Dorothy was taken aback first by Jean's questioning, but she quickly recovered. "Why are you looking for her?" she asked softly.Jean gave her mother a flat stare before she went farther into the house.The maids were still clearing up the mess on the floor, while Joyce just so happened to be walking down the stairwell. A smile was on her face, bright as the sun. Gone was her rage from earlier."Welcome back, Jean."Jean shot the same flat stare at her sister. She then narrowed her eyes. "Dorian isn't your son, is he?" Joyce pursed her lips but didn't answer right away. Instead, she waited until she had reached the first floor before saying, "Did Tyler finally tell you?"She then went to sit on the couch, not a hint of panic on her face.Jean nearly snarled. "So he really isn't." Her twin sister nodded. "Yes, he isn't. Tyler brought him back four years ago into the family. He's Dorian's father, without a doubt."Jean's hands balled into fists by her side.Seeing how Joyc
When Jean left the Michaels family's residence, she spotted a car that belonged to the Larson family on the outskirts of the neighborhood. Tyler wouldn't be here. He was in the hospital.Jean walked forward and noticed Dorian in the car, waving excitedly at her.Her heart nearly melted upon seeing him. "Dorian," she called softly, a tear rolling down her cheek.How she wished he was her son. Maybe there might be a ray of sunshine in her dark, depressing life then.Dorian frantically wiped away her tears. "Why are you crying, Aunt Jean? Are you angry at me?"Jean shook her head, reaching in to lift Dorian out from the car. "No, of course not. I just remembered some really sad things, that's all."The boy sighed. "Did someone bully you? You can tell me. I'll tell Mr. Bodyguard to keep you safe!"Jean eyed the bodyguards standing close by, alongside Albert. "It's okay. I wasn't bullied.""Then why are you crying?" Dorian asked worriedly.Jean bit her lip, unsure how to answe
Dorian's red-rimmed eyes made it hard for Jean to concentrate. She said gently, "Don't cry, sweetie. If you cry, I'll start crying."The boy quickly nodded, wiping away his tears."I understand now, Aunt Jean. You don't wanna marry Dad cause you don't like him, right? That's why you can't be my mom, right?"Jean's lip had been bitten raw by the time she nodded, hoping Dorian would give up on the topic.Yet the boy then said something unexpected."But can't you try to like Dad for my sake, Aunt Jean?"That left Jean speechless and Albert holding back a grin.If Tyler was as endearing as his son, Jean would've returned to Teak Villa long ago.Jean was left gasping for air after the whole conversation with Dorian. She didn't know how it happened, but she ended up agreeing to give Tyler another chance.When Albert drove Jean back home, Dorian fell asleep on her lap."We're here, Ms. Michaels—" Albert began but was stopped by Jean pressing a finger to her lips. Only now did t
Jean stood there for quite some time before Tyler and Dorian finally noticed her.Dorian immediately threw away the soccer ball. Running up to Jean, he hugged her leg. "Aunt Jean, are you here to visit Dad?"Jean had just realized that Tyler had already been discharged from the hospital.Seeing Dorian's hopeful look, Jean pressed her lips together. Then, she said in a low voice, "I'm here to see you."Dorian's face lit up. "Did you miss me too, Aunt Jean? Like how I missed you a few days ago? I wanted to see you so badly."Jean teared up as she nodded solemnly. Then, she squatted to talk to Dorian. "Yeah, I missed you so much."She had been missing him for five long years.Dorian saw her tears. Confused, he immediately helped her wipe them away.But he was playing soccer only minutes ago. So when his fingers touched Jean's tears, he left a stain on her face.Dorian grew anxious at the sight. He then used his shirt to wipe it off. "Don't cry, Aunt Jean."Jean hugged Dorian tig
Jean had an outburst. Her gaze was fixed on Tyler, full of hatred.Every night for the past five years, she would see the delivery room in her dreams. She would dream of the first time she saw the baby she birthed, but it was only a glimpse.Then, she hadn't seen her baby again for five whole years. She even thought that would be the last time she saw him.She demanded, "Tyler Larson, what gives you the right to do that to me? What have I done wrong?"Jean wept quietly as she spoke. "I wasn't the one who signed the contract with you. I wasn't the one after your riches. Why can't you just let me go? Why can't you just let my son go?"Tyler sighed when he saw the hurt look on Jean's face. Moving to her, he hugged her and apologized softly, "I'm sorry."Jean continued weeping.Outside the study, Dorian was frowning.Albert noticed that the argument had died down and turned to Dorian. "Dorian, don't worry. Mr. Tyler will handle this."Dorian looked up at Albert, his eyes full of c
Jean's heart softened when she heard what Dorian said.But she couldn't forget how Tyler had treated her these years. He even stole her son from her.Tyler noted her evident contempt for him, and his face darkened. He said emotionlessly, "You can stay here tonight. I'll leave."As he spoke, he rose and left the dining room.Soon, Jean heard the whir of the car's engine as he left.Dorian remained in his seat with mixed feelings.Jean bit her lip. Seeing how crestfallen Dorian was, she was suddenly at a loss for words.Fortunately, Dorian seemed to forget about that incident several moments later. He led Jean to his room.Dorian had never experienced his mother's company firsthand.Although Joyce would accompany him occasionally, she didn't do so sincerely.Now that Jean was beside him, Dorian felt exceptionally joyful.It was late at night when Jean realized her son was asleep.Her brows knitted slightly as her gaze fell on Dorian. She wore a faint smile, but her eyes were
Jean was unrelenting, maintaining her composure as she confronted Coleen.Coleen grew even angrier when she heard Jean's bold statement.Some people would rack their brains to get married to one of the Larsons. But Coleen felt Jean's attitude was more infuriating than them."You'd better remember what you said today," Coleen warned. She then pulled Dorian toward herself. "Dorian, a mother like her will only teach you the wrong ways of life. You should come live with me from now on."Dorian's face fell. Peeved, he immediately returned to Jean and looked at Coleen. "Grandma, please don't speak ill of my mom."Coleen's face changed when Dorian chose to side with Jean.She had tried to make things difficult for Joyce before, yet Dorian never spoke up for Joyce no matter what she did.Coleen inhaled deeply, annoyed.Jean looked at Dorian and said softly, "Dorian, don't speak to your grandmother like that. She's doing this because she and I have a misunderstanding. She won't say that
"Dorian, I'll be heading for work this afternoon. Go with Grandma and be a good boy at Larson Residence, okay?"Although Dorian looked reluctant to leave Jean, he nodded obediently.Then, he asked Coleen, "Grandma, can Mom join us for dinner at Larson Residence? I think Great Grandma may want to meet Mom, too."Coleen looked solemn as she listened to Dorian. Then, she told Jean, "You're Dorian's birth mother, after all. Join us for the family dinner tonight. My mother-in-law may want to meet you."She found this turn of events unbelievable. But Jean was Dorian's biological mother. Judy would discover the truth sooner or later.Jean accepted her invitation. "Okay."It had been long since she last saw Judy.When she lived at Larson Residence, Judy had been very nice to her.Coleen grew sullen when Jean agreed to join the dinner. She then looked at Dorian. "Dorian, see your mother off," she said in a low voice.Dorian obediently looked at Jean and tugged her hand, saying softly,
Even though Lukas was now back together with her, Jenny could clearly feel that their relationship could never return to the way it had been in the past. After spending some time with Lukas, Jenny felt that Lukas' heart no longer belonged to her.Once Conner and Robin were done packing up Alina's belongings at the hospital, they made their way to Robin's car. Robin drove them to her apartment. Upon seeing where they were heading, Conner said to Robin softly, "Roo, I won't be going back to your apartment."Upon hearing this, Robin looked confused. Before she could ask why, Conner added softly, "I want to return to Swiree."Robin was taken aback for a moment. Then, she replied, "Dad, you really don't need to rush back home."Conner had already sold the family business in Swiree when Alina was hospitalized in Henkel. As such, Robin had not expected to hear Conner tell her that he wanted to return to Swiree."Just stay here," Robin said.Upon hearing that, Conner sighed softly and
After Alina passed away, her body was taken to the funeral home the next morning.Alina had instructed Conner to keep her funeral simple after her death.After Alina was hospitalized, Conner showed her a grave site according to her wishes.A van from the funeral home came to the hospital the next morning to take Alina's body to the funeral home.Upon hearing the news, Jean and Tyler rushed to the hospital and accompanied Robin there.On the way to the funeral home, Tyler tried to call Terence. However, Terence did not answer.Tyler had to call Wilson to inform Terence of what had happened.Only a handful of relatives and friends attended the funeral to pay their respects to Alina.With Jean and Tyler's help, Alina's funeral wasn't much trouble to set up.Terence received the news of Alina's death in the afternoon. Only then did he rush to the funeral home.When Terence arrived, Alina's remains had already been cremated and placed in an urn.He walked over to Robin. When he s
Robin's call managed to go through, but no one answered her call even after a long while.Robin gradually tightened the grip she had on her phone. She tried to maintain her composure while holding the phone.After what seemed like ages, Terence finally answered her call."Roo, why are you still up?"Terence's gentle voice came through in the end. His tone was tinged with a hint of exhaustion.Upon hearing his voice, Robin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.Seeing that Terence had ended up answering her call, she supposed there weren't any problems to worry about."Yeah, I haven't gone to sleep yet. I'm still—"Robin was about to tell Terence that she was still at the hospital.However, Terence quickly interjected, "I'm still at the hospital now."Upon hearing Terence's words, Robin unconsciously tightened her grip on her phone. Her heart quivered in fear for a moment.She suddenly felt insecure.Robin hummed in acknowledgment and asked, "Is Ms. Blake not doing well?"Robi
Robin's response was in no way problematic.From her response, it was clear how cautious and serious she was when dealing with matters of the heart.Brian sighed and looked at Robin deeply.However, Robin deliberately avoided Brian's gaze at this moment.She didn't want him to waste his time on her. Robin certainly didn't want Brian's friendship with Terence to be negatively affected because of her.Seeing that Robin was deliberately avoiding his gaze, Brian curled his lips into a small smile and said softly, "You don't need to be so wary of me. I'm not going to force you to help me."I'm glad to see that you're going steady with Terence. I'm looking forward to attending your guys' wedding."Upon hearing this, Robin pursed her lips lightly. She let out a calm smile and replied, "Well, then you'll have to spend quite some time waiting."Brian turned to look at Robin. He had a tender expression on his face as he said, "Don't worry, I know Terence very well. I'm certain he'll marr
Robin couldn't help looking surprised upon seeing Brian dressed in formal attire. He looked somewhat weary."Mr. Collins," Robin greeted.Brian nodded slightly in response and walked over to her side.He whispered, "I heard that Aunt Alina isn't doing very well, so I came to check on you guys. Don't be too upset if you can help it."Upon hearing this, Robin pursed her lips. She replied in a soft voice, "I already expected this to happen, so I'm not too upset by it. I just feel a bit helpless at the moment."Although Robin had already anticipated this outcome, she couldn't change it.Robin sighed as a hint of grief filled her eyes.Brian walked over to sit beside her. His tone was gentle as he said, "Death is inevitable for everyone, after all. People either die from old age or sickness. Try to take it easy."Aunt Alina probably wouldn't want you to be so upset either."Robin nodded and turned her gaze toward Brian. When she noticed that was wearing a suit, she asked, "Where we
During her conversation with Alina, Robin had already tried her best to keep her emotions under control. She did not expect Alina to get so worked up.Robin simply didn't want Alina to use her past as an example to educate Robin.After all, everybody was living a different life.Robin would never settle for second best.Robin sat quietly as the doctor continued talking. But she didn't hear a word he said. Noticing Robin's low spirits, Conner said softly to her after the doctor left, "Roo, don't burden yourself with all this. This day was bound to come sooner or later."Although Conner was trying to comfort Robin, his voice was hoarse and contained a hint of melancholy that he failed to conceal.Robin took a deep breath. With her reddened, teary eyes, she told Conner, "I shouldn't have argued with her knowing she was sick. With her current state, it's my fault that I insisted on my point."Conner sighed with a hint of helplessness in his expression. He avoided Robin's eyes and
Robin took a deep breath and said softly, "Don't worry about Chandler. Terence will handle it."After all, Chandler raised Terence like a son despite not being blood-related. The bond between them was too strong for Terence to ignore."Just focus on getting better."Alina went silent for a while. Robin chose not to say anything further either.She wanted to end the discussion in Alina's silence. But to her surprise, Alina uttered hesitantly after a long pause, "No, Terence will not care about Chandler."If Terence helps Chandler out, Weiss Group will face setbacks. Terence prioritizes his interests above all else. He won't care about Chandler. I…"Robin watched Alina getting worked up as she continued talking. Robin couldn't help but feel bad.However, she couldn't pinpoint her feelings. Did she feel bad because after all these years, Alina still cared about Chandler? Or was it because Conner's effort was being overlooked by Alina?Even though Chandler was her biological father
Conner had been working tirelessly to take care of the family. Even now that Alina fell ill, he cared for her selflessly."I should go back and check on your mom. If not, she'll wake up and find herself alone."Robin felt bad watching Conner's silhouette. She and Conner went back to the ward together. Sure enough, Alina was already awake.Robin sat on the couch and felt a mix of emotions as she watched Conner care for Alina devotedly.Alina had finished her medicine for the day, and Conner needed to get her the newly prescribed medicine from the pharmacy. So, Robin stayed back to keep Alina company.Robin kept her gaze fixed on Alina's weary face and asked softly, "Mom, do you want me to end up like you?"Alina paused for a moment after listening to Robin as a hint of confusion flashed in her eyes. Clearly, she did not understand the meaning of Robin's words.Robin took a deep breath to control her own emotions and continued softly, "I was referring to finding a man who takes
Terence was waiting at a traffic light, so his surroundings were noisy. As Robin's voice was very soft, Terence couldn't quite make out what she was saying. "I'm heading to the hospital to check on her now. How are things with your mom?" Terence repeated his question to Robin again. Robin went silent. She had already decided to be with Terence, and he had also publicly clarified that nothing was happening between him and Monica. So, it would be childish of her to ask the question again because he had already made things clear. Robin's lips were pressed together, and her expression had reverted back to normal. She said, "She's fine here. Don't worry about it." She then murmured softly under her breath, "I'll call you back later. Drive safely." As soon as she finished talking, she immediately ended the call. Terence didn't give it much thought after Robin ended the call. He turned the engine on and drove off to the hospital to visit Monica. Robin stood in the cor