kept Zoe company all the way to the parking lot, where a black limousine was waitin
Zoe ordered Jorge softly, “Stop the car!”Slamming on the brake, he pulled the car over by the street. Then, he turned his head around and asked puzzlingly, “What’s the matter, Ms. Zoe?”She responded in a nonchalant tone, “I’m going to take a stroll. Just go on home without me.”Taking a look at the manor behind the car, he knew that she was shaken by the sight of her childhood home. He said immediately, “You want to take a look at your old manor, don't you, Ms. Zoe? I’ll just wait for you right here.”Forcing a smile, she turned down his offer. “I’ll hail a cab once I'm done.”Jorge hesitated for a second before agreeing to it. Getting out of the car, he opened the car door for her and said, “Don’t worry, Ms. Zoe. I won’t say a single thing about this to Mr. David.”She remained quiet in response. Instead of explaining herself, she tugged at the scarf on her shoulder and made her way to the lonesome manor.It was a moonlit night. Zoe walked on the concrete floor with her high
Zoe tried, but failed to break free. Mason kept a tight grip on her. His left arm was deceptively powerful. Staring into her eyes, she realized there was unbridled lust in them.She had no idea if her words had hit him hard because he loosened his grip the next moment. After that, not only did he let her go, but he also apologized to her genuinely, “I’m sorry, Zoe. I acted out of line!”Her lips were trembling as she rose to her feet. At that moment, her phone rang. Throwing him a glance, she took the phone out of her pouch and was surprised when she saw the caller’s name. It was Leslie. He asked her out in a very polite manner, saying that he wanted to welcome her back to Brookesville. She wondered about it for a second and agreed to it. Mason looked at her as she hung up the phone. “Have you been hanging out with Leslie?”“Sometimes,” she said lightly. She was talking to him gracefully again. Looking at Mason, her mind traveled back to about a year ago when she was four mo
In the presidential suite, the newlywed night was fiery, filled with affection and intimacy. The wedding banquet was still bustling with excitement.There was a special guest, who quietly arrived and hoped to leave just as quietly. He was afraid to disturb her mood and feared that if she saw him, she might not be pleased. However, despite his best efforts, they still crossed paths in the hallway.Gael stood quietly, watching Yanni. She had just taken Ella to the restroom, as she wasn’t comfortable leaving her alone. Besides Ella, there was another small girl with her, probably one of the twins she had with Keaton. The other twin was her brother.The twins were named Shay Bright and Drew Bright. Ella adored her younger siblings. Whenever she came home from school, she would always spend some time playing with them first. At night, she would sneak her little sister into her room and cuddle her to sleep, treating her like a little doll.At first, Yanni was quite worried, but she lat
In the early morning, the first rays of sunlight bathed the earth, signaling a joyous occasion at the Sanders family home. The youngest daughter of Noah and Gwynn was finally getting married. Even more delightful, she was marrying her childhood love. Dressed in a headpiece and red bridal gown, she was as beautiful as could be, the most stunning woman Zion had ever seen.The Quarto family was busy with preparations. Although they were not extremely wealthy, Jordyn was a capable family head with a good reputation. He handled both inside and outside affairs with finesse and charm. To everyone’s surprise, he got along very well with Mason.However, Noah had some reservations. “Don't you have any relatives of your own, Mason?”Mason didn’t engage with his criticism. Together with Zoe, they helped with the wedding arrangements. A traditional Chinese wedding was far more elaborate than a Western one, but thankfully, the families had enough help to avoid any chaotic moments.During the d
That night, Jamie and Paityn returned home with their daughter Carol. As soon as they arrived, Carol went to do her homework, while Paityn went to check on their youngest son, Colten Lockwood. The housekeeper was taking care of him and, upon hearing footsteps, turned her head and softly said, "Madam, you're back? He hasn't woken up at all, he's such a good boy."Paityn smiled lightly and signaled for the housekeeper to go downstairs and rest.When the door closed, she looked down at the sleeping Colten. The little one, only eight months old, resembled his father completely; almost like a miniature copy of Jamie. Even Carol, at times, would look at her brother’s face and marvel: "It’s really a masterpiece from God!"Jamie replied, "You even know what a masterpiece is?"Carol teased, "A husband’s looks are the wife’s glory!"Paityn quietly said to Jamie, “She must have seen a supermodel runway show."Jamie immediately asked, "Did she like it?"Paityn didn't answer, just smiled.
On the second floor, Gwen was trying on her wedding dress for tomorrow. Just as Zion had wished, it was a traditional Zutriysteinian wedding.The red wedding gown was crafted by the top artisans from Zutriystein, elegant and dignified. The headpiece she wore was adorned with wild pearls; each gem was carefully embedded, and the headpiece alone cost tens of millions. A substantial amount of money had been spent.The woman in the mirror was stunningly beautiful. Gwen gently touched her headpiece and muttered to herself, "Zion really doesn’t mind spending money on this little hobby of his."Gwynn, as a mother, patted her head. "This little girl really doesn’t know when to keep quiet, but luckily, she’s married well and is right here beside me..."She had given a generous wedding gift, exactly the same as when Holly got married. Like Holly, Gwen didn’t want any shares of the Sanders Group. The money that Zion earned was enough to support both of them and his small hobbies.Meanwhile
Ignacio said, "We can’t take care of both of you."Holly was at a loss for words.Lucius was at that lively age, but he was raised by his father and had good manners. When he saw Ocelotte, he respectfully greeted him, saying, "Second Uncle."Ocelotte patted his little head, thinking that the boy seemed sturdier than his own children, possibly because Molly was too fragile. He made a mental note to make sure Yeager got some extra nutrients when he went back.The black Rolls-Royce Phantom sped down the highway, getting them back to the Qiao family mansion before evening.The Sanders family’s sons had all moved out, leaving only Gwen still living at home. Holly, who rarely came back, was also staying at the house. She didn’t refuse, planning to stay for a few days before heading to Silvercrest to visit her biological parents and pay respects.The car pulled into the Sanders Residence, and the house was lit up brightly.In the courtyard parking area, luxury cars were parked everywhe
In the evening, Gwen was preparing to leave work.In the parking lot, she spotted Zion’s car, but it was empty. Just then, a school leader passed by and said to her, “Zion came to school. There’s a donation ceremony happening in the auditorium. You should go check it out. "Then, you two can head home together afterward. On a cold day like this, a nice dinner would be perfect. What a cozy idea!”Gwen playfully replied, “You really know how to enjoy life.”The leader, holding a bag of groceries, laughed, “See? Your teacher’s wife has been nagging me since morning to go home and cook while babysitting the grandkids.”Gwen smiled softly, watching him leave.In the sky, clouds glowed orange and yellow, their edges tinged with gold.She carried a thermos as she walked toward the auditorium. Along the way, a few students noticed her and started chirping excitedly, cheekily calling her “Ms. Gwen.”Gwen corrected them, “It’s Ms. Gwen.”The students laughed and teased, “Ms. Gwen! Mr. Z
Gwen stared dazedly at the man.Zion, dressed in a black coat, stood tall in the study, exuding an oppressive aura. He walked toward her and pulled the teary-eyed girl, her face streaked like a little tabby cat, into his arms. One hand gently smoothed her hair as his voice softened to the extreme, "Still saying you didn’t cry."Gwen leaned against his shoulder, mumbling, "You did it on purpose.""Are you at least a little touched?"She pounded on him twice more in response.Zion chuckled lowly, letting the girl vent while his heart ached silently.These past five years had been filled with fear and uncertainty for him. He had been afraid that before he could make a name for himself, Gwen would fall for someone else. If that happened, what could he possibly use to ask her to come back to him?The love story of a poor boy and a rich girl might've existed in novels, but the reality was often harsh.Gwen didn’t care, but he couldn’t bear to let her endure hardship.Now, as they
Zion and Gwen's marriage seemed inevitable, with no one putting up any resistance. Occasionally, Gwen even had a strange illusion.It all went so smoothly that the years of separation seemed like they had never happened, as if she and Zion had always been together. After their reunion, he didn’t even ask her about her life abroad and treated her just as he did before.She was no longer as youthful and tender, but Zion still saw her as if she were a 20-year-old girl. Gwen felt a bit dejected, thinking to herself, he must just like girls around 18-year-old.But unfortunately, the spring river flows eastward and cannot return!Zion only smiled.In winter, the days grew shorter. After work, Gwen arrived at Zion's villa, but he had not yet come home. The two housekeepers had already started preparing dinner.When Gwen got out of the car, she received a call from Zion. Her voice was soft and tender.“When will you be back?”On the other end, Zion checked the time and said, “I’ll be
Zion noticed Gwen gazing at him with those wide, expectant eyes again. With a chuckle, he reached into the pocket of his trench coat, pulled out a sleek wallet, and carefully extracted a platinum card. He placed it in her outstretched hand and said with a smile, “This is my secondary card. There’s no credit limit.” Gwen gasped softly, then teased, “Wow, aren’t you generous? Thank you, Teacher Qin.” Zion gave her a light tap on the head. Not missing a beat, Gwen wrapped her arms around his neck and grinned mischievously, “Thank you, my sugar daddy.” Zion’s response was to pull her close, cupping her cheeks as he kissed her fiercely. Though he once carried himself as an educator and now as a refined businessman, he found himself utterly smitten by her playful antics. After the kiss, Zion leaned close to Gwen's ear and murmured something uncharacteristically crude that sent a shiver down her spine. He playfully nipped her nose. “Turns out you’ve got a thing for bad boy