"Aurora asked calmly, "Why should you break up with him just because of that woman? It's not worth it to break up with him since the two of you are getting married soon. Besides… aren't all men the same? "My dad has countless mistresses, and my mom let him be as long as he did not have a kid out of wedlock or ask her for a divorce. Of course, he would still have to perform his husbandly duties in front of others. However, apart from that, she was content with her marriage." "But if it were you… what would you do if you found out that your husband has a mistress?" Vicky asked. Aurora smiled haplessly. "No feelings last forever, and marriages like mine are usually arranged by our parents in order to further their business interests. There's no love to speak of. Even those who married out of love would eventually have an affair or break up down the line." Vicky was speechless. Aurora patted her on the shoulder. "Of course, it's better to break up if you can't handle the betrayal
As if worried that Vicky was going to say no to her, Aurora immediately added, "I'll pay you rent money and… I can cook three meals a day. I promise I won't cause you any trouble." Vicky already found Aurora very tiring after spending the whole day shopping with her, yet she was asking to stay at her place now. There was no way Vicky could say yes to that. "I'm sorry. It wouldn't be convenient for me if you stayed at my place. It's best if you stay somewhere else," said Vicky without hesitation. "Vicky… I only came back recently, so I don't know anywhere I can go. I really have nowhere else to go." Aurora looked at Vicky with her big sad puppy dog eyes. "Please let me stay at your place for a little while. Pretty please?" Vicky shook her head. "Don't you have a fiance? You can stay at his place." "No. It's not appropriate for us to stay under the same roof when we're not married yet," said Aurora in a small voice. Vicky was a little shocked by what she said. "But you guys a
Vicky's gaze fell on Tyler's bathrobe. "Where are your clothes?" "I threw them away." "You did what?" "You caused my clothes to reek of alcohol last night. Not to mention they were all crumpled up after what we did. You don't seriously think I'll go out dressed like that, do you?" asked Tyler coldly. He had a thing about cleanliness and would not be caught dead in yesterday's clothes. In fact, he would immediately change into a new set of clothes should he get just a tiny speck of dirt on them, so Vicky knew very well he would not wear his old clothes out today. After a few seconds of silence, she finally said, "You could've asked your assistant to bring you a change of clothing." "As if." Tyler looked at her. "That would be as good as announcing our relationship to the whole world." Vicky frowned. "Your assistant works for you, so I'm pretty sure he won't be going around telling everyone about it." Besides, why should Tyler be afraid of his assistant finding out when
Rain was falling.Vicky stood in front of the window, feeling glad that she had returned home in time.She had been out the whole day and was feeling exhausted. She closed the curtains and went for a quick shower, before hurrying to bed to rest.She listened to the sound of raindrops falling outside her window and soon drifted off to sleep.Sometime later, she jolted awake from the sudden feeling of being suffocated. Feeling dazed, she carefully opened her eyes. The room was dark and the curtains blocked out all forms of light.She could still hear the thunderstorm outside and because she was in deep sleep a few moments ago, she was struggling to get rid of the suffocating feeling.She took some time to process what was happening, and that was when she finally realized something was wrong.Someone was forcefully kissing her.It was as if all the oxygen was being sucked out of her; she was suffocating under the weight of it all.In an instant, Vicky snapped back to reality an
It was hard to get rid of someone like Tyler; he would never compromise. Once provoked, he would never let Vicky leave unscathed. Vicky stared at him and asked, "What do you want from me?""I don't want anything." Tyler leaned back lazily. "You've made it clear that you don't want to be my lover, so in that case, we can occasionally have meet-ups when we have time."'Meet-ups?' She thought.No matter how much he sugar-coated it, it could not change the true nature of the situation — he wanted to continue sleeping with her.Vicky clenched her fists tightly. "I refuse.""So what you're trying to say is... You want me to act as if nothing has been happening this whole time?" Tyler raised an eyebrow.Vicky did not speak, but her attitude seemed to tacitly agree.Tyler's gaze became indifferent. "So many things have happened between us these past few days, don't you agree? Does it look like I can act as if nothing happened? Do you really think that's possible?"Vicky wanted to say t
Vicky shot him a faint smile. "Mister Hart, isn't it too early to discuss such matters? Let's wait until after a month to see if it actually happens." She took out the clothes from her shopping bag and said, "It's getting late. You should change into your work clothes and head to the office soon.""I didn't eat much yesterday," Tyler replied, sitting on the couch without moving. "Make me breakfast."A hint of annoyance flashed past Vicky's eyes, but she calmly suppressed it. "Alright, I'll go and prepare breakfast for you while you get changed."She did not want to give Tyler any more excuses to bother her.After breakfast was ready, Tyler appeared downstairs fully dressed. They ate in silence, and soon after, Tyler left.As he drove away, Vicky noticed that he had shamelessly parked his car in the villa's garage....Not long after Tyler's departure, Vicky received a call from Aurora."Vicky, the thunder last night was so terrifying..." Aurora's voice sounded weak from a sleep
The rain continued to pour. Without much thought, Vicky hung up the phone and rushed out of the door.Aurora was drenched from head to toe. When Vicky saw her, she was sitting by the entrance, shivering from the rain."Miss Starling." Vicky took in Aurora's disheveled appearance. "What are you doing here?"Upon hearing Vicky's voice, Aurora raised her head in surprise; rainwater trickled down her fair face, giving her an air of desolation and vulnerability."Vicky, you... You actually came out?" Just now, when Vicky hung up, Aurora thought Vicky would ignore her, so she did not expect Vicky to appear in front of her face.Vicky could have refused Aurora's request to stay, but seeing Aurora completely drenched, she could not bring herself to heartlessly turn her away.In the end, she let out a soft sigh. "It's cold outside. Why don't you come in for now?"...After they entered the house, Vicky settled Aurora in a guest room and found a set of unworn clothes for her."You shoul
She used to feel sorrow, guilt, and even hope for Tyler in the past, but when she thought they could start anew, he heartlessly casted her aside.Although she had not completely let go of the situation just yet, she no longer held any expectations or dreamt unrealistic fantasies about him.The look in Vicky's eyes was familiar — it was reminiscent of their heartless breakup years ago.A glint of coldness flickered in Tyler's eyes as he strode towards her menacingly.The rain outside intensified, with the drops hitting the transparent glass created a dull thudding sound.The already dim room felt even dark as he approached. This caused Vicky to instinctively take a few steps back.It suddenly occurred to her that Aurora was still in the guest room and if Aurora came outside to find Tyler here, Vicky would not be able to explain herself well.On top of everything, Tyler had been provoked and was capable of doing anything, so Vicky could not help but panic.Seeing her retreat, his
[Alright.]Aurora sighed in relief. "Vicky, we've been out for quite a while. Shall we head back?"Vicky glanced at Aurora. "Can we finally go back now?""Yes, we can go back... Huh?" Aurora sensed something was amiss. "Vicky, do you...know something?"Vicky smiled. "Every time I go out with friends, Tyler always bombards me with questions about when I'll be back and insists on picking me up. Strangely, he didn't ask me anything today. Also... I remember that it's my birthday today."Aurora was left speechless as she realized Vicky saw right through her act....By the time they got home, it was starting to get dark outside. Inside the mansion, it was quiet and pitch-black. Suddenly, a warm, yellow candlelight gradually illuminated the darkness, revealing a handsome face."Happy birthday, Vicky," Tyler said.Vicky gazed at the flickering candles, feeling a bit dazed.It was then she remembered that during the early days of their relationship, he had prepared a birthday surpri
Tyler showed great disdain when his wish of getting a daughter was let down. What irritated him most was that this son looked remarkably like him.After recovering from childbirth, Vicky accompanied a newly pregnant Aurora on a shopping trip for baby supplies.Upon hearing Vicky's story, Aurora could not help but ask, "Men are usually happy when they have sons, so why does Tyler prefer daughters?"Vicky sighed. "Tyler says that a family is never really balanced and happy unless they have one son and one daughter."Aurora nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed. Now that you have a son, having a daughter would be perfect. Vicky, have you and Tyler considered responding to the national call and having a third child?"Vicky shook her head. "The last time I gave birth, Tyler wasn't around, so he doesn't know what it was like. This time, he was scared out of his wits and had no intention of having more children. A few days ago, he even underwent a vasectomy."Aurora chuckled. "Daughters may be s
However, everything spiraled out of control.Tyler knew his behavior was despicable, but he could not control his emotions.When he loved, every cell within him longed for her. Every time he came to see her, he told himself it would be the last time. However, he found himself appearing at her house more and more frequently.Tyler knew he was in trouble, and it would not be long before he returned to his former self.Vicky was like a drug to him. Even though he knew that contact with her was toxic, he could not bring himself to let go.He knew she was pregnant with his child, and his most primal desires began to surge, making it impossible for him to resist the urge to make her stay.Vicky listened quietly to his confession, and her heart ached.She could not fight off the urge to hold him; her touch was firm and comforting.He only mentioned a few words about the time he regained consciousness, but Vicky knew he had endured a lot of pain. The fact that he was alive was a miracl
Tyler's lips quivered as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he fell silent.What was there to say? It was not like he could apologize. The deed had been done, and his apology would not mean anything. Besides, he had no regrets whatsoever.Vicky stared at him. "You tampered with the surveillance, didn't you?""Yes.""And the servants and nannies. They're all under your control, right?"Tyler lowered his gaze. "Yes."Since all of this was real and not a dream, she must have been unconscious when Tyler returned. No matter how soundly she slept, she should have felt something. Since she had to take care of Lufian, she came home every day for meals, so she guessed that something was added to her food.For the past few days, she pretended to eat at home while secretly disposing of her meals. As it turned out, her suspicions were correct.Vicky repeated the question she asked before. "Why didn't you come to me?"Tyler remained silent once again."Did you come here just t
"Are you planning to leave just like that?"The man's body tensed.Click! The desk lamp was turned on, its warm, amber light illuminating the darkness."Why won't you look at me? Are you brave enough to do it but not to admit it?" echoed Vicky's gentle voice.Tyler snapped out of it and instinctively pulled his hand away from hers, ready to escape, only for Vicky's next words to pin him in place."If you leave now, I'll get rid of the baby in me tomorrow."He swiftly froze in place and turned back to her. "What did you just say?"Even though she prepared herself mentally, seeing the shock on his face made Vicky's eyes widen in shock. In an instant, her eyes welled up with tears. "You..."As Tyler met the shock in her eyes, he came to a sudden realization and turned his face away, looking anywhere but at her.When she learned about her pregnancy and knew she had not been dreaming, Vicky had a hunch about who it was that came and went freely into her home. The only one capable o
Vicky began to feel increasingly uneasy. She was pregnant without even knowing who the father was. That had to be one of the most absurd jokes in the world.Aurora, Noah, and the others were bewildered.They knew Vicky's character well, and she was not the type to casually sleep around. Besides, she still had feelings for Tyler, so she would never sleep with another man.Getting drunk was even more out of the question. After all, she was either working or taking care of her child. She had neither the time nor the inclination to go out drinking.Even Vicky herself was bewildered, and her thoughts were in disarray. "I... I don't know."The others exchanged glances, all noticing that Vicky's first instinct was not to terminate the pregnancy."Vicky, go home and think it over carefully. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call us," Aurora said gently.Vicky nodded absently.Back at home, Vicky reviewed the surveillance footage once more.She had watched it numerous times, but
Just then, a dish that Vicky usually enjoyed was brought to the table by the waiter.The aroma filled the air, but Vicky paled instantly. Before anyone could react, she retched and rushed to the bathroom.Everyone exchanged puzzled glances.Cece blinked. "What's wrong with Vicky?"Jennifer furrowed her brow. "Vicky doesn't look well. Is she ill?"The concerned Aurora chimed in, "Ever since Tyler's disappearance, Vicky hasn't been in the best mood. She even suffered from postpartum depression. Let's take her to the hospital after dinner. We can't afford for her to fall ill again."Everyone assumed that something was physically wrong with Vicky, but Noah, who remained silent, spoke up."I remember when Vicky was pregnant last time... She seemed to be very sensitive to certain smells."All eyes turned to Noah.Jennifer's eyes widened. "What are you trying to say, Noah?! You don't mean to suggest that...Vicky might be pregnant, do you?"Under the curious gazes of everyone, Noah c
As Anthony and Jennifer grew up in Lovian, and their families had deep roots there, they had to stay at Lovian as well. However, whenever they had free time, Jennifer often returned to Stoneford City to meet her friends for gatherings and meals.Vicky's birthday was approaching in a few days, and Jennifer came back early for the occasion.Lufian, on the other hand, became the darling of the group, and everyone loved him. Thus, one of the highlights of visiting Zendonia was to see Lufian.On this day, Vicky had some free time and decided to go to the airport to fetch Jennifer.Harvey held Lufian and walked out of Vicky's mansion.He had also come back early to celebrate Vicky's birthday. Like everyone else, he adored Lufian. His priority the moment he returned was to see Lufian, even though Lufian resembled Tyler most uncannily.Harvey carried Lufian and settled into the back seat, preparing to bond with him during the ride. Vicky sat in the driver's seat.Just as they were about
"Lufian is usually very well-behaved. He doesn't cause a fuss and is easy to handle.""Is his name Lufian?""That's right. Lufian Hart."Gloria's gaze flickered briefly but quickly returned to normal. "Have you given him a nickname?""Not yet," Vicky replied.Gloria did not say anything further.After playing with the child for a while, she carefully placed the necklace she had prepared around Lufian's neck.The baby played for a while and soon fell asleep.Gloria then gently returned Lufian to his stroller.Leaving the nursery, Vicky and Gloria engaged in casual conversation. They had no deep-seated grudges, and over time, their past love and hatred gradually faded away.Vicky smiled and remarked, "You seem to really like children. How about having one yourself? A kid would make a good companion for Lufian.""I'd like to, but I haven't found the right person," Gloria lamented.Gloria had been single for years. It was not because she could not forget Tyler or was waiting fo