"Ms. Nicholls, didn't you know? Your child's condition is hereditary bone cancer. At most, she has six months to live. If I'm not mistaken, your mother passed away from the same disease. I advice you to get a thorough checkup yourself…"Aspen Nicholls felt like all the strength drained from her body. The doctor's words kept echoing in her mind as she stood there trembling uncontrollably."What's wrong, Mommy?" Sophie Fuller's sweet, gentle voice broke through Aspen's thoughts. The little girl looked up at her mother with concern. "Did I do something to make you unhappy?"Aspen's eyes fell on Sophie, lying frail and pale on the hospital bed. Guilt gnawed at her heart as she stared at her precious daughter's thin little face. She couldn't help but think Sophie didn't deserve such a fate."If it's my fault, I can apologize, okay?" Sophie forced a smile, trying her best to be brave.Aspen's heart twisted in agony. She couldn't believe her beloved child only had six months left. Aspe
Colin glanced at Gwyneth's hands on his arm, his expression growing darker. Finally, he said, "Fine. One month. But don't even think about pulling any tricks, Aspen. If you do, there will be consequences."Aspen gave him a faint smile. "As long as you spend time with Sophie, I'll fully cooperate." She paused and then added, "As her father, shouldn't you at least give her a birthday gift?"...Sophie lay quietly in Aspen's arms as the car headed toward the Fuller residence. Her voice trembled ever so lightly as she asked, "Mommy... is Daddy really coming?" Though she tried to hide it, the longing in her eyes was undeniable. Aspen gently patted her back and reassured her softly, "Of course he is, sweetheart."Sophie's eyes brightened for a moment before she hesitated. "Mommy, don't tell Daddy that I'm sick, okay? I don't want him to be upset."Aspen's eyes stung with tears, and her chest tightened painfully. She stroked Sophie's soft hair and whispered, "Okay, I promise."Sophi
Sophie suddenly smiled and said, "Because Mommy loves you. Daddy, you don't have to like me, but could you maybe like Mommy a little more? Can you be nicer to her from now on?"Her voice was soft, and her large, dark eyes gazed at Colin with hope. Colin's expression shifted subtly, and he scoffed internally. He had known from the beginning that Aspen couldn't possibly have pure intentions."Did she tell you to say that?" Colin asked coldly, his voice laced with condescension."No!" Sophie shook her head quickly.Colin didn't believe her and glanced dismissively at her. Sophie noticed the slight change in his demeanor and felt uneasy. She didn't want to upset him, but deep down, she knew the truth. She was like the sea princess in the story—her time was limited. Aspen kept saying she would get better, but Sophie could feel that her condition was serious.Still, if she was going to disappear like sea foam, she wanted Aspen to have someone who loved her after she was gone. With t
Apparently, Riley had forgotten to block Aspen from seeing that post. Aspen's eyes darkened slightly, and any trace of emotion faded from her face. Just yesterday, Colin had borrowed Gwyneth's diamond earrings and given them to Sophie. They had already been replaced with a new gift today.Aspen had to admit that Colin's efficiency was impressive. Then again, Gwyneth was the woman he truly cherished, so it was not surprising.Aspen chuckled softly. Just as she was about to close the social media app, a new message notification popped up. It read, "Aspen, I'm returning in ten days."The profile picture was blank, with the initials "A. J." displayed instead. It was someone who had been on her contact list for years—one she had not spoken to in six years. Aspen's breath hitched, but she didn't respond. ...At 4:20 pm, Colin had just wrapped up a grueling board meeting. It wasn't until Riley reminded him that he remembered he had promised to pick up Sophie. He got into his ca
Sophie coughed violently again. This time, the force of it left her unable to stay upright. She collapsed to her knees, and with a sickening sound, blood spurted from her mouth."Sophie!" Aspen's voice shook as she rushed to her side.Sophie's face was burning with fever, and her lips were deathly pale. She whispered weakly, "I'm okay, Mommy..." Aspen immediately scooped her up. "No, sweetheart. Mommy's taking you to the hospital."Sophie clung tightly to Aspen, her tear-filled eyes red. Aspen rushed to the hospital, barely stopping for breath. After a blood test, they sat outside the examination room, waiting for the results."Mommy... does Daddy hate me?" Sophie's small, fragile voice finally betrayed her inner fear.Aspen froze, unable to answer. The question tore her apart. She wanted so badly to say, "No, Sophie, Daddy doesn't hate you."However, the truth was far more cruel. If Sophie had been Gwyneth's child, Colin would have adored her. Aspen blinked away tears and fo
"Colin, since Ms. Nicholls wants to talk, take your time and have a conversation. You shouldn't argue in front of Sophie," Gwyneth said as she caressed Colin's cheek.Though her expression hinted at suppressed hurt, she maintained an air of understanding. Colin was obviously unwilling, but he ultimately nodded and stepped aside with Aspen.It had been so long since they had last been alone together that Aspen found herself unsure of how to begin. However, Colin clearly had little patience for her.He asked, "What is it that you want to say? You brought Sophie here to cause a scene. Are you even fit to be a mother?"His words cut deep, his disgust palpable. To him, Aspen had always been a woman willing to use any means to get what she wanted, even if it meant exploiting their own daughter.Aspen said flatly, "You promised to spend a month with Sophie. All I'm asking is that, during this time, you keep Ms. Sanders away from her."Colin's eyes hardened. "I promised to spend time wit
The entire hospital was in chaos because of Sophie's emergency, but Aspen felt completely disconnected from it all. Her mind went blank, and her senses dulled. She could only hear the muffled echoes of footsteps and distant shouts, as though she were underwater.Mike waved his hand in front of her face, asking, "Ms. Nicholls? Are you alright?" Aspen blinked, snapping back to reality. She looked at Mike and asked, "How's my daughter?"Mike replied, "She's stable for now. But her condition has deteriorated rapidly. We've admitted her to the ICU. We'll monitor her and see if surgery is an option once her vitals improve."Ms. Nicholls, with Sophie's condition, surgery is..."Aspen nodded stiffly, but she knew what Mike wasn't saying. The chances of the surgery being successful were slim. It would cause more trauma than relief for Sophie. Still, Aspen couldn't accept that. She couldn't let her precious daughter go without a fight. Even the smallest sliver of hope was something she
"Sophie!" Aspen's scream tore through the sterile hospital room. Tears streamed down her face as an unbearable pressure squeezed her chest, making it hard to breathe.Deep down, she knew her Sophie was gone. Her beloved Sophie had come into this world, seen it, and decided it wasn't a place she wanted to stay. She was disappointed and hurt by all of it, so she returned to the heavens—never to come back."Sophie... I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!" Aspen's voice trembled as she cradled Sophie's lifeless body. Her hands shook as she gently cupped Sophie's pale, still face and kissed her over and over again.This was all her fault. It was her selfishness, her stubborn desire to be with Colin, that had led to this tragedy. She had failed as a mother, and her beautiful, precious Sophie was gone forever.Aspen eventually forced herself to calm down. She personally bathed Sophie and dressed her in her favorite pink princess dress. If Sophie had to leave this world, Aspen wanted her to loo
Colin thought he had dealt Aspen a crushing blow, but to her, his threat was nothing more than a joke.Sometimes, Aspen even found herself wondering what kind of twisted logic Colin had. Before, Aspen had always assumed she was the lovesick fool. But now, looking back, it seemed Colin was the real delusional one. After everything that had happened, he still genuinely believed this was all because she couldn't have him? The sheer audacity was almost impressive.Shaking her head with a quiet laugh, Aspen settled back into the hospital bed, ready to enjoy her peaceful recovery.Inside the car, Gwyneth stole a cautious glance at Colin as she asked in a small voice, "Colin... what do we do now?""It's just money. If she wants it, she can have it." Colin shrugged, seemingly unbothered.Fuller Group was a multi-billion-dollar empire—what was a mere 130 million? Besides, he and Aspen were still legally married. This was just moving money from one pocket to another at worst.However, it
Colin immediately pulled Gwyneth up from the floor, his gaze fixed solely on Aspen. "Are you sure you want to go against me?""We're just handling this professionally. I'm following your rules right now. Is that not allowed?" Aspen shrugged innocently. "Colin, just save it. Emotions are off the table between us.""Aspen, do you believe me when I say I'll dig up Sophie's grave and scatter her ashes to the wind?" Colin suddenly smiled cruelly.He stared straight at her. Wasn't that wretched girl the one she cared about most? Then he would just love to see how she would react to this!Aspen had long since learned how heartless Colin could be. She knew that showing weakness now would mean utter defeat."You never treated Sophie as a person when she was alive—why would death change that? Why wouldn't I believe you? Do whatever you want with her ashes. What era do you think this is? The dead are dead—who cares about such things anymore?"Aspen began to laugh so much that tears nearly s
Ellie burst into laughter as if she had heard the most ridiculous joke. "Oh, so you still remember he's your father after all!""That's enough. I'm going to deal with the property issue now."Colin couldn't bear to listen any longer. He never imagined the words "utterly overwhelmed" would one day describe how he felt so aptly. Turning to Gwyneth, who was still sniffling, he felt a pang of guilt and helplessness. "Are you okay?""I'm fine. Actually, Madam Ellie wasn't wrong. It's my fault—all of this is my fault. Colin, I really want to give you up to Ms. Nicholls, but... what can I do? I just can't. I love you. I can't live without you. I'll die if I lose you!"Gwyneth clutched his sleeve desperately, her eyes burning with near-mad possessiveness and dependence.And yet, this was exactly the kind of twisted devotion Colin adored. Only through such obsessive need could he truly believe he was loved and feel like he mattered.He pinched her cheek playfully and smiled. "You won't
"Madam Ellie, calm down!" With her arms wrapped around Ellie's waist, Gwyneth finally managed to pull the latter and the officer apart."Get off me!" Ellie shoved Gwyneth away and snarled, "Don't think I don't know this is all because of you, you scheming fox! Look what you've done to my family! How dare you play the good Samaritan now? You're disgusting! Utterly shameless!""What's all this commotion?" Colin strode forward and positioned himself between everyone.The officer straightened his uniform and gave Colin a cold look. "So you're the CEO of Fuller Group? Given your status, how can your family behave so disgracefully? You've been accused of illegally occupying private property. You have one week to vacate, or we'll proceed with legal actions."What?Colin thought he must have misheard. This was Fuller Manor—he had grown up here. How could it suddenly be considered trespassing?"Officer, there must be some mistake. This is my home."His brow furrowed deeply. Who could b
"Then we fight our way back!" Aren took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away Aspen's tears with a tender gaze. "Whatever decision you make, I'll stand by your side."Aspen felt a flicker of hesitation when she met his gentle gaze, but she quickly steadied herself. She nodded firmly. "You're right—we'll fight back! They all deserve to die!""That's the Aspen I know. You were never a fragile young woman. They could never break you." Aren ruffled her hair affectionately, his voice full of encouragement and certainty.His quiet kindness soothed her, calming the storm inside. She had indeed endured too much undeserved malice, but the world wasn't all darkness. At least someone still cherished her."Aren, let's go back.""Alright."The ordeal worsened the wounds on Aspen's back. By the time they returned to the hospital, the doctor scolded her while treating her injuries. "Your back won't ever recover if you keep this up. How can a young woman be so reckless with her own body?"
All these years, Aspen had turned the question over in her mind—why had she woken up in Colin's bed that day? How had she ended up pregnant with Sophie?All these years, Colin had branded her a scheming woman because of it, taking out his disdain on Sophie by extension. Every bit of suffering stemmed from this man—her uncle, her own flesh and blood!"How could you do this to me? Why? "I'm your niece! Your own niece!"Her eyes burned with unshed tears as she pressed her palms against the glass, nails scraping the surface. None of it made sense. What had all those years of humiliation been for? What had Sophie's suffering meant?"I did it for your own good! What else were you going to do if not marry well while you're young? Pen, I'm your uncle—why would I harm you? What's wrong with Colin? Why couldn't you just learn to please him properly?"Joseph was twisting logic beyond reason now. Locked away as he was, he had nothing left to lose. There was no longer any filter between what
Watching Aspen's childish behavior, Aren sighed helplessly before chuckling. "Who would be talking about you behind your back?""I suspect it's you!" Aspen tilted her head, eyeing him suspiciously. "Admit it—you're secretly cursing me in your heart, aren't you?""If I wanted to curse you, I wouldn't do it secretly. I'd say it right to your face and scold you until you're drowning in shame!" Aren rolled his eyes dramatically, then pressed harder on the accelerator.…Seeing Joseph again stirred complicated emotions in Aspen. But when Joseph laid eyes on her, his gaze held nothing but hatred."You little bitch! How dare you show your face here? Look what you've done to your own uncle! If your mother knew, she'd never forgive you!"Right from the start, Joseph started talking about Aspen's deceased mother, which was a typical move from him. No matter what unreasonable demand he made, he always used her mother's name to manipulate her.Aspen had backed down again and again because o
Tears streamed down Gwyneth's face as she spoke. She leaned against Colin naturally, clinging to his waist like a fish dependent on water, refusing to let go.Colin had been irritated moments ago, but seeing her so vulnerable made him soften his attitude. He gently stroked her cheek. "Don't talk nonsense. I won't ever drive you away.""Colin, will you… ever divorce her?" Gwyneth ventured cautiously.This was the last thing Colin wanted to consider right now. Her direct question sparked his frustration unexpectedly."She holds shares in Fuller Group and even evidence of my asset transfers. Divorcing her now would ruin everything.""I was just asking... Why are you so angry?" Gwyneth seemed so startled by his tone that even her body began to tremble slightly.Noticing her shaking, Colin remembered her depression and quickly softened his voice. "No, I'm not angry at you. I just resent being cornered like this."Gwyneth was about to respond when Riley knocked on the door and entered
Aspen's eyes grew slightly bloodshot as she gazed at Aren. His face was so close to hers that she reached out and gently touched it without thinking.Aren's features were nearly identical to Colin's from this angle. Back then, she had fallen for Colin at first sight. Now that she thought about it, how could anyone escape loving such a resemblance?Feeling Aspen's hand on his face, Aren slowed down even further. "Does it hurt?""It does." She didn't lie.Her entire back stung as if it was splitting open. But the real pain wasn't in her back—it was in her chest.Suddenly, she buried her face against Aren's shoulder, clinging to him tightly. In this moment, she wanted nothing more than to savor this hard-won peace.Riley stood frozen as he watched them leave. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry—mainly because he had no idea if he should return to the office at all.After a moment's thought, he sat down and mechanically ate the takeout Colin had ordered. Only after finishing ever