What were the two of them feeling at this moment?One was flustered and conflicted.The other—full of ambition.Anna thought, Grandpa treats me like his own granddaughter. Now that he’s seriously ill and doesn’t have much time left, this is his only wish—how could I bear to refuse?But if she didn’t refuse… did that mean she really had to have a baby?She looked at Kendrick. He was also looking at her.Annabelle could feel her cheeks heating up in an instant.Kendrick’s thoughts were different. Having a baby was something they could take their time with, sure—but now that Grandpa had made it clear, they couldn’t just leave it to fate anymore. It needed to be planned.He hadn’t yet had enough time to enjoy their two-person world.But maybe… adding a little monkey to the mix would make life even more fun?So before Anna could even speak, Kendrick took her hand and turned to Grandpa with resolve:“Don’t worry, Grandpa. We’ll do our best!”The old man nodded in satisfaction, patting his g
When Kendrick said those words, even his breath faltered slightly—something rare for him.This time… it was different.Maybe the urge to reproduce was the most primitive human instinct, something engraved deep into their genes.So just the thought that this time it was for a child made him feel unusually stirred.Annabelle felt it too—but in her case, it came more with anxiety than excitement.Having a baby…To her, it felt like a sacred thing.After all, this was about bringing a whole new life into the world.Just the idea of becoming a mother made it hard for her to adjust.Could I really be a good mom?Once there’s a child, life will completely change… Will I be able to adapt?While her thoughts were still a mess, Kendrick’s sweat was already dripping onto her collarbone, trailing down her chest, soaking the sheets beneath them.Her back was sweaty too, dampening the bed even more.There were still so many things to think about—But in that moment… there wasn’t really time to thin
Kendrick couldn’t help but pull the petite woman into his arms and whisper,“I’ll love you and our baby with everything I’ve got.”Annabelle pushed him away slightly, raising an eyebrow.“We don’t even know if there is a baby yet—you sure talk like it’s already a done deal.”Kendrick chuckled and kissed her forehead gently.How could he tell her that what truly filled his heart with joy wasn’t just the thought of raising a child with her…It was the happiness of being fully accepted by her, completely and unconditionally.While Mr. Gregory was basking in his happiness, Annabelle suddenly remembered something.The Young Master had once warned her not to get pregnant.Because of her health.He had said her body wasn’t in a good enough condition to have a child.But right now, she felt fine.Besides, Kendrick had taken her for a full check-up afterward, and everything had come back normal—except for a little malnutrition...Annabelle closed her eyes.She decided to lock away the Young Ma
Of course Annabelle knew him well—whenever Kendrick said “I’ll try my best,” it was basically code for I probably won’t do it.She was just about to push the topic further when his phone rang. It was the restaurant calling—They were out of chicken wings. Could they swap them for drumsticks?“One moment,” Kendrick said to the caller, then pulled the phone away slightly and turned to Anna.“Babe, no wings. Drumsticks okay?”Annabelle gave him a helpless, slightly amused nod. She was completely speechless at this point—and had zero energy left to argue with him.Fine. Whatever.Kendrick was swamped with work most of the time anyway.These past few days were probably an exception.Once he got busy again, even if he wanted to be frequent, he wouldn't have the time.So she dropped the subject.Half an hour later, the food arrived.They had dinner, clipped the white cat’s claws, and then Annabelle told Kendrick she wasn’t sleepy yet.If he was tired, he could go to bed first—she was heading
“Trey already told me everything,” Grandpa said bluntly. “Anna didn’t even like you at first. You only got her by pestering her non-stop. Even made her show off your so-called love in front of the press and promise she’d never divorce you.”“…”So Uncle Trey’s lips weren’t that sealed after all.Getting called out like that, Kendrick felt a little embarrassed and scratched his head awkwardly.“I did win her over with sincerity, Grandpa. The way you’re telling it, I sound like some sleazy scammer.”Grandpa let out a cold hmph, not exactly denying it.“But I’ll give you this—you’ve got a good eye. Anna’s a solid girl. That’s why I’m in such a rush for you—have a kid sooner, and your lives will settle down more, you get it?”“…Got it.”Grandpa commanded a certain authority at home.No matter how sharp, composed, and cold Kendrick appeared in public, in front of Grandpa, he still had to sit down and listen—no room for rebuttal.But in truth, wanting a child wasn’t about tying Anna down fo
“I didn’t say I wasn’t willing,” Annabelle replied honestly.If Kendrick had asked her this question two months ago, she would’ve said no—without even thinking.Because having a child meant one more bond, one more tie.Back then, she couldn’t even picture a clean break if they ever parted ways.She didn’t believe in their long-term future—not really.Of course, even now, she wasn’t entirely sure.But at least now, she was willing to try.So she no longer held onto the mindset of walking away unscathed.That meant, when it came to the topic of kids, Annabelle wasn’t dodging it anymore.But truthfully—she still wasn’t ready.“I just... I don’t know if I want to be a mom yet,” she said quietly, her voice soft but clear. “And I don’t even know if I’d be good at it.”Her eyes looked up at him, wide and earnest.In the darkness, her eyes sparkled like twin pearls.Kendrick couldn’t help but press a kiss to them.“Don’t be scared,” he murmured. “I’ve never been a dad either. We’ll figure it
In the VIP ballroom of the Imperial Hotel in Elfhedge, a grand engagement party was underway."Let's welcome the groom-to-be and the bride-to-be to have their opening dance!"The groom-to-be, Marvin Gregory, burst into laughter after hearing what the emcee said."Opening dance? You might have thought too highly of that ugly creature!"Upon hearing that, everyone turned to Annabelle Sanchez, the bride-to-be, who had just become a laughingstock.Wearing a veil, she stood quietly on the stage.People started to gossip. Some said that Annabelle, the third girl of the Sanchez family, was disfigured by a fire when she was a child, and she had been living in Springvale Temple in the mountains ever since. She never even went to college.Marvin, on the other hand, was the second eldest son of the Gregory family, handsome and influential. It was reasonable for him to disdain her.That being said, Annabelle was from a prestigious family. Everyone assumed that she was probably on the verge of she
Annabelle was stunned, her brows knitting in confusion.She thought to herself, "It's easy to break off an engagement, yet things are much more complicated when it comes to a divorce. Why bother?'She pondered for a second and said, "OK. But I have a demand."Kendrick smiled helplessly and thought, 'That's rich'But still, he said, "Name it. I can't guarantee you a yes, though."He had a playful expression on his face, making him look like a cunning fox. No one could tell what was on his mind.Annabelle frowned and said righteously, "Sex is definitely off the table after we get married."She looked like a soldier trying to defend her territory. Seeing that, Kendrick couldn't help but grin."Seriously, Ms. Sanchez? You think having sex with me is a loss for you?"Annabelle felt that her cheeks were burning. She thought, 'What a narcissist! Who knows what it's gonna be like? Well, it's true that he is handsome, tall, upright, and dignified in every manner. Yet I'm no nympho, and I don't
“I didn’t say I wasn’t willing,” Annabelle replied honestly.If Kendrick had asked her this question two months ago, she would’ve said no—without even thinking.Because having a child meant one more bond, one more tie.Back then, she couldn’t even picture a clean break if they ever parted ways.She didn’t believe in their long-term future—not really.Of course, even now, she wasn’t entirely sure.But at least now, she was willing to try.So she no longer held onto the mindset of walking away unscathed.That meant, when it came to the topic of kids, Annabelle wasn’t dodging it anymore.But truthfully—she still wasn’t ready.“I just... I don’t know if I want to be a mom yet,” she said quietly, her voice soft but clear. “And I don’t even know if I’d be good at it.”Her eyes looked up at him, wide and earnest.In the darkness, her eyes sparkled like twin pearls.Kendrick couldn’t help but press a kiss to them.“Don’t be scared,” he murmured. “I’ve never been a dad either. We’ll figure it
“Trey already told me everything,” Grandpa said bluntly. “Anna didn’t even like you at first. You only got her by pestering her non-stop. Even made her show off your so-called love in front of the press and promise she’d never divorce you.”“…”So Uncle Trey’s lips weren’t that sealed after all.Getting called out like that, Kendrick felt a little embarrassed and scratched his head awkwardly.“I did win her over with sincerity, Grandpa. The way you’re telling it, I sound like some sleazy scammer.”Grandpa let out a cold hmph, not exactly denying it.“But I’ll give you this—you’ve got a good eye. Anna’s a solid girl. That’s why I’m in such a rush for you—have a kid sooner, and your lives will settle down more, you get it?”“…Got it.”Grandpa commanded a certain authority at home.No matter how sharp, composed, and cold Kendrick appeared in public, in front of Grandpa, he still had to sit down and listen—no room for rebuttal.But in truth, wanting a child wasn’t about tying Anna down fo
Of course Annabelle knew him well—whenever Kendrick said “I’ll try my best,” it was basically code for I probably won’t do it.She was just about to push the topic further when his phone rang. It was the restaurant calling—They were out of chicken wings. Could they swap them for drumsticks?“One moment,” Kendrick said to the caller, then pulled the phone away slightly and turned to Anna.“Babe, no wings. Drumsticks okay?”Annabelle gave him a helpless, slightly amused nod. She was completely speechless at this point—and had zero energy left to argue with him.Fine. Whatever.Kendrick was swamped with work most of the time anyway.These past few days were probably an exception.Once he got busy again, even if he wanted to be frequent, he wouldn't have the time.So she dropped the subject.Half an hour later, the food arrived.They had dinner, clipped the white cat’s claws, and then Annabelle told Kendrick she wasn’t sleepy yet.If he was tired, he could go to bed first—she was heading
Kendrick couldn’t help but pull the petite woman into his arms and whisper,“I’ll love you and our baby with everything I’ve got.”Annabelle pushed him away slightly, raising an eyebrow.“We don’t even know if there is a baby yet—you sure talk like it’s already a done deal.”Kendrick chuckled and kissed her forehead gently.How could he tell her that what truly filled his heart with joy wasn’t just the thought of raising a child with her…It was the happiness of being fully accepted by her, completely and unconditionally.While Mr. Gregory was basking in his happiness, Annabelle suddenly remembered something.The Young Master had once warned her not to get pregnant.Because of her health.He had said her body wasn’t in a good enough condition to have a child.But right now, she felt fine.Besides, Kendrick had taken her for a full check-up afterward, and everything had come back normal—except for a little malnutrition...Annabelle closed her eyes.She decided to lock away the Young Ma
When Kendrick said those words, even his breath faltered slightly—something rare for him.This time… it was different.Maybe the urge to reproduce was the most primitive human instinct, something engraved deep into their genes.So just the thought that this time it was for a child made him feel unusually stirred.Annabelle felt it too—but in her case, it came more with anxiety than excitement.Having a baby…To her, it felt like a sacred thing.After all, this was about bringing a whole new life into the world.Just the idea of becoming a mother made it hard for her to adjust.Could I really be a good mom?Once there’s a child, life will completely change… Will I be able to adapt?While her thoughts were still a mess, Kendrick’s sweat was already dripping onto her collarbone, trailing down her chest, soaking the sheets beneath them.Her back was sweaty too, dampening the bed even more.There were still so many things to think about—But in that moment… there wasn’t really time to thin
What were the two of them feeling at this moment?One was flustered and conflicted.The other—full of ambition.Anna thought, Grandpa treats me like his own granddaughter. Now that he’s seriously ill and doesn’t have much time left, this is his only wish—how could I bear to refuse?But if she didn’t refuse… did that mean she really had to have a baby?She looked at Kendrick. He was also looking at her.Annabelle could feel her cheeks heating up in an instant.Kendrick’s thoughts were different. Having a baby was something they could take their time with, sure—but now that Grandpa had made it clear, they couldn’t just leave it to fate anymore. It needed to be planned.He hadn’t yet had enough time to enjoy their two-person world.But maybe… adding a little monkey to the mix would make life even more fun?So before Anna could even speak, Kendrick took her hand and turned to Grandpa with resolve:“Don’t worry, Grandpa. We’ll do our best!”The old man nodded in satisfaction, patting his g
The old man had been about to scold his eldest grandson—Your wife was hospitalized for poisoning, and you still had the nerve to stay home?!But as he thought about it a bit more, something didn’t add up.His granddaughter-in-law said she’d come into contact with a poisonous plant by the seaside and had only just recovered, arriving at the estate this morning.Meanwhile, Han Ye—this brat—had been moping around at home these past couple of days, burning up with fever, looking totally out of it.Could it be… the two of them had a fight?The old man sipped his tea, glanced at his granddaughter-in-law, then at his grandson.Speaking of which, he thought, these two have been married for over half a year, almost a year now. And still no sign of wanting a child.Was it a lack of emotional foundation? Or were they planning to just play around for a couple more years?Anna was still young, sure—no rush.But Kendrick had just turned 31 after the New Year. How was he not in a hurry?Besides, hav
Kendrick said seriously, “Your stomach’s been empty for two days. If you eat this right away, it might hurt. I’ll have the staff bring up something warm and easy to digest.”As he spoke, he picked up the cordless phone by the bed and made a call downstairs.And while he was at it, he took the strawberries with him.Annabelle followed him off the bed, trying to sneak one from the plate—only to have her hand gently smacked by the sly old fox. Smack.The little bunny puffed up her cheeks and withdrew her hand, sulking.She plopped down on the sofa outside and waited obediently for her meal.Kendrick hung up and sat across from her, leisurely eating the strawberries one by one, clearly enjoying himself.The bunny’s cheeks puffed out more and more, like she was hiding a whole carrot in there.It was rare to see Anna getting this worked up over food. Kendrick felt both amused and a little guilty.Eventually, unable to resist her furious little glare, he relented and offered her one strawber
Kendrick raised an eyebrow, looking down at Marvin from above. "You want to meddle in your brother and sister-in-law's sex life too?"The word “sister-in-law” stung like a needle in Marvin’s chest.He stepped up two stairs until he was eye-level with Kendrick. "Don't get cocky. I’ll make sure Anna sees the real you soon enough."Kendrick gave a mocking laugh. "I'll be waiting."With that, he popped another strawberry into his mouth—this one tasted especially sweet.Meanwhile, Marvin stormed out of the Gregory estate and walked toward the lake. After checking that no one was around, he dialed a number.It took a while for the other end to pick up."What’s going on? Why did you take so long to answer?""Geez, Second Young Master, can you cut me some slack? I’ve had stomach pains all night, didn’t sleep a wink. I’m trying to catch up on sleep now, okay?"Marvin remembered—this unfortunate little reporter was already in the late stages of cancer. He hadn’t known at first, but one day