Diana had no reason at all to reject this deal. Firstly, Fanny offered her a job, one that allowed her to earn a name for herself quickly. Secondly, Fanny’s regular monthly orders would serve to bolster her savings in preparation for her coming baby. Fanny… Probably really liked her design. Diana was filled with pride at the thought of how Cherise talked about D&J. She was in such a good mood that she hummed a little song all the way back to the villa. Julian stood on the second floor, looking at her coldly as she walked in. “Come back earlier next time, and don’t stay out all day. Grandma would accuse me of not keeping you company if she were to find out.” Diana didn’t expect him to speak up, much less see him come back from work so early. From the looks of where he was at… Had he been waiting for her? Probably not. Diana nodded in response before asking, “Where’s Kayla?” “What’s the meaning of this?” Julian’s brows furrowed as he scolded her. “You can’t wait for
Diana was worried she had busted her cover and that Julian could tell she was pregnant. “Hmm.” She nodded and quickly added, “It’s all your fault for cultivating such a bad habit. You used to come home from work late and bring supper back home. I’ve gotten used to it.” Her words effectively shut Julian up. “You…” It was a rare sight to see a man as cold as her words riled him up. His heart felt like it was stabbed by something. “Go and rest.” Seeing that he was no longer looking at her, Diana heaved a sigh of relief. “Okay.” But when she went upstairs, she belatedly realized that…she had accidentally brought up the past. The feelings and affections she had suppressed in herself surfaced once again and almost drowned her. Diana forced herself not to think about those memories. “They’re nothing but illusions. Julian treated you so well because he saw you as a replacement. There’s nothing to yearn for at all.” She warned herself again and again. After snacking on some
“To make things convenient for you sisters, I’ve arranged for you to be on the same team as Chief Designer Winnington. You’ll work as a designer under her lead.” Diana was stunned. Chief Designer Winnington… They really held Julian in high regard, enough for him to help Kayla secure a chief designer position. But this was Esteem Creations, a top-notch design company. Diana’s heart grew cold at the thought of how even a company like this could be entered by pulling strings. In the end, this was reality. She understood that money makes the world go round, and understood what the name Julian Fulcher represented in Richburgh. No one would dare to disregard him, and no one would stop him from protecting his woman. Just like what he did for her in the past. Back then… She was the one everyone was fawning over. Thankfully, she had the confidence to gain a foothold in the design industry despite having to start as a newcomer. The day would come when she would no longer be trapped
What a polite man! He didn’t compare her cake with the cake that Kayla brought. Diana decided she liked him even more and began asking him more about the company. Very soon, she had a rough idea about the company's current situation. To show her gratitude, Diana even offered Jayden the last seat at the table after they entered the restaurant. “Ladies first,” Jayden refused to take the seat. “Take a seat first. I’ll grab a waiter and ask for one more chair.” To their surprise, Kayla came over, her eyes shifting between both of them. “This table has a fixed number of seats. We’ve exceeded one person.” She covered her mouth and chuckled nastily, “Mainly because I didn’t expect you to come, Diana.” Her words attracted everyone’s attention. Diana remained calm. “You’re giving everyone a treat, right? So I came.” “I am giving everyone a treat, but Julian’s the one paying,” Kayla shot her a smug smile. “We’re destined to be sisters indeed. Today’s our first day at work, and we h
Diana shouldn’t have come today. She shouldn’t have gotten herself involved in their affairs. If she wanted to remain calm and unperturbed, it would’ve been better for her to see them less. More importantly, she should not be passively waiting for the date of their divorce. Instead, she should be actively living with divorce as her goal. Not just for the babies in her tummy. But for herself. Putting herself in an environment without their presence was the only way she could truly put the past behind her. Otherwise… Those sweet memories would always pierce her heart whenever she let her guard down. Julian Fulcher… He used to treat her like this, so thoughtful and caring. She acted just like Kayla, unable to hold herself back and kiss his cheek in public. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her eyes turned hot and blurry. Diana put her spoon down and covered her mouth exaggeratedly. “This wagyu is pipping hot!” So hot that tears fell down her cheeks. Julian loo
“Me? Misunderstand you?” Julian sneered, his eyes turning cold at her accusation. “How have I misunderstood you?” If she didn’t intend to show that she had other men hankering after her, she wouldn’t have even joined the gathering in the first place! She had her own pride and dignity to preserve, didn’t she? What happened to that? If she didn’t intend to show her tears, she shouldn’t have cried in front of him in the first place! What happened to her headstrongness? Hasn’t she been very headstrong recently? Were they all nothing before him? Who would believe her?! “You’re right. You didn’t misunderstand me.” She was the one who misunderstood herself. She thought she could let things go, but she was still clinging to the marriage, thinking that Julian would one day look at her, Kayla, and their three-way relationship through an ordinary, objective man’s eyes. But he would never be ordinary or objective in viewing these things. As long as it involved Kayla, he would
Julian must be going mad. That must be why he bought food and rushed here upon hearing from Kayla that Diana was still working overtime. See? She never needed him, no matter when it was. Just as she said, it was more important for them to keep their distance. By the time Diana returned to the villa, it was already past eleven at night. She was so exhausted after an entire day’s work that all she wanted to do was to head up and have a hot shower. She didn’t expect Albert to be waiting for her downstairs. She was still on her guard against him, the expression on her face no longer as meek and friendly as before. But to Albert, the cold look in her eyes right now was nothing but her revealing her true colors. “Ms. Winnington,” he called. Since Julian wasn’t around, he didn’t bother addressing her as madam. Why did she not see through Albert’s true feelings toward her in the past? Diana looked down, feeling even more distant toward this villa and everyone there. Despite
She couldn’t wrap her mind around it, but he remained uncontactable while Albert kept urging her for a response, telling her not to make things difficult for him. Diana knew that even if she returned to her bedroom, she wouldn’t get any rest there. She had no choice but to bear with her fatigue, roll up her sleeves, and begin cleaning up. Meanwhile, at Amber Pour Bar. Julian sat in a corner, but his discreet position was not enough to hide his domineering aura. Many ladies who entered the bar couldn’t help but look at him, but the moment they looked into his cold, dark eyes, they would immediately lower their heads and retreat without a word. “You’re not in a very good mood today, huh?” Vans poured a glass of whisky for him. That went without saying. Julian downed glass after glass, but his eyes remained sharp and crystal-clear. “Tell me, what exactly is going on in that mind of hers?” Vans sat stunned. “Who?” He paused for a moment and ventured a guess. “Diana?” Ju
“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