"But nothing! Just do whatever you want, and be brave about it."Even though Nina said that, she couldn't be sure how Julian would treat Diana.Diana felt equally uneasy.Soon, she stood at the entrance of Collina Villa. She pressed the doorbell gently.When Layla told Julian that Diana had arrived, he didn't believe it at first. "Layla, I told you I have nothing to do with that woman."Plus, he had warned her in her studio not long ago."I hope you won't get any ideas about me from now on." Then, she had been furious. But only after a short time, she came knocking on his door shamelessly once more. He didn't care about her relationship with Simon.He only knew that there was absolutely no possibility of him meeting her again and listening to her endless stream of lies!"Sir," Layla said. She had been hesitating at the study door since the start of lunch.Julian looked at her pacing back and forth, which made him uncomfortable. "What's the matter? Speak."Layla said anxio
"Layla," Julian ordered, "go and check if she's dead. If she's not dead, drag her inside. If she's already dead from the heat, call the funeral home to collect the body!"When Diana came in, Julian was still shouting at the top of his lungs. The vast living room echoed with his displeasure.She hesitated."Layla..." Diana stood awkwardly in place, her eyes filled with hesitation and anxiety. Since the paternity results came out, she had been running around non-stop, trying to enroll her children in kindergarten. She didn’t even have the time to sit down and think about it carefully. Accepting Julian as the biological father of her children came naturally.Now, after hearing Julian's voice, the situation became clearer. At present, she and Julian were already divorced. However, they had two children. And now, she was actively coming to acknowledge that he was their father.Yet, she didn't even know what had happened between her and Julian in the first place.The only thing she
This man always spoke so coldly and heartlessly.Diana dared not think about how she could be married to such a man.What’s more...When his sharp, eagle-like gaze fell on her face, Diana clasped her hands together and looked pitifully at Layla. "I'm thirsty.”Hearing this, Layla quickly handed her the cup.However, Julian intercepted it and smiled mockingly. He stood before her, looking at her as if he had seen through her.His presence was too overwhelming.Diana regretted pretending to have a heatstroke."Do you want some water?" he asked.She nodded. "Um... I'm a bit thirsty.""Alright, I'll let you have your fill," Julian said, amused.Splash!A stream of water poured down from above.Julian Fulcher…He had poured water all over her.Diana was completely soaked from head to toe, but Julian acted as if nothing had happened. He even crouched and asked with a smile, "Still thirsty?"Diana clenched her fists, trying to control her temper. She thought of Sean, who longe
Julian's fingers brushed against her neck as they combed through her scalp.That day in her studio's dressing room, his breath was just like the hot air from the hairdryer, spraying forcefully all over her skin.Diana wriggled her shoulders.Julian’s hold on her became gentler.She dared not move at all.When her hair was almost dry, Julian suddenly said, "Before, I used to blow-dry your hair. I was also a jerk. Seeing your hair wet like this makes me uncomfortable."His self-deprecating words softened his harsh demeanor.She could feel the tenderness from his fingertips lingering on her scalp.Diana couldn't help but glance at him. "Julian…?""Hmm?""Why did we get divorced before?"This woman was just like muddy ground; if he gave her a little leeway, she would climb along the pole.Julian put away the hairdryer immediately. "Have you become addicted to acting?"Diana choked.She had just remembered.He didn’t believe she had amnesia.If it were in the past, she would
There were two paternity test reports. Looking at the dates, they were both recently done.Clearly written on them was that Julian, Sean, and Betty had a parent-child relationship.In other words, Julian was their biological father.Diana said, "Nina told me that three years ago, Simon and I betrayed you. I didn't understand what that betrayal meant before, but after seeing the paternity test report you had, I did. You thought that Simon and I had children together."Diana didn't know how this misunderstanding started. "I told you many times that I’ve lost my memory. But I can be sure that Simon isn’t the children’s father.”Otherwise, her children wouldn't have taken her last name after all these years.And she wouldn't have just discovered that Simon liked her."It’s okay if you don't believe me," Diana said quickly. "But Sean didn't lie to you. He wouldn't lie. He switched the DNA samples because you left a bad first impression on him. He didn't want any possibility of you
Nina looked at the information, and quickly found some negative news about the kindergarten. "Are you really going to choose this one? There have been reports stating that the teachers here abused children. Some parents even found bugs in the lunches."She was reluctant to send the two children to this kindergarten. Diana thought the same."I have no other choice," Diana said, slumping on the bed. These days, her relationship with Nina had developed rapidly. Even though she hadn't regained her memories, it didn't stop them from becoming good friends again."I've looked at all the kindergartens in Richburgh. This one is the best among the ones that meet our criteria." Other kindergartens were either too far, or had worse conditions."It's picking the best from the worst," Diana said. "Since they had a scandal before, I think they won't dare repeat it. From that perspective, it should be okay."Nina rolled her eyes. "The law clearly warns people not to break it, but there are st
Julian's face alone was already superb. Coupled with his slim figure, it would perfectly showcase the advantages of the clothes—no matter what he wore. Diana soon came out fully dressed. There was admiration on her face.Julian was momentarily stunned by her gaze. He even forgot what he was about to say for a moment. It had been a long time since they interacted peacefully.Diana was the first to break the silence. There was an unavoidable anticipation in her eyes. "You came here today to...""To take Sean and Betty away," Julian replied calmly, without the slightest intention of arguing. There was no room for negotiation.Diana was completely stunned. A second later, she was overwhelmed with anger. "I won't give you the children!" She was furious. "If I had known this would be your reaction once you confirmed the results, I would’ve kept this from you forever!"After all, Sean had told Julian that he had switched the samples. The one who didn't believe it was Julian! Afte
There was no going back for them.When Diana returned to the Fulcher family and claimed to be his sister-in-law, he should have understood they had come to a point of no return.Yet, he couldn't help but reminisce about the past—when Diana was wholeheartedly devoted to him, and when he was the only one in her eyes.Now, she told him lies and used her amnesia to cover up everything that happened three years ago. If she truly had amnesia, why did she keep in touch with Simon and spend three years in Stirling City with him? If she really didn't remember anything, she should have forgotten Simon too.Julian's heart grew bitter, but he restrained his emotions. He looked at Diana. "Don't take advantage of the situation."Now that he was certain about the authenticity of the paternity test, he naturally wanted to apologize for misunderstanding her and assuming she had influenced the children to lie and make him retake the test. Despite that, she still wanted to manipulate him and
“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