“I’d go even if you didn’t bring that up!” Nina had been blaming herself for not insisting on accompanying Diana to Springlake Garden. “This time, I need to stay by your side no matter what!” “I feel much better after hearing that.” Diana looked at Nina smilingly, her face filled with gentleness. Nina shot Diana a pensive stare. “I feel like you’ve changed a little.” Diana was shocked. “How so?” “Well…” Nina thought about it. “I can’t really tell, but maybe it’s your charm? Whatever it is, you feel more motherly. But that might be because I know that you’re pregnant.” Her words made Diana anxious. “No way.” She looked solemnly at Nina. “Now that you’ve heard about what Julian thinks from me, I can’t take that risk.” Even if he found out about the baby, it wouldn’t be a big deal if he didn’t love the baby. But what if he forced her to abort the baby? Therefore, Diana must hide her pregnancy at all cost. Diana requested Nina to go to the Collina Villa to fetch some of h
Nina dared not tell Diana what she had seen. In the end, she could only buy some new cosmetics for Diana on her way back to the hospital. Diana found it strange. “I have a lot of make-up. You couldn’t find them?” “I was too lazy to go to the villa. Since I’m on leave tomorrow, I need to rush to the office today.” Nina pursed her lips nonchalantly as she flung the cosmetics in Diana’s way. “Get somemore rest, okay? I’ll visit you tomorrow.” “Okay.” Diana waved goodbye to Nina. After that, she pulled out her tablet, leaned back, and sketched out some designs. After Diana married Julian, she stopped working in fashion design. She was, however, truly talented. No matter where or when, she was able to sit down and design clothes effortlessly. The starry gown that she was currently working on was proof of her impeccable talent. It was something she was most satisfied with. Diana planned this to be a gift to Oliver’s girlfriend, to express her thanks to Oliver for having done so m
At first, Diana thought she heard him wrongly. Her hand, which was holding a spoon, paused for a brief moment. She didn’t understand what Julian meant by that, and her eyes were filled with shock and doubt. “Not leaving? Are you staying in my ward?” “No.” Julian burst out laughing. His laugh frustrated her. She wanted to ask what he meant by saying something that would easily give others the wrong idea. When she looked up, his handsome features were within view. It was always like that; despite seeing this face umpteen times, her heart never failed to beat faster each time she looked at his beautiful face. This was especially so with his side profile turned toward her, which made his high nose bridge and cheek bones look even more attractive. His sharp jawline was clearly the work of gods, adding elegance and class to his aura. He was bound to be the center of attention wherever he went. Diana shifted her gaze away uneasily, trying to hide the blush that was creeping up her
In three weeks… Another three more weeks, and she need not kick him away or be put in a difficult spot. He would leave her even quicker than she wanted him to. When that time comes, Julian Fulcher wouldn’t exist in her world anymore. Diana buried her face in the pillow, silently rubbing away the tears in her eyes. She wanted this to be the last time she cried for him. It would also be the last time she remembered all the good things about him. In less than five minutes’ time, Julian returned to her room once again. Diana felt the side of her bed sink down, and felt him pulling an additional sheet up her body. “The weather turned chilly today. Your hands and feet turn cold easily at night.” He used to always put her feet on his body, but now… “Cover yourself with more sheets. It’ll make you feel warmer.” “Okay, thank you.” She clenched her fists tighter and refused to turn to look at him. Julian stood right where he was. “I’ll be off, then?” “Okay.” Diana’s voice w
To be able to see Kayla’s smile and make her happy every day was a dream Julian wanted to fulfil the moment he recognized Kayla as the one who saved him when he was a child. Aside from himself, no one knew that the Julian was seeking death back then. However, that was also the first time he truly felt like there was someone in this world who was willing to risk her life for him. Even if they were strangers. It was a beautiful moment he wanted to guard with his life, and also a kind heart that he wanted to protect with all he had. Thankfully, things never changed even after Kayla grew up. She remained gentle, kind, and genuine, and was even caring toward Diana. Yet during those three years when Kayla disappeared, Julian began a relationship with Diana when he shouldn’t have. In the process, treating Diana well became a habit he cultivated. Unfortunately, Diana knew nothing. She mistook it all for true love. She even thought that her experience was a once-in-a-lifet
“I’m sorry,” Julian muttered as he snapped back to reality. He really shouldn’t have come today; it only served to make Diana’s blood boil many times in just a day. “I should never have married you back then.” How dare he deny everything that happened between them! Shock flashed past Diana’s eyes. Her fingernails dug silently into the flesh of her palm. “I know. You can leave now.” As a pregnant woman, she knew she shouldn’t scream and cry, not to mention getting agitated. However, she had the right to cry. So, she demanded, “Please, leave this room right now.” She wanted to hide under the sheets and cry with her baby inside of her. If his leaving can appease Diana’s anger and give her rest, Julian was willing to do so. “In the future, I’ll never mention Kayla in front of you.” In light of her circumstances, Diana had every right to be angry. He was the inconsiderate one. Later, Julian had a sleepless night. Diana, on the other hand, forced herself to regain compo
Diana wasn’t usually competitive, but her question betrayed her lack of confidence. “Are you worried about meeting Kayla?” Nina got right to the heart of the matter. Diana hesitated for a moment as she packed up her clothes. She held Nina’s hands as they exited the ward, and finally replied, “Yes…” Kate and James chose to treat Kayla as their treasure whom they could never bear to hurt and in turn abandoned her, their biological daughter. And Julian, whom she saw as her husband who would always dote on her and love her, fell deeply in love with Kayla. Even she herself lost out to Kayla so many times, and that was when she hadn’t even Kayla face-to-face. A woman like Kayla…must really be a beauty. Although Diana was determined to meet Kayla, she couldn’t shake off the worry in her heart. She was worried she would lose to Kayla even in her looks, and therefore become the ultimate loser. Nina saw the anxiety in Diana’s eyes, and her heart ached painfully for the latter.
Diana heaved a sigh of relief, feeling immense gratitude toward Oliver. “I keep needing your help every single time. How embarrassing! Don’t you worry, I’ll definitely repay you well one day.” Oliver chuckled, revealing his canine teeth, which gentled his entire look. He urged her gently, “Go on, quick.” It was getting late; if Diana didn’t head off right now, she really would be late for the party. Now that Nina was unable to go with her, Diana felt less confident. However, if she didn’t go to Kate’s birthday party… Diana could sense how elated Kate was when she misunderstood and thought that Diana was specifically going to the Winningtons’ to wish her a happy birthday. And if she didn’t go today, what about that money? Would the Winnington family go back on their word and think of a nasty plan to make her sign an even more unfair contract? Oliver saw the helpless look on her face and asked kindly, “What’s the matter?” Diana smiled at him; it carried a tinge of helples
“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