Maddox sat on the couch and stared at Zoe. He didn’t know her, but she and Noah did look alike, so he could just deduce who she was. A fire was burning in his eyes, but he toned it down in front of his mother. “What do you want?”John was about to say something, but Zoe stopped him. Instead, she merely sat next to Maddox and looked at his busted hands. After a brief moment, she said softly, “Gwynn asked me to look after you.”His eyes widened in astonishment.Staring at her with unblinking eyes, he managed to find his voice after a long time. “How is she? Did Noah torture her?”He knew from firsthand experience how cruel that man could be. Pondering on it for a while, she decided to tell him parts of the truth. “She’s pregnant! With my brother’s baby, of course. You should put her behind you, Maddox. It’ll make your life easier!”Then, a tear fell from his eyes.He knew he shouldn’t have behaved the way he did, but he lost his cool. Raising his head slightly, he said, “He
As Lila’s car drove out of the parking lot, Zoe turned around to look for her car. That was when a black limousine flashed its light at her.…Squirting, she saw Mason sitting in the backseat.Luke got out of the car and jogged lightly towards her. “Mr. Mason has been waiting for you for a long time, Ms. Zoe. He’s waiting for you to have dinner at his place! Yanni and Jamie are there too.”She was quite speechless at Mason’s action. This was childish of him.Then, she asked Luke, “What about my car? I parked it here.”Scratching his head, Luke said sheepishly, “Your car was already driven away and parked in the manor!”It didn’t seem like she had much choice.Flat out of options, she walked towards the black limousine, opened the door, and got into it. Mason was sitting in the car calmly. He merely nodded gently at her and ordered Luke, “Take us home!”Luke stepped on the gas pedal and the car drove out of the parking lot and cruised on the road. It was quiet in the car. Zoe
At that moment, Zoe burst into tears. Held in his embrace, she leaned on his shoulder and buried her face in his black overcoat, looking fair and graceful. On top of that, he held a fast grip on her waist. Her hips were pressed tightly against his groin as she wrapped her arms around him. Her tears proceeded to drench his coat on the neck area. It felt wet, warm, and uncomfortable, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to hug her at that moment.It was the first time in a long time since they had held each other in this way.It was much longer since they had embraced each other under the glow of the sun. They had only ever hugged each other in the dark of night when no one could see them. In them, there lay a sorrow and bitterness that only both of them knew. They had sought physical pleasure from each other a lot of times, but it always seemed their intimacy could last no longer than one night. Lowering his head, he stared into her eyes. His voice was husky and gentle wh
Mason’s eyes grew darker. He no longer forced her to stay in his embrace, but he couldn’t resist pulling her closer and holding her tighter. He wanted her to be coated with his scent. In the end, he soothed her softly, “Can I start over and win your heart again, Zoe? I’ll keep trying until you’re willing to come back to me and be my wife.”…In fact, Westley, both of his kids and the servants had already found out about Mason’s full recovery. So, they weren’t surprised by it, but they were grateful about it nonetheless.Today’s lunch was particularly luscious and meaningful. After that, Westley made up an excuse and left. Zoe watched as he left, lost in his own thoughts.Then, she headed to the kitchen to take a bottle of mineral water, but someone beat her to it. A hand reached into the fridge and took the bottle out for her. Raising her eyes, she saw that it was Mason. He, too, seemed to be thinking about something. He asked her, “What’s on your mind?”Having no interest i
Mia spent three nights in the hospital. By the time she was discharged, it was New Year’s Eve and snowflakes had begun swirling in the skies. On the way back in the car, she kept blaming herself. “Age has caught up to me. My legs aren’t working as well as they should! I hate that I keep making your life difficult.“I’ve thought about it, Zoe. I’ll give myself a few more days until Jamie is three years old. Then, I’ll check myself into the retirement home. That way, I’ll be surrounded by people my age and make some friends.”Zoe kept her eyes on the road ahead so she could drive safely, but she said, “How I could let you spend the twilight of your life in an old folks home, Mia?!”She continued softly, “So many things happened lately that I haven’t exactly spent any time with you! Now that Mason’s fully recovered, he could help with the kids and I could take you to travel the world.”Mia remained quiet after that. After a brief moment, she said gently, “He's only just recover
Zoe was stunned.Mia supported herself with a cane and checked on the staff. She couldn’t help but say, “These are all top-notch, imported stuff. They’re the same brands as what we’re used to! He really put some thought into it.” The man in charge smiled. “You’re right, miss! Mr. Mason called us himself and made sure we’d deliver some of the finest things to your doorstep. The seafood and the meat are already prepped. So, you could just ask your servants to start cooking them. The rest of the stuff in the cartons are top-notch as well.”Zoe didn’t send the stuff away. Instead, she graciously accepted them, thanked the deliverymen softly, and gave them some generous tips.The man in charge grinned from ear to ear before he said, “Here’s wishing you and Mr. Mason a happy New Year. May the Heavens watch over you guys and bless your marriage, Ms. Zoe.”She didn’t respond to him. Moments later, the truck left.Her servants started to file out of the villa to move the cartons inside
Furthermore, Mia started to miss Noah when she heard Mason’s voice. Then, she returned the phone to Zoe. Zoe was about to hang up the phone when she heard him saying tenderly, “Happy New Year, Zoe!”For a brief moment, she didn’t say anything. She fell into a trance, thinking about how this was the best new year they had had ever since they knew each other. Waves of both happiness and anguish washed over her. Then, she murmured, “Happy New Year, Mason.”Both of them didn’t hang up the phone. Holding it close to their ears, they listened intently to the light breathing from the other end of their phones. It was soft and gentle, reminiscent of the pleasant wind caressing their ears at the moment. Not long after, her ears began to get warmer. She was worried Mia might notice it, so she hung up frantically. Raising her eyes to check on Mia, she realized her stepmother was staring into space. She couldn’t help but hold her hands and call out to her, “Are you thinking about D
It was warm in the villa. There were no one but old servants in here. So, Zoe didn’t feel awkward about the fact that she was walking around, wearing nothing but sleepwear.The last thing she had expected to find here was Mason and both of her kids. There was another person. Apparently, he brought over a female doctor, who was massaging Mia with some herbs from the South Hinterlands. Mia was really enjoying it. Mason was standing by the side, looking at her. It was the first day of New Year, so he put some thought into his outfit. He wore a white shirt with a three-piece suit and paired it with a coat.Underneath the glow of the crystal chandelier, his defined features appeared more attractive than they usually were, not to mention the enriched charm of his manly eyebrows. He raised his eyes as soon as he heard some footsteps from the stairs. Then, he saw her. She was wearing silk sleepwear that barely covered her private parts. The sunlight shone on her and brought out the
Zion maintained a respectful demeanor and immediately greeted, “Mr. Noah.” Noah, however, didn’t make things difficult for him. He gave a light cough, which could be considered acknowledgment. Then, turning to his youngest daughter, he said, “Go upstairs first. Your mother’s been waiting for you all night; she probably has something to say to you.” Gwen hesitated and didn’t move at first. Zion gently nudged her, his voice soft, “You should go.” Only then did Gwen start to move. But before heading upstairs, she walked over to Noah. As the youngest daughter and the most adept at charming her way out of trouble, she hugged her father. Only then, with visible reluctance, did she head upstairs. Her father’s anger dissipated by more than half after the hug. Watching her go, Noah turned his attention to Zion, his tone calm but firm: “Have a seat. Let’s talk.” Zion immediately sat down and, with practiced ease, poured Noah a cup of tea. Noah feigned irritation and remarked, “
But Gwen was not satisfied.With reddened eyes, she pitifully asked again, "Are you married? Is there someone else by your side? Do you still love me?"As she asked, she was more persistent than before, yet it made the man's heart ache even more.Zion remembered that when they parted ways, Gwen was still an innocent, naive girl. Now, however, she was willing to ask such direct and revealing questions. The braver she became, the more pain he felt in his heart.Zion no longer teased her. He looked into her eyes and answered seriously."No, I'm not married. There's no one else by my side. Her leg healed, and she got married earlier this year. And yes, I still love you. Very much."...Gwen's eyes turned even redder.Her voice trembled as she said, "That doesn't mean I have to be with you. I'm still mad at you."Zion took a step forward and gently wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes. It had been five years, and now she had become a teary little kitten. He remembered how
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