It wasn't because Diana had saved Julian when he was a child that he spared her, but because her face was similar to Kayla's.However, she didn't explain this to Oliver.In a moment of recklessness the last time she had seen Oliver, she had suggested being together with her. Fortunately, he had turned her down. If he hadn't, she would definitely be more at a loss on how to face him right now.Diana twirled her fingers together and said, "About the incident this time... Thank you."He had always silently stayed by her side, helping her with everything he could.And yet, she couldn't give him anything in return.Including her feelings...Oliver sensed her unease. She had something on her mind in the past few days, so she had somewhat neglected their friendship.Today, however, she looked so much calmer.Oliver was relieved to see this, and said jokingly, "Is that how you show gratitude nowadays? Just by saying thanks?""What else?" Diana suddenly became interested. It would
Why was Kayla suddenly discharged today?Distress struck James's heart, and he said hurriedly, "Quick! Let her in right away! She's in her own family's company! Why the need for such formalities?"The more James thought about it, the more distressed he grew. With that, he turned around and personally went out to welcome her.However, it wasn't Kayla who was waiting outside for him.Rather, it was Diana.His expression turned cold immediately, and the distress he felt melted away.Seeing the injury on his forehead, Diana couldn't help but smile. "Hello, Mr. Winnington."She didn't even address him as "Father" anymore.What an unruly daughter!Fortunately, he had cut his losses in time and put himself back on Kayla's side. Otherwise, he didn't know how miserable his life or death would be at the hands of this rebellious girl standing before him!Diana could tell from his expression that she wasn’t at all welcome. She didn't expect to be welcomed and her visit today was not for
And yet, what had Diana done in turn?She actually demanded him to crawl back to Winnington Mansion all the way from the hospital! Did she even consider what that would do to his reputation and image?!She didn’t think of him at all!However, Kayla was different.Even if Kayla’s appearance was ruined and she saw through his intentions to reconcile with Diana, she still didn't speak ill of him. She still treated him as family, and looked up to him as her most respected father.When they left the hospital yesterday, Kayla even added that if she married Julian, she would make him the proudest father-in-law in the world!Listening to those words made Kayla so much better than Diana in comparison.Diana had been married to Julian for three years, and he hadn't taken a single penny from her.In fact, Julian's offerings were all done for Kayla's sake.The more James thought about it, the more he felt it was the right decision to abandon Diana back then.With that in mind, he prete
After all, James, Lucy, and Kayla had successfully deceived even Julian. Why would they be afraid of Diana, who was merely a small obstacle?Whether it was the secret of who truly saved Julian or Kayla marrying Julian, fate would surely be on their side in the end!Kayla smiled, and didn't let Diana's deliberate provocation bother her. In her heart, she firmly believed she was the one in full control of the whole situation.After all... The two people involved didn't even know their true feelings for each other!Just the thought of it brought great satisfaction to Kayla.So what if they loved each other? So what if they were destined for each other?Whether fate would work that way for them, Kayla was the one who had the final say."Don't laugh, miss," the nurse advised as she tried to change Kayla's bandage several times, though without success. "If you laugh, it’ll affect-"Before she could finish, Kayla raised a hand and slapped her across the face."You're useless!" Ka
Diana’s skin burned when Julian's fingertips brushed past, and a chill ran through her lips.For some reason, she could feel a contradictory sensation of hot and cold in his touch; it was just like her suppressed love and hate for him.At some point, she couldn't distinguish between the two feelings anymore. She felt like she was trapped in hell, unsure of which direction that could lead her to an escape.At the same time, she didn't want to escape.She still had things to do and people to get revenge on.Julian's attention was entirely on her lips. The cracked spots punched holes in his heart, and just looking at them gave him terrible pain and discomfort."It keeps coming back," Diana replied easily. "I've applied medication to it. Don't worry."Diana understood his unspoken rules.She couldn't let her face be damaged in any way; to Julian, even her body belonged to Kayla.She would forever be an accessory to Kayla, hence, didn't even have the right to be injured.She had t
"Why did she come looking for you?" Julian asked. "I thought you two were still at odds.""Did you think I was like you?" Vans shot back with a smirk. "You gotta coax a girl, you know? My relationship with Nina is still okay."Julian was stunned. He didn't expect that Nina could even forgive Vans for getting engaged."What will happen now, then?" Julian asked."I don't know," Vans replied. "We'll take it one day at a time, I guess.""You better tread lightly," Julian warned. "She's Diana's friend."The implication behind Julian's words was for Vans not to do anything excessive.Vans nodded somewhat helplessly. "I'll do my best."That was the biggest assurance he could give as someone from the Stanley family.In any case, Julian didn't intend to intervene too much in his friend's personal affairs. "I'll be hanging up now."He still needed to call the dean and dispel the rumors."Hurry up and prescribe the medicine."Julian couldn’t care less about where the dean was at the
A surge of anger suddenly crashed through Julian."Come here," he ordered coldly, beckoning Diana with a finger as if calling a doll. His posture was lazy and playful, his inky eyes devoid of any emotion."Kiss me," Julian commanded.Diana hesitated, feeling uncomfortable as she licked her lips. Her lips were injured, and it was clearly the reason Julian was currently angry. He was throwing a tantrum; he didn't really want her to kiss him.But based on Diana's experience, not going along with him would only make him angrier.If this incident reached Kayla's ears, it would make Diana look like a joke.Diana couldn't allow that to happen.She wanted only stories about how "loving" Julian was to her to reach Kayla.Her eyes watered; grief and embarrassment flashed on her face. However, there was also a touch of curiosity in her voice as she called out coyly, "Julian..."It had been a long time since she had addressed him in such a soft and gentle tone. Julian was momentarily
Diana got straight to the point and said, "I don't want to see any traces of Kayla in the villa."Kayla had lived in the villa before, and had naturally left some things behind. Seeing them gave Diana unease. She didn't want any strong reminders of the woman who had harmed her babies to be present around her."Okay," Julian agreed readily. The more Diana requested of him, the happier he was."I'll get the staff to take care of this right away."Julian realized he had overlooked this matter; rightfully, he shouldn't have waited for Diana to bring it up before he handled it."No need," Diana said, shaking her head.Her distant and captivating eyes resembled the serene beauty of a painting that exuded an indescribable charm.In fact, it gave Julian a strange sense of familiarity; something he felt the first time he had laid eyes on Diana.However, this feeling had been overshadowed by Kayla's disappearance, and he had ignored it."Sometimes, it feels like I've known you for a
“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