Julian immediately protested. “I would never do that! How could you think of me that way?”That was true. Julian might be a doting father, but he couldn’t possibly be that extreme. Diana knew she was overthinking things.The next moment, Julian showed her the true definition of being extreme.Julian smiled wickedly. His expression was a mixture of smugness, the unwillingness of a father to part with his daughter, and determination. “I won’t break them apart. I’ll just make sure she doesn’t even have a boyfriend to begin with!”Not just that.He crouched, and looked at Betty. “When you grow up, I’ll set a curfew for you. If you don’t come home by seven in the evening, I’ll go wherever you are to look for you.”How was he behaving like a father? He was behaving more like a stalker and a control freak! Diana couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him.She looked at Julian doubtfully. “Are you being serious?” “I am,” Julian said, as he looked at Betty with an arched brow. “If you do
It was like a shining, unpolluted pond reflected the rays of sunlight.Even after being steeped in the entertainment industry for so long, her clean and pure aura remained preserved.At that moment, a certain thought came to Oliver. Perhaps the script was merely a coincidence.Fanny loved him so much. She couldn’t possibly lie to him.Oliver felt relieved.Fanny grew anxious upon seeing Oliver falling silent.This movie was a major project for her studio this year, and a lot of funds had been invested in it. If it failed, her assets would be in the red.No one was more concerned with the success of the movie than Fanny herself. Oliver’s attitude toward the movie made her, the investor and producer, very nervous.“Oliver,” Fanny called after he remained silent for a long while.She thought he had major objections against the movie and was too embarrassed to say it.On impulse, she acted out a segment of the script. Her intention was to put Oliver in the mood, and urge him to b
“That way, it’ll be the same as how you harmed my parents and forced me to be indebted to you for adopting me!“You killed my parents, so I’ll just take the life of one of your family members! “How nice. It’s a good deal for your family!”This wasn’t the Fanny Smith that Oliver knew!The Fanny Smith he knew was pure, innocent and kind. She was genuinely thoughtful toward him, and loved him very much.But right now, Fanny was looking at him with pure hatred.The scariest part was her words.Kill his child?!The thunder outside seemed to boom in Oliver’s heart, impacting him so strongly it shook him to the core of his soul. Even his fingers started trembling.“What did you say?” He stared at her, his eyes and his voice strained with disbelief. “You’re pregnant?”Intense uneasiness was buried in overwhelming disbelief. It was mixed with anxiety that he could hardly bring under control.As well as…The same irrevocable hatred she felt!They had a child! He was going to be a
Oliver couldn’t fall asleep.He stood up, and walked to the balcony to smoke a cigarette. Smoke billowed around him.He hadn’t smoked for a while, and suddenly found the smoking choking. His throat even started itching as he coughed a few times.Oliver looked back at the woman lying on the bed in the room. He thought back to what happened on the bed just now.The chemistry between them and the impact brought to the depths of the soul made him lift his hand and stub out the cigarette.Ever since he saw Julian last time, he had been getting better at coaxing Fanny.Fanny never brought up what she overheard from the conversation between him and Master Channing.They seem to be ignoring the blurry past laden with hidden bombs.That made Oliver mistakenly think that he had a peaceful, quiet, and respectful marriage.Yet, today…Fanny’s so-called acting destroyed his previous thinking.Was her acting…really so good?Oliver couldn’t hold himself back from calling Julian.At that
Oliver didn’t expect Julian to ask him to beg him.Well, he wouldn’t do it.He pondered for a moment before hanging up.Julian was about to open his mouth to say something, when he saw his screen darken.“Hello?” he yelled, but he didn’t receive any response.That Oliver Channing!He couldn’t even adapt to circumstances for the sake of his wife! Did he really want to be a good husband? It seemed Oliver and Fanny had a long way to go! Even more so for Oliver, if he wanted to be a good husband like Julian!Back at the Channing household, Oliver didn’t call Julian again after hanging up.His face turned even colder. It was just a matter of figuring out whether Fanny was pregnant. Was that so hard for a doctor like him?Oliver left the balcony and looked at Fanny, who was still asleep. He stared at her stomach for a long time, before going to the study and retrieving his work journal.In it was some information regarding pregnant ladies and labor in it.Reading through it co
Yet…Crash!Noel, who almost shut his eyes, took a few hasty steps back as the bouquet fell from his hands. The bright red roses scattered on the floor, looking just like sorrowful tears.“Mrs… Mrs. Jarvis…?” Noel almost lost his tongue as he stuttered, his hands trembling.Damn it!Thankfully, he didn’t end up kissing her. Otherwise, things would have ended in a tragedy.Noel’s eyes widened as he spoke, his throat parched. “Why…why…”Before he could bring himself to ask her why Sue was here, she stood up.She was wearing a pair of heels and a dark-colored tweed two-piece suit. Noel could see traces of Cecilia in her, but there was an air of matured, dignified grace about her.Her eyes weren’t vicious, but her stare was akin to the lash of a whip. His face turned bright red from the scrutiny. “The brooch on your chest,” Sue said, ignoring Noel’s rude attempt at kissing her.She simply looked at him calmly.“It’s Julian’s reward for you, no? He bought this brooch at a sky-h
Sue didn’t know what to say when she saw how quickly he took the money.She couldn’t utter the words she had prepared beforehand.She could only nod and say, “Okay.”Noel smiled; he pushed the check back to Sue, his eyes bright and forthright. “Were you hoping I would say that?”Sue was stunned. “What do you mean?”That was 450 thousand dollars he was talking about!The last time she went to the countryside to take Cecilia back, she saw the conditions Noel’s family lived in.Although Albert Carter had served as a butler at the Fulcher household for a long time, he probably didn’t bring home much money.The houses in Richburgh were expensive. Sue didn’t believe that working for someone was enough for him to afford a house. As for Noel…He was a capable man indeed. The fact that he managed to stay by Julian’s side for so long was proof of his skills.Yet, no matter how capable he was, the maximum he could earn would be about 300 to 450 thousand dollars a year.“If you don’t
He simply requested to talk to Cecilia.He said it neither in a servile manner nor with an air of arrogance.Sue was more interested in Noel in his current state compared to when he was stuttering just moments ago.A pity that one’s family background couldn’t be changed. His parents were doomed to be a mark that couldn’t be erased since his birth. No matter how outstanding a butler’s son was, he couldn’t be compared to a rich heir of a wealthy family.That was especially since Noel was inextricably linked to the Fulcher family.Sue thought of Jim Hughes.The thought of those people who couldn’t escape death the moment they got involved with him made her shudder with fear. When she next looked at Noel, the admiration in her eyes vanished.“Fine. I’ll let Cecilia tell you herself,” Sue said as she dialed the number to the landline in her house.Cecilia answered the call in no time.“Hello,” she greeted a second after the phone rang.Noel said, “It’s me.”Cecilia was on the ver
“Life is all about reconciliation.” Decades passed in the blink of an eye. Diana’s children had all grown up.Kate and Isaac had both passed away. Even Diana’s old friends, Fanny and Oliver, had left the world too.Fanny was never able to get pregnant again after that rainy night. She had gradually let go of her desire to get pregnant under Oliver’s persuasion.They stayed relentlessly by each other’s side, albeit childless. Over the years, having experienced all that life had to offer and being each other’s best friend, Oliver died on a peaceful night, never awaking again.Fanny held his hand while sending him off, and closed her eyes forever as well.Diana had seen too many people off in her lifetime.She had grown old herself, too. She could see her life slowly ebbing away.“Julian, I’m so happy to have lived my life with you.” She had transformed from a disgraced young woman to Mrs. Fulcher, respected by all in Richburgh. Julian even took care of her in person when she
He blurted those words instinctively.He had been waiting so long for a pair of daughters, yet when the doctor came over, he saw a pair of sons instead.Diana thought the hospital must have made a mistake and kicked up a fuss, insisting that she had a pair of daughters. She insisted for them to check the footage from the surveillance camera to see if there was a mix-up. The culprit, Julian, could only stand guiltily at a corner and mumble, “Actually…sons are fine too.”As long as it was their children, it didn’t matter whether they were girls or boys. Either way, Diana was the only woman he loved his entire life. Even his love for his only daughter Betty didn’t match up to that.After witnessing Diana giving birth, Julian’s love for Diana went up a notch, to the point of paranoia.For the rest of their lives, he made sure to never let her worry or touch cold water.He took great care of her.Kate finally appeared two years after Diana gave birth.When the mother and daughter
Nina mentioned the Jenningses. “The Jennings family is gone overnight, just like that.”Diana wasn’t shocked.She guessed that Julian had wanted to do that for a while. Not just for her and to seek justice for the Lemmington family, but also for Simon.Although Julian never allowed Simon to call him his brother, he had wanted to annihilate everything that was involved with the Hughes family since Simon’s death.Him making his move on the Jenningses indicated that the time had come.“Congratulations,” Diana said to Nina. “Has Vans come back to you?”“No,” Nina said with a shake of her head. “Lina Jennings isn’t the only thing standing in between us. We have problems of our own to overcome.”Diana sighed. “I think Marcus is pretty good.”She felt relaxed and comfortable around him.Even if Vans came round and worked with Julian to bring down the Jenningses, and had no feelings whatsoever for Lina, Diana wasn’t exactly eager to be with him.As if they had telepathy with each oth
“He doesn’t need to be jailed,” Fanny said, confused. “One word from him, and his lawyers will be able to exonerate him. I just don’t understand why he’d rather go to jail.”“He wants to pay for his father’s sins,” Diana said with a sigh.Fanny didn’t know what to think of that. Was Oliver innocent, or not? He even went to such great lengths to stop her.Yet, the moment she declared that she would never compromise and would rather be under the protection of Diana than to be involved with Oliver, he clearly looked like he was in a daze.Diana noticed that Fanny hardly smiled over the past few days, and rubbed her hand comfortingly. “He just wants a clean start with you.”Fanny’s heart shook. She couldn’t sleep the entire night.The next morning, she told Diana, “Today’s the day of his trial and sentencing. I want to see him.”Diana asked Julian to send a few bodyguards with Fanny on her trip there.When she returned, she looked as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoul
Fanny bet that he wouldn’t dare.That was equivalent to eliminating all chances he stood with Diana.Julian witnessed the scene unfolding before him. Instead of getting frustrated, he stood quietly there, ready to protect Diana, as he watched Fanny and Oliver fight it out with each other.Oliver was confused. “Why not?”He glanced at Diana, and went on, “I did like Diana in the past, but I have since given up on those feelings for her. Fanny Smith, is your heart made of stone? Can’t you tell who the woman I like is after all this time?”Fanny was stunned, feeling suffocated as if something was stuck in her throat. “Don’t tell me it’s me.”Oliver was dumbfounded. Who else could he be talking about? The stars in the sky?Fanny felt indignant under his glare. “If you like me, why did you say that I’m just a child-bearing tool for you?”“If I didn’t say that, would I be able to keep you confined in the villa? Would I be able to dash all your hopes and make you feel hopeless?”
Oliver would never let her go. “Fanny Smith, don’t even think about leaving me in this life!”That was when Diana and Julian hurriedly made their way.Sean located Oliver very accurately. Diana saw the scene unfolding before her, and couldn’t help but recall everything that happened in Jacroaof. She hurriedly told Noel to take Sean outside and wait. She couldn’t afford to gamble on Sean’s safety. She didn’t want Sean exposed to any form of danger right under her nose.Her actions made Oliver tense. “Diana, do you think I’ve gone mad?” He grabbed Fanny’s hand, as if he was holding onto the most precious treasure in the world.Diana didn’t answer him, but she threw her bag that Julian was helping her carry toward Fanny.She was exerting so much force for a pregnant lady, looking as if she wanted to fight with Fanny.Even Julian didn’t know what Diana was trying to do, not to mention Fanny herself.By the time he snapped back to attention and wanted to stop Diana from doing s
However, Fanny must let go of her hatred and past grudges first.The mention of children made Fanny waver. The hatred in her eyes grew even more intense. “Oliver Channing! The cheek of you to mention children!” What gave him the right to say that?!“We agreed,” Oliver said. He didn’t find anything wrong with that. “Fanny, if you want to leave that villa and be free once more, you must give birth to a child of ours.”“What about the child I lost just a few days ago?” Fanny demanded. She found him unreasonable. “Over the past few days, have you ever thought of him, or felt like you let him down? We haven’t even resolved the issues between us, and you want me to get pregnant again. Are you really ready to be a father?!”“I want you to get pregnant again?” Oliver said as he drew closer to her. His eyes were dark, looking as if he wanted to crush Fanny and put her in his pocket. “Weren’t you the one who tried to seduce me by wearing a revealing dress in my house? Fanny Smith, do
Julian stopped talking to the butler, but he was already making plans in his heart.He returned to the study, and told Diana, “Fanny and Oliver have been fighting for a long time, and it might be over something that might potentially destroy their relationship.”In fact… “Fanny might no longer love Oliver right now.”However, the fact that Oliver faked her death and confined her was enough to show that he still cared for her.If he realized that Fanny no longer loved him, he might do something even crazier.“Let’s hurry up and save her, then!” Diana said.“Wait,” Julian said calmly, “I’m not done with my prediction.”“What?”“Oliver really doesn’t like you now.” Julian’s mood lifted as he arrived at his final conclusion. “We can step in to help Fanny.”Diana was dumbfounded.She had thought that Julian went to such great lengths to analyze the situation for the sake of saving another. To think that his possessiveness took over, and he prioritized figuring out Oliver’s feeli
The three of them entered the study.None of them expected to see a portrait of Diana right in the middle of the study.The portrait was most likely drawn by copying a photo. In the portrait, Diana was eating something with a smile. It looked like the day when Diana encountered a pervert on the train and Oliver stepped in to help her and treated her to a meal.Did she smile so tenderly at him at that time?“You couldn’t have smiled so happily at that time when we were fighting over Kayla.”It was a portrait, not a photo. It was likely that the owner of this portrait added his own interpretation and features when he commissioned this portrait.“He still has feelings for you,” Julian said coldly.He no longer wanted to interfere with the affairs of the Channings.However, Diana disagreed. “If he really had feelings for me, he wouldn’t hang my portrait up so boldly right here.”The fact that Oliver could display the portrait for all to see proved that his feelings for Diana were