It was a call from the private eye he hired. “Liam didn’t fly to Seridian, Mr. Noah.”His face grew cold, “Where did he go?”The private eye hesitated a little before saying, “I can’t track him for the time being!”“Keep at it!”Then, he hung up the phone. Brushing his lean fingers across the phone, he realized that while his heart might’ve grown warm earlier, it turned cold once more. After that, he treated Gwynn coldly. He never pestered her to have sex with him, unlike the nights they spent in Silvercrest. He’d come home late every night. That didn’t bother her, though. After all, she needed to make a lot of arrangements and get a lot of things done. Needless to say, Noah wasn’t a part of any of her plans. …A week later, Gwynn went shopping with Gladys. She told the old servant that she needed to buy some clothes for her little boy. Gladys happily agreed to it. She wanted to go shopping too.However, she was shocked to see that her mistress hadn’t only bought clot
Bending over, Gwynn picked up the painkillers one by one. She said softly, “They’re for my stomach! I’ve been having some gastric problems lately!”It was a perfectly logical explanation. That convinced Gladys. Then, the old servant helped her mistress pick up the remaining painkillers. She said, “Now that you’re back in Brookesville, I think you’re going to start having some quiet life. You have to think about Lorian and take good care of yourself, Ms. Gwynn.”In fact, she knew Gwynn had a reason for not telling her the truth. So, she whispered, “Mr. Noah has a foul temper. Sometimes, going along with his wishes will make your life easier.”Gwynn knew the old servant meant well. “Okay.”Then, she continued to beg Gladys to keep both of the passbooks for her. In the end, the old servant agreed to keep them for the time being. “I appreciate your faith in me, Ms. Gwynn. I’ll keep them for you. Keep in mind that you can take them back anytime you wish!”The way she saw it, Gwynn mu
Opening his eyes, he was surprised to find that it was Gianna!She was sitting on his lap brazenly and holding him tightly, gyrating against him subtly. He didn’t let it bother him. Instead, he leisurely pulled out a packet of cigarettes from his front pocket, took one of them out, and smoked it.Wisps of green smoke rose in the air. Squinting, he glanced at the lady, who leaning on his chest, and fondled her ample bosom with one hand. He said in an absentminded and mocking tone, “You’re with someone now. Are you sure it’s a good idea to have an affair with me? Aren’t you worried that he might find out?”They might’ve parted on bad terms, but the fact remained that they had been sleeping together with each other for three years. So, they knew each other’s bodies like the back of their hands. Gianna was turned on in less than a minute. Sitting on his lap, she allowed herself to succumb to the pleasure he was giving her, hoping that he would do more than just grope her. Leanin
However, Kim still spoke to him respectfully. “Alright, Mr. Noah! I’ll see that it’s done.”She still retained some dignity as a lady. She couldn’t be bothered to look at Gianna’s disheveled state.As far as she was concerned, Gianna was despicable and pathetic!…It was the dead of night by the time he returned to the villa. The moment he went into the master bedroom, he realized everything was different there. The curtains had been swapped out for the fine linen gauze, sporting lilac patterns on its surface. They were smooth and silky, gracefully clinging onto the gauze. The moonlight shone into the room, gentle and smooth.There were some knitting yarn and boy's clothes in the private lounge. Reaching out and touching them, he realized that they were too baggy for Lorian. A chuckle escaped him. This was the first time Gwynn was a mother. She didn’t exactly have any experience taking care of kids in the past, either. That was probably why she made so many bad purchases o
Noah’s tone became warmer. “Did you buy this for me?”Before Gwynn could answer, he said, “There’s no need to knit things on your own. It’s a lot easier to buy what you need.” Her face was pale when she sat up and took the ball of yarn from him. Then, she ran her fingers over its smooth, soft surface longingly. She hesitated for a while before she spoke. “I bought it for Lorian!”Noah’s face immediately froze. He composed himself and forced a smile on his face. “Sounds about right! After all, you’ve only ever done things for him!”He just couldn’t wrap his head around her. He said coldly, “I’m going to hop in the shower.”…Noah couldn’t get any warmth or sense of belonging from his wife, and he certainly wasn’t going to deprive himself of sex. So, he hooked up with Gianna.Their secret affair was still going strong after three months. At first, he let her do most of the work. As time went by, however, he also started getting into it. There was even once when they went o
In the end, Noah got what he wanted. The gentle beam from the morning sun shone into the bedroom through the satin curtain and showered the room in mellow, pleasant rays.Gwynn lay on the white bed, her thin and fragile frame doing nothing to diminish her graceful looks. She wore a blank expression as Noah thrust repeatedly into her, fully engrossed in the act. This was one of the few times he was uncharacteristically gentle with her. “Beep!”“Beep!”…At that moment, her phone, which was right next to the pillow, received texts relentlessly.Noah was still driving his manhood into her while she reached for it. It just so happened that the moment she turned her body, she hit him in the sweet spots and made the sex all the more exhilarating for him. Smacking her phone away, he stopped her from taking it. His voice was incredibly husky when he said, “Get your head in this!”The fact was that she didn’t feel a thing. She was living on borrowed time. So, how was she supposed
Gwynn no longer cared about saving herself. All she wanted was to find Lorian a safe place and a loving caretaker for now. That was all she wanted. Noah was broken because of hatred and there was simply no place for love in his heart. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been where they were today. For that matter, he wouldn’t have done something so outrageous with Gianna. Tears streamed down Gwynn’s face. It was Lorian’s birthday today. She was supposed to be celebrating it with her son. It was supposed to be a happy day.Noah hadn’t relented even after she cast away her dignity and begged him.Reaching out, he brushed her cheeks gently and felt the cold dampness of her tears. Towering over her, he said ever so softly, “Lorian is my son!”Shocked, she slumped onto the floor. …He walked out of the bathroom and left her on the bathroom floor. Much time had passed but she still couldn’t bring herself to stand up. She was trapped in a trance. They had been through so much that s
A black Rolls-Royce pulled over at an apartment in one of the upscale neighborhoods in Brookesville. Noah didn’t get out of the car immediately. Instead, he took his time and smoked a cigarette first. He was recalling how Gwynn had held onto his feet and spoke to him in a trembling voice, begging him to let her go with Lorian in her arms.She wanted to give Lorian to Liam. Failing that, she wanted to give up their son to Zoe and Mason. The point was that she didn’t want him to raise Lorian. Perhaps, all he was to her was a scumbag!Wisps of grey smoke rose in the air. He waited until the smoke dissipated before he got out of the car.…With a burdened mind, he skipped the elevator altogether and climbed the stairs all the way to the twenty-second floor. Finally, he stood before her apartment and rang the doorbell. Moments later, Gianna came over and opened the door. Obviously, she dressed to impress, as evidenced by her delicate makeup and her provocative sleeping gown. Lea
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
Zion could sense Gwen’s cautiousness and chuckled softly. Then, he cupped her face and planted a firm kiss on her lips. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you. We agreed to save that for our wedding night. Besides, I just drank last night, so I probably wouldn’t be much use. I want your first time to be special, so I’ll make sure I’m well-prepared.” Gwen’s cheeks turned crimson. She buried her face in his chest, mumbling, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” How peculiar! Back then, even though they were together, their relationship had always been proper and restrained. But now, here they were, sharing a bed, their bodies so intimately close it was both thrilling and embarrassing. Gwen had never experienced this before. Zion seemed to understand her thoughts. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “I haven’t either. Before the wedding night, I’ll make sure to study hard.” Gwen didn’t dare ask how he planned to “study,” though she had a pretty good idea—i
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