Lizzie waited until Flora entered the room before she stepped onto the stairs and headed upstairs to her bedroom. Sitting in front of her vanity, she placed the file folder and box on the table. She furrowed her brows, knowing that Flora was unhappy. Ever since their first encounter, Lizzie knew that her mother-in-law didn't like her, even found her annoying. However, on the surface, Flora pretended to be nice to her. In this household, only her father-in-law treated her well. She couldn't understand why and had been pondering this for a long time.She sat there, her gaze lost in thought as she stared at the file folder in front of her. After a while, she placed the leather file folder in the bottom drawer of her vanity and locked it. She wouldn't touch a single thing inside, and she would keep it safe until the day she returned it to him.The spacious room was empty except for Lizzie. She lay on the soft bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep until the early hours of the mor
A smile danced on Jacob's face, "Then let's go!" With these words, he headed towards the Mercedes Benz parked nearby."No need, let's walk! The restaurant ahead serves good food." Lizzie watched as Jacob opened the car door on the passenger side, gently declining his offer."Sure." Jacob closed the car door, joining Lizzie. Together, they headed towards a nearby diner.They took a seat by the window. Long green vines entwined around the large windows of the entire restaurant. Each dining table was enclosed with a half-height concrete divider, topped with various potted plants, creating a refreshing ambiance.Lizzie silently gazed outside, and Jacob knew her favorite dish without asking."Lizzie, everything here remains the same as a year ago." Jacob noticed the dullness in her eyes, a stark contrast to their previous sparkle.He was responsible for her past laughter, and equally responsible for her current sorrow.Lizzie turned her head, shifting her gaze from the window to Jacob, "Ac
"Why shouldn't it be me? Could it be that you were just thinking about me? Or you're waiting for another man's call?" Bruno's frivolous voice echoed in her ears."Are you sick? Why would I be thinking of you?" Lizzie's voice trembled slightly with denial. He must be guessing wildly.Bruno lifted an eyebrow, "Really? Then why are you so nervous?""I'm not nervous! I'm definitely not nervous." Lizzie denied vehemently. After all, he was abroad and couldn't see her."Don't think that just because I'm not there, you can lie without blushing or panting." Bruno knew better. How could a girl who liked to show off admit defeat in front of him?Such thoughts made him pause. Since when had he known her so well?"Isn't it past midnight in America now? Do you really have this much free time to call and argue with me?" Lizzie's tone wasn't very friendly, but it was tinged with concern."I called to congratulate you," Bruno spoke with his usual calmness, devoid of significant emotional fluctuations
The next day was gloomy, with a dull gray sky. Lizzie stood by the window, the swelling on her foot had subsided leaving only a slight pain when she exerted pressure. Her phone, placed on the bedside table, sprung to life, playing Guo Jing's "I Don't Want to Forget You." Seeing the caller ID, she answered, "Louise.""Lizzie, are you okay?" Louise’s voice was filled with concern."I'm fine. What's up? Why are you asking such strange questions so early in the morning?" Lizzie didn't understand why Louise would call so early and ask such questions."Didn't you watch the TV? Didn't you see the news?" Louise queried.Lizzie shook her head, "No, I didn't. What's the juicy gossip this time?""Lizzie, turn on the TV now, and you'll understand." Louise sighed."Okay." Walking to the living room, sitting on the sofa, she picked up the black remote control from the coffee table, and pressed the power button. As the 52-inch TV lit up, photos of Lizzie and Jacob flooded the channels."Lizzie, you
"Dad, I got it," the call ends and the screen of his laptop shuts down, his hand rubbing his forehead. He wonders if it's really Lizzie's capability or if she can't keep things under control when he's away. Is Jacob really worth all this? Was she so bold to meet him in broad daylight, even though she's known as the young mistress of Kolo family? But since when did Lizzie become the center of attention, or was it Jacob trying to gain her through media publicity?If that's the case, Jacob got it all wrong. Until everything he aims for is his, Lizzie can only be his, Bruno's wife."Sir, look at this mess. Lizzie is such a disgrace to our Kolo family," Flora glared at the magazine showing the two in close proximity.Yelun picked up the magazine from the table, "These gossip magazines are not trustworthy. We should hear from Lizzie first.""Sir, no smoke without fire, don't you get it? If Lizzie didn't meet this man, how could these photos be taken? It's disgraceful! Besides, would Lizzie
Bruno's hand was still hanging in the air. "Someone beat me to it," he said and gently lowered his hand, caressing her face tenderly, "Does it hurt?"Lizzie looked at him in surprise, his face was filled with an undeniable weariness. Was he angry? Shouldn't he be shouting at her? Yelling at her? Only such a man would be like him. Was the Bruno in front of her still Bruno?"Why aren't you speaking?" Bruno asked, his tone indifferent, "Too hurt to talk? Hmm?""No, it doesn't hurt," Lizzie lied, the left side of her face still burning with pain.Bruno bent his head slightly, looking at her, "Anything you want to tell me?"Lizzie pushed away his hand, "You mean this?" She looked at the magazine on the coffee table, two faces on the cover were strikingly eye-catching.Bruno sat down on the couch, his deep eyes focused on the magazine, "You even bought so many copies. Are you planning to keep them for memory?" His gentleness had vanished, and his tone had returned to its usual coolness."Th
"Dad, Mom, I'm sorry." Did Lizzie's explanation even matter anymore?"How did you end up with Jacob?" Yelun finally voiced his question, albeit shaken. He wanted to believe Lizzie, but the truth of what had occurred was of utmost importance.Lizzie glanced at Bruno who was engrossed in a magazine and didn't meet her gaze. As she was about to explain, Bruno intercepted, "Dad, the truth is rather simple. Lizzie and Jacob barely know each other. They met by chance on the street, Lizzie turned her ankle, and Jacob kindly helped her. Unfortunately, someone snapped a photo. That's all there is to it."Lizzie listened to Bruno's explanation and marveled at how effortlessly he lied."Is that true?" Flora questioned, skeptical of their seemingly rehearsed statement. She felt the situation was far from simple."Bruno calmly countered, "Mom, do you doubt it? The media is simply grasping at straws. It's a desperate attempt for a story when they have nothing substantial to report."The room fell s
"Hello." Lizzie stared at the number, hesitating for a while before she answered."Lizzie, why did you take so long to answer? Did you not want to pick up my call?" Yufenly’s voice was teeming with anger, her volume high.Fearful that Bruno might hear Yufenly’s loud voice, Lizzie shifted the phone to her right ear. "Mom, that's not it. I ..." "Alright, no need for explanations. I want to know what's going on between you and Jacob? Hurry home and let’s talk about it." Yufenly roared into the phone, her voice rising with each word."Right now?" Lizzie asked in a low voice, her head slightly tilted. Barely had she finished speaking when Bruno took the phone away and brought it to his ear."Ah.." Lizzie wanted to say something but a fierce glare from Bruno silenced her."Of course, now. If not now, when? Ruoya said you bullied her yesterday, she cried all night. What did you do to her? Is it Jacob again? Why are you still hanging around Jacob after getting married? You…” Yufenly continue
On a sunny weekend, a month later, Bruno drove with Lizzie to the orphanage.Although it was already afternoon, the orphanage was still bustling with activity. Bruno walked hand in hand with Lizzie through the sprawling garden, watching the children running around on the grass, unaffected by the heat. Among them was Adeline.Her once long hair had been cut into a stylish short style, making her look refreshed.There was a pure and genuine smile on her face, devoid of any traces of pain. She had forgotten the past, forgotten the pain she had endured. She was genuinely happy.Xu Wan approached them. "Adeline has been doing well during this time."She stood beside Bruno and Lizzie, reminiscing about Adeline's past. "Adeline used to have a strong sense of inferiority because she felt abandoned by her parents. She always wore a mask of strength and tried to distance herself from this place. But who would have thought that after all these years, she would come back completely transformed."
Bruno gave a nod, "Alright, I understand. I'll accompany Lizzie.""But, boss, what about Adeline?" Lycan spoke up, noticing that Bruno hadn't mentioned Adeline at all."How is she?" Bruno asked flatly. Even though Adeline had taken a bullet for him, his attitude toward her hadn't changed."The details are still unclear. She's currently in surgery," Lycan reported, "What if the situation isn't promising?" Given Adeline's critical condition upon being taken to the hospital, it was uncertain if she'd survive."We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Keep a watch on her and keep me updated. Lizzie was deeply shaken by this. I need to be with her." Having said that, Bruno retreated into the patient room.Watching the closed door, Jepan murmured, "Lycan, did you notice? The boss doesn't really care about Adeline, even if she took a bullet for him. He didn't even blink.""I know. In his heart, there is only room for Lizzie. She must be scared after what happened. And if the bullet had hi
Lizzie struggled with all her might, but her white blouse was ripped apart, buttons scattering across the floor.Charles stared at her exposed, smooth skin, his eyes locked onto her."Bruno certainly has a good eye," Charles remarked, tut-tutting softly.Lizzie pursed her lips in anger. The way Charles was looking at her felt like an insult."It's just the two of us here. Don't be shy." Charles pulled her close into his arms, planting a kiss on her cheek. The light contact made her feel nauseous from the bottom of her heart.Just as Charles was about to rip off the remainder of her blouse, a loud commotion erupted outside.Before they could react, the wooden door was kicked down. Bruno, dressed in a black suit, stood at the entrance."Bruno," Lizzie cried out in relief. Her heart, held tight with worry, finally eased. She tried to move towards him, but Charles held her back.Charles was taken aback by Bruno's appearance. "Bruno?""So you recognize me, and yet you dare touch my woman."
Lizzie was tied up, unable to move. Even if she wanted to escape from the high-rise building, she was trapped.Footsteps echoed from outside. The sound of shoes on concrete indicated there were a lot of people approaching. Lizzie shrunk into a corner as the door was thrust open, and to her surprise, Charles was the first to enter."You," Lizzie looked up at him."Miss Lizzie, hello. We meet again." Charles approached her, looking down from his superior height."What do you want?" Lizzie was taken aback; she never expected it would be him.Charles crouched down to her level. "Of course, I've been thinking about you." He caressed her face gently, "I've missed this soft cheek of yours."He was ready to risk it all for her. Bruno had canceled their partnership because of her. Charles wouldn't be lenient either.Lizzie turned her face away, "Don't touch me. Take your dirty hands off me." Was this man really intending to possess her? Just because of that one meeting at the nightclub?"Miss
Just as Lizzie had risen and was attempting to guide Yelun back to the villa, two men suddenly appeared beside her. They forcefully shoved Yelun's wheelchair away from her grasp. "You guys..." Lizzie advanced to grab the wheelchair, but was held back by one man gripping her arm, preventing her from moving forward.Helplessly, Lizzie watched as Yelun's wheelchair rolled a considerable distance before tipping over, taking him with it.She tried to scream for help, only to realize the park was eerily devoid of people."Who are you and what do you want? Let me go!" Lizzie struggled in vain against their firm grip."Dad!" She yelled, but was swiftly restrained by the two men and forced into a vehicle.With the engine roaring to life, Lizzie watched as the park faded into the distance. She frantically pounded on the car window shouting, "Let me out, let me out!"The car sped further away, and Lizzie swivelled around to look at her captors. She reached for her mobile phone, only to realize i
Bruno rose from his seat and walked over to her. "How did you get here? Did you drive yourself?" he asked. "Yes," Lizzie nodded. "Don't worry, I drove carefully." She was aware that her driving skills were not the best, so she seldom drove on her own. "Next time, let me know if you want to go out. I'll come pick you up," Bruno said, gripping her hand tightly. Lizzie nestled into his arms with a smile. "Understood. You must be hungry. Let's eat before the food gets cold. I made this meal myself." She led him to the couch, opened the lunchbox she had brought, and prepared to serve the food. "Nothing beats having a wife who knows how to take care of me and cook such delicious meals," Bruno said, wrapping one arm around her while picking up the chopsticks with the other hand. He reached out to feed her a bite. "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Try this." "I had a late breakfast. I'm not hungry yet." Despite her words, Lizzie accepted the piece of braised pork he held out to h
"Bruno, Bruno," Adeline watched as the elevator doors closed, was he really so heartless? Just to go back to Lizzie, he could abandon her so easily.Jepan stood beside her, watching Adeline's pale face, "Adeline, should we go? Do you need me to carry you?" he teased, grinning wickedly.Adeline was about to respond when Jepan interrupted her, "I might have thought about it, but I don't have the guts. I don't want to be misunderstood by Louise.""YOU!" Adeline glared at Jepan, who had never shown any kindness towards her. Especially now, when even Bruno had abandoned her, he became even more ruthless."No need, I can walk on my own." Adeline hobbled slightly as she entered the elevator, Jepan followed with a leisurely laugh.Bruno drove back to the villa at top speed. The villa was still brightly lit, were they not sleeping yet?In the living room, Lizzie held their son, both sitting there. Lizzie had a finance magazine in her hand, and their son was playing video games in front of the
The hotel banquet hall, Bruno in a black suit, with Jepan trailing him, still dressed casually."Boss, did you come in person because you wanted to confirm something?" Jepan asked."Isn't Charles coming too?" Bruno looked at Jepan, his smile inscrutable.Jepan nodded, "Boss, I bet you don't know someone else is coming.""Who?" As Bruno's words fell, a familiar voice came from behind."Bruno." Adeline, dressed in a graceful purple, approached from behind.Bruno's face fell as he watched Adeline approach him."Boss, I guess I'll go in first." Jepan wisely withdrew, regretting he hadn’t warned Bruno earlier.Seeing the gloom on Bruno's face, Jepan figured it was best to make himself scarce.Bruno was about to move forward when Adeline grabbed his arm, "Bruno, we're not strangers, are we?""How did you get here?" Bruno halted, addressing her."Bruno, I knew you were coming. You don't want to see me, but I had no choice but to come here." Adeline clasped his arm.Bruno pushed her hand away
Bruno held her tightly, "You should go home early today, I have things to do tonight.""Okay." Lizzie nodded, understanding that he didn't need to tell her everything, aware that he was very busy. Although there was nothing she could do to help, she didn't want her presence to disrupt his work.Before the end of the workday, Bruno had his driver take her back to her apartment. Lizzie had a small meal, her appetite wasn't great. She made herself a bowl of noodles, but only ate a few bites and settled in to watch TV. Bob, her dog, was sitting next to her, more engrossed in the TV than she was.Bruno and Adeline sat in a French restaurant that evening. The dim yellow light and soothing music made the atmosphere elegant and romantic."Bruno, I ordered a couple's set meal, hope you don't mind?" Adeline had already ordered when they were seated."Of course I don't mind, as long as you like it." Bruno was not particularly fond of Western food. As he looked at the premium steak set meal in fr